"Huh? Is there something on my face?"
After getting a few extra glances from Lin Shuang, the little maid Tong Yao asked this.
She was eating her meal in small bites, her beautiful eyes sneaking peeks at Lin Shuang.
"No, I just think that our own little maid is so cute."
Lin Shuang then thought of the professional service provided by the Maid Chief, Xia Yixin, at noon.
Indeed, sitting together with his own little maid felt more comfortable.
The little maid's eyes, clear-cut in black and white, spun around a few times as she looked at him, "Even if master says so, I won't rub your face again today, okay?"
She looked somewhat puzzled, "I feel like you're going to rub my face bigger, wuuu..."
At the dining table, Lin Shuang stretched out his arm with a chuckle, opening his palm to the little maid.
The little maid pursed her lips but obediently laid down in his palm.
"Really should rub less... wuu wuu..."
"Your face won't get bigger from rubbing, who told you that? Idiot!"
Lin Shuang was stroking his own little maid with one hand, while sipping soup made by her with a little spoon in the other.
What could be more wonderful than this?
The little maid lay in his hand, looking at him with pitifully stupid and clear eyes.
Lin Shuang poked her dimple, "Anyway, back to business, I've found a professional Maid Chief to train you. When do you have time?"
The little maid instinctively wanted to reject, "No need... I can just watch videos and read books by myself."
"You can't escape this; follow and learn well, and become my perfect little maid sooner."
"Um... will the training be expensive?" the little maid fiddled with his fingers.
Lin Shuang carefully chose his words, "It's a favor owed to me by a friend, free of charge, don't worry."
—Little maid, oh little maid, do you understand the toil and moil of your master? I was toyed with by that darn young miss for two whole days before I managed to secure this training opportunity for you!
The little maid sat up straight, her two little fists swaying beside her face, "Then I will, learn really well, strive to improve every day!"
Lin Shuang high-fived her, "Study hard! Strive to improve every day!"
It was as if some kind of pep rally for little kids before an exam.
Who knows what this simple little maid will be turned into by the Maid Chief.
Lin Shuang was somewhat excited but also somewhat anxious.
This mentality was like that of a parent watching their child enter the examination hall.
After checking her class schedule, the little maid Tong Yao decided to dedicate all her afternoons off from school to training.
Including Monday, Tuesday, and Friday afternoons, as well as all day Saturday.
As for Sunday, Lin Shuang decided to give her a day off.
[Maid's Diary: Tonight Lin Shuang came home for dinner, give him an extra point! Tried making a new soup, and Lin Shuang really liked it, big success, give myself an extra point too!
Got my face rubbed several times, I'm noting this grudge, and I will definitely rub back later (crossed out), forget it, I won't hold this grudge, actually, it feels quite nice to be rubbed by him...
Tomorrow the training starts, will the teacher be very strict? But anyway, I'll work very hard. Cheer up Tong Yao, you're the best maid!]
...
The very next morning, the little maid Tong Yao encountered Maid Chief Xia Yixin, who had come to give lessons.
Frankly speaking, when they first met, Tong Yao was a bit scared.
Although they appeared to be of the same age, Xia Yixin's calm and undisturbed expression still brought an inexplicable sense of oppression to her.
How should it be described? It was like when you were distracted during class, and when you turned around, you saw your homeroom teacher staring at you with a stern face outside the window—that type of oppression.
Tong Yao felt somewhat flustered as she greeted her, "Teacher Xia, nice to meet you for the first time. I am Lin Family's live-in maid, Tong Yao."
Xia Yixin greeted her in return, "Hello, I am Xia Family young miss's Maid Chief, Xia Yixin, tasked by the young miss and Mr. Lin to come and give lessons."
Compared to Tong Yao, the Maid Chief's posture truly seemed more professional and graceful; one couldn't find any fault with it.
Even her tone of speaking was incredibly graceful, making one feel that a maid should indeed be like this.
This made Tong Yao even more nervous. She subconsciously wanted to look back for Lin Shuang's figure, perhaps to hide behind him.
But Lin Shuang had left home early today, saying that he was going to check out some milk tea shop.
She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and with a well-practiced standard smile—showing eight teeth, which she had practiced in front of a video for a long time—welcomed Xia Yixin.
However, Xia Yixin's comment was, "You seem a bit nervous? Your smile is quite stiff. Did I frighten you?"
The nervous little maid Tong Yao served Xia Yixin tea, "Teacher Xia... I also want to become as elegant and professional a maid as you!"
"You are too nervous. Let's do this instead."
Xia Yixin bowed her head and gently patted her cheeks with her hands.
When she raised her head again, her calm face had changed to a gentle and graceful smile.
"Hi hi, nice to meet you for the first time, Tong Yao. Does this feel a bit more relaxing?"
Tong Yao opened her mouth slightly in astonishment, stunned.
The Xia Yixin before her had transformed from a homeroom teacher silently observing from outside the window into a best girlfriend who would hold her hand and go to the restroom together after class.
She gently took Tong Yao's hand as if they were best girlfriends, but what she said was, "Then let's consider this our first lesson, Tong Yao."
"To be an excellent maid, you must first learn to switch between a regular maid, a combat maid, and a companion maid."
"Switching..." Tong Yao repeated the word to herself.
"Yes, in daily work, you need to complete all your master's requests in a clean and efficient regular maid manner."
"And if you encounter people or things that hinder your master, when necessary, you should adopt the stance of a combat maid to eliminate all obstacles for your master!"
"Also, many times, a master will need company and someone to listen; at such times, you should adopt the role of a companion maid and become a friend to the master."
"Regular, combat, companion?" The diligent student Tong Yao took out her pen and notebook and began to scribble notes.
"You don't have to write it down. I believe that after the upcoming training, you'll know these rules by heart."
Xia Yixin still had the friendly smile of a best friend. Was this her so-called "companion maid" demeanor now?
"Anyway, Tong Yao, please take care in the upcoming training. Oh, and where is this maid's dress from?"
"Teacher Xia, please take care of me, too... This maid's dress was bought for me by my master at a COS shop."
"I see, I will communicate with Mr. Lin later and, according to his preferences, help you customize a new one."
"Please remember to keep the maid's dress clean and tidy. Of course, sometimes, it may be dirtied by the master."
"Ah? Dirtied? When…"
"We'll talk about that later."