When Tang Lu told Wen Ya about the incident, Wen Ya gave her a nonchalant look, calmly saying, "I already know."
Tang Lu wanted to plead her case and quickly explained, "Ya Jie, I didn't know that Young Master Yan would suddenly come in..."
Before she could finish, Wen Ya gently patted her arm in reassurance, "It's not your fault. I forgot to tell you. Next time, if it happens again, just leave."
"Next time?" Tang Lu almost stumbled over her words. No wonder Wen Ya looked so calm—apparently, Bo Siyan was a repeat offender.
Though she really wanted to gossip more about this topic, it was clear that Wen Ya wasn't the right person for that. She'd have to wait until she could chat with other colleagues after returning.
"Young Master Yan should be back to have dinner now. Go greet the kitchen," Wen Ya instructed.
"Got it."
If there's one thing that stands out about the old-fashioned nature of the story, it's this: even though phones could be used for communication, they didn't, and employees weren't allowed to bring phones to work. The only way to contact someone was through the walkie-talkies provided.
The kitchen was located in a separate area outside the villa, encircled by a small courtyard, with herbs and vegetables planted at the entrance. After meals were prepared, the kitchen staff would deliver the dishes to the back door, where the servants would then bring them inside.
The chefs in the Bo family's kitchen were handpicked, many of them from renowned restaurants. In short, only the best would survive here. Tang Lu had never tasted the chefs' cooking, as the staff meals were prepared by their own chefs, but they were quite tasty—much better than the Chinese fast food restaurant downstairs from her office.
After notifying the kitchen, Tang Lu was called by Wen Ya to do some miscellaneous tasks. Later, she was asked to tidy up the guest rooms. Worried she might struggle with it alone, Wen Ya called her colleague, Meng Jiao, to help.
Meng Jiao was 25 years old, around the same age as Tang Lu before she "traveled" back in time. She had an outgoing, lively personality and was very talkative, making her the best friend Tang Lu had made since joining. Most of what she knew about the Bo family came from Meng Jiao.
Entering the room, Tang Lu's first instinct was to hold her breath and quickly went to turn on the air circulation system, but it still didn't seem enough, so she opened the windows.
The room was filled with a strange smell, making her dizzy. The bed was a mess—white sheets were wrinkled into a heap, and the blanket and pillows were scattered all over.
Staring at the scene before her, Tang Lu felt a tingling sensation on her scalp and didn't know where to start. Just then, Meng Jiao appeared like a savior, carrying a laundry basket.
When Meng Jiao saw Tang Lu standing there, she waved at her, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and clean up."
"I'm coming!" Tang Lu hurried over to help.
Meng Jiao was amused by Tang Lu's nervous reaction and laughed, "Never seen this kind of scene, huh? Look at you so flustered. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Tang Lu took the chance to ask, "Does this happen often?"
"You don't know? Since you're from out of town, you probably don't understand. Our Young Master Yan is famous for his good luck with women throughout City C… The woman who came today is probably a model from their company."
"You know that?" Tang Lu was shocked. She hadn't even gotten a clear look at the girl's face, so how did Meng Jiao know?
"Of course. The place is so small, and bringing someone in is bound to be noticed," Meng Jiao said nonchalantly.
It made sense when Tang Lu thought about it. In novels, it's often written that the domineering CEO has a one-night stand and it's all very secretive. But in reality, the driver, the doorman, and even the maids know all about it!
Of course, these people were often absent from novels, where rooms were depicted as automatically self-cleaning.
So, even for the rich and powerful CEOs, it seemed like there was no real privacy.
"Little Tang, stop zoning out. Take that pillowcase off."
Tang Lu snapped back to reality, picked up the pillow, and to her surprise, found a diamond-studded earring under it. She picked it up and examined it. She wasn't very knowledgeable about jewelry, but this one seemed quite stylish and likely expensive.
"Meng Jie, look at this." Tang Lu showed the earring to Meng Jiao. "What should I do with it?"
Meng Jiao took the earring, looked at it, then handed it back to Tang Lu. "Give it to Young Master Yan later."
"Huh?" Tang Lu didn't want to interact with Bo Siyan. Ideally, she wouldn't see him at all during her six-month stay, so she asked, "Can I give it to Ya Jie instead?"
"You could, but..." Meng Jiao eyed Tang Lu with confusion, "Why do you look so reluctant to meet Young Master Yan?"
"Really? Maybe I'm just a bit timid." Tang Lu chuckled awkwardly, trying to deflect the conversation.
Since joining the company, she'd kept up the image of being a quiet and obedient newcomer, playing the role of a shy, inexperienced rural girl, which made her well-liked by the older employees, especially with her relative, Aunt Tang, working in the kitchen.
Meng Jiao didn't think much of it, just reminded Tang Lu to keep the earring safe and added, "But this is good. The most important thing when working at the Bo family isn't how well you work, but being focused. Don't let any thoughts get in the way."
She had been with the Bo family for a few years and had also had unrealistic dreams when she first arrived. But after seeing enough of the rich life, she had learned to let go of those fantasies. This kind of wealth was not for her, and it was better to focus on her job.
Aunt Tang had taken good care of Meng Jiao, and she was simply returning the favor by helping Tang Lu out.
"Don't worry, Meng Jie. I just want to save up enough to buy an apartment in the city someday," Tang Lu said earnestly.
"As long as you know. You got this job with difficulty, so don't let Aunt Tang down."
"I understand!"
"Alright, hurry up and finish. If you bump into Young Master Chuan, that'd be bad."
"Why?"
Meng Jiao explained, "Young Master Chuan never likes it when Young Master Yan brings people back. If he finds out, he'll scold him for sure."
The relationship between Bo Jingchuan and Bo Siyan wasn't exactly brotherly, but it wasn't bad either.
Actually, the three men weren't full-blood brothers. When Bo Jingchuan was very young, his mother passed away, and when he was three, the Bo family patriarch remarried. This marriage was a business alliance, and the second Mrs. Bo gave birth to Bo Siyan and Bo Jinyan before traveling the world, with little interference from the patriarch. The three brothers were mostly raised by the family staff.
Over ten years ago, Mrs. Bo claimed to have found true love and insisted on divorcing. After a series of negotiations, she finally got her wish.
Afterward, the Bo family patriarch didn't remarry and focused on grooming his sons to take over the family business. When Bo Jingchuan was capable of handling things, he left for a foreign vacation with his mistress.
Tang Lu had learned all this during her break from her colleagues. It seemed to be part of the family history that all new employees had to hear.
In novels, the Bo family was often only briefly mentioned. From Bo Siyan's perspective, the family was always cold and unwelcoming. For him, the Bo family home was just a place to sleep. It wasn't until the female protagonist appeared that the family started to have some meaning for him.
Tang Lu thought the Bo family's upbringing was quite dysfunctional—one parent was obsessed with love, and the other with their career. Neither participated in their children's upbringing, leaving it to the staff. The rule of replacing staff every thirty years was clearly designed to prevent any emotional bonds from forming with the children.
Growing up in such an environment, it was surprising that the three Bo brothers hadn't gone astray. Each of them had a legitimate job, which was a miracle.
Looking at it this way, she thought everyone was pretty impressive. If she were born into a wealthy family with unlimited resources and uninvolved parents, she'd probably spend her days eating, drinking, and playing.
"Didn't expect Young Master Yan to be afraid of his older brother," Tang Lu said casually.
"Who wouldn't be? Technically, Young Master Chuan is still Young Master Yan's superior. Plus, Young Master Chuan is always strict with others. I'm scared of him every time I see him," Meng Jiao replied.
"Even you're afraid of Young Master Chuan, Meng Jie?"
"Who isn't in the Bo family?" Meng Jiao quickly looked toward the door, worried someone might overhear. "Alright, enough talking. Hurry up and finish."
The two quickly cleaned the room, and the smell started to dissipate. Tang Lu closed the windows and replaced the room's air fresheners before they took the dirty laundry downstairs.
It was now fully dark, and the crystal chandelier in the living room had been lit, casting dazzling light through the countless crystals, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
Tang Lu couldn't help but stare at it for a moment.
At that moment, Bo Siyan's voice could be heard from the dining room, and Meng Jiao quickly pulled Tang Lu, and the two quietly left through the back door.
After dropping off the dirty laundry in the laundry room, Tang Lu was about to return to the villa to wait when Meng Jiao stopped her.
"Don't rush. Ya Jie just said you should eat first. Young Master Chuan has some business to attend to and won't be back until later. Let's eat first."
So, Tang Lu returned to the dormitory to have dinner. The Bo family's staff, aside from the maids, included workers from the laundry, kitchen, housekeepers, gardeners, electricians, security, and drivers, totaling around thirty people, all living in this dormitory building.
The first floor of the dormitory was a shared area for meals and rest. It had a TV and couches, and there was also a time clock for clocking in and out.
The second floor was for male dorms, and the third floor was for female dorms. The two floors had separate entrances and were not connected.
Each dorm room was a small, private unit with its own bathroom. There was a shared shower room on each floor. The living conditions were much better than those in school dormitories.
After dinner, Tang Lu returned to the villa. By then, Bo Siyan had finished his meal and gone upstairs. She stayed on the first floor, waiting to clock out.
At 10:30, Bo Jingchuan returned. Tang Lu timed it just right to go to the kitchen and collect the milk.
Once the milk was delivered, she would be done for the day!