Everyone knew this basic common sense.
Phrases like “earnest exhortation” or “heartfelt advice”—words describing patient scolding or stern guidance—usually came from older people reprimanding the young.
But right at this moment.
Right at the grand entrance to the Maid Corps Dormitory!
Ye Zhibai got to witness what “reverse lecturing” truly meant.
Ye Zhiyun, a mere high school graduate, was dressing down the university-educated little maids with icy, razor-sharp words.
And she had the pair of them trembling in fear, sniffling and on the verge of tears.
“…Do you understand? Gossiping behind someone’s back is no good habit, and it’s certainly not the style of the Ye Family Maid Corps.”
“Sob… Y-yes… I’m sorry, Second Miss! I… I’m new here, I don’t know any better… I swear I won’t do it again!”
“Not knowing is one thing—the internship period is meant for you to learn from ignorance to understanding. But… people must take responsibility for their own words. That has nothing to do with the job.”
A layer of frost seemed to coat Yun’er’s eyes, revealing no trace of emotion beyond utter seriousness.
“Even if you don’t learn it during your internship… you can always retrain from scratch. But rumor-mongering, spreading gossip—that’s absolutely forbidden. Not just at work, but in any social setting. Right?”
“Yes!!”
“If you agree, then when you two were spreading those creepy tales about Eldest Miss Ye Zhibai… did you ever stop to think about right and wrong? Put yourselves in her shoes. If someone gossiped behind your backs that you were haunted by ghosts, wouldn’t you fear being shunned? Just one careless remark from someone, a single ‘sorry,’ and suddenly you’re treated like an outcast… Could you accept that yourselves?”
The two maids had been about to blurt out more instinctive apologies or excuses.
But this question left them frozen in place.
They truly hadn’t considered… the consequences their words might bring. It was just idle chatter, after all.
Yet that so-called “idle chatter” landed entirely differently depending on who was listening.
Yun’er despised such irresponsible speech with a burning passion.
From childhood, she had pitied her older sister, confined to the depths of their home, unable to step outside.
And yet, in a heartbreaking way, she had also felt relief.
Thank goodness her sister couldn’t go out.
Otherwise, what vicious barbs would reach her ears?
“The Ye family’s eldest daughter? Ha… let me tell you on the down-low, that girl’s never set foot in a school… What elite education? She’s got some innate intellectual deficiency! Don’t buy the Ye family’s tall tales about their genius daughter—it’s all face-saving nonsense. Truth is, she’s hopelessly retarded, no saving her~”
“Heard the Ye family heiress got run over by a car and died? You think she’s in the hospital? The Yes won’t even let reporters near—who knows the truth? Word on the street is she’s already gone, and they’re just covering it up.”
“Such a shame about that pretty flowerpot. They say the Ye family Eldest Miss was drop-dead gorgeous. Guess even heaven got jealous this time? Flattened like a bug—saves the Yes from parading her around later. With her brains already scrambled, maybe it’s a mercy for her.”
Those words infested every business gathering the Ye family hosted.
Even if the guests whispered them discreetly, avoiding direct talk, Ye Zhiyun couldn’t help overhearing fragments amid the sea of murmurs.
You bastards… My sister’s barely gone, if she’s gone at all—or hell, go to hell, the lot of you.
Countless times, Ye Zhiyun had stormed backstage in a fury, cursing at the walls, pounding them with her fists until her delicate knuckles bled raw, her teeth gritted in impotent rage.
My sister’s fine.
She’ll wake up.
All her suffering will end.
Rumors hurt people.
Even without malice, what you see as harmless chit-chat becomes unintentional wounds to others—and to those who cherish them, it’s a storm of pure evil crashing down.
The more she dwelled on it, the more those childhood repressions surged back—the loathing for people who spoke freely when it wasn’t their business.
The wind rustled the leaves, its whisper gently pulling Yun’er’s thoughts back to the present.
Only then did she notice the two new hires before her, eyes brimming with tears, necks hunched like they were bracing for the axe. They looked utterly convinced they’d been fired.
Whew… it wouldn’t come to that.
One issue at a time.
They’d just overheard some nonsense and chimed in a couple times—not enough to ruin promising careers over.
Everything needed balance; measured rewards and punishments were part of why the Ye family had thrived for so long.
Yun’er’s earlier irritation… mostly stemmed from those resurfaced rumors, plus the itch to hug her sister for comfort—but they were in public, so no dice!
Anyway, for this, making them clean the conference room for a month would do.
A proper lesson!
But Yun’er had no idea her aura made it seem like she was about to can them on the spot.
Ye Zhibai couldn’t keep hiding behind the door, playing dead.
She had to step in!
If these little maids got fired just for speaking some hard truths (about beating up Guang Yu), she’d feel guilty forever.
“You two, own up to it. Go to the head maid and say you’re—”
“Yun’er.”
“!”
Talk about a face turn!
That soft, glutinous call swept the gloom from Yun’er’s face like a broom. The sparkle in her blue eyes shot from ocean depths to the heavens at lightspeed!
The self-discipline of an ultimate siscon in action.
But she noticed her sister approaching with hurried steps.
The two little maids lifted their heads alongside Yun’er.
In that instant, they beheld a divine messenger descended from the skies.
She was so beautiful. Truly.
“Yun’er, no need to go that far. If they’d done something major, give ’em hell… cough, no big deal, just a couple words—let it slide.”
“Uh…? Sis, I didn’t…”
“Look at you, playing tough again.”
“!”
She said it! I said it!!
Scummy Zhibai had already realized Yun’er wasn’t actually firing them.
But she just had to test how it felt to call Yun’er stubborn!
I’m not the stubborn one here!
Ye Zhibai, scum of the earth.
Nor was it just for her own satisfaction.
She also signaled Yun’er to check the maids’ states.
Even if you didn’t mean it…
You come off exactly like a big tiger now, no difference.
Well… as the big sister, Ye Zhibai didn’t want her little sister seen as a scary tiger in others’ eyes.
It wasn’t just sister doting on sister—big sis was always watching out for little sis too, you know?
Yun’er glanced over.
The pair had already pinned their Maid Corps badges in tearful despair, bidding a tragic farewell to the manor and their short careers.
Don’t frame me in front of Sis! Who said anything about firing you?!
Oh no—with Yun’er’s expression and that brewing intensity…
She might actually change her mind and fire them now!
Seeing Yun’er stand there speechless and stunned, Ye Zhibai had no choice but to overstep.
For the first time in her life, she invoked her authority as one of the Ye family’s leaders.
I don’t crave power, don’t care for it.
But if it saves these little maids’ futures, why not?
As the Ye family’s eldest daughter, Ye Zhibai took one small step forward.
Her doll-like, exquisite icy visage somehow seemed capable of melting mountains.
“Don’t be scared. She didn’t mean it—it’s just her personality. Mm… rest easy, your jobs are safe. Just watch it next time.”
Hm?
Why’d they go quiet?
Silence meant they were processing the relief, the calm before the emotional storm. Sudden release from pressure always brought a beat of stillness.
But now, no need for silence anymore.
The two clasped their hands to their chests.
In that moment, they transformed into the Eldest Miss’s little fangirls!
Not only gorgeous, but so gentle too!
“Wah! Sorry, Eldest Miss! We shouldn’t have gossiped about you behind your back!”
“Yeah! Someone as kind as you—how could demons haunt you? If anything, it’s divine protection! And… you’re so pretty!”
Haah, why do I feel like Yun’er just yanked my arm back while you said that?
Fresh from the brink of doom, the two airheaded maids relaxed completely.
Grateful words poured out like machine-gun fire, nonstop.
“I-I-I… I’ll work super hard from now on! Straight to company HQ, assisting the Eldest Miss! Sob, Second Miss is a big tiger, but Eldest Miss is so gentle!”
“Hiss…! Shut it already!!”
“Ah… sorry!!”
Yun’er’s face stayed sour the whole time.
She gave a half-smile, half-grimace, respecting her sister’s call without further hounding the maids.
But hey, weren’t you gonna work super hard?
Let me give you a nudge.
Death penalty waived—living hell awaits!
“So, head to the head maid for mops. The conference room cleaning for the next two months? All yours. Good luck!”
“!””!”
This sudden extra month was their personal vendetta for calling her a “tiger” in front of her sister.
Once the two maids’ mental states had stabilized, Ye Zhibai could finally ask the questions she’d been wanting to.
The maids were overwhelmed by the honor. Having the chance to chat with the Eldest Miss meant they had turned misfortune into fortune!
The fastest way to learn about Zihan’s recent situation was to ask her colleagues, especially these honest, straightforward types who blurted out whatever was on their minds.
“Do you know Lin Zihan?”
“Of course, we do!” The maid with the brown bob haircut nodded repeatedly. “She reported to the dorms a little over a month ago as a newbie. Ah… we’re newbies too, so that makes us equals…”
“I’ve heard she gets along well with her colleagues?”
“Yeah! At first, it was a bit rocky. Everyone thought she had connections to the Eldest Miss—after all, what high school grad gets into the Ye Family Maid Corps right away? No one dared talk to her. But she’s so outgoing! She volunteered to fetch meals for us, always jumped in to help with chores, and loves to smile. Now Zihan’s the dorm mascot—everyone lights up just seeing her! I heard she used to be the Lin Family’s young miss, but she doesn’t put on any airs at all! She’s… just like you, Eldest Miss! Sigh… it’s a shame she says school’s starting soon and she’ll have to move out. We’re planning a farewell party for her…”
“Hey, hey, Xiao Feng! Why’d you spill that? It was supposed to be a secret!”
“Wah… sorry! I said too much! Eldest Miss, you have to keep it secret for us—it’s a surprise!”
“I see… Don’t worry, I will. And I’ll come to the party too.”
“Really?! You…”
“Yes.”
As expected?
Yun’er listened without much care, thinking it was indeed typical of that Lin girl.
But Ye Zhibai felt a twinge of quiet pride.
Zihan truly was her best friend—wherever she went, she was a little sun. That brightness was something Ye Zhibai had once sorely lacked.
They were just talking about the little sun when golden sunlight swept in, carried on the light breeze stirred by the quick steps of someone in a maid outfit.
“Little Bai…! Hmm? Eldest Miss Zhibai! I brought your lunch! Hey? Senior Xiao Feng, Senior Xiao Liang, what are you doing here?”
“This… we just ran into the Eldest Miss and Second Miss, so… Zihan, what’s this?”
“I’m delivering lunch to the Eldest Misses! Alright, alright, you two head to the kitchen quick—there’s limited deluxe fruit salad today!”
“Got it…?”
With remarkable emotional intelligence, Zihan paved a graceful exit for her two junior maids.
Yun’er nodded in approval, and the maids bowed respectfully before hurrying off.
Even the most guileless knew when to read the room.
Ye Zhibai eyed the large lunchbox Zihan cradled in her hands, wrapped in a fine cloth, and asked out of curiosity.
“So, deluxe fruit salad today?”
“There is, but it got snapped up. Here, this is the very last one~”
“Then why’d you just tell them…”
“I knew Little Bai’er was coming to have lunch with me, so even if I had to play the villain, I had to shoo away the outsiders first~ Heh, sorry for the delay. I overheard a senior in the kitchen spouting nonsense earlier, so I had a friendly debate with her— that’s what held me up.”
“Nonsense?”
“You bet. She claimed Little Bai’er had evil spirits clinging to her. I told her not to spread lies, but she insisted. And her mouth was filthy, sniping at Little Bai’er with veiled barbs. I couldn’t stand it, so I gave her a good slap… cough, had a friendly debate~”
“……”
What a coincidence.
Something similar had just happened to her.
The only difference… Ye Zhibai didn’t buy Zihan’s so-called “friendly debate.”
She could see Zihan’s hand gripping the lunchbox was still trembling faintly, the knuckles red. And Zihan had let it slip earlier.
“You really slapped her…? Does your hand hurt…?”
“…! N-no… it’s fine! Everyone backed me up—that jerk didn’t get to act tough and slunk off after the slap!”
“Sister…! Your hand! Your hand!”
That took priority now.
Ye Zhibai gently lifted Zihan’s left hand and examined it carefully.
No serious injury.
Just lightly reddened. It would be fine.
Whew… What were you thinking, rushing to slap the face of someone shameless without even practicing iron palm?
Didn’t she know some people had faces thicker than city walls?
As Ye Zhibai softly stroked her palm to check, Zihan’s strength surged—she could now hold the hefty lunchbox steady with one hand!
No need to say more about the rest.
Combined with what the two little maids had overheard earlier, it seemed the Maid Corps had a source of all evil: someone who loved to spout nonsense.
Even the strongest group had its black sheep.
Yun’er pulled out her phone and made a call.
She crossed one arm over her chest, her tone no longer the gentle one she’d used to chide the maids earlier.
This time, it was icy cold.
“Head Maid, it seems there’s a pest in your Maid Corps spreading rumors everywhere. Investigate thoroughly. Yes, check the kitchen surveillance. Whoever argued with Lin Zihan—fire her outright. And tell those who’ve been hearing whispers lately: rumors stop at the wise. Work more, gossip less.”
“Oh, and by the way, notify our business partners in Qihai City. If someone’s character is flawed, better not hire them, right? A rat crossing the street gets shouted down by all—that’s on them. We’re just kindly warning. Yes, handle it that way.”
Click. She hung up, her smile returning as if nothing had happened.
“All sorted~ Alright, Sister, let’s go eat lunch. We’ve been delayed so long—you must be starving?”
“……”
Little Zhibai had thought her decisive choice today marked one small step as the Ye Family’s Eldest Miss.
But compared to true swift action, she was still standing still!
Yun’er from home was the impressive one!
