Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Morpheus Snow Mountain under the Sunlight...
Audrey stood there for a few seconds, quickly putting the unrealistic speculation behind her.
Could it be that Mr. Silver Hair hadn't slept last night, a burst of love? He suddenly came to her room, not only draped a blanket over her, but also thoughtfully closed the window? It would be better to believe that Dad had transformed into a steely man, Aunt Anna had become an investment elite, and her sister was pinching her sleeve and sobbing.
She is a little love-brained, but not stupid!
Audrey is confident that she has the truth, and she calls Lucy out to the street with a check in hand!
There was nothing wrong with Charles's teasing. When it came to spending money, Miss Norman was very competent.
In one afternoon, the empty carriage was filled up, and the welcoming servants made three trips to carry it.
-
In the evening, after a long day of intense work, Mr. White finally felt tired and rang the bell, ready to order a cup of black tea. While waiting, he also took time to handle a few business matters.
Five minutes later, I finally realized something was wrong.
The servant hasn't come yet?
The trouble of dealing with old money, the bottleneck encountered in the development of the new railway, and having to play tricks with that old guy Richard... In an instant, all kinds of annoyances flooded into my heart.
Hermann frowned slightly, rubbed the bridge of his nose to relieve the pain in his temples, and tapped the tabletop regularly with his silk-gloved left hand.
If Charles saw this scene, he would definitely know his employer's anger at the moment.
Everyone at Winston Manor knew that Mr. White hated surprises.
He hates anything that is not planned, whether it is a surprise or a trouble.
Because it will definitely disrupt the original rules, like a section of railway suddenly forking, which means efficiency lag and chaos that appears out of nowhere!
Therefore, the servants strictly abided by their duties and never dared to touch the minefield.
On weekdays, there are strict regulations for everything from the temperature of coffee and the degree of doneness of steak to the time for meals and showers, and Hermann himself strictly follows them like a robot.
Following the example of their superiors, all the servants in the manor are quiet robots.
Like today - if a servant waiting to be summoned does not show up within five minutes, he can resign or be sent to pick up cow dung in the village.
After a moment, Hermann stood up and walked downstairs.
Judging from the sternness of his expression, he was indeed prepared to do so.
Fortunately, there was no one on the road.
The servants who were usually busy and orderly were nowhere to be seen, and the hall was eerily quiet.
Hermann's frown deepened.
Suddenly, several cheerful laughs came from the half-open entertainment room.
The entertainment room is actually a large flower hall, which is very spacious. It is a place for ladies to drink afternoon tea, play cards or read books in their spare time, and can also be used as a dance floor when hosting dinner parties.
There was no hostess in the house before, and this flower hall and most other areas were unused until Audrey came.
With the arrival of Mrs. Cooper, Audrey had a companion, so this room was named the entertainment room.
As we got closer, the laughter became clearer. Listening carefully, we could see that there were quite a few people inside, and their laughter rose and fell, as if they were being amused by something.
The silver-haired gentleman's expression grew increasingly grim, and he unceremoniously raised his cane and pushed open the door—
"Bang--"
The sound of the door opening, neither loud nor soft, froze the smile of the first person who turned around.
"Mr. White."
In an instant, the laughter stopped abruptly, everyone turned around, and silence spread visibly.
Hermann's face was expressionless, and his knuckles gripping his cane clenched slightly.
Almost all the servants in the manor gathered here.
In the center of the flower hall, long wooden tables that were brought from somewhere were put together and various small items were placed on them. From a distance, it looked like a stall, and indeed it was.
Audrey, the stall owner, stood inside the long table, taking things out of a large box; Charles, wearing a funny multicolored wig, sat next to her and acted as the accountant; even Caroline was ordered to read out the roster, although with a sour face.
The servants whose names were called lined up and took the beautiful little paper box from Audrey.
The contents of the boxes were different, but all were carefully wrapped with bows and had their names written on them in cursive script. Judging from their laughter, everyone was very satisfied.
However, all this stopped when Hermann arrived.
Caroline rolled her eyes first and threw the roster into Audrey's arms. "I told you not to do such stupid things. If they lose their jobs, it's all your fault."
Herman hated being derailed.
Servants who have deserted their posts, carpets blackened by footprints, Charles's gaudy wig, the fat cook's exaggerated pink apron...all kinds of messes that can't be imagined are found here.
Audrey was not as in awe of Hermann as Caroline was. She was about to say hello, but just as she raised her hand, she was startled by the sudden solemn atmosphere around her.
Looking at Hermann and then at everyone who had been frozen into ice sculptures, she belatedly put down her hands, her expression a little cautious.
"Are you angry, Mr. White?" Audrey walked slowly to Herman, staring at him curiously with her aqua blue eyes.
She said she was not afraid, but her voice was timid; she said she was afraid, but she asked without restraint.
"They didn't leave their posts on purpose. They all worked hard, so I bought them gifts." Audrey paused, then added flatteringly, "With your money."
Hermann glanced at her.
He is not blind, of course he can see it.
Help him take credit? Unfortunately, he doesn't need it.
He wouldn't waste time getting angry and arguing with a group of servants. After all, rules are meant to be strictly managed.
If you don't obey, you'll leave. Winston, who has a high salary, is never short of people.
Herman's eyes swept over Charles, who, as an assistant who had followed him for many years, of course understood what he meant. He tried his best to avoid him, but still failed, so he had to take off his colorful wig awkwardly.
"Mr. White, the servants have served Winston for many years. This little thing is harmless..." Charles tried to plead for the servants who were about to be fired. His voice became lower and lower under the increasingly cold gaze of his employer. He was afraid that if he continued to speak, he would also be fired.
"Before nine o'clock tonight," Herman said slowly, giving an ultimatum, "Let them..."
Before he could finish his words, something that felt like cotton bumped into his feet, making a sticky sound. "Woof woof."
He lowered his head and looked into the eyes of a palm-sized puppy.
The puppy's eyes were dark and round. He clung to his trouser legs and looked up. There was a small name tag hanging around his neck that read: Pappy White.
Great, there is a new member in the house who pees and poops everywhere, and the house is a complete mess.
Hermann narrowed his eyes slightly, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.
Before he could speak, Ms. Greta's voice rang out, "Pappy, come here to grandma."
Only then did Herman see Mrs. Cooper in the corner. When he raised his eyes, his veins throbbed even more violently!
Greta held Pappy in one hand while feeding the kitten.
Behind her, cages of various sizes contained more than a dozen cats and dogs. Some were very small, some were skinny, and some had just been born and had not yet fully grown their fur.
The name tags read: Hammy White, Daisy White, George White...
All of them have the last name White!
Herman took a deep breath, slowly turned his eyes to the side, and met the aqua blue eyes.
"Miss Norman, were you the one who allowed so many names to be added to the White family tree without my permission?"
"They're all stray cats and dogs, so pitiful." Audrey looked at him innocently and whispered, "They're also very cute."
"Yes, Hurley. Look how cute they are!" Greta played with Pappy's little paws and greeted its nominal father, "'Hey, Mr. White, don't be so serious, look how cute we are!'"
The puppy looked at Herman with his round eyes: "Woof woof~"
Audrey also looked at Herman with her eyes wide open: "Mr. White..."
Hermann looked away with a cold face.
Greta smiled and stood up. "Don't spoil the fun, Haley. Miss Norman is so thoughtful, even helping you prepare gifts for them! Everyone works hard for the manor, so it's no big deal to take a break every now and then."
Mrs. Cooper's words eased the atmosphere, and the servants, who were trembling with nervousness, quietly relaxed a little. Whether they could relax completely depended on their employer's attitude.
Audrey's eyes lit up as she thought of something. "Mr. White, I almost forgot! I prepared a gift for you too!"
She quickly ran to the box and rummaged through it, finally pulling out a small box.
"Come and see what it is?" Greta was also curious and smiled as she stuck her head out to look.
Everyone looked at it, and the box opened - it was a silver-gray satin headband embroidered with rose patterns, very exquisite.
Greta's eyes were stunned, even a little uneasy.
No one but her knew that Herman hated his hair.
There is no room for eccentricity in the Elmei slums, not even for a dazzling head of silver-gray hair.
Everyone is bad, why should you shine?
Among the dried orange, red, brown and yellow, why are you different?
There are no pearls hidden in the quagmire, because the mud will drag it with all its malice - slander, abuse, humiliation, suppression, and even violence, just to make it become the same as the others.
He paid a huge price to get out of the quagmire, but the memory of the pearl had long been covered by the mud.
Greta stole a glance at her son's expression again. Apart from his furrowed brows, there seemed to be nothing unusual.
Audrey was completely oblivious to this, holding the ribbon in both hands like a treasure. "Please look! Isn't it beautiful? Does it suit your hair color? I saw it last time I went shopping."
The blue eyes looked at him hopefully, as if saying: See, you have it too, don't be angry~
Hermann stared at the headband, not knowing what he was thinking, and did not reach out to take it.
The recipient of a gift always has to decline it to appear polite. Audrey thought she understood this very well, so she considerately turned behind him and said, "Let me help you tie it up!"
"Uh - no -" Greta widened her eyes and subconsciously stopped herself.
A step too late, Audrey's hand had already touched the long silver-gray hair.
From the first moment she saw Hermann, Audrey wanted to touch his hair.
It was the first time she saw such a special color.
It is not dry white, nor gray full of impurities, but smooth silver like silk, like the snow-capped Mount Morpheus on a cloudy day, beautiful and mysterious.
Audrey finally felt the hair sliding across her fingertips and gathered them together.
Throughout the whole process, she was focused and patient, so she didn't notice that the back was too stiff where her fingertips occasionally touched.
Everyone saw only Hermann's expressionless face, his hair being tossed by Audrey. Looking at his knuckles clenching his cane, they sensed a storm brewing.
No one saw that every inch of his muscles tensed under his clothes and he shuddered when his hair was touched.
Greta's worries seemed real, as if she was afraid he would explode at any moment.
But he didn't want to explain that he was not the little Hurley who cried because he was excluded and bullied.
Not as early as after the age of five.
People who crawl out of the mud have no weaknesses, let alone taboos.
The silver-gray hair that was Hurley's nightmare was Herman White's trademark, and now it has become someone else's nightmare.
Before this, he had endured all kinds of looks. Some used admiration to cover up their surprise, some pretended to be accustomed to it, and even Charles teased him when he saw him for the first time.
But no one has ever been like this moment, with a pair of blue eyes open, praising without a trace of falsehood, and even the strength of the touch of fingers shows cherishment.
Herman slowly closed his eyes and noticed the hands tying a ribbon around his silver-gray hair.
In my ears were the shouts of Pappy White and a dozen other Whites and...the steady but strong heartbeats.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
His pulse didn't quicken for any reason, and he certainly wouldn't be like a young boy who gets carried away by cheap praise.
To Hermann, her praise and other people's slander were no different and were of no consequence.
He just felt strange.
Isabel Norman is really strange and always does some unexpected stupid things.
He randomly celebrated birthdays for others, bought gifts for servants, added members to the White family without permission, and made a mess of this place, causing the stable trajectory to deviate. And now—
With a "bang", a strand of hair was pulled off.
His eyebrows jumped violently!
Audrey apologized repeatedly and patted his shoulder to comfort him: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'll be gentle. Don't be angry."
Hermann breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes.
Dark grey pupils stared at Audrey as she showed everyone her achievements. The others praised her with stiff smiles, while secretly glancing at their employer's face.
Only the aqua-blue eyes were filled with smiles, unconsciously.
She found a mirror from somewhere and held it up high: "Hermann, look! The headband suits you very well!"
The mirror reflected a handsome yet cold face, and Hermann was stunned for a moment.
I don’t know if it was because I inadvertently called out “Hermann” or because I saw myself in the mirror.
Audrey automatically interpreted this reaction as satisfaction and happily announced to everyone, "Mr. White loved my gift! Don't worry, your jobs are guaranteed to be saved!"
The servants whispered to each other, not daring to respond, still looking at the silver-haired gentleman.
There was a lot of noise around him, and he stared at the mirror, as if he was really admiring the beautiful hairband.
Only Caroline at the window had a clear view—
From the moment Hermann came in, she watched coldly, waiting for Miss Norman to bring trouble upon herself.
Caroline, who had also struggled to climb out of the slums, had, until this moment, thought that she was the person of the opposite sex who knew Hermann best in the world.
They have the same tough character: stubborn, tough, and unyielding.
The feeling that she couldn't tell whether it was admiration or yearning made her reluctant to leave Winston.
Can thorns coexist with marigolds in a greenhouse?
The environments they live in are completely different. Can a thorny bush ever see that delicate flower?
A second ago, she thought it was impossible, but now - she could clearly see that the girl holding the mirror was reflected in those dark gray eyes.
The blonde girl's lips moved as she continued to say something to everyone, her expression as lively as an elusive deer in the noble forest.
The silver-haired man was so focused that he didn't even notice it. Perhaps he heard nothing but his heartbeat.
Like the snow-capped Mount Morpheus under the sunlight, it melts quietly but silently, and only the passing breeze knows it.
An indescribable emotion began to spread from her heart. Caroline gritted her teeth and walked out without looking back.
Inside the house, Pappy was barking, Daisy the kitten wanted milk, the servants were nervous and uneasy, and Miss Norman, the culprit of the chaos, looked pitiful.
Everything is going off the rails.
Herman forced his eyes away, his voice calm and even.
"Tonight before nine o'clock—"
Everyone's expression froze and they all looked at Hermann.
In the huge hall, you could hear a pin drop, and even Audrey held her breath.
In the solemn atmosphere, the employer made a cold judgment: "Clean this place up."
Everyone was silent, not daring to breathe. Only after Hermann turned and left did they burst into cheers! The elderly cook even covered her mouth and cried.
The footsteps gradually fade away, and the noise behind me gradually fades away.
The blonde girl seemed to be apologizing for the trouble she had caused, her voice guilty and soft, and she even announced that she would pay the servants a month's salary out of her own pocket.
Hermann sneered unconsciously, and his cane tapped the marble floor, making a cold and crisp sound.
Charles, who had caught up, was about to compliment his employer on his headband, trying to remind him to take care of the gift-giver's wallet.
Before he could say anything, a check was held between his fingers and handed to Charles.
"Give it to her."
Charles: “?”
Herman stared at him and said in a businesslike tone, "She will represent the White family at Richard's youngest daughter's social dance next week. This is the money."
Charles looked closely and saw another string of zeros on the check.
I couldn't help but hate the capitalists! Why would a ball cost so much?!
The author has something to say:
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I finished writing this chapter in one go! I can’t bear to tear it apart!
The beating of the heart is like the snow-capped mountains melting quietly, and only the breeze knows it.
I am so happy to write it!
Zongbao Manuscript Box: It will be released tomorrow at midnight on the 18th!! Welcome everyone to come, there will be 10,000 words of extra content~ Love you all! Thank you for your support!
——Pre-collection of "Two Substitute Bridegrooms"——
On the eve of her engagement with Prince Huaining, the daughter of the Lin family ran away from the marriage.
Prince Huaining was known for his cruelty. Once the scandal was exposed, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for the Lin family.
Mrs. Lin was anxious to find a replacement and set her sights on her cousin who was staying at her house.
Her eyebrows and eyes are 70% similar to Lin Yanqiu. She is a beautiful, weak and easy to manipulate orphan.
—
Zhuang Yunfu is indeed easy to manipulate.
With both parents dead, he lived under someone else's roof, his fate like a drifting duckweed.
After being married off, she was briefly favored by Prince Huaining. After her identity was exposed, she was used as a scapegoat and expelled from the palace.
She thought she was free, but she fell into the golden cage set by King Huaining and became his concubine who was hidden from the public.
The two people are in love, and their love is endless...
All of this is the plot of the original book "Substitute Bride".
At this moment, the book-traveling version of Zhuang Yunfu was looking at the sinister and perverted Prince Huaining.
Zhuang Yunfu: When you encounter difficulties, just sleep well.jpg
Marrying in place of someone else? Yes! Go to the Duke's Mansion and enjoy the best food and drinks!
Robbery? Wait! I'll just lie down!
Zhuang Yunfu: This is what it’s like to be a salted fish who is used to being a social animal QVQ
—
Lin Yanqiu, who fled, did not wait for his cowardly lover, but only for a group of bandits. His money was stolen, his jewelry was robbed, and he almost lost his life!
At the critical moment, someone descended from the sky and saved the beauty heroically.
Lin Yanqiu raised his eyes - the setting sun was shining against him, and a young man with a high ponytail was holding a dogtail grass in his mouth, and asked nonchalantly: Hey, I saved you, how are you going to thank me?
Lin Yanqiu stammered: I'm sorry, all my money was stolen.
The young man rolled his eyes and was about to leave, but someone grabbed his sleeve. He turned around and met the girl's pitiful eyes: Hero, can you take me with you?
The young man looked ferocious: No!
…
How could Huo Siwei, a mere knight-errant, travel the world with a burden on his shoulders?!
Looking back at the limping daughter, Young Master Huo couldn't understand why he let go!
It must be the flattery of the word "hero" that made him bewildered!
At the next intersection! I must get rid of her!
However, until the day when the soldiers from the Lin Mansion came and Lin Yanqiu was forcibly tied to a cart, he chased them alone for hundreds of miles.
There was a world of difference between the Lin family's daughter and the wandering knight. But it didn't matter, he would eventually catch up with her.
Salted Fish Substitute Princess x Damp and Perverted Regent
The good daughter of the minister x the cool and handsome ranger
——The following is a preview of "The Three Villainous Demon Brothers and Sisters"——
Also known as "The Villains Collectively Attack the Protagonists"
Mia traveled through a book, into the magical world of the steam age, and became the villains' biological sister.
Looking up——
The seventeen-year-old eldest brother Kane, the manic devil who will be pierced through the heart by the protagonist in the future, is now breaking his wand in two to vent his anger. The aura of dark magic scares the house-elves so much that they tremble.
The sixteen-year-old second sister Cecilia, the genius frost witch who will be sealed in the future, is carving a skull with ice spikes, and the cold air from her fingertips makes the crystal chandelier fog up.
Thirteen-year-old Mia, the only Muggle in the family who couldn't do magic, eventually died in a campaign launched by the Paladins against a family of dark magic.
The book says that her brothers and sisters will go completely crazy after her death, starting a war to massacre the magic world, and will eventually be wiped out by the righteous protagonists.
Mia: QAQ I've already traveled through a book, can't you let me live longer?!
What she didn't know was that her brothers and sisters could clearly hear her thoughts.
When the eldest brother wanted to chase away the little witch who accidentally entered the castle——
Mia's inner thoughts: Tat bro, stop it! That's the protagonist's sister!
Kane suddenly loosened his grip on the little girl's collar and dusted her off.
The little witch was confused, and then her eyes were filled with tears.
Kane: (Raises his hands) I didn't hit you!
When the second sister was about to deal a fatal blow to the noble paladin—
Mia's inner thoughts: Sis, don't freeze him! His skills are useful, they can help you block fatal attacks in the future!
Cecilia's icy fingertips paused.
The proud knight who was ready to face death opened his eyes in surprise and stared blankly at his nemesis who was walking away.
—
One day, the protagonist of the original work, the "Son of Light" who saved the world, suddenly visited.
Mia (pupils trembling): It's over! It's the hero from the book! Why is he here? Didn't he say he'd come back ten years later to kill my brother and sister?
The eldest brother Kane looked alert, and the second sister Cecilia had frost flowing on her fingertips.
The young man opposite had silver hair that shone coldly, and his voice was clear and sharp, "The other day, I accidentally entered a forbidden area. Master Kane came to my rescue, and I'm here to express my gratitude."
Mia (screaming inwardly): Wow, his eyes are light gold! What a gorgeous boy!
Kane rolled his eyes and Cecilina turned and walked away.
The young man was slightly stunned: Was there someone talking just now?
—
later--
The manic elder brother Kane was helpless in the face of the weak and crying little witch: "Stop crying, can I stand and let you hit me?"
The cold-blooded second sister, Cecilia, sneered with red eyes when the proud knight blocked the curse for her: "Fool, is it worth dying for your nemesis?"
Mia thought she had "worked hard" to reach adulthood, and when she saw the cold-hearted protagonist who was supposed to kill her entire family, she handed her a bouquet of roses covered in morning dew.
If you like it, please add it to your collection. Love you~
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