As time went by, Wang Xiuxiu gradually figured out Madam Cheng's temperament.
She discovered that although the mistress of the Cheng family appeared gentle and generous on the surface, she was actually very shrewd.
Madam Cheng's seemingly gentle eyes could always keenly capture the movements in every corner of the mansion.
She knew everything about her servants; no one could escape her eyes.
In particular, Wang Xiuxiu observed that Madam Cheng seemed to particularly dislike the servants being idle.
Whenever they meet, they always try to find ways to arrange work for the person.
Whether it's the old woman sweeping the floor or the maid serving tea, as long as she's caught having a moment of free time, she'll casually instruct her, "Since you have some free time, why don't you tidy up the storeroom?" or "The weeds in the garden should also be cleared away."
Her tone was always gentle, as if she were speaking casually, but no one dared to disobey the instructions contained in her words.
When Wang Xiuxiu first arrived, she was "taken care of" by Madam Cheng several times because she didn't know the rules.
Once, she had just finished her work in the embroidery room and was about to rest for a while in the corridor when she saw Madam Cheng walking gracefully towards her.
"Xiuxiu, I see you're not busy, why don't you go and cut those few bolts of pale yellow fabric for me? It's just in time to make some new clothes for the Second Miss. Please do me the trouble and cut the fabric today."
"Yes, Madam, I'll go right away."
Poor Wang Xiuxiu, she worked hard for most of the day without even having a sip of water, and was then sent to do more work.
By the time she finally finished cutting the fabric, it was already late, and her fingers were sore from being cut by the scissors.
From then on, Wang Xiuxiu learned her lesson.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he usually stayed in his own little house and rarely showed himself in front of Madam Cheng.
She kept her embroidery room in perfect order, burying herself in needlework every day, neither lazy nor ostentatious.
Even when she occasionally needs to go out, she always keeps her head down and walks quickly, trying not to attract anyone's attention.
Wang Xiuxiu's original intention was to avoid being monitored by Madam Cheng.
Unexpectedly, this low-key style of doing things made Madam Cheng even more satisfied with her.
She even praised Lu Mama, who was beside her, saying, "Xiuxiu is a rare girl. She doesn't compete or fight, she's well-behaved, and she's reliable in her work."
These words later reached Wang Xiuxiu's ears.
This further solidified her resolve that the only way to remain safe and sound in this secluded mansion was to continue keeping a low profile.
---
After living with the Cheng family for a while, Wang Xiuxiu's life gradually got back on track.
Because of Madam Cheng's high regard for Wang Xiuxiu, her status in the household quietly rose.
When the servants saw her, they were no longer as cold and distant as before, but instead showed more respect and attentiveness.
To make it easier for Wang Xiuxiu to do her embroidery, Madam Cheng specially set aside a room in her courtyard as an embroidery room, specifically for storing embroidery threads and fabrics.
Although the embroidery room was not large, it was arranged in a very orderly manner.
The room was bright and clean, and sunlight streamed in through the window frames, making the whole room shine.
After carefully sorting through the room full of fabrics, Wang Xiuxiu discovered that although there were some valuable fabrics among them, most of them were old and outdated, with patterns that were no longer fashionable. Some of the fabrics even had slightly yellowed edges due to improper storage.
Wang Xiuxiu was puzzled, so she secretly inquired with the old nanny in the mansion.
It turns out that the Cheng family had a quota for the purchase of clothing and jewelry each year, and any excess had to be paid for by each household out of their own pockets.
Madam Cheng has always been frugal and unwilling to spend much money on material possessions, so she hasn't bought any expensive fabrics for many years.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu couldn't help but feel moved.
She originally thought that the Cheng family was wealthy and powerful, and their lifestyle must be extravagant, but she never expected that they would be so frugal.
Even someone as insignificant as Madam Cheng would be willing to offer a century-old ginseng to save the life of someone as insignificant as herself.
Wang Xiuxiu, on the other hand, was somewhat confused.
---
Because the quota for maids around Madam Cheng was already full, there was simply no room available for her in the courtyard.
Later, arranging accommodations for Wang Xiuxiu proved to be a real challenge for Madam Cheng.
There are vacant rooms in other courtyards.
After thinking it over and over, I still felt it wasn't quite right.
After all, they are people from my own yard, not under my watchful eye. What if they take advantage of me again?
Just as Madam Cheng was at her wit's end, Granny Lu had a sudden inspiration and offered an idea. She smiled and said to Madam Cheng, "Madam, this old servant has a method, but I don't know if I should say it."
Upon hearing this, Madam Cheng quickly put down her teacup and urged, "Granny, tell me quickly, what good idea do you have?"
Granny Lu bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "Madam, you see, the embroidery room is rarely visited, and it still needs someone to manage it. Why not let Wang Xiuxiu live there? Firstly, she is skilled in needlework, so it would be convenient for her to work in the embroidery room; secondly, the embroidery room is close to our courtyard, so it would be convenient to have someone to serve her."
Upon hearing this, Madam Cheng frowned slightly, somewhat hesitant: "This embroidery room is not large to begin with, and it's filled with fabrics. How can she possibly have room to live?"
Granny Lu was prepared and explained with a smile, "Madam, this old servant has already thought of something. We can remove a row of shelves behind the embroidery room to create a small space. It doesn't need to be big, just enough to fit a small bed and a small table. This way, we won't interfere with the use of the embroidery room, and we can also give Wang Xiuxiu a place to stay."
Upon hearing this, Madam Cheng's eyes flashed with approval, and she nodded, saying, "That's a good idea. Granny is indeed very thoughtful. Let's do it your way."
So, Granny Lu immediately set about making arrangements. She and several maids reorganized the fabric racks behind the embroidery room, clearing out a small space. They moved in a small bed and a simple table, and hung up an elegant curtain to create a separate little space.
Although the place is small, it is clean and tidy, and feels warm and comfortable.
In this way, Wang Xiuxiu not only had a workspace, but also a little world that belonged only to her.
Standing in that small space, Wang Xiuxiu felt a surge of joy.
Although it was rather simple, it was much better than the days at the Wang family's house.
She gently stroked the small bed, secretly grateful for Granny Lu's thoughtfulness.
---
It took Wang Xiuxiu a long time to adapt to the rhythm of life as a maid, as it was her first time working as one.
The most important thing is to always be careful with your words and actions, especially in front of a master like Madam Cheng.
Her immediate superior, Madam Cheng, appears kind and approachable on the surface, but is actually a cunning and ruthless woman who can kill without leaving a trace.
She was very shrewd and knew how to treat everyone in the household differently.
She always acted gently and kindly towards the other masters in the mansion, like a benevolent elder, making her very approachable.
However, her attitude towards servants varied depending on their status.
She would give sufficient respect and trust to those capable managers and would behave in a very gentle and generous manner.
However, if she encounters a servant who has made a mistake, she appears tolerant and magnanimous on the surface, but in reality she secretly punishes them, making them fearful.
She was just right in her approach, and no one in the household dared to offend her.
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