Scarlett, ever the provocateur, waved her hand at the camera. Her beautiful face was adorned with an innocent smile, a charm irresistible to anyone who beheld it.
She held no fear. Keeping her captive would lose its thrill. Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, the door creaked open from the outside. As Scarlett turned towards the sound, she found the hallway empty, save for two large dogs stationed in front of her - a Tibetan Mastiff and a German Shepherd, both brimming with menace.
These dogs weren't for show, especially these ferocious breeds. Scarlett remained still for a few seconds before reaching into her bag, pulling out a pen and raising it as she said, "Sit." The dogs looked up at the pen, and after a moment, they simultaneously sat down in front of Scarlett. She laughed, saying, "This isn't edible, but next time I'll bring something tasty for you guys."
As she walked past the dogs, they didn't block her path. They simply moved closer to sniff at her.
In the living room, Scarlett turned to the right to see a boy in a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants slouched on the couch, absorbed in his phone. His hair was disheveled, but his handsome features were reminiscent of Lucius. Both father and son had an air of overwhelming presence about them.
Scarlett, with a smile, said, "Jack, I didn't expect you to be so considerate. Thanks for the little surprise you prepared."
At her words, Jack's brows furrowed, seemingly annoyed.
Scarlett, unfazed, continued, "Today is our first meeting. If you don't want to jump right into things, we could chat a bit, get to know each other."
Jack finally spoke, his twelve-year-old voice mimicking a depth beyond his years, "Our family hired you to work, not to chat. You think money comes easy?"
Scarlett, with a smile, responded, "So understanding. You already know money doesn't grow on trees. Well then, get up and let's get ready. We shouldn't waste any more time."
Jack choked on his response, not expecting her to be waiting for him here. Despite his initial failure, he maintained his lax posture on the couch, not only refusing to get up but also nonchalantly starting a game on his phone.
Scarlett, calm and composed, walked to the window and pulled the curtains wide open. The sunlight flooded the room, causing her to squint a little. Once her eyes adjusted, she opened the curtains fully, brightening the room.
Jack, backlit by the sunlight, couldn't see his phone screen clearly anymore. Annoyed, he questioned, "Who gave you permission to touch things here?"
Scarlett turned around, the sunlight outlining her in a golden glow. Her facial expression was somewhat blurry, but it seemed like a small smile was playing on her lips as she replied gently, "Too much darkness isn't good for the eyes."
Jack sternly said, "I don't need you to interfere. Close them!"
Scarlett, without changing her expression, responded, "If you ask me nicely, I can close them. If you're ordering me, I'm afraid I can't help."
Jack looked up at Scarlett, their faces one in the light, the other in the shadow. The former had a stern gaze, while the latter's expression was obscured.
After a few moments of silence, Jack spoke first, his voice filled with youthful arrogance, "Why should I ask for your help? Get your role straight, don't use your status as a teacher to try and boss me around. Don't play the age card, either. This is my house! I'm the boss here, you're the hired help!"
As he continued, his words slowed, as if to ensure Scarlett could understand his point.
Scarlett, taking this in stride, responded calmly, "Is that so? I thought it was your dad who was paying me. I didn't know it was coming out of your pocket."
Jack's brow furrowed deeper, but before he could argue, Scarlett continued, "Also, I remember very clearly, when your dad hired me, he made it clear I was here to teach, not to nanny. So it's not that I'm confused about my role, it's you who's confused about mine."
Leaning back on the couch, Jack glared at Scarlett with an unspoken anger. The length of his silence spoke volumes about how unprepared he was for this tricky situation. Yet he wasn't ready to back down. So he retorted, "Are you trying to pull rank on me?"
Scarlett, being a perceptive individual who has studied adolescent psychology, could quickly analyze a child's mental state from their words and actions. Just by the term 'elder', she could infer that Jack's family maintained a strict upbringing. Also, it was clear that he was putting on a show, perhaps to hide his fear of authority.
Unruffled, Scarlett softened her tone and replied, "Of course not. You're right, no matter my profession, at the end of the day, I'm employed by your family. I don't see you as a child, I think we can have a conversation as equals. What do you think?"
Jack's anger, which had been building to a peak, was waiting for Scarlett to add fuel to the fire. He was ready to kick her out, unwilling to back down from this situation. But her sudden show of weakness caught him off guard. His anger lessened, replaced by wariness.
Without waiting for him to ask, Scarlett carried on, "I won't preach to you about how students should behave or do what they're supposed to do. I was once your age, rebellious, wild and free. I understand you. But there's a saying, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. You need to understand my position as well. Do you think I enjoy forcing people into uncomfortable situations? We are both in this position out of necessity. We both have our tasks to do. As fellow beings in this world, why should we make things difficult for each other?"
She understood the psychology of a child his age very well. Kids, pretending to be adults, often believe that grown-ups don't understand them. To gain their trust, she needed to establish a dialogue on equal footing.
As she expressed her sentiments, Jack looked at her skeptically. After a moment, he asked, "So you're proposing we coexist peacefully?"
Scarlett nodded, her gaze sincere.
Jack looked away, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "As long as you don't interfere with me, I won't kick you out."
Scarlett shook her head slightly, "If you don't kick me out, I certainly won't interfere with you."
Jack lifted his gaze, looking at Scarlett again, sensing a trap in her words.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Scarlett smiled, an innocent expression on her face that belied her underlying craftiness. She gently said,"Rather than expending the effort to drive away different people each time, why not keep it simple and only deal with one person - me? I'll respect your hobbies and personal actions. All you need to do is cooperate with me for a hundred minutes each time we meet. Apart from that, whether you want to coexist peacefully or keep our distance is up to you."
A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Are you sure you'll respect all my hobbies and personal actions?" he asked.
Scarlett grinned, her calm demeanor unchanging as she replied, "To be honest, I'm not afraid of anything that's alive and moving or dead and motionless. Unless the day comes when I open the door and see a ghost, I might consider retreating. But even then, it's just a possibility. After all, once you've seen enough ghosts, they're not so scary anymore."
Fresh from his bath, Lucius descended the grand staircase in his plush bathrobe. As was their routine, Uncle Chan, the family's long-serving butler, handed him a chilled glass of freshly squeezed juice. After taking a refreshing sip, Lucius asked casually, "All quiet upstairs?"
Uncle Chan, a man of few words, replied, "Yes, it's been rather peaceful."
Lucius, now lounging on the antique couch, asked with a hint of amusement, "No one fainted, I trust?"
Uncle Chan, standing nearby with a silver tray in hand, replied, "I doubt it. If anyone had, Jack would have sent for help."
Lucius fell into a thoughtful silence. Uncle Chan served him a delicate dessert, a traditional Chinese sweet, and then quietly retreated to attend to his other duties. As the minutes ticked by, Lucius occasionally glanced at his phone. Forty minutes had passed, and still, there was no sound from upstairs. He wasn't sure if this was expected or unexpected. Either way, it was a record.
Originally, he had some tasks to complete, but as he waited, he found himself increasingly curious about the outcome. Could she actually last a full hundred minutes upstairs?"
The door to Jack's private quarters creaked open, and out stepped Scarlett. From Uncle Chan to the housemaids, everyone observed her with a blend of polite curiosity and scrutiny. She was the first 'hero' in quite some time to have made a round trip without any incident. Appearances, it seemed, could be quite misleading.
Scarlett descended the grand staircase to find Lucius engrossed in his laptop, comfortably seated on the plush couch. She greeted him with a respectful nod, "Mr. Zhou."
Lucius looked up, his expression as inscrutable as ever. "Finished your lesson?"
Scarlett nodded, her smile just as enigmatic. "Yes."
Their faces were a study in contrasts, Lucius's unreadable and Scarlett's smile a mystery. One couldn't tell if she was genuinely pleased or merely putting on a brave front.
In a casual tone, Lucius suggested, "Let's have a meal together."
Scarlett replied, "Thank you, but I wouldn't want to impose. I have other work to attend to when I return."
Lucius waved away her concerns. "No need for formalities. I'd like to discuss Jack's academic progress. Besides, I heard that you've been here for a month and this is your only assignment so far. Apart from serving tea, I doubt there's much else for you to do."
His words were blunt, striking Scarlett like a well-aimed arrow. She quickly masked her true feelings with a smile and replied, "Then, I'll gladly accept your kind offer, Mr. Zhou."
Lucius instructed a housemaid to call Jack down for dinner. He then excused himself to change his clothes. A few minutes later, only the three of them were seated at the long, polished dining table. The maids brought in an array of dishes, a feast fit for a king. Uncle Chan turned to Scarlett, "Miss Li, I'm not sure about your preferences. If there's anything specific you want, I can have the kitchen prepare it anytime."
Scarlett replied with a polite smile, "Thank you, but I'm not picky. This is more than enough."
Uncle Chan gave a nod of acknowledgment and left the room. Scarlett and Jack found themselves sitting across from each other, subtly observing one another in the silence. It wasn't until Lucius, seated at the head of the table, picked up his chopsticks that the tension eased. "Please, make yourself at home, Miss Li. It's just a simple meal."
At Lucius's words, Jack moved, and Scarlett silently acknowledged that, regardless of how the Zhou children were raised, they certainly had manners.
Maintaining a constant smile, Scarlett said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Zhou."
The three of them ate quietly for a while until Lucius broke the silence. "How did today's lessons go?"
Jack sat up straight, eyes downcast, maintaining his manners while eating. Seeing this, Scarlett chimed in with a smile, "I think it went quite well, our friend Jack was very cooperative."
Lucius glanced at Jack, "And what about you? How was Miss Li?"
Swallowing his food, Jack responded with a poker face, "Apart from the superstitious stuff, everything else was fine."
Lucius didn't look at Scarlett, he just continued asking, "Superstitious about what?"
Jack replied, "Talking nonsense."
Scarlett was secretly annoyed. This kid held grudges. She hadn't even thought about complaining, but he was preemptively striking. Her mind was racing, thinking about how she would respond when Lucius asked her next. Unexpectedly, Lucius, unfazed, asked, "Did you believe it?"
Jack retorted, "I'm not a toddler."
Lucius replied, "That's good to know. Adults are bound to spout nonsense sometimes, it doesn't mean they're speaking in tongues, and it has nothing to do with superstition."
Jack grunted in acknowledgment, signaling his understanding.
Both of them seemed completely at ease, as if they were used to this 'educational' approach. Scarlett, on the other hand, felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat. What's this about spouting nonsense? She might as well be accused of being superstitious!
"Since both of you are fine with it, we'll continue with six lessons a week, every day except Sunday, at this time," Lucius declared, settling the matter.
Scarlett looked up and asked, "Six lessons a week?"
Lucius turned to her, "You're not available?"
Scarlett smiled and said, "No, I just worry that this intensity might be a bit much for our friend Jack."
Lucius replied, "Then he'll have to get used to this frequency quickly."
Scarlett didn't mind. In fact, she was thrilled. This was money after all.
Feeling delighted, Scarlett maintained her composure as a mentor and said, "Alright, I'll give it my all alongside Jack."
Jack didn't respond, and the three continued their silent lunch. Scarlett had lived in Night City for six years, Han City for ten years, and Winter City for her entire childhood. All three places were known for their robust flavors, either salty or spicy. However, Deep City, where she now resided, was known for its light flavors and seafood, which Scarlett wasn't particularly fond of. It wasn't surprising that she ate little, but what was strange was that both Lucius and Jack also seemed to have lost their appetites, barely touching their food.
After the meal, Scarlett had to return to the city center. Coincidentally, Lucius also had to leave. He offered her a ride, which she politely declined. She joked about her company's insurance not yet being in effect, and she didn't dare ride in his car again. He had earned his nickname 'Deadly' for a reason, and she had no choice but to take the risk.
Lucius seemed to understand her hesitation, so instead of insisting, he called for a driver to take her back. Scarlett made a few polite remarks before accepting the offer. After all, if she were to walk back from here, she'd probably have to order takeout halfway through.
The driver dropped Scarlett off in the city center. Instead of going straight home, she hailed another cab and said, "Sir, could you take me to the nearest hospital or disease control center? Somewhere I can get vaccinated."
The driver glanced at Scarlett through the rearview mirror, her tone was both resolute and urgent. He couldn't help but ask in concern, "Did you get bitten by a dog?"
Seeing the driver's worry, Scarlett quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, I wasn't bitten by a dog, and I'm not sick. I'm just going there as a precaution."
Twenty minutes later, Scarlett arrived at the hospital entrance, found the relevant department, and told the doctor, "Hello, I would like to get a rabies shot. We have a dog at home, and I'm afraid of getting bitten."
The doctor was busy with other things. Hearing that she hadn't been bitten, he didn't rush, until Scarlett asked, "Doctor, do we need any vaccines for keeping cold-blooded animals at home?"
The doctor replied, "Cold-blooded animals don't need vaccines."
Scarlett continued, "What about small animals like squirrels or chinchillas?"
The doctor couldn't help but turn around and look at Scarlett, "Are you running a zoo at home?"
Scarlett was at a loss for words. She remembered the moment when she and Jack were sitting face to face. He stared at her for a few seconds and then suddenly said, word by word, "Tea-cher, you're sitting on my squirrel!"
It was her first time seeing a squirrel outside of a cartoon, and its tail wasn't as big as she'd imagined.
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