Finest Servant

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Chapter 30 The Household Servant Selection Contest (Part 1)

Immersed in the thrill of the recent brawl, Lin Wanrong had momentarily forgotten the main matter at hand. It was only when Dong Qingshan mentioned the Xiao family that he recalled he had a "job interview" to attend. This job held extraordinary significance for him, as it was a way to repay the kindness of Old Man Wei; he couldn't afford to mess it up.

Rushing to the Xiao residence, Lin Wanrong arrived only to find that he was a step too late. He asked a few people nearby and learned that his name, Lin San, had already been called.

"Are you saying this Lin San fellow is an idiot?" The man whom Lin Wanrong had questioned about the situation chuckled maliciously, "For the Xiao family's recruitment, we all arrived here early, wishing we could present ourselves even earlier. As soon as we join the Xiao family, our fortunes will be made. But that Lin San wasted such a golden opportunity. No need to say more, he must have crawled into some young lady's bed last night, and perhaps he hasn't even gotten up yet."

The man wore a lewd smirk on his face, evidently delighted with Lin San's misfortune. The competition for the Xiao family's household servant selection was fierce, and with Lin San forfeiting, there was one less competitor. Naturally, the man was overjoyed.

"Idiot, your mother's egg!" Lin Wanrong cursed inwardly, "With your pimply, adolescent face, it would be a miracle if the Xiao family chose you."

Looking around, Lin Wanrong found no other latecomers, making him an anomaly in this servant selection contest. Observing the tense expressions on the faces of the other applicants, Lin Wanrong didn't know whether he should laugh or cry. On the one hand, he had arrived late, and if he gave up now, he wouldn't have to perform menial tasks at the Xiao family's residence, although explaining this to Old Man Wei would be difficult. On the other hand, once he entered the Xiao family, he would probably become just like these other aspiring servants, wearing a bitter, downtrodden expression.

After pondering for a while, he told himself, "Forget it, it's only a year. Stand tall, and it will pass. I can't let Uncle Wei, the blind man, look down on me."

Having made up his mind, Lin Wanrong started to worry again. Now, even if he wanted to serve someone, they might not necessarily want him. "What kind of situation is this?" Lin Wanrong sighed bitterly, knowing that he needed to come up with a plan.

Glancing around, Lin Wanrong noticed that the servants and scholars were being selected separately. The scholar selection was moving at a slow pace, while the household servant selection was quite rapid. Some candidates went in and came out with downcast expressions in under a minute.

"Brother, what do they test you on inside?" Lin Wanrong stopped one of the defeated servant candidates and asked.

The defeated servant candidate replied with a bitter expression, "I have no idea what they're testing us on. I couldn't recognize a single character on the test. Oh, my dream of becoming a household servant for the Xiao family, my dream lovers Miss Xiao, Miss Xiao the Second, and Madam Xiao, we shall part forever..."

Astonished, Lin Wanrong watched the defeated servant dash away. This fellow's appetite was quite large, as all three women of the Xiao family had become his dream lovers.

Lin Wanrong wandered around and saw a man resembling a steward standing at the entrance to the servant recruitment room. He was supervising the servant applicants as they entered one by one, his demeanor arrogant and smug.

The steward appeared to be around forty years old, with a pointed chin and sunken cheeks. His eyes flickered with silver light, and according to Lin Wanrong's skill in reading people, this man was a natural opportunist.

"Perfect!" Lin Wanrong smirked, taking out a silver coin and holding it in his hand. He hurried over to the steward and whispered, "Esteemed Steward, may I have a word with you?"

Although he was called a steward, he was actually an assistant steward. His immediate superior, the chief steward of the Xiao family household, was overseeing the scholar recruitment. With the assistant steward's experience, he knew that having the title of the chief steward of the Xiao family made him a hot commodity among the scholars.

The scholars were generous, and to win the favor of the young ladies, they eagerly tried to curry favor with the chief steward. All things considered, the chief steward could easily earn eighty to a hundred silver coins in a day.

The assistant steward resented his title, as it relegated him to the task of supervising the servant recruitment, which offered little in the way of perks. By the end of the day, he had only accumulated a meager five silver coins, all in small change. He despised these poor servant applicants but had no choice, as those applying for servant positions were unlikely to be wealthy.

"What do you want—?" The assistant steward stopped mid-sentence as he saw the silver glint in Lin Wanrong's hand.

"Um—" The assistant steward's eyes lit up, and he walked a few steps closer, "Speak quickly, I'm busy with work."

Lin Wanrong's initial offering of a silver coin, while much less than what the scholars provided, was still considered generous among the servant applicants.

This young man has potential, the assistant steward thought, feeling an immediate "fondness" for the healthy-looking youth on account of the silver.

"What is it?" The assistant steward asked with an official tone, subtly pocketing the silver coin when no one was looking.

Once the money was taken, Lin Wanrong felt more at ease and quickly asked, "May I know the esteemed steward's name?"

"My surname is Pang, and thanks to the appreciation of the masters and mistresses, I am the deputy steward of the Xiao residence," said Deputy Steward Pang with an arrogant expression. However, when he mentioned the "deputy" part, a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes, clearly dissatisfied with the title.

"So you are Steward Pang," Lin Wanrong looked at him in awe, seemingly ignoring the "deputy" part of the title, "My, your reputation truly precedes you. Meeting you in person is even more impressive than hearing about you."

Deputy Steward Pang looked at him curiously and asked, "Do you know me?"

Lin Wanrong wore a charming smile on his face, "Of course. Although I haven't met you before, who in Jinling City doesn't know the famous Steward Pang? Loyal and righteous, devoted to your master, patriotic, your good name is known throughout the land."

Words didn't cost anything, so Lin Wanrong shamelessly praised Deputy Steward Pang.

But Deputy Steward Pang was even more shameless, his eyebrows raised and eyes smiling as he nodded, accepting the compliments.

Looking at the man's thick skin, Lin Wanrong thought, My goodness, his skin is even thicker than mine. This guy is beyond saving.

Lin Wanrong glanced around and then whispered into Deputy Steward Pang's ear, "Moreover, I heard from friends in the servant circle that the position of steward in the Xiao residence should have been yours. But last time, that fellow used despicable means, deceived the mistresses, and took your position. He is truly despicable and vile. I would give him a beating every time I see him."

In Lin Wanrong's previous world, there was a natural conflict between the chief and deputy positions, and he had seen such situations countless times. Furthermore, Deputy Steward Pang had a naturally harsh appearance, and nobody would believe that he didn't covet the steward's position.

"Don't talk nonsense—" Deputy Steward Pang put on a righteous face and said, "Unity is crucial. Steward Wang and I work as a team, and we have a harmonious relationship. Under the leadership of our core team, the Xiao family's servants are powerful. Steward Wang and I cooperate and complement each other well, and the organization trusts us greatly." However, the fleeting excitement in his eyes revealed his true thoughts.

"Indeed, indeed—" Lin Wanrong agreed obsequiously, "You two work together in the same team, leading hundreds of Xiao family servants. Naturally, your relationship must be quite deep."

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