There is a god in the sky

Chapter 407 Agreement

A faint sound of running water could be heard coming from inside the house.

Xiao Ji took a few steps back, moving himself away from the room.

He said earnestly, "Since we are both in charge of managing the household affairs, would you be willing to manage the Xiao family? Our Xiao family is no poorer than the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion."

The sound of water inside the house stopped.

Not long after, Shen Lan, who had changed into clean clothes, came out of the house with her wet hair disheveled and stood at the door looking at Xiao Ji.

"Don't rush, I'm not interested in the position of the heir apparent's wife in the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion."

Shen Lan turned and went inside. When she came out again, her hair was tied up, and she was carrying dirty clothes to wash.

"I'd better have Xuan'er come and take care of you. You can't be tired for a few days and then have to do the laundry and cook for yourself."

"How is Xuan'er doing?"

"I don't know." Xiao Ji couldn't possibly care about the life of a mere maid.

Shen Lan thought about it and agreed.

She also misses Xuan'er quite a bit.

"Let's forget it. I'm often not home, and it's not safe for her to be home alone. Besides, Li Ye and the others sometimes come over."

Xuan'er was someone Shen Lan brought from her hometown. After spending a long time with her, Xuan'er also wanted to travel.

But people's perspectives change as they live.

After meeting all sorts of people in the Xiao family, she realized that her initial thoughts were too simplistic.

In the Xiao family, many maids were literate, and some could even keep accounts and play musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she couldn't even learn the rules properly.

When Shen Lan lived in the Xiao family's house, she felt that she was no worse than others because she had better role models around her.

But after Shen Lan left, she realized that she was too insignificant, and even among the maids in the Xiao family, she was not outstanding at all.

“She is not you. She will be safer in the Xiao family.”

Shen Lan nodded. In this era, wealthy families were indeed much safer than ordinary people.

"If I ever leave, please take good care of her."

Xiao Ji did not answer, not because he refused, but because he found it difficult to accept Shen Lan leaving.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

"Does wanting to travel the world count?"

"If, and I mean if, I have the chance to take you all over the world someday, would you be willing to come with me?"

Shen Lan was instantly smitten.

Few men would make such a promise, especially not a future patriarch of a large family.

"Okay, if you have such an opportunity, remember to take me with you."

Xiao Ji reached out and touched the hair by her ear, finding it was still wet.

"It's best not to go to bed with wet hair to avoid headaches."

Shen Lan obediently agreed, "Okay, I'm just going to get something to eat. Do you want to eat with me?"

Xiao Ji had no reason to refuse.

The two squeezed into the kitchen and brought out the food that was still warm in the pot.

The food was kept warm, which affected its taste, but the two of them didn't mind.

When Shen Lan is away from home, she eats simply, and it's already a rare treat for her to have a hot meal at home.

Less than two hours after Xiao Ji left after the meal, a family of three arrived at the courtyard.

“Miss Shen, the young master has brought over the indentures for the three of us. From now on, you will be our master.”

Shen Lan had some impression of this family.

The man was a coachman, his wife was a maid in the Xiao household, and their daughter was eleven years old. It was said that she had suffered brain damage from a high fever when she was a child, and she was also deaf.

Shen Lan understood what Xiao Ji meant; sometimes she really didn't have time to do housework.

Moreover, having a driver makes going out much more convenient.

She accepted their contracts of servitude and arranged two rooms for them.

Actually, her place isn't very big; it can't accommodate too many people.

The man, surnamed Fang, said reservedly, "Miss, please don't bother. The young master has arranged a place for us to stay, right at the entrance of this alley, very close by."

Xiao Ji had thought things through very thoroughly.

Shen Lan really doesn't like living with strangers.

"Alright, from now on you'll receive your monthly allowance from me, so don't listen to your young master anymore."

The man smiled and said honestly, "The young master instructed me that I will listen to you from now on."

Shen Lan reached out and patted the little girl's head, asking, "What's her name?"

"Since we don't have a proper name, let's just call her Nannan." The woman from the Fang family pulled her daughter down to kneel, kowtowed, and said, "Please, young lady, bestow a name upon us."

Shen Lan knew that many maids in wealthy families kept the names bestowed by their masters, as this was considered a sign of closeness.

"She's cute, let's call her Xue'er."

Xue'er smiled, revealing a small dimple at the corner of her mouth.

"Bring her over tomorrow, I'll check her ears."

The Fang couple knew that Shen Lan was skilled in medicine, and that it was she who had taken care of their wife's health, so they were overjoyed.

Perhaps the young master sent them here for this reason.

If it were any other normal child, Shen Lan might not have accepted them.

After seeing the family of three off, Shen Lan locked the courtyard gate and prepared to go back to her room to sleep.

There was a slight noise on the roof. At first, Shen Lan thought it was a stray cat or something, but when she looked up, she saw a dark shadow descending from the sky, a sharp weapon in its hand aimed directly at her head.

Shen Lan quickly retreated and grabbed a stick next to the water vat to defend herself.

The wooden stick was chopped in half with a single stroke.

Shen Lan went around to the back of the water vat, lifted it up and smashed it at the other person, and saw their face clearly by the moonlight.

He was a young man in his early twenties with cold and ruthless eyes, reminding Shen Lan of the group of assassins hiding on Vulture Peak Mountain.

But weren't all the assassins wiped out?

And would they continue killing people without orders from the Tong family?

Or is there someone else who wants her dead?

Shen Lan didn't have time to think too much; the other party was clearly after her life.

She tried to escape, but after only two moves, the courtyard gate was kicked open, and two young men rushed in. One shielded her behind him, while the other fought with the assassin.

"Miss Shen, I'll protect you and help you go first."

"You are……?"

"We were sent by the adults to protect you secretly. Don't worry, besides the two of us brothers, there are other people with us outside."

Seeing this, the assassin did not linger in battle and retreated while fighting.

"Trying to run? No way!"

Seeing the young man chase after her, Shen Lan quickly said, "You go and help him. I can take care of myself."

The young man hesitated.

Shen Lan said, "If you're not going, I will."

He hurriedly chased after her, fearing that Shen Lan might actually take the risk.

Shen Lan wasn't really afraid. The man was skilled in martial arts, but she had made some preparations in the courtyard, so she wouldn't be without the ability to protect herself.

She was very curious about who would come to assassinate her all by themselves.

She righted the overturned water vat, and seeing that the yard was full of water, she grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

Hearing the commotion, the Fang couple rushed over. Seeing the messy yard, they offered to help tidy it up.

"Was there a thief just now? Miss, why don't we stay here? I see you have many empty rooms, we can just stay in one."

Fang's old woman advised.

Shen Lan dared not let them stay any longer. She still had the strength to fight back, but if the three members of the Fang family encountered assassins, they would truly be doomed.

"No need, you can go back and rest. In the future, if you encounter something like this, don't come in. Just find someone to help you."

The Fang couple exchanged a glance, said nothing, and silently finished their work before returning home.

Seeing that they filled the water vat before leaving, Shen Lan knew that the two men were truly honest and kind.