Chapter 3: Get Out

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Get Out

The kitchen gradually returned to order.

The frantic atmosphere from earlier had finally settled.

The fish that had nearly caused a crisis was now beautifully arranged on a large porcelain plate, its flesh tender and completely free of bones.

The head chef stared at it for a moment.

A/N: Since Mo Yunxui is now in Xi Yunxui’s body, we’ll stick to the name Xi Yunxui, except if the situation demands otherwise.

Then he looked at Xi Yunxiu.

"You really have never worked in a professional kitchen before?"

Xi Yunxiu shook her head.

"No."

The chef looked at the fish again.

"Then where did you learn to do that?"

Xi Yunxiu thought for a moment.

"From feeding people."

The chef blinked.

"That doesn’t explain anything."

"It explains everything."

Before he could ask again, another servant rushed into the kitchen.

"Chef! The desserts need to be brought out!"

"Right!"

The chef turned around.

Then he suddenly pointed at Xi Yunxiu.

"You! Come with me."

Xi Yunxiu followed.

She had thought she would only be asked to help with the fish.

Instead, she discovered that once someone realized she was useful, there was apparently no shortage of things for her to do.

First, she helped arrange the dishes.

Then she carried several trays to the dining hall.

Then she noticed that the flowers on one of the tables were leaning to one side.

She straightened them.

A servant passing by stopped.

"Wait... those look better."

Xi Yunxiu looked at the flowers.

"They were crooked."

The servant stared at her.

"You noticed that?"

"Of course."

She had spent years arranging the household of her siblings.

If something was crooked, she noticed.

If something was dirty, she noticed.

If someone had secretly eaten the last piece of meat, she definitely noticed.

The last one had usually been Mo Yichen.

She still remembered his innocent face.

Big Sister, I didn’t eat it.

His mouth had been covered in oil.

Xi Yunxiu had never understood how he thought that would work.

She shook the memory away.

"Xi Yunxiu!"

Someone called her again.

She turned.

"Help carry these."

"Alright."

And so she continued.

By the time dinner officially began, Xi Yunxiu had already:

- helped prepare the fish,

- arranged dishes,

- carried trays,

- fixed the table decorations,

- polished several wine glasses,

- helped replace a broken vase,

- and rescued a pot of soup from being slightly overcooked.

She wasn’t even sure when she had become so busy.

At one point, she stood in the middle of the corridor holding a stack of plates.

She looked left.

Then right.

A servant hurried past her.

Another rushed in the opposite direction.

Someone shouted from the kitchen.

Someone else called for more chairs.

Xi Yunxiu quietly sighed.

So this is a wealthy household.

She had once thought poor households were troublesome because there was never enough money.

Now she had discovered that wealthy households had the opposite problem.

There were too many things.

Too many rooms.

Too many servants.

Too many dishes.

Too many rules.

And far too many people saying, "Quickly!"

She suddenly missed her old courtyard.

At least there, if someone shouted her name, she knew exactly which one of her three siblings had caused trouble.

---

The dinner eventually began.

Xi Yunxiu didn’t enter the dining room.

She remained with the servants, waiting nearby in case anything was needed.

From where she stood, she could occasionally hear conversation from inside.

Important guests had arrived.

The atmosphere was much more formal than she was accustomed to.

She didn’t particularly care.

As long as nobody asked her to do anything complicated, she was happy.

After some time, the dishes were served.

The boneless fish was placed on the table.

Xi Yunxiu watched from a distance.

Nobody complained.

Nobody choked.

Nobody sent the dish back.

She quietly relaxed.

Good.

Her first day in this strange era hadn’t ended in disaster.

That was already an achievement.

Eventually, the household became quieter.

The guests remained in the dining room.

The servants who had finished their duties began taking short breaks.

Xi Yunxiu decided to get some fresh air.

She followed a path she remembered from the original Xi Yunxiu’s memories.

It led toward the garden.

The moment she stepped through the entrance, she stopped.

Her eyes widened.

The garden was beautiful.

Very beautiful.

There were rows of carefully trimmed trees, blooming flowers, small ponds, stone pathways and elegant outdoor lights.

A small bridge crossed over a pond.

Fish moved beneath the water.

There was even a pavilion surrounded by flowers.

Xi Yunxiu slowly walked forward.

"This is a garden?"

She looked around.

"This is practically a palace."

She walked toward the pond.

Several brightly colored fish swam toward her.

Xi Yunxiu crouched.

"Oh?"

She watched them curiously.

"They’re quite pretty."

One fish opened its mouth.

Xi Yunxiu immediately leaned closer.

The fish opened its mouth again.

She frowned.

"What are you saying?"

The fish continued swimming.

Xi Yunxiu nodded seriously.

"I see."

She stood.

"You’re hungry."

She looked around.

There was no food nearby.

"I don’t have anything."

The fish swam away.

Xi Yunxiu watched it leave.

"Don’t be offended."

She sighed.

"People in this era are already strange enough. I don’t need offended fish too."

She continued walking.

The garden was peaceful.

The evening breeze brushed against her face.

For the first time since waking up in the modern world, Xi Yunxiu felt completely relaxed.

She sat beneath a tree.

Her head rested against the trunk.

She looked up at the night sky.

There were lights everywhere in the distance.

The modern world was noisy.

Strange.

Confusing.

But it was also beautiful.

She wondered what her siblings would think if they could see this place.

Mo Yichen would probably calculate how much the property cost.

Mo Yuze would probably complain that the pond wasn’t clean enough.

And Mo Yulan...

Xi Yunxiu smiled.

She would probably immediately start discussing the flowers.

A strange warmth filled her chest.

Then—

Ding!

Xi Yunxiu’s eyes snapped open.

She looked around.

"What?"

Silence.

She stood.

"Who said that?"

Nothing.

She looked behind the tree.

Nobody.

She looked toward the pavilion.

Nobody.

She looked toward the pond.

Only fish.

Xi Yunxiu’s expression became serious.

"Did someone call me?"

There was no response.

Then another voice sounded directly inside her head.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host!]

[You have successfully bound with "The All Works Maid System"!]

[Current Progress: 2%]

Xi Yunxiu froze.

Her face slowly went pale.

She looked around again.

Nobody.

She touched her ears.

Nothing.

She looked at the sky.

"Is someone up there?"

Silence.

She frowned.

"Are you a ghost?"

[...]

The system remained silent.

Xi Yunxiu’s expression became increasingly solemn.

"An immortal?"

[...]

"A spirit?"

[...]

"A deity?"

The system finally responded.

[No.]

Xi Yunxiu blinked.

"You can hear me?"

[Of course.]

She looked around again.

"Where are you?"

[I am inside your consciousness.]

Xi Yunxiu’s face immediately changed.

"Get out."

[...]

"Get out."

[Host, that is not how this works.]

Xi Yunxiu narrowed her eyes.

"So you’re a god."

[I am not a god.]

"Then a heavenly messenger?"

[No.]

"An immortal artifact?"

[No.]

"A demon?"

[Absolutely not.]

Xi Yunxiu folded her arms.

"Then what are you?"

There was a short pause.

[I am a system.]

Xi Yunxiu waited.

Nothing else came.

She frowned.

"A system?"

[Yes.]

"What does a system do?"

[I assist the host.]

"How?"

[By providing missions, rewards, guidance and other functions.]

Xi Yunxiu’s eyes narrowed.

"So you’re some kind of mysterious immortal object."

[...]

The system seemed to regret introducing itself.

[Host, I am a technological assistance system.]

Xi Yunxiu stared into the darkness.

"Technology."

She had heard that word before.

She didn’t understand it.

But she had already encountered enough strange things today to know that asking too many questions would probably give her a headache.

"Fine."

She sat back down.

"What exactly do you want from me?"

[I want nothing from you.]

"Then why did you bind yourself to me?"

[Because you meet the basic requirements for becoming an All Works Maid.]

Xi Yunxiu blinked.

"An all works maid?"

[Correct.]

"What is that?"

[A maid capable of handling all kinds of tasks.]

Xi Yunxiu looked down at herself.

She couldn’t help laughing.

"So I died once, woke up in another person’s body, entered a completely unfamiliar era, and now I’ve become a maid."

She paused.

"Is this some kind of punishment?"

[No.]

"Are you certain?"

[Completely.]

Xi Yunxiu sighed.

At least the system sounded confident.

"What happens if I refuse?"

[Nothing.]

She raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing?"

[You may continue living your life normally.]

Xi Yunxiu relaxed.

"Then that’s fine."

She had no desire to chase strange treasures or become some legendary figure.

She had already spent one lifetime exhausting herself for others.

This time, she simply wanted to live peacefully.

Then the system added:

[However, completing system tasks will grant rewards.]

Xi Yunxui paused.

"What kind of rewards?"

[Cashback.]

Her eyes moved slightly.

[Property.]

Her eyebrows rose.

[Land.]

She sat straighter.

[Houses.]

She stared into the darkness.

The system continued.

[Vehicles, household items, skills, various necessities and other rewards may also become available.]

Xi Yunxui was silent.

She wasn’t greedy.

Not particularly.

But she wasn’t foolish either.

She had spent her previous life struggling to provide three meals a day for four people.

Now someone was telling her she could potentially receive land and a house simply by completing tasks?

That was useful.

Extremely useful.

She cleared her throat.

"Explain the system properly."

[...]

For some reason, the system sounded almost relieved.

[Yes, Host.]

Xi Yunxui leaned back against the tree.

"I’m listening."

And under the quiet night sky of the Huo family’s garden, the strange partnership between an ancient woman and a mysterious system officially began.

Neither of them knew yet just how troublesome it would become.