Chapter 7: Multitasking Hands

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Multitasking Hands

Xi Yunxui stood frozen.

The man’s hand was still around her arm.

His expression was calm, but there was something in his eyes that made her instinctively remember the original Xi Yunxui’s behavior.

Fear.

Respect.

Carefulness.

The original Xi Yunxui would never dare to stare at the eldest young master for too long.

So Xi Yunxui immediately lowered her head.

"I’m sorry, Young Master."

Her voice became softer.

She even mimicked the slightly nervous way the original Xi Yunxui used to speak.

"I didn’t see you coming."

Huo Jingchen looked at her for another moment.

He said nothing.

His hand released her arm.

Then he walked past her.

Xi Yunxui remained where she was.

She didn’t move until his footsteps had completely disappeared.

Only then did she let out a long breath.

"Phew."

She patted her chest.

"That was terrifying."

She had faced angry creditors, stubborn customers and three mischievous children in her previous life.

Yet somehow, that man’s silence had given her more pressure than all three combined.

She looked down the corridor where he had disappeared.

"The eldest young master really is frightening."

She didn’t know that the man she had just described as frightening was currently thinking about something completely different.

---

Huo Jingchen returned to his room.

He closed the door behind him.

The room was quiet.

He removed his suit jacket and placed it over a chair before loosening his tie.

The evening had been exhausting.

The meeting had lasted longer than expected, and he had spent most of it dealing with business discussions.

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

His fingers slowly pressed against his temples.

There was a faint throbbing in his head.

He closed his eyes.

Then a memory suddenly flashed through his mind.

A young woman.

Standing in the corridor.

Her startled expression.

The moment she had bumped into him.

And then—

That fragrance.

Huo Jingchen’s eyebrows tightened slightly.

What was it?

He had never noticed that scent before.

It wasn’t a perfume he recognized.

It was light.

Clean.

Almost like the faint fragrance of flowers after rain, mixed with something warm and familiar.

Strangely enough, the moment he had caught her, the faint headache that had been troubling him seemed to ease.

Huo Jingchen opened his eyes.

He glanced toward the door.

"Xi Yunxui..."

He remembered the maid.

She had always been quiet.

Ordinary.

At least, that was what he remembered.

But tonight, there had been something different about her.

He leaned back.

The faint fragrance seemed to linger in his memory.

His fingers pressed against his temple again.

For some reason, he found himself thinking about it.

It was pleasant.

Unusually so.

Huo Jingchen shook his head.

Perhaps he was simply tired.

He stood and went to wash up.

He didn’t give the matter another thought.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

---

Meanwhile, Xi Yunxui had returned to the staff quarters.

She slipped into her room and closed the door.

The moment she was alone, she remembered something important.

"The lucky draw!"

Her eyes brightened.

She sat on the bed.

"System."

[I am here, Host.]

"You said I had a lucky draw."

[Correct.]

"Let’s do it."

A translucent panel appeared in front of her.

Xi Yunxui stared at it.

Several glowing symbols moved rapidly around a circular interface.

She didn’t understand most of them.

"Which one do I press?"

[The host may initiate the lucky draw.]

"How?"

[Simply say ’start’.]

Xi Yunxui looked suspiciously at the panel.

"Start."

The symbols began spinning.

Faster.

Faster.

And faster.

Xi Yunxui leaned forward.

"Don’t give me something useless."

The system remained silent.

The spinning suddenly stopped.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Host!]

[You have obtained: Multitasking Hands.]

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"Multitasking hands?"

[Skill description: Allows the host to perform up to four different tasks simultaneously with perfect precision.]

Xi Yunxui stared.

"Four?"

[Correct.]

She became interested.

"So I can cook while doing something else?"

[Yes.]

"Clean while sewing?"

[Yes.]

"Cook, clean, sew and do another task at the same time?"

[Correct.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

That was practically magical.

The system continued explaining.

[Each task will be completed with the same accuracy as if the host were focusing exclusively on it.]

Xi Yunxui smiled.

She suddenly imagined herself in a kitchen.

A pot boiling on the stove.

Her hands cooking.

Another hand sweeping the floor.

Another sewing torn clothing.

And another organizing ingredients.

She laughed.

"This is useful."

[The skill has been permanently integrated with the host.]

Xi Yunxui looked at her hands.

They looked completely normal.

She moved her fingers.

Nothing happened.

"So how do I use it?"

[Simply divide your attention between the tasks.]

Xi Yunxui tried.

She picked up a piece of cloth.

At the same time, she reached for a comb.

She attempted to imagine a third and fourth task.

For a brief moment, her hands moved with unusual precision.

She immediately stopped.

"Interesting."

She smiled.

"This is definitely useful."

She lay down.

The modern world might be strange.

The Huo family might be intimidating.

And the system might be mysterious.

But at least she had something to rely on.

Within minutes, she fell asleep.

---

The next morning—

Xi Yunxui opened her eyes before the alarm on her phone had even sounded.

She stared at the ceiling.

Then sat up.

She had woken up naturally.

It was still early.

Old habits were difficult to change.

In her previous life, sleeping late meant hungry children.

She had spent years waking before sunrise.

Apparently, her body hadn’t forgotten.

She freshened up quickly and changed into her work clothes.

Before leaving, she looked at the soft nightwear Auntie Zhang had lent her.

She folded it neatly and placed it on the bed.

Then she left the room.

---

The staff quarters were quiet.

Xi Yunxui entered the main house and looked around.

She didn’t see Auntie Zhang.

She eventually found another servant and asked where she was.

"She should be in the kitchen."

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Thank you."

She walked toward the kitchen.

Auntie Zhang was there, organizing several things.

When she saw Xi Yunxui, she looked surprised.

"You’re here already?"

Xi Yunxui smiled.

"I usually wake early."

Then she remembered something.

"Auntie Zhang, thank you for letting me stay last night."

Auntie Zhang waved her hand.

"There’s no need to thank me. You were right not to walk home so late."

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

Auntie Zhang thought for a moment.

"Actually, yes."

She pointed toward the kitchen.

"Some of the chefs haven’t arrived yet. Yesterday’s banquet kept everyone busy until very late."

Xi Yunxui nodded immediately.

"I can help prepare breakfast."

Auntie Zhang smiled.

"Good."

She walked away to handle another task.

Xi Yunxui rolled up her sleeves.

"Breakfast."

That was easy.

She decided to prepare something she was familiar with.

Traditional Chinese breakfast.

She made warm millet porridge, steamed buns, delicate vegetable dumplings, scallion pancakes and several simple side dishes.

Her movements were quick and practiced.

At one point, she had dough resting beside her while another pot simmered.

She remembered her new skill.

Multitasking Hands.

She tested it.

Soon, she was kneading dough while preparing the filling, watching the porridge and arranging the dishes.

Everything went smoothly.

The kitchen gradually filled with delicious aromas.

One of the sleepy chefs eventually entered.

He stopped.

He stared at the breakfast spread.

Then he stared at Xi Yunxui.

"Did you make all this?"

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Yes."

The chef looked at the food again.

"By yourself?"

Xi Yunxui smiled.

"More or less."

The chef scratched his head.

He had no idea what more or less was supposed to mean.

---

After breakfast preparations were finished, Xi Yunxui remembered something important.

The original Xi Yunxui had another job.

She worked at a daycare.

According to the memories she had received, she usually went there during the day and sometimes returned to the Huo residence in the evening for additional work.

She found Auntie Zhang.

"Auntie Zhang."

"Yes?"

"I’ll be back this evening."

Auntie Zhang nodded.

"Alright. Go ahead."

Xi Yunxui thanked her and returned to her apartment.

She changed into a simple outfit suitable for working with children.

Then she left.

She followed the route from Xi Yunxui’s memories.

Eventually, she reached a bus stop.

Several people were waiting.

Xi Yunxui stood among them.

A large vehicle approached.

It slowed down.

Then stopped.

The doors opened.

People began entering.

Xi Yunxui stared.

It was a huge enclosed vehicle.

No horses.

No driver visible from where she stood.

And somehow, dozens of people were climbing inside.

She frowned.

Another moving device.

She looked around.

Nobody seemed frightened.

Instead, everyone was calmly getting on.

Xi Yunxui decided to follow them.

She stepped forward.

The moment she entered, she froze.

There were seats everywhere.

People were sitting.

Some were staring at small glowing screens.

One person was sleeping.

Another was wearing earphones.

Nobody seemed to care that the entire room was moving.

Xi Yunxui slowly turned around.

The doors closed behind her.

Her eyes widened.

"We’re trapped."

The person beside her glanced at her.

Xi Yunxui immediately lowered her voice.

"Never mind."

The bus began moving.

Xi Yunxui grabbed the nearest pole.

Her body stiffened.

The bus turned.

She swayed violently.

"Ah!"

A passenger grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?"

Xi Yunxui nodded quickly.

"Yes."

She looked at the road through the window.

The moving vehicle accelerated.

Cars passed them.

Buildings moved by.

People walked along the sidewalks.

Xi Yunxui stared in fascination.

After a few minutes, she slowly relaxed.

So this was a bus.

A public vehicle.

Apparently, people simply climbed into it and allowed it to carry them around.

She looked at the other passengers.

Nobody looked concerned.

She nodded thoughtfully.

Modern people are brave.

Then the bus suddenly braked.

Xi Yunxui lurched forward.

Her hand grabbed the pole.

She glared toward the front.

"Can’t you announce when you’re stopping?"

The passenger beside her looked at her strangely.

Xi Yunxui coughed.

"I mean..."

She looked out the window.

"The vehicle should be more considerate."

The passenger slowly moved one seat farther away.

Xi Yunxui didn’t notice.

She was too busy staring at the city.

She had no idea that her first ordinary bus ride was only the beginning of her education in the twenty-first century.

And waiting for her at the daycare were a group of children who were about to discover that their new teacher was behaving rather differently today.