Chapter 46: The Housekeeper
With the Xia family’s car giving her a lift, Gu Qinghuan arrived at her grandmother’s place in no time.
Xia He had intended to get out of the car with her, but when Gu Qinghuan shot him a look, he obediently pulled back his hand from the door handle and simply gave her a well-behaved smile.
“Then I’ll just drop you off here. See you tomorrow, Sis.”
He actually wanted to show his face in front of her grandmother. If nothing else, Xia He was confident enough in his looks that he believed he could win over an elderly lady instantly.
But from Gu Qinghuan’s expression, it was obvious she wasn’t ready for him to have too much contact with her family—at least not for now—so he let it go.
Gu Qinghuan withdrew her gaze and earnestly thanked him. “Thank you for giving me a ride. See you tomorrow.”
With that, she got out of the car and ran into the residential complex.
Sitting in the car, Xia He rubbed his chin. See you tomorrow—he liked the sound of that.
Because her parents both worked full-time, they had little time to care for her when she was little. It had always been her grandmother who looked after her—walking her to and from school, buying her treats—so her feelings for her grandmother ran deep.
She quickly climbed up to the third floor and knocked on the door. Almost immediately, someone came to open it.
It was a middle-aged woman she didn’t know—probably the housekeeper her family had hired to care for her grandmother.
But as soon as she saw the woman’s face, Gu Qinghuan paused.
Somehow… she looked a little familiar?
Clearly already briefed about her, the woman just smiled kindly at Gu Qinghuan’s moment of hesitation. “You’re Gu Qinghuan, right? I’m the housekeeper your family hired.”
She stepped aside and opened the door wider, inviting her in.
As Gu Qinghuan walked in, she kept trying to figure out where she’d seen that face before.
Her father Wang Jia’an and her grandmother Gu Min were sitting in the living room. Her grandmother’s left arm was in a cast, but it didn’t look too serious.
Her grandfather had been a son-in-law who married into the family, so her mother Gu Haiyan had also taken her grandmother’s surname.
Gu Qinghuan still remembered her grandfather’s appearance—thin and scholarly even in old age.
He had been a gentle, soft-spoken man, often taking her to the park when she was little and always wearing a smile. She had never once seen him lose his temper.
When she was in third grade, her grandfather had died suddenly of a stroke. After that, her grandmother had lived alone.
Luckily, Gu Min wasn’t the sentimental type. About three months after his passing, she had picked herself back up and adjusted to living independently.
Pushing away her thoughts, Gu Qinghuan ran to her grandmother’s side. “Grandma! Does your hand hurt?”
Gu Min looked well and spoke with energy. “No pain—just feels stuffy in this thing.”
Wang Jia’an introduced the housekeeper. “This is Yu Wenxiu. She’ll be taking care of your grandma for now.”
“Hello, Auntie Yu,” Gu Qinghuan greeted politely.
Yu Wenxiu answered a little awkwardly. Wang Jia’an and Gu Qinghuan didn’t know the real story, but she did.
In her previous domestic service company, she’d had a stellar reputation. If not for her “peculiar habit,” she could have stayed with one employer for years.
That morning, someone had suddenly approached her, asking if she’d be willing to register with another agency to work at the Gu household.
She’d been hesitant at first, but they not only offered high pay—they also promised that once this job ended, they’d introduce her to at least five more employers who matched her “peculiar habit.”
To be honest, money wasn’t the main draw for Yu Wenxiu—it was that second condition she truly needed.
So she agreed and came to work for the Gu’s.
She’d thought that with such high terms, the family might be difficult to deal with. But after meeting them, she found them to be quite friendly—and she didn’t know she’d been specifically arranged to come here.
As for why, she couldn’t be bothered to care. She just needed to do her job well and get what she wanted out of it.
Wang Jia’an had been right—Yu Wenxiu had indeed prepared a large variety of dishes that day, clearly wanting to show her cooking skills on her first day.
Gu Qinghuan noticed that while there were many dishes, the portions were well-controlled and tailored to her grandmother’s tastes. She must have asked beforehand.
Her grandmother’s injury was to her left arm, so she could still use her right hand. It wasn’t too disruptive—except that she couldn’t hold a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, which slowed her eating.
But every dish had been prepared thoughtfully. For example, the braised fish chunks had all the bones removed beforehand, making them easy to eat and delicious too.
Gu Min, who loved fish, ate more than half a bowl of rice with that dish alone.
By the end of the meal, her complexion looked even better.
She took Yu Wenxiu’s hand in her right and praised her again and again. “Your cooking, Xiao Yu, is really excellent.”
Unlike Gu Haiyan, Gu Min was actually a decent cook herself—so for her to praise someone like this meant she was truly satisfied.
Gu Qinghuan also ate until she was a bit stuffed. Given her parents’ mediocre cooking, having such a good meal at home was rare.
Yu Wenxiu didn’t say much, just pressed her lips together, but she clearly looked pleased.
After the meal, she efficiently washed the dishes, wiped the table, cleaned away all water and oil stains, and tidied up the chairs to maximize her employer’s movement space and prevent accidents.
Watching from the side, Gu Qinghuan felt certain that with Yu Wenxiu there, her grandmother would be well cared for.
She nudged Wang Jia’an and whispered, “Dad, how much are you paying Auntie Yu?”
He whispered back, “Five thousand a month. Groceries are extra.”
Gu Qinghuan didn’t know if that was expensive or cheap. Strictly speaking, Yu Wenxiu was a live-in housekeeper with nursing skills, and she was doing an excellent job—her instinct was that she deserved more.
Wang Jia’an seemed to think the same. “I’ll give her extra red envelopes and a bonus when this is over.”
Satisfied that everything was settled, father and daughter said goodbye to Gu Min and headed home.
When Gu Haiyan got back from work that evening, she grilled them again for details and finally relaxed. “Alright. I’ll go check in tomorrow.”
Her schedule had been too packed to visit today, but she’d be free by noon the next day.
Later, after finishing her homework, Gu Qinghuan lay in bed. With her mind finally free, she thought again about what had been bothering her: Where have I seen Yu Wenxiu before?
But before she could mentally sort through everyone she knew, she drifted off to sleep—after all, a good meal made for good rest.
The system, which had been reviewing Yu Wenxiu’s file, debated whether to tell her anything. Seeing her asleep, it closed the file.
No rush. Once you meet someone, finding out who they really are is only a matter of time. For now, better to let its host have a good night’s sleep.
