Xiao Tao rolled her eyes upon hearing this. “Why pinch her? Young Master, I feel like you seem to be guarding against her.”

Fang Zheng clicked his tongue. “Look, as soon as she woke up, she started fawning over me. Clearly she covets my body with ill intent!”

“This young master is just maintaining his purity! In this day and age, a young man has to be a bit careful when going out. Mm!”

Bai Yi’s body twitched almost imperceptibly…

Xiao Tao gave Fang Zheng a disdainful look, then lowered her head. “So Young Master… do you plan to keep her or not?”

Fang Zheng also lowered his head to examine Bai Yi. Looking at her pretty face, truth be told, he did have some desire to keep her.

Having such a beautiful maid would be pleasing to the eye. Taking her out would also give him a lot of face!

Of course, Xiao Tao was the best! This one could only be considered the number two maid!

But thinking of how that white-eyed wolf Li Long had disgusted him, he instinctively felt a bit resistant toward people of unknown origins.

After some consideration, he decided against it. “Forget it! Still send her to the medical hall. Looks like she won’t wake up. Anyway, we’re heading to the capital tomorrow. Can’t bring along a sick sprout, can we?”

With that, he had Zhang Biao carry her away.

But Bai Yi’s hand remained tightly gripping Fang Zheng’s pant leg, refusing to let go.

Fang Zheng helplessly tried to shake her off a few times, but to no avail.

He squatted down and tried to pry open her fingers, but unexpectedly, this little lass had quite some strength in her fingers! Fang Zheng couldn’t pry them open at all.

The three of them stared at each other, dumbfounded…

Zhang Biao leaned in. “Young Master! Let me!”

“Get lost. You? Don’t snap her fingers off!”

Fang Zheng had witnessed Zhang Biao’s innate divine strength. Not to mention anything else, just the matter of him carrying a thousand taels of silver while strolling the streets – how many people in all of Jing could do that?

Seeing no other way, Fang Zheng squatted down helplessly.

He covered Bai Yi’s mouth with one hand, and with the other, he stuck two fingers into her nostrils…

Before long, accompanied by Bai Yi’s cough cough cough… her hand loosened.

Zhang Biao clapped wildly, admiring, “Amazing! As expected, Young Master has his ways!”

“Hehehe, stick with me and learn well! You’re still too green!”

Xiao Tao watched the two praise each other, speechless. After all these years… she still couldn’t get used to it.

Life was really too difficult being the only normal person in the yamen’s back courtyard…

After being suffocated awake, Bai Yi’s chest heaved nonstop.

Head lowered, face flushed like fire, eyes brimming with tears…

The greatest humiliations in life, experienced multiple times in just half a day! Chased away, scorned, and finally getting her nostrils plugged!

Fang Zheng, is it… I will definitely hack you to pieces in the future… And that brainless Zhang Biao too!!

“Awake? Miss Bai Yi? Can you walk now?” Fang Zheng put on a very concerned expression.

It’s just that Bai Yi kept her head lowered, panting heavily. Right now she didn’t dare raise her head, afraid Fang Zheng would see through her.

After quite a while, borrowing the tearful gleam in her eyes, she immediately prostrated on the ground, sobbing, “Lord Fang… you saved me once again… this humble girl has no way to repay, only able to be your servant to express gratitude!”

“This humble girl’s parents have passed. Now this humble girl truly has nowhere to go. I only wish to follow by my lord’s side to repay your grace.”

“This will allow my deceased parents to rest in peace… I beg my lord not to abandon me, to take in this humble girl…”

Finished, Bai Yi raised her head, gazing at Fang Zheng with tearful eyes.

Fang Zheng shook his head, proclaiming righteously, “No need for that! If Miss Bai truly wishes to repay this official, why not find some work to do in Taoyuan County!”

“In my county, there is nothing more glorious than paying taxes!”

“Besides, the yamen jobs have low pay and not many are suitable for women. You might as well find some spinning work in Taoyuan. That way you can pay back the medical fees faster too!”

“As for identity and household registration, this official will take care of those for you free of charge!”

Fang Zheng even emphasized the words “free of charge” to demonstrate Taoyuan County’s humane management.

Money! Money! Money! Were you starved of it in your past life?

Three sentences and none without mention of money!

Bai Yi was on the verge of breakdown. This Fang Zheng was unmoved… Besides money, he seemed uninterested in anything!

If not for shouldering a deep hatred, at this moment she just wanted to flee, to get far away from this money-grubbing bastard… never wanting to see him again!

But helpless to her goal, she could only suppress the resentment in her heart and continue mournfully, “My lord… since childhood, my father taught this humble girl to repay kindness. Lord Fang has given me a second chance at life. If I cannot serve by my lord’s side, I fear my deceased parents will not be able to rest in peace…”

“No worries, they will reincarnate.”

“You…”

Bai Yi was immediately struck as if by lightning, nearly unable to stop herself from cursing out loud. Fortunately, a shred of remaining reason made her fiercely bite the tip of her tongue.

A hint of coppery sweetness slowly spread in her mouth…

Bai Yi clenched her teeth, constantly encouraging herself in her heart.

You can do it! You can do it! Your face is already almost completely lost! If you don’t succeed, won’t all the previous efforts be in vain!

So Bai Yi steeled her heart and knelt before Fang Zheng. With a dong, she heavily knocked her head on the ground.

“I beg… I beg you…”

Fang Zheng and the others were all stunned… just how badly did she want to repay kindness! Kowtowing so forcefully!

Fang Zheng couldn’t help but be moved. What virtue or ability did I, Young Master Fang, have to make a peerlessly beautiful young lady kowtow like this! This life is worth it!

“Sigh, Miss Bai, no need for this. This official will just waive your medical fees…”

“………………”

Xiao Tao really couldn’t bear to watch anymore. The young lady before her was close to her in age and had experienced a similar fate.

Bai Yi’s anguish made her empathize.

So Xiao Tao tugged at Fang Zheng’s sleeve and pleaded, “Young Master… why not just take her in. It just so happens that I can’t handle everything alone. Having one more person would be good!”

…

Fang Zheng was also weighing it in his heart. Perhaps… he really was overthinking it.

Since Xiao Tao wanted an assistant, so be it… These past years she had indeed been quite busy. After Taoyuan County began operating, he basically didn’t handle anything.

He just handed everything to Xiao Tao to deal with. A young lady in the prime of her life had no leisure time, helping him handle official duties all day without even a playmate. He really owed her too much.

Perhaps in her heart, Xiao Tao just wanted a companion!

Having thought it through, Fang Zheng gazed at Bai Yi and slowly said, “Miss Bai, since you insist on repaying this official, I have no reason to refuse you.”

“From now on, you will be Xiao Tao’s maid. Don’t assume Xiao Tao is just my maid. She is my own sister!”

“In the future, you must be diligent in your work, not abandoning it halfway. Whatever she tells you to do, do it!”

“As for monthly pay, three taels of silver per month. The previous medical fees will be deducted from your wages. Do you agree?”

A maid’s maid!?

And those damned medical fees! Didn’t he say he would waive them!?

Bai Yi lowered her head again, clenching her fists tightly, nails digging deep into her flesh. But at this moment, there were no more tears. The tears had long dried up, leaving only sobbing sounds.

“Why are you crying? Is this a yes or no?” Fang Zheng asked.

“This… this humble girl is crying tears of joy. I agree! I agree!”