Nathan had heard the story of the ugly duckling turning into a swan many times as a child, but this was the first time he'd witnessed such a magical transformation in real life. Who would have thought that this girl, once cleaned up, would turn out to be so beautiful?
"Smart girl," Old Huang said thoughtfully. "She must've dirtied herself up on purpose; otherwise, there's no way she would have made it to the capital."
Nathan nodded. In these turbulent times, a beautiful girl traveling alone was bound to encounter trouble.
"Such a shame," Nathan sighed. Born in a different era, she could have been a campus beauty with countless admirers.
Old Huang, having left Serena with Nathan, excused himself, saying, "Young master, I'll go rest now."
"Hold on!" Nathan called, jolted back to his senses. But when he looked out the door, Old Huang had already disappeared, moving with surprising speed.
Left alone with Serena, Nathan sighed. She stood there, nervously looking down at her shoes.
"I said I didn't need a maid, but it seems no one took me seriously," Nathan muttered. He knew exactly what Old Huang was thinking—he'd left Serena in Nathan's room, clearly seeing it as a fortunate arrangement for both of them.
But Nathan had no intention of doing anything to her. She was far too young, and they barely knew each other. She was at an age when he himself had been in middle school; taking advantage of her now would be unthinkable.
"Go rest," Nathan said, pointing at the bed.
Serena trembled slightly, a look of reluctance flashing in her eyes. But as if resigned to her fate, she bit her lip and climbed onto the bed.
Nathan approached, leaning over as he reached for something. Serena closed her eyes, breathing quickly, expecting the worst.
But he did nothing.
Instead, Nathan simply grabbed an extra pillow and made a place for himself on the floor. Yawning, he said, "Good night."
The lights went out, and Nathan quickly fell asleep, his breathing steady.
For him, his actions required no thought. The mute girl had suffered enough, and he, as a grown man, naturally felt obliged to look after her. Showing some decency was second nature to him.
But to Serena, this was a profound gesture. Eyes open, she stared into the dark. If anyone had seen her expression, they'd have been struck by the change in her gaze. What had been a look of fear and insecurity now held a cold, steely resolve—a gaze as emotionless as a machine's. And deep within, there was a hint of confusion.
"This man is indeed a gentleman," she murmured.
Before coming here, the head of the Secret Service had briefed her on Nathan's character, summarizing it in eight words: "A sage among men, a true gentleman of this era."
At the time, she hadn't believed it. She knew all too well that appearances could be deceiving. Her vulnerable, unprotected "persona" was precisely the kind that brought out the worst in men.
She was more than familiar with the power her looks had over others. She had resigned herself to being preyed upon, mentally prepared to sacrifice herself if necessary. After all, her orders had been clear: Nathan's life was crucial, and her mission was to stay by his side, safeguarding him at all costs.
But Nathan's behavior challenged everything she'd come to believe about people.
"Turns out, there really are good people in this world," she whispered to herself.
The room was quiet, the outside wind occasionally breaking the silence. It had been so long since she had felt anything like this semblance of a normal life that she found it hard to fall asleep.
The next morning, Nathan woke up and stretched, surprised to see Serena standing nearby with his clothes in hand, waiting to assist him.
"What did I say about not being a maid?" he sighed. But her face crumpled, looking as if he'd hurt her feelings.
"Fine, I surrender," Nathan chuckled, lifting his arms in defeat. Serena began helping him dress, a subtle smile playing on her lips, hidden from Nathan's view.
"What an odd fellow," she thought, bemused by a man so unused to being served by a beautiful girl.
Nathan, meanwhile, was trying to keep his thoughts clear as she assisted him with his morning routine. "Ugh, this feudal society is really starting to corrupt me..."
With Serena helping him with every little task—dressing, washing up, and even breakfast—he felt the pull of luxury, though it wasn't something he'd ever sought.
Finally, he instructed her, "You stay here while I go out."
As expected, his destination was the Ministry of Supervision. Yet, from a distance, he saw that the doors were still shut.
"Are these lazy idiots ever going to work?" Nathan ground his teeth in frustration. He'd been here three times now without even getting through the door.
But today was different. A familiar figure stood by the entrance, looking surprised as Nathan approached. The man stepped forward, bowing.
"Greetings, Master Ye."
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