Fractured Jade - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The person who came to the door was a middle-aged woman in an apron, her eyes rimmed red.

“Who are you looking for?”

“I’m here to apply for the nanny position.”

She looked me up and down, then sighed. “You’re what, the latest one…? Come in.”

I followed her inside. The living room was absurdly grand, with a crystal chandelier hanging all the way down from the third floor and floors so polished they reflected a person’s shadow.

But the whole house was so quiet it felt uninhabited.

“Mrs. Shen, there’s someone here to apply for the job.”

A woman sat on the sofa, impeccably maintained.

But her eyes were swollen. Anyone could tell she’d been crying.

She looked up at me and froze.

“You’re… Li Yi?”

“Hello, Auntie.”

She stood up, came over, and took my hand.

“You were Zhaoning’s high school classmate, weren’t you? I remember you. You were in the same class.”

“Yes.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I saw the job posting, so I came.”

She looked at me, her eyes reddening again. “You’re here to apply as a nanny?”

“Mm.”

“Child, you don’t have to do this… You’re Zhaoning’s classmate. How could you come here to be a nanny?”

“Auntie, please let me try.”

She was silent for a while, still holding my hand.

“You don’t know. These past few months, Zhaoning has chased everyone away. We’ve changed caregivers four times and nannies six times. Not a single one lasted more than three days. She won’t let anyone touch her, won’t let anyone look at her. She locks herself in her room and barely eats…”

Her voice caught. “Now, in this house, it’s just me, her father, and Auntie Zhang, who opened the door for you just now. Even Auntie Zhang only dares stay downstairs. She doesn’t dare go up.”

“Auntie, please let me try.”

She looked at me, tears falling. “You poor child…”

“I was her classmate for three years. I understand her.”

She nodded and picked up a set of keys from the coffee table, then handed them to me.

“The room at the very end of the second floor. She… she has a bad temper now. Please be patient with her.”

“I know.”

I took the keys and headed upstairs.

When I reached the room at the very end, the door was shut.

I knocked three times. No response. Then I knocked three more times.

“I said get the hell out! All of you! Stop bothering me!”

Her voice was hoarse, but that tone-I knew it was her the moment I heard it.

Still the same. Fierce as ever.

I turned the doorknob. It wasn’t locked.

I pushed the door open. The room was very dark, the curtains drawn tight.

The smell of medicine mingled with disinfectant.

She was lying on the bed with her back to the door.

“Are you deaf? I said get out-”

“It’s me.”

Her voice stopped dead.

I stood in the doorway, looking at her back.

She wore pajamas, her hair scattered across the pillow. On the right side, the blanket had caved in.

Empty.

“Who told you to come?” Her voice was trembling.

“I came on my own.”

“Get out.”

“I’m not leaving.”

She pushed herself up from the bed and turned to look at me.

That face had grown so much thinner. Her cheekbones jutted out, her eyes were red and swollen, and her lips were dry and cracked.

But that look in her eyes was still the same.

Lofty. Arrogant. As if no one in the world could touch her.

“Li Yi? What are you doing here? Were you born with no fate other than serving people?”

I ignored her. I only placed my hand gently on that sunken space.

“You don’t have to act strong in front of me.”

“If I can be your servant for the rest of my life, at your beck and call, that would be my blessing.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and her insults became even harsher.

“Who do you think you are? Get your filthy hand off me.”

I moved my hand away.

She turned her face aside and refused to look at me anymore, screaming herself hoarse.

“Get out.”

I didn’t leave. I only took out a tissue and wiped the tears from her face.

“I won’t leave. Even if you end up hating me.”