Ye Chongming hadn’t interfered in Song Yifeng’s matter, but when handling Meng Chengwei’s case, Ye Yaming had seen multiple times how Ye Chongming struggled, his face full of fatigue. He was forcing himself to persevere.

She believed that if she asked, Ye Chongming would certainly give Zhou Xiang to her. But then, he would find it inconvenient to handle matters afterward.

How could she bear to make things easier for herself while causing her sixty-year-old grandfather to exert more mental and physical effort?

Hearing Ye Yaming’s words, Zhou Xiang felt relieved, realizing that Ye Yaming approved of his character and abilities. She was only refusing him out of consideration for her elderly grandfather, not because he had once rejected her.

Most appreciably, the young lady was patient enough to explain to him and indicated that she would borrow his services when needed. This showed that she already considered him half her own.

This was the best possible outcome for him—she had given him a future path while also allowing him to fulfill his gratitude and loyalty to the Old Master.

“Thank you, Young Lady.” He knelt and performed a deep bow to Ye Yaming.

When Ye Yaming had first arrived in this world, she wasn’t accustomed to these rituals, but gradually she had grown used to them. Didn’t she often curtsy to Ye Chongming, Master Zhineng, and others? Perhaps someday she would have to kneel before someone, too. When in Rome, do as the Romans do—there was no need to overthink it.

“Go ask Lai Yun if he’s willing to follow me. If he is, I’ll request him from the Old Master,” she said.

“Yes.”

If Ye Yaming hadn’t explained herself, Zhou Xiang would certainly have felt deeply disappointed and sad. But although he still felt loss and regret, he could only sigh and put the matter aside.

When the Old Master passed away and he came to serve the young lady, and the primary position at her side would belong to Lai Yun, while he could only be someone insignificant. But what could he do? Such was fate and destiny.

His desire to follow Ye Yaming wasn’t just because he saw her as the future power holder of the Ye family, but also because working for her was incredibly satisfying.

She was efficient in her actions, her instructions were clear and precise, never ambiguous, while also giving her subordinates room to maneuver rather than rigidly insisting they follow her methods and procedures.

At the same time, she was fair with rewards and punishments, and would show leniency toward servants who made mistakes that didn’t lead to serious consequences. Such a master was arguably the best master one could find under heaven.

Being able to work at her side, Zhou Xiang felt, was a great fortune across three lifetimes.

He took his leave and first called for Lai Yun, relaying Ye Yaming’s message to him.

Watching Lai Yun joyfully head to Ye Yaming’s courtyard, he entered the main courtyard and reported to Ye Chongming that Ye Yaming had sent him back.

Ye Chongming looked at him and asked, “If I let you go serve the Third Young Lady, would you be willing?”

Countless responses flashed through Zhou Xiang’s mind.

If he said he was unwilling, with his previous refusal as foundation, the Old Master would be more convinced of his loyalty and would value him more. In the future, even if the old man stepped back from managing affairs, he would surely arrange a position for him and not leave him without prospects.

But thinking of the Third Young Lady, who was exceptionally intelligent and could see through people’s hearts, Zhou Xiang immediately dismissed this idea.

One must never try to be clever in front of a truly clever person. If the Third Young Lady and the Old Master compared notes about what he had said, he would be exposed. Then, his fate would certainly be miserable.

He honestly recounted his conversation with Ye Yaming to Ye Chongming.

After finishing, he explained, “When the Third Young Lady asked if I was willing to follow her before, I refused. But during this time working with her, I found it both exciting and comfortable. The Third Young Lady is extremely intelligent, anticipates events like a deity, and can always foresee opportunities early, placing her pieces strategically to strike decisively—this feeling is addictive.”

He glanced at Ye Chongming: “And I believe, Old Master, that you will rely heavily on the Third Young Lady in the future, but she has no capable person by her side. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity, so I took the liberty of recommending myself to the Third Young Lady.”

Speaking thus, he knelt and kowtowed heavily: “Please punish me, Old Master.”

Ye Chongming was a generous person and had been intending to give Zhou Xiang to Ye Yaming’s service. Although Zhou Xiang’s initiative to change masters displeased him, he wasn’t too angry.

Especially since his granddaughter showed concern and consideration for him—despite her great need for Zhou Xiang, she still left him at his grandfather’s side. This made the old man feel increasingly pleased, and he no longer minded Zhou Xiang’s little scheme.

He said, “All right. Since it’s my granddaughter’s filial piety, I’ll keep you by my side. Don’t overthink it—you’re capable, and as long as your heart is with the Ye family, there will always be a place for you here.”

“Since the Third Young Lady mentioned borrowing from you when needed, she values you. When I choose to retire in the future, you can go serve the Third Young Lady then.”

“Yes,” Zhou Xiang gratefully replied.

This was already the best outcome for him. Regardless of whether the Old Master harbored any reservations, at least he was willing to keep him at his side. And with the Third Young Lady’s appreciation, the old man wouldn’t find an opportunity to dispose of him later.

“Just now, when you went to call Lai Yun, how did that lad react?” Ye Chongming asked.

“Those words should be told to Lai Yun by the Third Young Lady herself. It wasn’t my place to say much, I only told him the Third Young Lady summoned him, and he hurried over immediately,” Zhou Xiang answered truthfully.

Ye Chongming nodded.

Zhou Xiang still handled matters with discretion, truly worthy of being someone he had selected and trained for several years. And Zhou Xiang’s little schemes were only human nature.

Thinking this way, he felt at ease.

“All right, you’ve been tired these days, go rest. Tomorrow you’ll accompany me out again.”

“Yes.”

…

As for Lai Yun, when he heard that Ye Yaming wanted to request him to work for her, he was naturally overjoyed and repeatedly agreed, “I am willing, I am willing.”

Ye Yaming asked him, “What was your surname before entering the mansion?”

Hearing this question, Lai Yun became even more ecstatic.

It was known that when servants were first bought into the mansion, the matrons specifically in charge of training young servants would name them according to the mansion’s naming customs. When they were trained well enough to serve the masters and assigned to various courtyards, the masters of each courtyard would rename them according to their preferences. Their original names before entering the mansion were completely abandoned.

But the Ye family was benevolent. If the servants were loyal and diligent, and rose to become stewards, the Ye family would allow them to restore their original surnames. Li Fu, Zhou Xiang, and Meng Ji were examples of this.

Zhou Xiang and Meng Ji were just servants, but their status was no lower than Li Fu’s, so they also received this honor.

Now that the Third Young Lady was asking for his original surname, could it be that she was about to promote him to steward?

He hurriedly replied, “This humble one’s original surname was Fang.”

Ye Yaming nodded: “Good fortune, happiness. From now on, you shall be called Fang Xing.”

The Ye family was a merchant family, and their naming conventions weren’t concerned with elegance but rather with auspicious meanings. Prosperous and flourishing were the names of the four masters; wealthy, noble, and auspicious were the names of the stewards and managers.

Naturally, when Ye Yaming named her subordinate, she had to follow this pattern. Happiness and well-being, she thought, were quite appropriate.