NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The Household Team
After sending off Jasmine, Yunyan Shang looked at the 13 people before him with a smile.
"Hello, everyone! Please come in. Let's head inside and get acquainted!" Yunyan said enthusiastically.
Duan Yurou nodded and turned to the others. "Everyone, follow the young master and bring your luggage inside."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The group entered the courtyard, marveling at the enormous villa before them. Flanked by smaller villas and surrounded by a spacious yard, the sight left them in awe. They couldn't help but wonder who this new young master was to afford such a luxurious estate in the third ring of the imperial capital. The property was massive—spanning thousands of square meters with a yard so large one could ride a horse in it.
Leading them into the villa, Yunyan turned on the lights. Duan Yurou and the others followed closely, standing opposite him in the grand foyer.
"Please, have a seat! Don't just stand there," Yunyan said, gesturing toward the furniture.
"Thank you, young master. I'm Duan Yurou, the head housekeeper who spoke with you on the phone. Including me, there are 13 of us on the team. This is Xiao Liang, your private doctor; Zheng Guangming, your chauffeur; Zhang Liping, your financial manager; and Li Xue'er, your personal secretary. These two are your housekeepers, Aunt Zhang and Aunt Li. Your chefs are Sun Pingshan and Zhao Yuanguo. Lastly, these two are maids, Linger and Lily, and the security personnel are Chen Peng and Chen Zhan," Duan Yurou introduced.
"Hello, young master!" The group stood in a line and greeted him with a respectful bow, causing Yunyan to blush.
"Wow, impressive! You even have a financial manager and a secretary. Wait, Xue'er—is she the kind of secretary who accompanies me to handle company matters, or does she only manage household affairs?"
"Young master, typically a secretary handles household matters. However, Xue'er can assist with corporate affairs too, though additional fees would apply."
"That's fine. No problem! Everyone, please sit down. Don't be so formal, and don't hesitate to make yourselves at home. This will also be your home from now on. To be honest, today is my first time here too, so I haven't even explored the whole place yet. There seem to be two smaller villas outside. You can divide those among yourselves as living quarters."
"Understood, young master. It seems the villa could use some tidying up. Let's leave our luggage here and start cleaning right away," Duan Yurou instructed.
The 12 others quickly dispersed to various floors to begin cleaning, while Duan Yurou followed them with a notepad, jotting things down.
Meanwhile, Yunyan climbed the stairs to explore the rest of the villa.
The second floor featured a mix of Eastern and Western dining rooms, two kitchens, a reception room, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a café. The third floor housed three guest rooms, an office, a library, a tea room, and four more bathrooms. The fourth floor contained a massive master bedroom, three walk-in closets, a collection room, and an enormous bathroom with a circular fish tank, massage table, sunbathing area, and sauna.
Below ground, the first basement level offered a gym, swimming pool, a small lounge, and a shower area. The second basement level housed a bar, wine cellar, and a private cinema. The third basement was entirely devoted to storage rooms and galleries.
Wandering through the villa, Yunyan marveled at the luxurious chandeliers, elegant European wallpaper, and custom furniture. Every detail reflected sophistication and wealth.
"Yurou, what are you noting down?" Yunyan asked curiously.
"I'm cataloging all the items in the villa. Xue'er, can you take over? I need to discuss the salary details with the young master," Duan Yurou replied.
"Yes, sister," Xue'er responded, turning to chat with a maid beside her as Duan Yurou left with Yunyan.
"Who would've thought the young master is so young—and so handsome!" Xue'er whispered.
"Exactly! He's such an upgrade from the last old guy. And he's so polite and down-to-earth with us. Working here will be amazing!" the maid replied.
"Indeed. Let's work harder to prove ourselves. Come on, let's hurry!"
Meanwhile, Yunyan and Duan Yurou took the elevator down to the first-floor living room. They sat facing each other on the sofa.
"Yurou, I read somewhere that a housekeeper's salary is ten million a year, right? I haven't made the payment yet, have I?"
"No, young master. The ten million covers our salaries but doesn't include costs for repairs, replacements, lawn maintenance, utilities, or other miscellaneous expenses."
"Of course."
"Here's the contract, young master. It also outlines the additional fees if you require someone like Xue'er or Zhang Liping to work at your company. Their corporate roles would incur separate charges."
"Got it. I might need their assistance with company matters. What about the bodyguards and the doctor? If I travel, would there be extra costs for their services?"
"No, young master. Their roles are exclusively to assist you, so no additional charges apply. Financial and secretarial staff incur extra fees because they handle both household and corporate tasks, effectively doing two jobs."
"Alright. Shall we sign the agreement now?"
"Would you like to review it first, young master?"
"'Trust the person you hire, and don't hire someone you can't trust.' I have full confidence in you!" Yunyan smiled. In truth, it wasn't just confidence—his system had already guaranteed their loyalty and safety.