Chapter 19 - Why Are You Afraid of Me?

His voice softened. “Why are you afraid of me?”

Gu Nianbin’s amiable manner gradually calmed Du Xiaoxian down. Although she was still timid, her voice was slightly louder. She replied honestly, “Uncle Xiao said that the young master liked to be quiet and didn’t like being disturbed by the presence of others. He told me to keep away from you.”

Gu Nianbin couldn’t help laughing, “You call that ‘keep away’? You ran away at the sight of me like a fleeing mouse. I’m wondering how repulsive I look!”

“Oh no,” Du Xiaoxian explained hastily. “The young master is good looking. It’s just that I’m afraid…”

Gu Nianbin was stunned again. She said he was good looking, but she was so afraid of him. Then why did she have the nerve to say that he was good looking? It was really strange…

“Then don’t be afraid of me or hide from me anymore,” Gu Nianbin said, pointing to a case of bottled water in the corner. “Can you carry it?”

“Yes, I can,” Du Xiaoxian replied without even thinking. She didn’t think a square paper case would be too heavy to her.

“Carry it to my room.” Gu Nianbin ordered.

“Yes, master.” Du Xiaoxian stepped forward and bent down to pick up the case. It was a little heavy, but she managed to carry it. Actually she could carry a heavier case. Thin as she looked, she was pretty strong.

Gu Nianbin didn’t expect that she could really lift the case. He reached out for the case. “Come on, give it to me.”

“No, I can carry it.” Du Xiaoxian snatched the case back from Gu Nianbin. How could a servant stay idle while letting the master do the job?

Gu Nianbin looked at the row of paper cartons along the wall. He pointed to one of them and said, “Put that down and carry this one.”

“Yes.” Du Xiaoxian did as he said. This case was much lighter because it was opened and some bottles were taken out.

Gu Nianbin walked in the front, and Du Xiaoxian followed him silently. Now she thought the young master was not as frightening as others had described. He had smiled at her, showing his white teeth, which were really nice.

When they reached his room, Gu Nianbin opened the door and went in. When he turned around, he found that Du Xiaoxian stood there still. Surprised, he asked, “Why don’t you come in?”

“Uncle Xiao told me that I was not allowed go into the young master’s room.”

“Now I am asking you to come on in.”

“But…” Du Xiaoxian stood there, hesitating.

Gu Nianbin found it funny because he couldn’t understand Du Xiaoxian’s thoughts at all. Uncle Xiao told her to avoid him, so she ran away at the sight of him. Uncle Xiao didn’t allow her to get into his room, and she hesitated even when he asked her to come in.

“Huh?” He raised his eyebrows in displeasure.

Du Xiaoxian shivered. She finally made up her mind and stepped in carefully.

Gu Nianbin closed the door and asked Du Xiaoxian to put the case down. He pointed to the storage cabinet and said, “Put it there.”

Du Xiaoxian squatted down, opened the cabinet, and carefully put the bottled water in the cabinet one by one.

Gu Nianbin sat on the sofa and looked at her. Other servants worked for him carefully because of fear, but Du Xiaoxian was different. She worked so carefully as if she was afraid of breaking the bottles. She gently arranged them in order, which reminded him of the way she swept the floor. It seemed that she was so focused with whatever she was doing that she didn’t even notice him approaching.

Du Xiaoxian was finally relieved when she was finished with the last bottle. She turned around and was startled to find Gu Nianbin so close to her and flopped to the ground.