“Has this house had a phone installed before?” He casually tugged at a wire behind the vase, rubbing his fingers together in front of his nose; that wire was also covered in dust.
“Yes, sir, the previous owner had it installed. You just need to go to the phone company to reactivate it, which can save you the cost of wiring. It’s very convenient…”
“Mm.” He replied, raising his eyes along the hidden phone line, his gaze extending to the ceiling, where there was a junction box.
“What are you looking at?” Khanyi asked softly, following his gaze to the ceiling. The wallpaper was patterned, somewhat old but elegant, and the crystal chandelier, which had gathered some dust, was also exquisite and beautiful.
He smiled slightly but didn’t answer her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and softly asking, “Baby, what do you think of this house?”
“Mm, it’s great! I really like it.” Her big, dark eyes scanned the room’s furnishings again.
He filled out a check and handed it to the salesman, “This will serve as a deposit. The remaining amount will be paid to your account on schedule.”
The salesman was overjoyed, holding the check in disbelief. He hadn’t expected this remote house to fetch such a price and to find a buyer so quickly. Although this tall, handsome golden-haired man was accompanied by a petite foreign woman, he had never seen such a thing, especially with such a young man being so generous. Despite wearing a khaki trench coat, his demeanor and aura resembled that of an imperial officer, but that was not his concern. He carefully folded the large check into his pocket, “Here are two sets of keys for the inside and outside. So, miss and sir, please enjoy your villa.”
After watching the salesman leave through the door, she threw herself into his arms, “Can we move in tonight?”
“Little one, are you that eager?” He placed a set of keys in her palm, walking to the hall’s window, gazing out at the picturesque scenery of lakes and mountains, where a few birds chirped as they flitted through the trees. “Not tonight; it will take a few more days to find some housekeepers and servants. Besides, if I come back late tonight, won’t you be scared staying here alone? There are very few neighbors around, aside from these noisy little guys.”
She wanted to say something, her dark eyes shifting, hesitating.
He didn’t see her expression, raising his arm to push open a window, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, taking one out, lighting it, and placing it to his lips. Suddenly, he turned to her and said, “Let’s replace all the furniture you don’t like. If you need anything, I’ll have Jacob drive you to buy it tomorrow.”
“All this furniture is beautiful; we don’t need to spend more money on new things. I really like it, thank you!” She stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.
He drove faster than on the way there, the lush green fields rushing past on both sides. Throughout the journey, she excitedly talked about the house, from the design of the garden to the arrangement of the rooms. Then, when it came to hiring servants, she suddenly seemed to remember something, grabbing his arm, “By the way, I want Evelyn to be my companion; she can help us clean the rooms too.”
“Evelyn? Is she the laundry attendant from the hotel?” He squinted, quickly recalling the woman’s appearance. He had only seen her once: brown hair, blue eyes, thin, capable, with a slight Bavarian accent.
She nodded eagerly, “Yes, she’s very capable! She originally…”
He interrupted her, “There are many capable maids, baby. Let me choose someone trustworthy for you, okay?”
“But she’s the only friend I can talk to in this city. She’s just a hotel attendant, not a spy.” Her voice grew softer.
“I never said that maid was a spy. The truth needs to be investigated.”
His serious and objective response left her silent for a moment, and finally, she spoke, “Evelyn used to be a housekeeper for a wealthy Jewish merchant. Because of the government’s decree, white women under 45 are not allowed to work for Jews, she lost her job. But she needs that salary because she has a sick mother to support…” Her mood suddenly dropped, “Forget it, I won’t say anymore. Is there anyone in this world you can trust? General.”
He glanced at her stubborn little face in the rearview mirror, secretly amused. Listening to her determined tone, it seemed she had thoroughly investigated that maid’s background. Since being with him, she rarely insisted on her own opinions, but he could sense that she didn’t like being followed all the time. Perhaps he should let those subordinates keep their distance from her and protect her from the shadows. Or maybe, after they moved to this suburban villa, he could dismiss those tailing her, as long as he arranged for a trustworthy cook… As he drove, his ice-blue eyes blinked rapidly, recalling hundreds of agents’ names and profiles in his mind. Each of them was excellent and loyal, but which of them could cook authentic African dishes? That was truly a headache.
“…Alright.” He pondered for a long time before answering, perhaps he was too sensitive, “As you wish, let Evelyn accompany you. I’ll pay her a salary one and a half times what she earned as a housekeeper for that Jewish merchant, and give her five days off each month so she can go home to take care of her mother. What do you think?”
