Chapter 57: A Maid’s Reluctant Rise to Notoriety

Please step on me!

After the first masochist requesting to be stepped on was sent away, masochists queuing to enter the classroom for the same service appeared like mushrooms after rain.

The designated photo pose, initially just a group photo, gradually evolved into Zhong Tian stepping on their chests for a picture…

‘You people are seriously too much!’

‘Why are there so many masochists in this cursed school?!’

The initial sense of shame had almost completely vanished, and Zhong Tian gradually lost control of his expression, revealing a hint of impatience and disdain.

Yet, this only seemed to excite the masochists even more…

‘Have some self-respect, you guys!’

As he thought this, he placed a foot on the masochist’s chest, then skillfully withdrew his leg, slipped on his shoe, and waved him away, urging him to leave quickly.

Jiang Nanjin, dressed in a maid outfit, chuckled softly from the side. “So, how are you feeling now?”

“I’m going to beat Ren senseless.”

“Hahahahaha—”

The quiet conversation between the two was overheard by Wu Rui, who was passing by. He secretly glanced at Zhong Tian, whose expression was somewhat gloomy, and felt a flicker of surprise.

‘She just called Li Jianren “Ren”… Could it be that Zhong Tian also gives people nicknames, and rather… crude ones at that?’

‘Does that also mean he and Li Jianren have a good relationship?’

Wu Rui then looked at Li Jianren, who was ostensibly maintaining the queue outside the door but was actually slacking off.

‘Could the rumors in the class be true?’

‘Are these two actually… a couple? Just pretending not to be close at school.’

Wu Rui felt a pang of disappointment, and quickly raised a hand to tap his forehead, willing his emotions to calm.

‘What do other people’s affairs have to do with me…?’

‘It’s better to just focus on my work.’

With the same demeanor and attentiveness he’d used as a waiter at his family’s milk tea shop during the holidays, he steadily placed coffee and pastries before the four girls.

“Please enjoy.”

After speaking, he briskly took away the tray, adjusted his tie, and stepped to the side.

It was already half past four in the afternoon. After dinner at five o’clock, they would have to continue working until half past seven in the evening, only then would the first day of the Culture Festival conclude.

As Wu Rui pondered, his peripheral vision caught sight of the back of the classroom, where another new boy had lain down, requesting Zhong Tian to step on him.

‘He really admired these people…’

He then went to the podium to retrieve another plate of pastries, politely delivering them to the guests.

****

Sophomore Class Four.

It was nearly time for school to end in the afternoon, and almost no one was queuing outside the classroom anymore; only a few guests who had enjoyed pastries and coffee remained inside, chatting idly.

It was quite leisurely, in fact.

Bai Ruijin, dressed as a maid, stepped out of her classroom door and saw Class Three next door still had people queuing, prompting a sigh of lament.

‘They had completely lost.’

‘She wondered what they had lost to… Could it be because their class didn’t have a butler?’

“Ruijin,” a voice from behind drew her gaze—Chu Lenghu, also in a maid outfit, walked to her side and offered her a warm smile. “Are you tired?”

“Not really, I’m just a little curious… why Class Three still has so many people queuing at this hour…”

“Then let’s go take a look.”

“Okay.”

Bai Ruijin accepted Chu Lenghu’s suggestion and walked with her to the doorway of Class Three, peering inside—

There, Zhong Tian, with a hint of impatience in his expression, was stepping on a boy’s chest, while Li Jianren, dressed in a butler’s uniform, held a phone, capturing the scene…

‘Oh, this…’

Bai Ruijin stood stunned, her small mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a word. Even Chu Lenghu showed a look of surprise, her small hand clenched into a fist and pressed against her mouth.

‘So this was… Class Three’s winning strategy…’

“I can’t believe… Zhong Tian would actually agree to do something like this…”

“Mm…”

“Looking at his expression, he doesn’t seem very pleased about it…”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Teacher him make such an expression.”

“Me too…”

Feeling quite shocked, the two silently returned to their classroom, attended to the remaining guests, and prepared for school to end.

****

“It’s finally over!”

At five in the afternoon, the Culture Festival activities concluded. The maids and butlers of Class Three dispersed the remaining people still queuing at the door and closed the classroom door.

Since there was only an hour for dinner, Qin Dong decided to let everyone continue wearing their uniforms and change back only after their evening shift.

“Vice Class President, may we eat in the classroom?”

Zhong Tian asked.

Wearing the maid outfit, it was inconvenient for him to take the shortcut and climb over the balcony into Li Jianren’s dorm, and he also felt rather awkward eating in the cafeteria while dressed as a maid…

“That’s right, Class President, I also want to eat in the classroom. This outfit is really too much to wear to the cafeteria…” Lin Han added, her tone tinged with complaint.

Qin Dong pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

“Alright, it will also prevent the outfits from getting dirty in the cafeteria. Maids and butlers can eat in the classroom.”

“Class President!” Lin Han asked again, “Can we order takeout during the Culture Festival?”

“…Probably not.”

For the safety of students’ diets, the school prohibited outside food delivery on campus, and this rule was unlikely to change even during the Culture Festival.

“…Actually, I could ask my dad to bring some food over,” Wu Rui offered, seeing Lin Han’s spirits drop. “My family’s shop is very close to the school.”

If a parent delivered the food, then it would be allowed onto campus.

“Great, let’s do as Wu Rui suggested!” Lin Han raised her phone. “Who wants to order takeout?”

Zhong Tian silently raised his hand.

Seeing Zhong Tian raise his hand, Li Jianren also raised his.

“Count me in!” Jiang Nanjin also raised her hand.

Only Wu Chang’an shook his head. “I’ll eat at the cafeteria.”

“So that’s five orders then? Oh, right, Class President, do you want anything?”

No sooner had Lin Han finished speaking than a dark blue figure darted out from seemingly nowhere, landing gracefully on the classroom windowsill, where it sat poised and let out a meow towards Lin Han.

“Meow!”

“Pfft—I wasn’t asking you,” Jiang Nanjin said with a laugh, going over to gently stroke its small head. “You just pop out whenever you hear about food, don’t you?”

The Cat Class President seemed somewhat displeased, extending a tiny paw as if to swat Jiang Nanjin’s hand away.

Everyone was amused by the Cat Class President and stepped forward to pet it together.

Unable to resist, it could only lie on the windowsill, emitting faint meows.

“Be careful not to get hair all over you,” Qin Dong reminded them.

“Got it,” Jiang Nanjin replied, her two hands kneading the Cat Class President’s head as if it were a dough ball.

“So, Vice Class President Qin Dong, do you want to order?”

“I’ll pass.”

Having said that, Qin Dong waved goodbye to everyone and headed towards the cafeteria.

****

Qin Dong arrived at the cafeteria.

At that moment, the cafeteria wasn’t overly crowded. She took a standard meal, costing six and a half yuan, and looked around.

Near a corner of the cafeteria, Chen Chenchen was waving at her.

She walked over and sat beside Chen Chenchen. “Good afternoon.”

They had already arranged to have dinner together in the cafeteria the day before.

“Were you busy this afternoon?”

“Yes, quite busy… more people than I expected.”

“That’s a good thing, then.”

“Mm.”

Chen Chenchen took a sip of his soup. “Then you’ll need a good rest tonight.”

“Mm… I’ll leave the class to you tonight.”

“Just leave it to me.”

Qin Dong also began to eat.

During their meal, neither spoke, and time flowed by in silence.

“Speaking of which…” After the meal, Qin Dong suddenly asked, “Which song are you singing for the evening gala?”

“Mm… ‘Plain Face’.”

“That’s a very old song.”

“Is it that old?” Chen Chenchen countered with a smile.

“It’s a song from elementary school, you know. And many people say it’s ‘non-mainstream’ or whatever.”

“But it’s pleasant to listen to,” he said. “And I like old songs.”

“I see.”

Qin Dong also smiled, tapping her iron spoon against her bowl, creating a rhythm.

Chen Chenchen understood, and with a soft smile, he began to sing quietly, “It’s another quiet evening…”

“Curled up alone in a rocking chair, enjoying the cool breeze, I admit it’s truly peaceful, just like the old grandpa downstairs—”

“I heard you’re still working on original songs, but it seems like they’re just… okay,” Qin Dong chimed in with the female part, her voice clear and crisp. “Why not spend some time thinking about…”

“…I forgot the lyrics.”

“Haha, you sang it very well.”

The two laughed, softly humming the song in a secluded corner of the cafeteria.

“I wish I could perform with you at the gala,” he said. “How happy would it be for two people to sing together?”

“It truly would…”

****

At six in the evening, the maids and butlers, having finished their takeout, tidied the classroom and prepared to begin the evening’s activities.

Just as they had at noon, under the direction of Vice Class President Chen Chenchen, the maids and butlers opened the door and drew back the curtains, signaling that they were open for business once more.

Only a few minutes after opening, guests began to enter, among them a graceful figure…

Zhong Tian instantly recognized her.

“Lin Yu?”

“Good evening, Little Zhong.” Lin Yu sat down at a small table, taking the menu Zhong Tian handed her. “Your maid outfit is very cute.”

Zhong Tian, accustomed to Lin Yu’s teasing, maintained a detached expression as he merely asked,

“Don’t you have evening self-study?”

“Third-year students have tonight and tomorrow off,” she said. “It’s a little entertainment for us… I’ll have a pudding.”

“Alright.”

Zhong Tian had just noted the order but before he could take it to the podium, Lin Yu called out to him.

“I heard you had a Domi S maid chest-stomping service at noon?”

Zhong Tian froze on the spot, his cowlick standing on end.

“How did you know…?”

“The photos have already spread through all the class groups school-wide.”

‘How did it spread throughout the entire school?! Do those people have no shame? Can they really just post photos of themselves being stepped on?’

Zhong Tian couldn’t hold back, reaching up to cover his face.

“Little Zhong, your class and you are quite famous throughout the school now.”

“Please stop talking…”

‘I absolutely don’t want the nickname “Domi S maid,” for crying out loud!’

Zhong Tian suddenly felt his future school life stretching out before him, utterly bleak…