Chapter 169: The House Fills Up
Shiao Yi gazed up at the man behind him.
As a trained knight, Dominic always woke up early.
Compared to Shiao Yi, who could fall asleep anywhere and at any time, Dominic was usually the one to woke up first.
Seeing him like this, deeply asleep and oversleeping, was a rare sight.
Last night, Dominic had taken him hard.
Heated and out of control, Dominic had gone almost wild.
Shiao Yi understood those feelings, though and he had lost himself in them too.
To be honest, even now, getting up felt exhausting.
Quietly, he turned his body so he could face Dominic.
Still, the man did not wake up and Shiao Yi stared at his face.
He really was sleeping soundly.
His expression was calm, at peace.
The sunlight that was spilling through the curtain glimmered against his golden hair, making him look like a beautiful prince from a story.
There is no doubt Dominic felt completely safe.
This house was their own little world, just the two of them.
The man who now found comfort and fulfillment at his side didn’t need to be disturbed.
Shiao Yi decided to stay like this a little longer, pressing his cheek against Dominic’s shoulder.
Then he noticed the red marks on Dominic’s neck—the ones he himself had left.
There were more across his chest and shoulders.
Shiao Yi blushed, realizing just how heated he had been.
His prince was covered in marks of possession, lying naked and sensual, looking like no one else’s but his.
His prince alone.
A man he would never hand over to anyone.
Burying his face against Dominic’s chest, he inhaled his scent deeply, savoring it.
From outside, he heard the voices of women chatting in the courtyard, probably while doing laundry.
Perhaps they were wives from the nearby houses.
Their lively voices, so different from the polite restraint of noblewomen, carried freely on the wind, mixed with unrestrained laughter.
As Shiao Yi was drifting back into a lazy doze, a particularly lively voice reached his ears. It sounded just like Eline’s. The tone, the energy—it was unmistakably similar.
"...So they moved in?"
"I saw him. He was such a handsome man."
"Right? That’s my young master. Since yesterday. He’s a bit naïve, so please take care of him!"
Shiao Yi bolted upright. Dominic stirred awake beside him, but this was no time to explain.
He pulled a shirt from the chest, threw it on, slipped into his trousers and buttoned them quickly as he opened the window to the courtyard balcony.
"Good morning, Lord Shiao Yi!"
Eline was out by the clothesline, waving her arms with all her strength while hanging up the clothes they had left in the bathroom last night.
When they went downstairs, the table was already set with a meal that was somewhere between breakfast and lunch.
"You both took your time. Please, sit and eat. Later, Lambard will arrive with the luggage and the horse, Marengo," came a calm voice.
"I see..."
Dominic answered automatically out of habit, then froze in the doorway.
Shiao Yi understood his confusion all too well, he himself was still completely shaken.
"Jude... Why are you here?"
There he was, dressed perfectly in the attire of a butler, his hair now showing strands of gray, bowing his head with graceful dignity.
"I have resigned from Lord Gabrant’s estate. From today on, I will be coming here to take care of you."
Dominic finally managed to swallow down his surprise and step inside.
With a bang, the kitchen door flew open and Eline peeked out.
"Of course I slammed down my resignation letter! You should have seen the old master’s face at that moment—it was so satisfying!"
With her hands planted on her hips, Eline thrust her chest out proudly.
Jude turned his head aside and gave a small cough, clearly trying to hide the grin tugging at his lips.
"You really did something bold," Dominic muttered.
Dominic still looked stunned, unable to fully process what was happening.
"The old master was far too cruel! We are on the young master’s and madam’s side!" Eline declared firmly.
"But... I don’t have the income to pay your wages," Dominic replied, clearly troubled.
"There’s no need to worry about that," Jude said calmly. "I have served in the estate for many years. I have my savings."
"And as for me," Eline added proudly, "I’m simply going back to my own home. My husband and children are glad that I’m done working at the mansion."
"Your home, Eline—is it close?" Dominic asked.
"Just two streets away. Much closer than the mansion, so it’s no trouble at all to come here," she said with a cheerful nod.
"That is why," Jude bowed again with perfect grace, "we wish to continue serving you here, Lord Dominic."
They were forcing themselves on him as self-proclaimed servants.
"But I can’t just let you work without pay. Honestly, I don’t even think I need extra help in this house..." Dominic tried to resist, his voice still filled with hesitation.
Come on, Dominic! This is supposed to be a house for just the two of us!
Shiao Yi cheered him on silently in his heart.
"What are you saying, young master?" Eline scolded. "You’ve been devoted to the sword your whole life—you don’t know the first thing about housework! And you still have your knight duties. And the madam—well, he has his own work as your partner too! Don’t worry, leave everything to me!"
Jude nodded. "Considering the gratitude we owe for everything until now, wages are unnecessary. However, if it truly troubles you, we can arrange something minimal, just enough not to burden you, Lord Dominic."
Ah... it’s no use. He’s being pushed into a corner. You’ve lost, Dominic.
After all, these two had cared for him since birth. He never stood a chance against them.
At that moment, the front door suddenly burst open with a loud bang. Lambard came charging in, carrying a pile of luggage.
"I’ve put Marengo in the courtyard stable! Look, I carried as much as I could for now!" he shouted.
And just like that, another self-proclaimed servant had forced his way in.
The new home, which Shiao Yi had thought might even feel a bit too spacious for two, suddenly felt crowded and small with all these extra people moving in at once.