The CEO's Wife is a Maid!

Chapter 1: Being Adopted by the Ji Family The first time she stepped through the grand gates of the Ji family's residence, Ji A'er was entering as an adopted daughter, having just been taken in from an orphanage. She was ten years old that year, but due to malnutrition, she looked no older than seven or eight. "Mommy, let's take her home!" Ji En said in a childish voice to his mother. The moment he saw this thin, dark-skinned little girl, he became intrigued. Standing beside him was his mother, a world-renowned piano queen, exuding an extraordinary aura and grace. Ji A'er looked at the boy pointing at her. His fair skin, rosy lips, sparkling eyes, and perfectly tailored white shirt with suspenders made him seem about her height. He reminded her of the little prince in *Snow White*. "Xiao En, we can't do that. We're here to visit the children, not to adopt one," Ji's mother said gently as she knelt down to her son. "No! If you don't take her home, I won't eat anymore!" Ji En suddenly grabbed Ji A'er's hand and insisted to his mother. His hand was pale, a stark contrast to Ji A'er's darker complexion. At that moment, she thought of him as a toy. While that was how it seemed to her, the feeling wasn't pleasant, even though she was only ten. In the end, Ji A'er was indeed adopted by the Ji family. Perhaps Ji En's threat of "I won't eat anymore" had frightened his family into reluctantly agreeing. And so, she was given the name Ji A'er. When Ji A'er was brought into the Ji family estate, which resembled a grand fairy-tale kingdom, she thought of herself as entering a royal realm. Ji En was the prince of this kingdom, and she was just a little maid in this world, even though her status was that of an adopted daughter. The butler seemed very stern; she had never seen him smile, so she was quite afraid of him. She learned to follow his instructions without question, to keep her head down and avoid meddling in affairs that weren't her business. The Ji family placed great emphasis on etiquette, and every move Ji A'er made had to conform to strict standards. It took her half a year to fully grasp and internalize all these rules. Ji En often skipped school, which puzzled Ji A'er. For her, studying was a wonderful experience. Back in the orphanage, there had been a nun who taught them Chinese characters and arithmetic, a time she cherished deeply. But Ji En didn't seem to share her enthusiasm; he frequently ran back home, and each time he came looking for her. As a result, she often got into trouble because of him. Eventually, the Ji family decided to send Ji A'er to school as well, in the same class as Ji En. In their class, nearly all the students were chauffeured to and from school. Ji A'er and Ji En were no exception, though Ji A'er's presence was largely due to Ji En's influence. Without him, she would have been nothing. Ji A'er's primary role in the Ji family was to serve Ji En. Wherever he went to school, she followed; when he did his homework, she did hers too; when he skipped classes, she was forced to skip as well, which often resulted in scolding from the butler. Ji A'er felt like a shadow of Ji En, mirroring his every move, yet without her own identity. Since she was always with Ji En, she had grown accustomed to his temper and his inexplicable shouting at her. In her eyes, he was a product of indulgence, but she never resisted. She had neither the ability nor the resources to fight back. To her, he was like a g**g leader, and she was just an insignificant underling. Therefore, she could only be more careful in her duties, hoping to please him and avoid criticism. Later, Ji A'er realized that as long as she behaved obediently, he wouldn't yell at her, although he still wouldn't treat her kindly.