Inheriting the Farm 2

Until the bus disappeared from view, Wan Qian didn't turn her head. Only then did she shift her gaze to the farm in front of her, studying it carefully. 

The farm had clearly been abandoned for a long time. Dark red stains were caked onto the outer walls, and the rusted iron gate was tightly shut. The ground was littered with decaying branches and withered leaves. The air carried a faint, briny, rusty smell. 

"Ark Farm?" Wan Qian frowned as she read the words on the sign at the entrance. 

"Ark—full of hope and refuge. What a nice name. But it's been abandoned for so long that the paint on the sign is peeling off." 

One day, when she had enough money, she would replace the sign with a neon one. 

She mentally made a note of it and stepped forward to push the gate. 

One push.

It didn't budge. 

Strange. Wan Qian frowned, increasing the force in her hands as she pressed harder on the gate. 

The two tightly shut iron doors bent slightly under the pressure. 

At last, unable to withstand the strain, they let out a sharp, grating creak.

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Wan?" 

A young man's voice suddenly came from behind the iron gate. 

There's someone?

Wan Qian froze.

"My apologies, Ms. Wan. I wasn't aware you'd be arriving today, so I couldn't greet you in time." 

The man's tone was gentle, elegant, and impeccably polite. 

He paused before adding, "Could you stop pushing the door? It's meant to be pulled outward."

"Oh, oh." Wan Qian suddenly realized. No wonder she hadn't been able to open it. 

She reached out and pulled the gate outward. 

With a long, relieved groan, the iron gate finally swung open before her. 

Behind the gate stood a young man. 

He was tall and slender, dressed in a black tailcoat—the kind Wan Qian had only ever seen on TV. 

His long hair was neatly tied back with a leather band, the ends cascading down to his waist. From head to toe, he was impeccably groomed, neat, and meticulous. He even wore a pair of pristine white gloves. 

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Wan. Allow me to introduce myself." The man placed one hand over his chest and gave a slight bow. 

"I was employed by the late Mr. Wan as the farm butler. My duties include assisting with farm operations and attending to the owner's daily needs. You may call me Sebastian." 

Wan Qian blinked. "Huh? A foreign name?" 

Her great-uncle was trendy. Too bad her foreign language skills were terrible—she had spent four years in university and hadn't passed a single proficiency exam in the subject. 

"Se… Se-what?" 

She and the butler stared at each other for a few long seconds. Eventually, the butler relented. "You may simply call me 'Butler.'" 

"Oh, oh, nice to meet you, Butler." Wan Qian greeted him politely. 

Her great-uncle had mentioned this in his letter—since she would be unfamiliar with everything on the farm, he had hired a butler to assist her with the daily affairs. 

"You must be tired from the long journey. Your room is ready, and you can rest anytime. Let me help you with your luggage." 

The butler stepped forward, reaching for her suitcase. 

"No, no, I can handle it myself," Wan Qian politely declined, feeling a bit embarrassed.

The butler said nothing. He grasped the other end of the suitcase handle and pulled with all his strength. The suitcase didn't budge, as if it were welded to Wan Qian's hand. 

For a few seconds, silence hung between them. The butler's gaze shifted from Wan Qian's grip on the suitcase to the iron gate. 

The iron gate, at least half the thickness of a palm, had bent inward at the handle, forming a noticeable curve. It was the mark Wan Qian had left just moments ago. 

The butler finally let go of the suitcase. "Well then, Ms. Wan. Please, follow me." 

Wan Qian, carrying her suitcase, followed the butler and slowly walked behind him. 

Soon, they arrived at a two-story standalone building. 

The first floor of the building served as Wan Qian's office, while the second floor was her private space, featuring a well-decorated bedroom that was ready for immediate use, complete with a small balcony. 

Wan Qian sat down on a small sofa in the office, placing her suitcase to one side. 

On the coffee table in front of her was a thin booklet. The cover was white with blue text, reading "Farm Employee Code of Conduct (Volume 1)." 

As the farm owner, how could she not be familiar with the rules and regulations of her own property? 

While the butler went to the kitchen to prepare tea, Wan Qian picked up the booklet from the table and began flipping through it. 

[To promote the healthy development of the farm, regulate employee behavior, and ensure efficient and reasonable agricultural production, the following work policies have been established. All farm staff must adhere to these rules:] 

[1. The farm operates under an 8-hour workday, with working hours from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Overtime culture is not encouraged here, and employees are expected to leave work on time. The farm's broadcast system will provide the accurate time.] 

[2. Please strictly adhere to labor discipline and the leave and return-to-work procedures. If you are unable to report to work for any reason, you must fill out a "leave request form" one day in advance, submit it to the farm owner for approval and signature, and promptly present the "leave request form" to your supervisor for leave cancellation. The leave request form is a white paper with blue text.] 

[3. Employees are required to follow assignments and leadership instructions, completing tasks given by supervisors on time. If they cannot meet the deadline, they may request overtime from their supervisor.] 

[4. All permanent employees on the farm wear blue uniforms, while interns wear white uniforms. There are no employees wearing green uniforms. If you encounter anyone in black attire, do not worry; he is the farm butler. You can seek assistance from the farm butler for any difficulties.] 

[5. Farm members should cultivate a strong sense of responsibility, fulfill their duties, and are strictly prohibited from leaving their posts or switching positions without valid reasons.] 

[6. The farm advocates frugality. Employees should take care of public property and avoid damage or waste.] 

[...] 

[29. There are no dogs on the farm. If you see a dog, please take it to the farm owner's office, where the farm owner will handle the situation.] 

[30. The farm owner is the highest authority of the farm. All employees must comply with the farm owner's commands and assist the farm owner with agricultural production tasks.]

[31. This code of conduct does not have a Volume 2.] 

Wan Qian flipped through the pages quickly and soon reached the last page. To her surprise, a sheet of paper was tucked inside. 

[Congratulations on succeeding to the position of farm owner. To ensure your work efficiency during your tenure, please carefully read and remember the following information.] 

Hmm? The content on this piece of paper seemed to be related to her.