Chapter 9 A Taste of Success

Emily stared at the envelope containing cash with confusion. "Mrs. Howard, what's this for?"

Receiving money unexpectedly didn't make Emily happy; instead, she felt anxious, wondering if Elena was dissatisfied with her work and was planning to let her go tomorrow.

Elena patted Emily's hand reassuringly. "Thanks to you being here today, I won at cards for the first time. This is your share of my winnings."

"No, I couldn't," Emily shook her head vigorously. "Mrs. Howard, I really can't accept this."

"Just take it," Elena insisted. "Consider it a bonus. You prepared that wonderful spread of food today too, so think of it as payment for your extra effort."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Emily finally accepted the cash.

Once on the subway, she opened the envelope and counted five hundred dollars. She tucked the money away with satisfaction, feeling that life was looking more promising every day.

This job not only gave her a sense of fulfillment and emotional value but also paid well.

If it weren't for Drew, she would never have considered becoming a housekeeper.

Thinking of Drew, Emily quickly called to share the good news. Drew was genuinely pleased for her.

Early the next morning, Emily arrived at The Howard Villa to prepare breakfast.

For Arthur and Elena, she made homemade chicken noodle soup, with delicate hand-cut noodles floating in a clear golden broth, garnished with fresh chives on top.

For Oliver, she prepared homemade mac and cheese with ground beef and corn kernels, accompanied by a glass of strawberry oatmeal smoothie.

Mac and cheese was currently the most popular food among elementary school students. After school, the vendor stalls selling it always had the longest lines, but Oliver's parents seemed quite strict about what he ate and probably wouldn't allow him to buy it there.

That was why Emily made it herself, thinking Oliver would enjoy it.

Sure enough, Oliver's eyes lit up the moment he saw the mac and cheese. "Mac and cheese! Emily, you're amazing! All my classmates get to eat it, but I never have. Mom says it's unhygienic. Now I can finally say I've had it too!"

Emily smiled. "The food sold outside can be unhygienic; your mom is just looking out for your health. If there's anything else you'd like to eat, just tell me, and I can make it for you."

"Really?" Oliver thought for a moment. "Emily, the hot dogs outside school smell so good, but Mom says they're made with mystery meat and won't let me have any."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. That was a bit of an exaggeration, but she understood the protective nature of parents.

It was just hot dogs—easy enough for her to make.

"I'll make them for you," Emily promised.

"Really? You can even make hot dogs? You're like a culinary goddess!" Oliver exclaimed.

Arthur also chimed in with admiration. "Emily, your cooking skills are impeccable. This soup is delicious. May I have another serving?"

"Of course, I'll heat some more right away," Emily replied.

Elena raised her hand. "I'll take a half portion, please."

"Coming right up," Emily said cheerfully as she headed to the kitchen.

In her free time, Emily enjoyed experimenting with recipes. At her parents' home, however, they always felt she was wasting time. They thought she should be bringing in more clients rather than spending hours cooking.

Now, finally having people appreciate her culinary skills made her heart swell with joy.

After breakfast, Emily quickly ordered sausage-making equipment online. When Arthur and Elena returned from their morning walk with Oliver, Emily helped the boy with his summer homework.

Oliver was seven years old and would be entering second grade next semester.

Though he approached his homework conscientiously, he made numerous mistakes.

Arthur shook his head as he watched. "Oliver's father was always an excellent student, consistently earning A's. I don't understand why Oliver hasn't inherited our family's academic aptitude."

Emily quickly intervened. "Mr. Howard, perhaps we shouldn't say such things in front of Oliver. Some children just haven't learned to focus on academics yet. I think Oliver is quite bright; his grades will improve with time."

"You're right," Arthur looked somewhat ashamed. "Oliver, I apologize to you."

"It's okay, Grandpa. I am a bit slow; you can say it if you want to," Oliver replied nonchalantly.

Arthur was genuinely surprised by Oliver's candid admission.

Emily almost laughed out loud. "Mr. Howard, leaving academics aside, Oliver's unflappable attitude is something we could all learn from. I believe he's the type who will excel later in life. We shouldn't pressure him too much."

Arthur nodded, feeling relieved after hearing Emily's words.

"Emily, you not only cook wonderfully but also speak such wisdom. We've probably been too anxious about his education. It seems we need to reconsider our approach to raising children."

"Exactly," Emily nodded. "Every child is different; we need to tailor our teaching methods accordingly."

Elena looked up from her novel. "Emily, you're so young, yet you have such insight into child-rearing."

Emily smiled in response. "I only have theoretical knowledge, not practical experience. You two are the true education experts."

Speaking of this, Emily remembered a saying she'd seen online recently and couldn't help but laugh.

Professor Arthur asked, "What's so funny?"

Emily controlled her laughter. "Mr. Howard, there's a saying; the cobbler's children go barefoot. I thought of it and found it amusing. I apologize if it seemed disrespectful."

"The cobbler's children go barefoot," Arthur shook his head with a wry smile. "That's absolutely correct. We've raised a little barefoot child here."

Elena also laughed. "Barefoot isn't so bad. Every child has their own path."

The house was filled with laughter, and Arthur and Elena felt that hiring a nanny had been an excellent decision.

Lunch was a simple affair with three dishes and a soup: zucchini with beef strips, honey BBQ chicken wings, steamed broccoli, and potato and rib soup.

Oliver devoured the chicken wings enthusiastically, his face and hands covered in sauce. "These wings are incredible! Emily, can you make them again for dinner?"

"Of course," she replied.

Arthur and Elena reminded him, "Slow down, nobody's going to take them from you."

Elena secretly recorded a video of Oliver eating with such gusto and sent it to the family group chat. Oliver's parents were astonished; they had never seen their picky eater son devour food like this before.

When they had initially expressed concerns about hiring a nanny, fearing the person might mistreat Oliver when they weren't looking.

Now they realized their worries had been unfounded. This nanny was truly exceptional.

In the afternoon, Elena's friends arrived for their regular card game. Elena asked a short-haired elderly lady, "Kennedy, I called you earlier but you didn't answer. I wanted to ask about that giveaway you shared on Facebook."

Kennedy replied, "You called me? My phone hasn't made any sound since last night. I wonder if it's broken."

Emily quickly offered, "Let me take a look at it for you."