Landlord in the Arctic

"Later, when World War II broke out, neither dared to reveal their identities. It wasn’t until twenty years after the war ended that they met again. But by then, both had started their own families."

Natasha let out a soft sigh.

"After they were reunited, Sir Feng Xinghuai and my grandmother decided to carry on the unfulfilled marriage contract by having Uncle Feng marry my mother. The gold, silver, jewels, and antiques from the Tsar, along with half of the Crown Territory, were given to my grandmother as a betrothal gift. However, my mother was already in love with someone else—my father—and it seemed Uncle Feng didn’t want to get married either."

Didn’t want to get married.

Feng Mountain silently repeated those words in his mind.

The corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously, revealing a bitter, meaningful smile.

’Of course my grand-uncle didn’t want to get married. He was gay.’

For a moment, Feng Mountain was tempted to reveal this open secret, but he hesitated as the words reached his lips.

’After all, the man is gone. What’s the point of digging up all this old dirt now?’

’It would only cause more sadness and serve no other purpose.’

A brief silence fell over the train car. The crackling of the fire in the stove and the howling of the cold wind outside intertwined, as if providing an accompaniment to this dramatic, turbulent story.

Feng Mountain sat quietly by the stove, a clear picture of the Crown Territory’s past now forming in his mind.

The fragmented clues were now being strung together by Natasha’s story, forming a complete history.

At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of the family history behind this proud queen before him.

After a long while, Natasha seemed to snap out of her reverie.

She slowly raised her head, looked directly at Feng Mountain, and said softly.

"The rest of the story is what you see now. Both sides continued to extend the marriage contract, bringing it to our generation."

Feng Mountain met her gaze and nodded slightly.

’So my great-grandfather gave away all the gold, jewels, antiques, and land as a betrothal gift.’

He clicked his tongue in amazement while sighing internally. ’I can’t believe the Fengs had such an incredible past.’

’Not only did they acquire a piece of land in a foreign country.’

’They were even able to marry into the royal family. All that was missing was bringing the princess home.’

’It’s just that the story took too many twists and turns and was filled with regret.’

’In the end, the two lovers couldn’t overcome the many obstacles to be together.’

Just then, a flash of inspiration struck Feng Mountain. He remembered a batch of strange crates he had received three months ago.

When he opened them, he found several brand-new guns and an exquisite oil painting.

His heart skipped a beat. He quickly looked at Natasha and asked.

"You sent that oil painting and the guns, didn’t you!"

Hearing this, Natasha rolled her eyes at Feng Mountain, her gaze seeming to say, ’You’re not a complete idiot after all. You finally figured it out.’ She then gave a slight nod.

"Actually, part of the reason I went to study in China was because of you." Natasha lowered her eyes, lost in thought, her voice softening. "I promised Uncle Feng that I would visit his hometown. But when I finally found it, I discovered the village had been abandoned for many years. China is just too big, and there weren’t any good ways to find people back then. Looking for one person was like finding a needle in a haystack. In the end, I couldn’t find you."

"Later, after Uncle Feng passed away, I knew Frank had gone to China to find you. After he found you, I had someone investigate your background."

At this, Natasha looked up again. Her gaze towards Feng Mountain held a hint of pity. She sighed softly and said, full of apology.

"I’m so sorry I didn’t find you sooner. Maybe that... incident... wouldn’t have happened."

Although she didn’t specify what "that incident" was, Feng Mountain knew she was talking about his time in prison.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the car grew heavy again.

Only the fire in the stove continued to burn tirelessly, crackling away as if trying to dispel the spreading sorrow.

Hearing Natasha’s words, Feng Mountain forced a relaxed smile and waved his hand dismissively.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip. The warm liquid slid down his throat, dispelling some of the bitterness in his heart.

Then, Feng Mountain’s gaze drifted to Natasha, his eyes showing a certain philosophical acceptance born from hardship. He spoke softly.

"So, what are your intentions now? Are you here to fulfill the marriage contract?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Feng Mountain realized how cautious he sounded, as if he were both afraid to hear a "yes" and yet hoping for a response that would put him at ease.

’If Natasha agrees, I’ll definitely marry her, whether I want to or not.’

’Because this is my grand-uncle’s last wish, and the wish of the Feng Family.’

’I’ve accepted the Crown Territory, so I have to pay the corresponding price.’

’So what if I get the short end of the stick!’

"Of course not." Natasha’s eyes widened slightly as if she’d heard something horrifying, her gaze resolute. "I don’t believe in marriage. Getting married doesn’t bring you anything, nor does it take anything away. I’d rather just enjoy my freedom."

"Oh, good! That’s a relief!" The words tumbled out of Feng Mountain’s mouth, his tone like that of a traveler who had finally found an exit after fumbling in the dark for a long time.

The tension instantly left his shoulders.

As if a heavy weight had been lifted, he let out a huge sigh of relief, his smile growing even wider.

The firelight flickered on his face, and in the interplay of light and shadow, the look of profound relief in his eyes was clear to see.

Just as the atmosphere had begun to relax, a fair, slender foot suddenly entered Feng Mountain’s line of sight without any warning.

Feng Mountain’s gaze was immediately captivated, and he subconsciously reached out and grabbed it.

The moment he touched it, the delicate, silky-smooth sensation shot from his fingertips straight to his heart, making it tremble.

His mind went blank for a second. In a daze, his fingers gently stroked the sole of her foot.

"Let go!" Natasha’s sharp cry instantly shattered the strange tranquility of the moment.

A blush immediately spread across her stunningly beautiful face like sunset clouds, reaching all the way to the tips of her ears. It was a lovely sight.

Natasha silently cursed herself. ’What devil possessed me to kick out at him?’

’Now look what happened. My clever trick backfired.’

As if he’d been burned, Feng Mountain quickly let go.

His face was filled with embarrassment, his flustered gaze darting away, not daring to look directly at Natasha.

Natasha’s beautiful eyes went wide as she shot the discourteous man a fierce glare.

Full of chagrin, she quickly pulled her foot back, hiding it under the deerskin blanket as if it were a treasure, as though that could conceal her recent embarrassment.

When she had said she didn’t plan to marry, thinking of all the hardships Feng Mountain had been through, she had felt a sliver of guilt towards him.

But who would have known that upon seeing his expression of utter relief, so relaxed he was practically cheering.

A nameless fire had just flared up inside her.

That’s why she had unconsciously wanted to kick him to vent her frustration.

She never expected he’d end up taking advantage of her.

Immediately, Natasha said resentfully.

"Are you that happy about not marrying me? Am I not up to your standards? You should know, I control all the smuggling routes in the Bering Sea. Getting me is the same as getting immense wealth and a status beyond your imagination."

As she spoke, she raised her chin slightly with a touch of pride, trying to regain some face using the weight of her wealth and status.

But Feng Mountain just shrugged as if he’d heard a joke.

His face was full of disdain, the corner of his mouth curling into a slightly mocking arc as he spoke with contempt.

"Sorry, I’ll earn my own money. I’m no pretty boy, and my teeth are too strong for soft rice."

His tone was just as firm and unyielding, his eyes revealing a self-possession that was completely unmoved.

The fire crackled, illuminating the two of them locked in a stalemate. The atmosphere in the car once again grew tense, like a drawn bow.

Natasha had studied in China and had a fairly deep understanding of Chinese culture; you could call her a bit of a Sinophile.

So naturally, she understood the meaning behind words like "pretty boy" and "soft rice."

Hearing Feng Mountain’s very "manly" words, she was first taken aback for a moment.

Then she leaned back languidly in the rocking chair, her posture lazy and her tone light as she said.

"Alright, Mr. Hard-Teeth. Then what terms are you going to offer to impress me and get the Russian King Crab Fishing Permit from me?"

...