Chapter 40: Why Don’t You Join Us?
The oak door of the residence swung inward with a solid, resonant thud, breaking the seal of the cramped transport cabin and letting the crisp, bustling evening air sweep into the spacious interior. Lu Feng stepped across the threshold first, his boots clicking softly against the polished timber flooring.
Han Lin and Ye Chenxue followed closely behind him, their gazes sweeping over the expansive, well-appointed hall that would serve as their temporary home within the loan shark’s mini-estate.
High, vaulted ceilings crossed by dark wooden beams gave the main chamber a grand yet cozy atmosphere. Thick, woven wool rugs in deep crimson and gold muted their footsteps, while large glass-paned windows draped in heavy velvet curtains looked out over a quiet, lantern-lit courtyard garden.
"Well, it seems Master Lin certainly knows how to house his guests," Han Lin remarked, walking over to trace her fingers along the smooth, polished surface of a carved mahogany table near the entrance. "I expected a cramped outbuilding, not a proper luxury villa."
"A man who hoards wealth and lives in perpetual fear of his debtors naturally knows how to invest in comfort and security," Lu Feng noted calmly, walking toward the center of the room to inspect the structural layout of the main floor.
"The perimeter is clean," Ye Chenxue added quietly, her voice smooth as she lowered her hand from the doorframe. She had just finished channeling a subtle pulse of spiritual energy through the outer walls. "No eavesdropping arrays, no tracking talismans embedded in the timber, and no hidden wards. The air here is untainted."
"Good," Lu Feng nodded, turning to face his two companions. "Since we are going to be staying here for a short while before securing our own permanent foothold in Crimson Vale, we should make ourselves entirely comfortable. Let’s take a proper tour of the rooms and see what this building has to offer."
The trio began their systematic inspection of the villa, moving first through the expansive ground-floor receiving hall, which featured a hearth carved from pale gray marble and several plush sitting areas designed for receiving guests. From there, they branched out into the various connecting chambers.
Han Lin pushed open a set of double doors on the eastern wing, revealing a spacious, fully equipped private kitchen complete with stone countertops, a large pantry stocked with dry goods, and an integrated indoor brick oven.
"Oh? Look at this," Han Lin smiled, running a hand over the clean preparation tables. "It seems we won’t have to rely entirely on the main estate’s kitchen if we don’t want to. I can easily prepare proper meals here if the food at Lin Laifu’s banquet turns out to be mediocre."
"A kitchen of this caliber in a guest lodge suggests the loan shark frequently hosts merchants or alchemists who prefer privacy," Lu Feng observed, stepping into the room and inspecting the storage jars. "He spared no expense to make his guests feel accommodated—which only confirms just how heavily he relies on the idea of our protection."
Moving past the kitchen, they ascended a wide, winding wooden staircase that led to the upper level of the villa.
The second floor was dedicated entirely to private quarters, divided into several distinct bedrooms and a massive master suite overlooking the courtyard. Each room was outfitted with soft feather mattresses, heavy silken coverlets, and large wardrobes carved from fragrant cedar wood designed to keep garments fresh.
After checking each of the rooms to evaluate their respective layouts, lighting, and security angles, they naturally converged and gathered together inside the room Lu Feng had ultimately chosen for himself.
It was the largest chamber on the upper floor, featuring a high ceiling, a private study desk positioned beneath a wide window, and a heavy wooden door that led directly to a private, stone-tiled washroom in the rear.
Lu Feng walked over to the edge of the large bed, testing its firmness with a casual press of his hand before turning back to face the two women.
"This room will do," Lu Feng said, motioning for them to take seats on the cushioned chairs near the desk. "Now that we have surveyed our quarters and secured our immediate footing, we need to outline our schedule for tomorrow. Crimson Vale is vast, and we cannot afford to sit idle while waiting for things to happen."
Han Lin crossed her legs gracefully, resting her chin in her hand as she offered a practical nod. "Agreed. As for my part, I will start my residence hunting bright and early tomorrow morning. I already took note of the city’s zoning layout during our carriage ride in, and I know a few upper-tier districts where we can find a quiet, well-defended estate without drawing too much unwanted attention from the local merchant guilds."
"Take your time and be thorough," Lu Feng instructed, approving of her proactive approach. "Make sure the property has good perimeter walls and enough land for privacy. We aren’t pinching copper coins anymore."
Lu Feng then shifted his attention toward the cultivator standing near the window. Ye Chenxue folded her arms across her chest, her expression remaining cool and composed as she met his gaze.
"And you, Chenxue?" Lu Feng asked.
"I will take tomorrow off to rest and properly stabilize my qi after the exertion of the journey," Ye Chenxue stated evenly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "The spiritual pressure within this city is slightly heavier than the outer roads, and my core needs a day of absolute stillness to adjust. However, I will return straight back to my cultivation and training routines the following day without fail."
"A necessary precaution," Lu Feng agreed, leaning back against the edge of the study desk. "Do not push your cultivation too hard until we are settled into our own permanent home."
With the logistical plans for the women neatly sorted, Lu Feng turned his thoughts toward his own immediate agenda within the estate. A quiet, calculating glint flashed across his mismatched eyes as he considered the host of their current residence.
"As for myself," Lu Feng murmured, a faint, sly smile touching the corners of his lips, "I have decided that I will try to actively win Lin Laifu’s absolute favor over the next few days—and possibly find a clever way to thoroughly scam the man out of a few more valuable assets before we part ways."
Han Lin burst out into a soft, musical laugh, shaking her head in sheer amusement. "Scam a seasoned loan shark at his own game? Only you would view a man offering us free room and board as an immediate target for financial exploitation, Young Master."
"A loan shark makes his living by preying on the desperation of others," Lu Feng replied smoothly, shrugging his shoulders with an unbothered air. "If I can turn his own greed and paranoia against him to pad our resources, it’s merely poetic justice. Besides, a man who flaunts his wealth as carelessly as Lin Laifu deserves to have his ledgers creatively audited."
Ye Chenxue offered a subtle, dry smirk, though she remained silent.
The brief strategic meeting began to wind down naturally as the fading light outside cast long, amber shadows across the wooden floorboards of the bedroom. The distant, muffled sounds of servants moving about the main estate indicated that the evening banquet Lin Laifu had hinted at would likely be announced soon.
Before heading down to join their host, Lu Feng stretched his arms over his head, wincing slightly as his joints popped. The accumulated dust, sweat, and lingering tension of the long days spent bouncing inside transport carriages had thoroughly coated his skin.
"Before we head over to the main house for dinner," Lu Feng stated, pushing himself away from the desk and gesturing toward the rear door, "I think I’ll be going to wash myself up and get rid of this road grime."
He turned on his heel and walked toward the washroom entrance. As his hand reached for the polished brass door handle, light, quick footsteps padded up swiftly behind him.
Han Lin stepped into the washroom corridor, stopping just a breath away. A mischievous, playful glint danced in her eyes, and a thoroughly teasing smile spread across her lips as she looked up at him with exaggerated innocence.
"You know, Young Master," Han Lin purred softly, her tone dripping with mock seriousness and theatrical concern, "traveling through all that dust, bandit-infested dirt, and carriage smoke has left you looking quite disheveled. A young master of your prestigious standing shouldn’t have to bathe all by himself like a common wanderer. Perhaps... you need a bit of intimate assistance?"
Lu Feng paused, his fingers resting on the handle as he raised a single eyebrow at her utterly brazen proposition. He turned his head slightly, opening his mouth to deliver a sharp, witty retort.
Before a single word could leave his lips, Han Lin abruptly turned her head away from him, flashing a bright, wicked grin toward the corner of the room where the Jade beauty was standing.
"Hey, Chenxue! Come over here for a second!" Han Lin called out cheerfully, raising her voice just enough to command absolute attention.
Ye Chenxue froze instantly. Her hand, which had been resting casually on the hilt of her sheathed sword, hovered motionless. She turned her head slowly, her sharp, piercing eyes narrowing in sudden, profound suspicion as she walked closer to the corridor opening.
"What?" Ye Chenxue asked, her voice dropping into its usual guarded, icy register.
"Since we have a proper, fully functional washroom with plenty of steaming hot water, why don’t you join us?" Han Lin suggested smoothly, her grin widening into a triumphant curve as she gestured dramatically toward the open washroom door.
"You could help me properly wash the Young Master’s back. Or better yet... why don’t you come wash up in the tub with us right now? It would save us all a tremendous amount of time, and goodness knows we could all use a thorough, collaborative scrub after surviving those assassins and bandits."
The moment the full weight of the words left Han Lin’s mouth, the temperature in the room seemed to rise by a full ten degrees.
Ye Chenxue’s pale, flawless cheeks flushed instantly.
The fierce, untouchable, glacial aura that the Jade beauty effortlessly projected to the rest of the world shattered completely into a million pieces in a fraction of a second. A deep, burning crimson spread with terrifying speed across her delicate neck, climbed frantically up her sharp jawline, and flooded her entire face until her entire head was a brilliant, blazing, throbbing shade of red.
Her lips parted slightly in sheer, unadulterated disbelief, her breath catching sharply in her throat as her disciplined martial mind scrambled frantically to process the utterly scandalous, shameless suggestion.
"You—!" Ye Chenxue stammered, her voice completely losing its usual icy composure as absolute embarrassment, shock, and indignation warred violently within her chest. Her fingers clenched into tight fists at her sides.
Unable to form another coherent sentence, she exhaled a long, shaky, deeply flustered breath, her chest heaving visibly beneath her dark robes. Completely unable to meet either of their intensely amused gazes for a single second longer, Ye Chenxue spun sharply on her heel.
She turned away from them both with jerky, rigid movements, marching straight back into the far corner of the bedroom with her arms crossed tightly and defensively over her chest, staring resolutely at the blank wall while the fierce heat radiating across her face refused to fade.
Lu Feng let out a low, rumbling chuckle at the priceless, absolute meltdown of the normally unflappable cultivator, shaking his head with a wide, amused grin.
Without pressing the joke any further, he slipped inside the washroom and gently pulled the wooden door shut behind him, leaving Han Lin standing in the corridor with a triumphant, victorious smirk as the muffled sounds of bubbling water began to echo through the quiet evening air.