Chapter 46: Coming to the Door

The two male household guards seemed about to step forward and separate the two sides, but after recognizing Li Lin, they retreated to the side again.

After all, Li Lin had visited the Huang residence at least three times already, and most of the people there recognized him by now.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Li.”

Huang Qing gave a slight curtsy, a flush spreading across her face.

She even seemed somewhat nervous, her voice trembling slightly.

Beside Huang Qing was not her younger sister but a maidservant dressed girl who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old.

She was currently sizing Li Lin up curiously.

Li Lin smiled and said, “Please sit.”

“Many thanks, Senior Brother.”

Huang Qing sat down as instructed, but she still kept her head lowered and did not dare look at the man opposite her.

The maidservant, however, boldly examined Li Lin.

Yet after looking for a while, her face also became flushed.

“Do you often come out to enjoy the countryside?” Li Lin asked, trying to find a topic of conversation.

“No. I rarely come out.”

Huang Qing glanced at Li Lin before quickly lowering her head again.

“It’s just that today happened to have such nice weather, so I came out for a walk. I never expected...”

She had never expected it to rain.

“What do you usually like to do at home?”

“Embroidery and reading.”

“The Four Books and Five Classics? ”

“No... storybooks.”

At that point, Huang Qing became even more embarrassed.

After all, storybooks were actually looked down upon by many scholars in Great Qi.

So-called storybooks were essentially novels.

Li Lin smiled.

“I enjoy reading storybooks too. I remember reading a strange tale once about how an ordinary mortal gradually succeeded in becoming an immortal.”

Huang Qing raised her head and widened her eyes.

“Was it exciting?”

“It was quite good.”

Li Lin nodded.

“After finishing it, I felt that I could become an immortal too. I randomly practiced something that wasn’t even a cultivation method and thought I could fly. Then I jumped off a wall and twisted my leg, ending up bedridden for over half a month.”

Pfft.

Huang Qing immediately burst into laughter.

The maidservant beside her laughed even louder.

Even the two male guards were struggling to suppress their laughter.

Only afterward did Huang Qing realize she had been somewhat impolite.

She quickly restrained her laughter and asked, “Besides that one, are there any other unusual storybooks?”

“There are plenty. One that left a particularly deep impression on me involved a monkey that jumped out of a stone used by Goddess Nüwa to mend the heavens. ”

Li Lin mixed together stories he had read, science fiction, and fairy tales, creating an extremely convoluted and bizarre story.

In truth, he had only gotten started.

Yet the four listeners in the pavilion were already completely captivated.

The torrential rain came quickly and left quickly.

“So the dark-skinned mermaid fitted herself with a pair of wind and thunder prosthetic limbs, flew out of the sea, and went to Mount Hua to find Yang Erlang. She planned to rescue Wukong together with him from beneath Five-Finger Mountain. But Yang Erlang failed to recognize her and mistook her for a catfish demon. He struck her into minced meat with a single halberd sweep, cooked her into soup, and fed all the scraps to Xiaotian Dog.”

“Ah!”

Huang Qing stared with wide eyes, her face filled with disbelief.

The main reason was that Li Lin’s story was far too absurd.

It was full of plots and concepts she had never heard before and could barely comprehend.

Li Lin looked up at the sky and smiled.

“The rain has stopped. It’s getting late. Elder Miss Huang, you should head home as well.”

“Ah... right!”

Huang Qing stood up.

Blushing, she said, “Won’t Senior Brother Li come visit my home? My elder brother is surely waiting for Senior Brother to visit and discuss romance and the affairs of the realm with him.”

“In another couple of days.”

Li Lin smiled.

Huang Qing lightly bit her full red lip.

“Then this little sister shall respectfully await Senior Brother’s honored visit.”

After saying that, she hurried away with her maidservant.

There was even a hint of fleeing in panic about her departure.

The two male guards followed as well.

Li Lin looked toward the center of the distant lake.

Ever since the rain had begun, a strand of resentment had risen from the middle of the lake.

It had grown increasingly dense, as though something were about to leap out from the water.

Now that the rain had stopped, however, the resentment was gradually subsiding as well.

“There are ghosts everywhere indeed.”

Li Lin shook his head helplessly before slowly leaving the pavilion as well.

He returned to his newly purchased residence.

The place was bustling with activity.

Groups of people were constantly coming and going, carrying furniture and household items inside.

“Be careful with those. They’re expensive.”

The broker stood nearby directing everyone and shouting instructions.

The moment he turned around and saw Li Lin, he hurried over.

“Master, you’ve returned.”

Li Lin nodded.

“How is it coming along?”

“Rest assured, Master. Everything will be completed before nightfall.”

Then the broker shouted to the side, “Old Zhang, and you four, come over here.”

Before long, an elderly man and four dark, thin girls approached.

Judging from their ages, none of them had yet reached adulthood.

“Master, these are the servants purchased for you. Their contracts, along with the property deed, have been placed inside a black sandalwood box in the study.”

“You’ve been thoughtful.”

Li Lin smiled.

The broker bent his waist.

“As long as you’re satisfied, Master.”

Meanwhile, the five servants looked at Li Lin somewhat timidly.

There was no helping it.

As servants, their lives and deaths were entirely in Li Lin’s hands.

The temperament of their master would determine the quality of their future lives.

“Have you all eaten yet?” Li Lin asked.

The five did not dare answer.

The broker replied instead, “Probably not. They just arrived from the agency.”

The broker knew very well what sort of environment such places were.

Li Lin took out a silver note from his pouch and handed it to the elderly man.

“It’s not dark yet. Go to the market and buy some food, then prepare a meal for six people. Understood?”

The old man nodded and accepted the silver note.

“By the way, what are your names?”

“This old servant is Zhang Afu.”

“This servant girl is Xiaoqing.”

“This servant girl is Hehua.”

“This servant girl is Little Rain Sparrow.”

“This servant girl is Xing’er.”

Li Lin looked over the five and memorized their names.

Then he entered the courtyard and began inspecting his new home.

It had to be said that under the offensive power of money, the property agency’s efficiency was remarkably high.

Every room had been furnished.

Even the bedrooms had clean bedding.

Although nothing was particularly luxurious, everything was practical.

The decorating style also leaned toward being steady and dignified.

It was clear that these people had genuinely put effort into their service.

Inside the study, Li Lin also found the sandalwood box.

After opening it, he found the property deed and the contracts of sale.

Li Lin was very satisfied.

He took out another small silver note and placed it in the broker’s hand.

“You’ve done good work. Consider this an additional reward.”

The broker held the silver note and grinned from ear to ear.

“Thank you, Master. Thank you, Master.”

Not long afterward, the people from the agency finished all their work.

After repeatedly expressing their gratitude, the broker departed with his workers.

Looking at the spotless three-courtyard estate, Li Lin felt a sense of satisfaction.

This was the first time he had ever lived in such a large residence.

It was difficult not to feel somewhat emotional.

The four girls began bustling about in the kitchen.

Before long, Zhang Afu also returned carrying meat and fresh vegetables into the kitchen.

By evening, the meal was ready.

Li Lin sat in the seat of honor in the main hall.

In front of him were two meat dishes and a small plate of vegetables.

The five servants sat in a side hall.

There was no table there, only small stools.

Each of them held a bowl of rice topped with a few vegetables and a little minced meat.

It looked quite plain.

But for them, it was already a lavish meal.

At least they could eat their fill and enjoy a bit of meat.

Only after seeing Li Lin pick up his chopsticks did they dare begin eating.

After dinner, Li Lin took a bath and then sat cross-legged on his bed to cultivate.

As for Zhang Afu and the others, they had already assigned rooms among themselves.

Such small matters could be handled on their own.

They would not trouble the master over them.

In the middle of the night, while cultivating, Li Lin was suddenly startled awake.

He sensed a “person” in front of him.

His eyes snapped open.

His hands formed claws and were about to strike out before abruptly stopping.

Because he saw that the “person” before him was none other than the Tree Immortal Lady.

“Tree Immortal Lady, why have you come here?”

Li Lin asked in surprise.