Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 74

Chapter 74: Not a Single Word

Rong Xie glanced at Wang Mu, lost in thought.

Indeed, Lu Yinglin hadn’t announced his surname just now, yet the gatekeeper knew he was surnamed Lu and addressed him as “Master Lu.” This showed that the gatekeeper already knew him.

The Yuanbao Auction House was affiliated with the Gilded Gold Sect, and its main scope of business was not in the Capital. Even so, for Lu Yinglin to have such significant face at an inn in Lanyuan that even a lowly gatekeeper recognized him, it was clear he frequented this place. If not for business, then what for?

Rong Xie recalled the descriptions Lu Yinglin had given him on the pleasure boat in Qinghe County—tales of romantic figures, delicious food, and fun places in the Capital. The answer was self-evident: Lu Yinglin was a man who loved leisure and enjoyment. Naturally, he wouldn’t miss a representative spot like the Hot Spring Villa.

Although Wang Mu didn’t understand these adult matters, he was extremely sharp. He always noticed the inadvertent information revealed through actions, which was often more reliable than what people said with their mouths.

Rong Xie thought that bringing Wang Mu along on this trip was indeed the right decision.

The three of them entered the Hot Spring Villa and booked their accommodations. Lu Yinglin wanted to pay for everything, but Rong Xie politely declined. Thus, they booked separate rooms; Lu Yinglin’s room came with a courtyard, while Rong Xie took a standard double room to share with Wang Mu.

Now that he was living independently, he had to save money. However, this didn’t mean he had to rely on others, especially an old fox like Lu Yinglin.

Rong Xie was clear in his heart, though on the surface he maintained a smiling demeanor. When Lu Yinglin invited him to sit in his courtyard, Rong Xie made an excuse that he had many things to do and would visit when he was free.

There were indeed many things to do.

The most urgent matter was to settle on a permanent residence.

At noon, Rong Xie treated Lu Yinglin to a meal at the Hot Spring Villa. Mindful that Rong Xie was acting like a stranger by refusing his money, Lu Yinglin deliberately ordered several particularly expensive dishes. Rong Xie paid the bill with a smile, which actually ended up making Lu Yinglin feel a bit embarrassed.

However, Lu Yinglin was naturally picky about food. Traveling for business, what delicacies hadn’t he tasted? Ordering these strange, expensive dishes contained an element of showing off.

Rong Xie saw through it but didn’t point it out. He still had uses for Lu Yinglin later; making him feel embarrassed was better than letting him feel smug.

Sure enough, when it came time to view houses in the afternoon, Lu Yinglin’s usefulness became apparent.

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Lu Yinglin could spot the feng shui layout of the courtyards and hidden pitfalls in the architectural details at a glance. He picked them out one by one for the broker, making the broker believe the Yuanbao Auction House had come to Lanyuan to steal business. Not daring to be negligent, the broker served Rong Xie with utmost effort, saying everything that should be said—and even things that shouldn’t.

By nightfall, they had seen enough houses. Rong Xie had a preference in mind but didn’t decide immediately. Following Lu Yinglin’s example, he gave the broker a tip for his trouble and said he would decide which one to take in a couple of days.

The broker wiped his sweat and accompanied them with a smile. “Master Rong is truly cautious, and the companion you invited is incredibly sharp. However, this price has been pressed as low as it can go. I also need to go back and discuss it with the owner. Please make a decision as soon as possible, Master Rong.”

“Rest assured, I will give you a reply soon,” Rong Xie smiled.

After seeing off the broker, Rong Xie, Lu Yinglin, and Wang Mu walked along the gradually quieting bluestone street. The sky turned an intoxicating deep blue, and a crescent moon rose from the end of the street. The three walked toward the moon.

“I was worried that since it was Junior Brother Rong’s first time out, you might lack experience and be easily deceived. Now it seems I worried for nothing,” Lu Yinglin laughed.

“It is all thanks to Young Master Lu’s guidance from the side that others dared not deceive me,” Rong Xie smiled.

“Junior Brother Rong is too modest. With your proficiency in building construction and courtyard layout, you would have spotted the problems after just a few more looks.” Lu Yinglin opened his folding fan. “However, I did come in handy somewhat. That broker from the Lanyuan Brokerage thought I was trying to steal his business and lowered the price quite a bit for you. This round has balanced out the expense of your treat at noon.”

Rong Xie laughed. “Indeed. Young Master Lu can certainly eat with a clear conscience.”

“And it was excellent value for money.” Lu Yinglin waved his fan, tilting his head slightly to examine this beauty emerging into the mundane world at close range, his eyes revealing a look of appreciation.

For the next few days, Rong Xie didn’t make a decision. He simply took walks on the streets of Lanyuan, choosing a different street at random times each day.

Lu Yinglin had intended to invite him to the hot springs, thinking that if he was free during the day, he should be free at night. Unexpectedly, Rong Xie was out wandering at all hours of the day. His reason was very sound: since he was going to live here in the future, meaning he would stay here day and night, he needed to know what the place was like at all times. Were there any sources of disturbance? Any difficult neighbors? He was genuinely serious about viewing houses.

Thus, Lu Yinglin could only shelve his plan to soak in the hot springs with Rong Xie. He accompanied him to pave the streets of Lanyuan several times over, becoming so familiar with the roads from the candidate residence to the market that he knew where to turn even with his eyes closed.

After three days of meticulous inspection, Rong Xie finally settled on a house with front and rear courtyards. It wasn’t the largest in terms of area, but the layout was exceptionally good. The combination of flowers, trees, ponds, and corridors was ingenious. Walking through it, one wouldn’t notice its actual size, only feeling it was a small garden with scenery at every turn.

The house broker told Rong Xie that this residence was originally the holiday home of a capital official. Later, the official was transferred to another prefecture to serve as a governor, and having no use for this holiday home, decided to sell it. Hearing that the buyer was an immortal cultivator, the governor was willing to lower the price to form a good karmic connection.

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Thus, Rong Xie bought his ideal home for only four-fifths of the expected price. He paid the deposit on the spot. When the broker produced the deed and Rong Xie saw the large red seal stamped over his name, he felt his state of mind suddenly open up. Everything was developing in a good direction.

Meanwhile, at Huanxue Villa.

Half a month after Rong Xie left, the main peak of the Spirit Mirror Sect welcomed its first snow. Heavy snow turned the surrounding peaks white. When it fell into the valley, it turned into a pattering rain that lasted a day and a night. The temperature dropped rapidly; breathing outdoors at night produced white mist.

This was the first winter the three younger disciples were spending at Huanxue Villa. However, they didn’t panic. Brother Rong had written a long, detailed letter teaching them how to pass the winter: how to heat the rooms, how to keep warm outside, what aspects of villa management to handle in winter, and what to pay attention to…

After reading the letter, the three of them felt they had a backbone again.

The only fly in the ointment was that this letter had first been delivered to the Villa Master. The Villa Master had brought it back from the letter dispatch office and tossed it to them.

So, while they read the letter, the Villa Master stood beside them with a look of impatience on his face. Yet, he waited for a full stick of incense’s time, not speaking until even the youngest, Fang Renji, had finished reading.

“…What did the letter say?”

“Brother Rong said if we get cold, we should move to the back rooms. There are heating stoves under the beds there…”

“Move then!” Shen Bingsi said quickly. “What else?”

“Also, the roof tiles are drafty, so we can prepare some dry straw to cover the tiles for insulation…”

“Cover them. Apart from these things, what else?” Shen Bingsi walked over and stood close to the table, leaning forward slightly. It looked as if he would snatch the letter to read himself if Shen Yan didn’t get to the main point.

“Also, Brother Rong said he bought a house in Lanyuan. It’s a small house with a courtyard, white walls and green tiles. He planted a lot of bamboo and orchids, and there’s a small pond.” Shen Yan narrated as he read the letter.

Shen Bingsi thought of the Southern Province style residence behind Xiangji Temple. He said, “Didn’t he say he liked houses in the style of Huanxue Villa? Why did he buy a Southern Province style courtyard?”

Shen Yan looked up and glanced at Shen Bingsi in confusion.

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“What else? No need to mention those trivial conversational fillers. Does the letter… cough… mention me?” Shen Bingsi asked directly.

He was prepared. If Rong Xie asked to borrow money, he would not agree immediately, saying he needed to consider it. Then, he would suddenly fly over on his sword. upon arrival, he would say lending money was fine, but it had to be spent on the right place. This kind of petty, small-minded house certainly wouldn’t do; Rong Xie definitely wouldn’t be used to living there. Changing houses later would be too troublesome, so it would be better to get it right in one step—increase the budget and buy a large, Capital-style mansion—

“No.” Shen Yan cut off Shen Bingsi’s fantasy cleanly and efficiently.

“…”

Deathly silence filled the room.

Shen Bingsi said again, “Look again. Did you miss something? The letter is so long…”

“There really isn’t.” Shen Yan held the letter up to Shen Bingsi’s face. “Please take a look, Villa Master.”

Seeing Rong Xie’s small, fly-head script, Shen Bingsi froze slightly. He rubbed his fingers on his clothes twice before taking the letter. Reading from a line in the middle, it discussed trivial matters about keeping warm. The writing was simple and concise, yet he could almost see the person who wrote these words sitting under a soft lamp, patiently and gently passing on the things he had always done.

Shen Bingsi’s gaze became vacant, as if he saw Rong Xie sitting at the desk in the void, looking serious as he read the ancient manuscript fragments Shen Bingsi had brought back. Rong Xie’s head was lowered, his fair face without a single blemish. His long eyelashes moved occasionally, but for the most part, he remained still, his shadow casting quietly onto his cheek… Shen Bingsi could count them one by one, then count them back, tracing his silhouette a thousand times with his gaze.

Now, he had nothing to trace. He could only imagine while looking at the letter paper.

“Villa Master?” Shen Yan’s puzzled voice rang out.

Shen Bingsi snapped back to reality and tucked the letter into his chest pocket. “It’s too long. I’ll read it carefully when I go back.”

“This…”

“What’s the rush? It’s not like I won’t give it back to you,” Shen Bingsi paused. “Wait until I finish reading it. Bring a copying talisman and make a copy for yourselves to use.”

Shen Bingsi didn’t give Shen Yan and the others a chance to object. He turned and walked away as fast as if he were flying.

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Once Shen Bingsi was far away, Shen Yan felt懊 annoyed. He should have used the copying talisman to make a copy for the Villa Master first. That way, Brother Rong’s handwritten letter could have stayed with him.

Fortunately, everything was going smoothly for Brother Rong in Lanyuan. His new life had started successfully. Knowing this was more important than anything.

Deep in the night.

In the backyard of Huanxue Villa, inside Rong Xie’s bedroom.

On the bed that had long been emptied, Shen Bingsi leaned against the headboard. A night-luminescent pearl hung in the silk net drooping from the bed canopy, its light illuminating the letter paper in Shen Bingsi’s hands.

Gnawing on his knuckles, he read the long letter from beginning to end more than a dozen times. He even checked the back and the layers of the paper, but he just couldn’t see what he wanted to see.

In Rong Xie’s letter, not a single word mentioned him.

A heavy feeling of emptiness assaulted his heart.

Slap!

Shen Bingsi slammed the letter onto the bed board. The many sheets of paper scattered, some drifting to the floor.

The light of the night-luminescent pearl cast Shen Bingsi’s shadow on the wall. The shadow remained motionless for a long time.

After a while, he lowered his body, picked up the sheets of paper one by one, refolded them, and placed them close to his chest.

The night was still long.