Lei Feng watched as Yan Rou rode away, the sound of her horse's hooves fading down the path. He couldn't help but smile, feeling a faint warmth linger in the air after her departure.
"Such a shy girl," Lei Feng mused, shaking his head slightly. "Couldn't even manage a proper goodbye. Rou Rou, just wait for me a little longer. Once I finish things here, I'll come find you."
With that, his attention then turned back to the imposing estate in front of him.
"Now then, let's see what this Shui Lin, my supposed fiancée, looks like. I hope she hasn't grown up to be ugly." With that thought, he shrugged and began to stroll towards the entrance as if he were entering his own garden.
He barely made it to the entrance before two guards stepped forward, blocking his way. Their halberds hit the stone ground with a loud thud, the crossed weapons making it clear he wasn't going any further without their say-so.
"Halt," the guard on the left said, his tone flat and firm. "This is the Shui Family Estate. State your name and purpose, or leave now."
Lei Feng stopped, looking at the guards with interest. "My name is Lei Feng. I'm here to see Shui Lin. Can you take me to her?"
The guards narrowed their eyes at Lei Feng's words. After a slight pause, they both burst out laughing.
The one on the right spoke with contempt. "The name of our Eldest Miss is not for an outsider like you to speak so casually."
Lei Feng just smiled, unfazed. "We have a marriage contract. That should make it casual enough, don't you think?"
For a moment, the guards just stared at him. Then they both burst into another laughing fit. Their voices were loud enough to catch the attention of people walking by.
"A marriage contract? With Miss Lin?" the left guard repeated, still chuckling. "Kid, do you even know what you're saying? Are you some storyteller who's lost his mind?"
"Do you know who our Eldest Miss is?" the right guard sneered, stepping closer. "She's the pride of Azure Dragon City, a phoenix among people. Her suitors could line up from here to the city gate and back."
He poked a finger at Lei Feng's chest. "All those suitors come from powerful families or big sects. And you? You're just a nobody with no cultivation, dressed in rags, and you dare to claim a connection to her?"
Lei Feng looked down at the finger poking him, his smile steady and unchanged.
The first guard shook his head, clearly annoyed. "This is just a toad dreaming about a swan. You're not even fit to carry her shoes, but you want to marry her? It's good to have ambitions, but isn't this going too far?"
"Leave before someone from the main family hears you and has you thrown out."
"Is that so?" Lei Feng replied, sounding almost amused. "A contract is a contract. Swan or dragon, I'm here to see her. And isn't it your job to keep troublemakers away?"
The guards exchanged a look, caught off guard. One snapped, "Aren't you the troublemaker here? We're already dealing with you."
"How am I a troublemaker? I'm just here to see my fiancée. I'm innocent."
"Brat, are you going away or not?"
"Not a chance. Not before I evaluate my potential wife."
"Damn it…"
The guards stopped laughing and started to get irritated with the stubborn guy in front of them. Seeing he was just a regular person with no cultivation, they exchanged a quick look, ready to scare him off.
The air crackled mildly as they unleashed their Qi. "You insolent brat!" the right guard roared. "You are just looking for a beating!"
They raised their halberds, the sharp blades glinting as if ready to strike him down.
"Go ahead. Try your best," Lei Feng said, standing with his hands on his hips, not moving an inch.
"Don't cry after this, brat..." The guards, knowing they couldn't go too far, prepared to hit Lei Feng with the blunt end of their weapons, just enough to scare him.
However, before they could follow through, the sharp sound of hooves striking stone echoed down the road, drawing the attention of the three.
A magnificent carriage, crafted from fragrant rosewood and pulled by a single, jade-colored spirit horse, was making its way toward the gate. The intricate crest of the Shui family was proudly displayed on its doors.
At once, the guards straightened, pulling back their weapons and bowing their heads. Without another word, they quickly welcomed the carriage in, bowing respectfully all the while.
Lei Feng watched, frowning at the sudden change in attitude. Once the carriage had gone in, he immediately addressed the guards.
"Hey!" his voice sounded like he had been wronged.
"That's not fair! You were ready to beat me up just for trying to get in, but you let that carriage through without a second thought. What, is it because their horse looks fancier than anything I've got?"
The guard who'd just threatened him shot Lei Feng a look of pure contempt.
"How can you even compare?" he sneered, shaking his head at Lei Feng's naivety.
"That's our family's Second Young Miss, Shui Mei'er. She practically lives here. Of course, she can go home whenever she wants."
"Now shoo. Go away before the people from the family catch you. If that happens, things won't be pretty."
Lei Feng's ears perked up. His annoyance was instantly replaced by a spark of keen interest at this new information. "Second Young Miss, you say? Is she pretty?"
"Huh? Why are you asking?"
But Lei Feng didn't wait for an answer. In a blink, he was gone, leaving only a faint breeze where he'd stood.
The two guards stared at the empty space where the troublemaker had been standing just a second ago. Their eyes went wide with shock and confusion. "Where... where did he go?!"
They scanned the area, searching for any sign of him. Their eyes landed on the carriage, now stopped in the main courtyard.
Standing next to its door, looking as though he'd been there the whole time, was Lei Feng. He wore a relaxed, expectant smile, eagerly looking forward to seeing the person inside the carriage.
"You brat... you dare.."
Woosh.
Before the guards could reach Lei Feng, the carriage door swung open.