As everyone around her kept laughing and mocking Lei Feng, Shui Mei studied Lei Feng for a long moment, as if searching for something in her words.
"That's enough! You all heard the young miss," the butler finally shouted impatiently. "Throw this liar out!"
"Brat, it is time to leave."
The outer guards moved to grab Lei Feng, but before they could reach him, Shui Mei'er's voice once again rang out.
"Stop!"
The guards stopped mid-stride and turned to face their young miss, waiting for her next command.
She faced Lei Feng directly now. "You still want to talk about this marriage contract?" she asked, her voice steady, trying to regain control of the situation.
"I did want to talk about it, but after meeting you, I've lost interest. Let's just forget it." Lei Feng's voice did not sound as enthusiastic as before.
He turned away, still shaking his head in disappointment, as if the whole thing had been a waste of his time.
"Wait! You think you can just come and go as you please?" Shui Mei'er called after him anxiously. "You're coming with me. You have to explain yourself to my parents."
Fearing that Lei Feng would run away, she grabbed his arm, not giving him a choice.
A fresh wave of disbelief swept through the crowd. Was she really inviting this troublemaker further inside? The servants glanced at one another, unsure of what would happen next.
Sensing their confusion, Shui Mei'er addressed her servants, raising her voice so that everyone could hear. "I'm taking him to the main hall to receive his punishment. He'll answer to our parents for slandering my sister's name and our family's reputation."
The butler nodded.
"Absolutely, Young Miss. We cannot let such insolence go unpunished. Should I have the guards escort him to Madam and Sire?"
She quickly waved off the guards and stepped towards Lei Feng. "No need, I'll take him myself," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"But Young Miss..."
"Do not worry. A mere hooligan like him wouldn't dare try anything inside the Shui Estate."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking towards the inner courtyards, leaving a stunned crowd and pulling a reluctant Lei Feng inside with her.
---------------
Shui Mei'er led the way, her hand firmly gripping Lei Feng's arm as she guided him deeper into the estate.
Lei Feng shuffled along, albeit unenthusiastically.
As they continued, Shui Mei'er's irritation began to fade, replaced by curiosity about the stranger she was escorting.
She kept sneaking glances at Lei Feng, trying to figure him out.
He was tall, but not imposing, and walked with a kind of careless ease, as if none of this grandeur impressed him. She could not help but admit that Lei Feng was kind of handsome.
"Let us know each other again. I am Shui Mei, the youngest daughter of the Shui family." Seh said, breaking the silence.
"I am Lei Feng." Lei Feng answered back.
"Where are you from?" she asked, probing him. "Why did you come here? Do you really have a marriage contract with my sister?"
Lei Feng looked around, his hands now casually behind his head. "I'm from a mountain," he replied. "A very tall one. As for the marriage contract, you will know if it is the truth or not if you ask Shui Lin or the old man of your family."
She frowned at his vague answer. "And your family? What family do you belong to?"
"The Lei family," he said with a shrug.
"The Lei Family? How come I have never heard of it? Is it a hidden family?" Shui Mei asked in wonder.
"Nope, there is nothing secret about use. It's just me who is there in the family."
"Did your entire family..."
"No, nothing like that happened. It has always been just me. There is no one else."
His blunt answers only made her more frustrated. Shui Mei'er pelted him with more questions, hoping for something meaningful, but every reply was just as vague.
Eventually, she gave up, realizing she wouldn't get anything useful from him for now.
As they moved deeper into the estate, its grandeur became impossible to ignore.
Tall statues stood at the corners of walkways, carved with intricate patterns. Glass tanks lined the corridors, filled with bright, darting fish that caught the sunlight.
In the center of the courtyard, an artificial mountain loomed, its stone surface dotted with tiny waterfalls and moss.
No matter where one looked, the estate flaunted its wealth with expensive decorations, elegant architecture, and details that spoke of generations of power.
It was a place built to impress.
Shui Mei'er kept glancing back at Lei Feng, searching his face for any hint of awe or surprise. But he seemed unmoved by the sights around him.
If anything, his expression was bored, as though this was just another place to pass through.
In fact, she could even tell that he was just looking to leave at the first chance.
Annoyed by his lack of a proper reaction to her family's home, she tried a different approach. "Is our family's estate not to your liking? Most people are speechless when they see it for the first time."
Lei Feng glanced at a nearby pond filled with colorful koi. "It's fine. A bit big. But what's the point of all this?"
"The point?" she asked, confused. "It is a symbol of our family's strength and status."
"Doesn't symbolize anything like that to me," he said dismissively.
Shui Mei'er stopped in her tracks, her patience wearing thin. "Then what is it that you want?"
Lei Feng turned to her with a serious expression. "Do you know any other beauties you could introduce me to from your family? Preferably ones who are... better developed than you."
Once again, Shui Mei'er's face turned red with fury. It seemed impossible to have a normal conversation with this guy.
"You...!"
She took a deep breath, deciding it wasn't worth it. Arguing with him was pointless.
"Just follow me!" she snapped and stormed off ahead of him.