Going to the bathroom was just an excuse for Xingran to shake off Ting Sui, but Lu Yunze really did take the chance to use the restroom for a bit.
Ever since he came here, he’d been drinking beverages and even had quite a bit of soup.
After finishing, he stood at the sink, washing his hands absentmindedly.
Lu Yunze lifted his head to look at himself in the mirror, and surprisingly, he didn’t feel like leaving right away.
Was it because there were several women waiting for him outside?
Luo Yao, Jiang Sui, Li Zhiya.
Tang, no—she probably had ulterior motives.
But even so, Lu Yunze couldn’t help but feel that the women around him were each more outstanding than the last.
Luo Yao was his childhood friend; on the surface, she seemed sweet and gentle, but in reality, she was much more sensitive than she let on.
Especially when she saw him with other women—she would pretend not to care, but behind his back, she’d always find a way to get involved.
He’d always treated Luo Yao as a little sister.
When they were young, out of all the playmates, she was the one who accompanied him the most.
Otherwise, Lu Yunze wouldn’t have grown into such a cheerful character as he was now.
But these days, whenever people talked about Lu Yunze and Luo Yao, they always mentioned rumors about them being a couple, saying they looked like a perfect match when they stood together.
Lu Yunze never agreed with that.
He saw himself as a pitiful guest under someone else’s roof, while Luo Yao was the beloved young miss showered with affection.
How could that be a good match?
He scooped another handful of cold water onto his face and took a deep breath.
And then there was Jiang Sui, who was even more aggressive than a wolf.
If Luo Yao’s approach was to stay back and defend her city, then Jiang Sui’s was the exact opposite—she attacked directly and without reservation.
Whether charging in front or setting traps from behind the scenes, she was good at both.
Despite doing things that should have been off-putting, Jiang Sui had never made Lu Yunze feel the slightest bit of disgust.
The only time there was an issue was because of a misunderstanding, and they quickly made up that same night.
Her seemingly audacious actions were always carefully measured, never crossing the line, and ensured she never truly overstepped her bounds.
Moreover, her determination was something Luo Yao could never compare with.
If she said she was doing something for Lu Yunze, she would give her all, even her own life if necessary.
She was always there to help when needed.
Such a good girl—she was simply impossible to dislike.
Both Jiang Sui and Luo Yao had already set one foot into Lu Yunze’s heart.
But deep inside, there was only one place, and that spot had been occupied by a girl many years ago.
Thinking this, Lu Yunze unconsciously reached into his pocket and pulled out the Four-Leaf Pendant.
Ever since he remembered it, he’d often carried it with him, hoping that it was a magical charm and that when they met again, it would work wonders.
But after so many years, the Siye Clover Gemstone had never glowed, and instead, it had simply endured the passing of time.
“At that time, I was just a tagalong little brat. It was so rare to meet a girl who made my heart flutter—why couldn’t I see you again?”
Lu Yunze laughed at himself.
“Or maybe, you died in that fire too, and now you’re up there with my family, looking down at me.”
If only he could find her again, he would never have to doubt the place she held in his heart.
“I really do sound like the protagonist of some novel.”
After letting out a sigh, Lu Yunze carefully put the Four-Leaf Pendant away and walked out of the restroom.
He had originally intended to return to the courtyard to enjoy the cool breeze, but found there were already many people there.
Lu Yunze suddenly had the feeling that his secret base had been occupied and had no choice but to return indoors.
The banquet celebrating Li Zhiya’s ascension as the new Master was still ongoing.
Everyone was immersed in good food and wine, and the air was thick with the aroma of celebration.
With the air conditioning running, it didn’t take long before Lu Yunze felt his body was covered with a layer of the heavy scent of alcohol.
He wandered nearby, and the first person he saw was Luo Yao.
She was sitting with a group of friends, drinking and chatting about life.
No one knew how much she’d had to drink, but usually honest Luo Yao had started boasting, her face flushed red and her expression barely under control.
Lu Yunze thought for a moment and decided not to disturb her, turning to walk elsewhere.
But after circling around for a bit, Lu Yunze realized a problem: where was Jiang Sui?
Before going to the bathroom, he’d told her to stay where there were more people for safety, but after looking everywhere, he didn’t see her at all.
She hadn’t snuck off to play again, had she?
Jiang Sui was definitely a playful person.
Leaving the main hall, Lu Yunze wandered the nearby corridors, thinking this might be his only chance to look around the family estate.
It wouldn’t hurt to take in the sights.
Most people were gathered in the main hall and courtyard on the first floor, so the corridors were unusually quiet—he couldn’t even see a servant.
Lu Yunze subconsciously headed toward the central courtyard, but after turning two corners, he remembered that this wasn’t his own home—there weren’t that many courtyards here.
Just as he was admonishing himself, a figure suddenly flashed by ahead, catching his eye.
Wait, was that… who I think it was?
Lu Yunze immediately set aside any joking expressions, and slipped up the corridor stealthily.
The figure wasn’t moving quickly; even if Lu Yunze slowed his pace, he wouldn’t lose sight of her.
But he could only see her outline—not enough to be sure it was her.
Just as the person turned the corner and started upstairs, Lu Yunze finally saw her face clearly.
He quickly stopped, pressing his back against the wall and started to quietly observe.
Long, colorful hair, a gray-white robe, and that calm, beautiful face—
“A cultivator… Xiaoyan? Why is she here?”
Was it because Jiang Sui was here, so she had been attracted as well?
But what in this place was worthy of the attention of a mystic?
Thinking it over, it was still the death of the former Master that was the most suspicious.
He didn’t dare ask Li Zhiya directly—she would only give vague answers and never say the real reason.
Could there really be some unspeakable secret here?
If Lu Yunze hadn’t seen the cultivator’s figure, he could have just gone on living his life, but now that he had, he couldn’t just ignore it.
This matter was probably related to Jiang Sui, and Lu Yunze still needed to look out for that little maid—her family had helped him so much, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
More importantly, Lu Yunze didn’t completely trust the cultivator—they had only met twice.
That mystic had an air of great mystery about her.
Having made up his mind, Lu Yunze immediately took action, quietly following that faint figure to uncover the truth.
The entire estate was nowhere near as large or grand as the Luo Family manor.
It had only two stories, and the second floor was far smaller than the first, probably containing the family’s bedrooms and some private areas.
As soon as he reached the second floor, Lu Yunze heard voices from not far away, coming closer.
“After the funeral, we’re going straight to the banquet. Is that really a good idea?”
“I heard they said using festivities to disperse grief.
But I don’t really understand Madam’s thinking.”
“What Madam? You should call her ‘Master’ now—she’s the Master of the house.”
“Right, but a Master without a husband? Sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it?”
Lu Yunze waited for them to pass, then quietly entered the second-floor corridor.
The two servants weren’t far off yet, so to avoid being seen, Lu Yunze ducked into a nearby room.
“Hmm?”
“Did you hear the door just now?”
“You must be hearing things. The Master said no one is allowed to casually come to the second floor.”
Safe inside the room, Lu Yunze let out a breath and finally realized he’d stumbled into someone’s bedroom.
Judging by the antique décor, could this be the late former Master Quan Cheng’s bedroom?
That was good—he was supposed to investigate him anyway.
But the cultivator was already gone.
After coming up to the second floor, he hadn’t seen her anywhere—could she be hiding in another room?
Lu Yunze was about to start searching for clues when there was another commotion outside.
“Go check and lock up Old Master’s room. Hurry up, the Master doesn’t want us lingering here.”
“Yes, coming!”
If he didn’t find anything soon, he’d be discovered!
Lu Yunze glanced around nervously, searching for a place to hide.
But where?
He wasn’t some action movie hero who could cling to the ceiling. Under the bed? That would be the first place anyone checked.
Luckily, there was a large wardrobe in the room.
Lu Yunze quickly stepped over, opened the wardrobe, squeezed inside, and pulled the door shut behind him.
He hadn’t even settled down when he realized it was much hotter inside than he expected.
And although the wardrobe looked big from the outside, inside it was actually quite cramped.
More importantly, as he fumbled for a place to rest his hands, he touched something soft.
He squeezed twice—it felt a bit like a water balloon, but it was warm, and moved along with his touch.
Wait a second.
Lu Yunze pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, shining it on the figure right in front of him.
A girl’s face, flushed red, was illuminated.
And at this very moment, Lu Yunze’s hand was pressed against the one thing Luo Yao could only dream of having in her life—her large, white, bunny-like chest.
He’d always looked, but this was his first time actually touching it.
Completely out of his control, he squeezed twice more.
“Ah…”
The person next to him bit her lip hard and let out a soft, trembling whimper.