Following the location, Lu Feng took the bus to the foot of Yunqi Mountain.
The winding mountain road stretched upward, flanked by dense forests. In late autumn, the maple leaves were a beautiful tapestry of red and yellow.
But he had no mind to appreciate it.
After walking for nearly thirty minutes, he finally saw the villa.
It was more like a small manor than a villa.
The wrought-iron gate was tightly shut. Behind it lay a neatly trimmed lawn and a straight driveway, at the end of which stood a three-story white building with sleek lines. Large floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the sky.
The guard at the gatehouse had clearly been notified in advance. After verifying Lu Feng’s name, he let him pass.
As Lu Feng approached the villa entrance, a man in a black suit, around fifty years old, was already waiting there.
He stood tall and straight, his hair meticulously combed, a gentle smile on his face. “Mr. Lu, please follow me.”
Lu Feng nodded and followed him into the villa.
The interior was even more stunning than the exterior.
The high-ceilinged hall was adorned with a massive crystal chandelier. The furniture was minimalist, yet every piece looked exorbitantly expensive. Beyond a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows stretched the rolling mountain scenery.
This place felt like a completely different world from the outside.
His gaze swept toward the white sofa by the window, where Lin Ran sat with a laptop on her lap.
Dressed in a creamy white silk loungewear, she leaned back lazily, exuding a charm distinct from her usual refined and flamboyant beauty.
Hearing the footsteps, Lin Ran looked up. “You’re here.”
“Sit,” she said, pointing to the sofa opposite her.
Lu Feng walked over and sat down, his back straight as if awaiting judgment.
“What would you like to drink? Tea? Coffee? Juice?” Lin Ran asked.
“No need. Why did you call me here?”
Lin Ran tilted her head, looking at him with a smile. “Lu, you’re my servant now. Do I need a special reason to call you here? I wanted to see you—is that reason enough?”
Lu Feng lowered his gaze slightly and said nothing.
Lin Ran didn’t dwell on the topic and got straight to the point. “I’m hungry. Cook for me.”
“Cook?” Lu Feng was taken aback, then pursed his lips. “What do you want to eat?”
“Pasta,” Lin Ran replied without looking up from her laptop. “The ingredients and recipe are already prepared. Just follow it.”
Lu Feng silently walked to the kitchen.
On the countertop were indeed all the necessary ingredients—various foods and spice bottles he had never seen before.
Beside them was a printed recipe with detailed steps.
He followed the recipe step by step, and soon the kitchen was filled with a fragrant aroma.
At some point, Lin Ran had taken a seat at the small bar outside the kitchen, resting her chin in her hand as she watched him.
Her gaze was unabashed, and Lu Feng could feel her eyes lingering on him.
He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, but his heartbeat inexplicably quickened.
“Your knife skills are good,” Lin Ran suddenly remarked.
Lu Feng ignored her.
“Do you cook often?”
“Yes.”
Lin Ran said nothing more.
Twenty minutes later, the pasta was ready.
Lu Feng plated it, sprinkled basil leaves on top, and placed it in front of Lin Ran.
Looking at the well-presented plate of pasta, Lin Ran raised an eyebrow. “Not bad at all.”
She picked up her fork, twirled some noodles, and brought them to her mouth.
Lu Feng stood nearby, hands in his pockets, his expression neutral, but his fingers unconsciously curled.
Lin Ran chewed slowly, swallowed, then took another bite.
“How is it?” Lu Feng blurted out.
He immediately regretted asking.
Lin Ran looked up at him, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Worried I won’t be satisfied?”
“No.”
“Stubborn.” Lin Ran took a few more bites before setting down her fork. “Not bad. It passes.”
Lu Feng breathed a sigh of relief, though he didn’t quite understand why her opinion mattered so much to him.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Lin Ran asked.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Suit yourself.” Lin Ran continued eating her noodles.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting bright patches of light on the floor behind the bar. The air was filled with the aroma of food.
Watching Lin Ran eat bite by bite, for a fleeting moment, he found her somewhat cute.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Lu Feng felt the urge to slap himself.
What a disgusting word to pop into his head—he must be losing his mind.
As soon as Lin Ran finished her last bite, Lu Feng couldn’t wait to ask, “Can I go now?”
Lin Ran wiped her mouth unhurriedly and looked up at him. “What’s the rush? You’re free this afternoon, aren’t you?”
“I’m not.”
“What do you have to do?”
“…” Lu Feng was at a loss for words.
He had quit his tutoring job, so he really didn’t have anything planned.
Lin Ran chuckled softly. “Come with me. I have a task for you.”
＊
Lu Feng followed her upstairs to her room.
It was a large suite, complete with a bedroom, study, walk-in closet, bathroom, and a small living area with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The minimalist decor matched the downstairs, but with more feminine touches.
A large white wool rug covered the floor, scattered with a few cushions.
On the nightstand sat a scented candle and several fashion magazines.
But the most breathtaking feature was the floor-to-ceiling window—
It faced the valley, offering an unobstructed view of the Beijing skyline stretching out in the distance like a vast painting.
“Take a seat.” Lin Ran pointed to the chair in front of the desk, then pulled a folder from the bookshelf and placed it on the table. “Read this first.”
She then turned and selected a literary book from the shelf, walking over to the rocking chair by the window to sit down.
A small round table stood nearby, holding a plate of deep red cherries.
Lu Feng sat down and opened the folder, flipping through it briefly.
Inside were design plans, structural analyses, material lists, and budget reports for a commercial complex belonging to the Lin Group.
It was highly professional and extremely confidential.
He looked up at her. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll leak this?”
“Would you?” Lin Ran countered, popping a cherry into her mouth.
Lu Feng fell silent for a moment. “What am I supposed to do after reading it?”
“Write down your suggestions.” Lin Ran opened her book. “There’s a notebook and pen in the desk drawer. Help yourself.”
Lu Feng pulled open the drawer on the right.
The first drawer was neatly stacked with files.
He opened the second one, which held several sketchbooks and some pens.
He picked one up at random, opened it, and froze instantly.
The sketchbook was filled with drawings… of him.