Chapter Two: Schemes and Stratagems

Just as Xiaoshan was still marveling at the situation, suddenly, a person came flying out from the left wall, hurtling headfirst straight toward him, accompanied by a tragic scream and a shower of brick and tile fragments. Startled, Xiaoshan's eyes widened in shock.

At that very moment, the flying man's eyes also went wide, his arms flailing awkwardly as he hurtled through the air. Xiaoshan wasn't sure what he ought to do—should he stretch out his arms to catch the man, or dodge aside? If he did move away, would the poor fellow crash into Ruoxi instead?

Just as the airborne man was about to land on Xiaoshan's head, he felt a sudden gust of wind brush past his chest. A tall figure appeared on his left; the newcomer caught the flying man with one hand against his chest, as gently as if laying him upon a bed—albeit suspended in mid-air.

In that instant, Xiaoshan felt that the man before him was truly imposing, the sort of person who could shield him from any storm.

"Xiaoshan! Don’t I seem towering and impressive to you now? Pretty amazing, right?" Haotian turned to him with unabashed self-satisfaction.

Hearing Haotian’s words, Xiaoshan could only sigh in resignation, wiping away the cold sweat that had broken out on his brow.

"Hey, man, could you put me down?" the person balanced on Haotian's palm asked helplessly.

"Ugh, how dull," Haotian muttered, setting the man back on his feet.

He had expected Xiaoshan to show some dramatic reaction, but was left disappointed by Xiaoshan's placid expression.

"Damn! Let’s try again—I don’t believe this!" cried the unfortunate man, dashing back into the courtyard, his wails echoing behind him.

A large, clear footprint was visible on the man’s back—who knew who had kicked him? It gave the impression of someone with considerable resilience.

"Let’s go! What are you standing there for?" Ruoxi exclaimed, seeing Xiaoshan rooted to the spot. She gave him a hard slap, thinking he’d been frightened stiff.

Xiaoshan shuddered, then turned to her and asked, "What is it?"

"Come on, already! I don’t know what’s gotten into you—you just stand there like a log!" Ruoxi covered her mouth and giggled.

"Thank you," Xiaoshan said, turning to Haotian.

That simple gesture was his way of expressing deep gratitude.

If not for Haotian, Xiaoshan couldn’t imagine what might have happened next—would he have been flattened to the ground or, worse, crushed underneath someone else? While he wasn’t particularly concerned about how others felt, it was certainly better to avoid such a scene.

"This kid’s interesting," Haotian remarked, smiling as he watched Xiaoshan’s retreating figure.

Most people would be overwhelmed with excitement, shaking hands or bowing in thanks. Xiaoshan, though, had been unable to dodge, yet simply gave a calm "thank you" and nothing more.

As they ventured deeper into the town, the number of passersby grew fewer and fewer. Earlier, people had often greeted Ruoxi and her companions, asking who Xiaoshan was. Now, barely anyone spoke; most didn’t even acknowledge them, and the nearby houses looked much more refined.

Even the sounds of misery had faded away, replaced by a strange, almost eerie silence.

Xiaoshan guessed this must be the wealthy district. At last, the road ended at an enormous gate, surrounded by walls etched with intricate designs.

Two white jade lions stood guard before the entrance, flanked by fences with carefully tended flowers and shrubs—no rough corners to be seen, everything meticulously pruned.

Curiously, the main door was only slightly ajar, leaving a slim gap through which one could glimpse the courtyard beyond.

Ruoxi pushed the door open just enough for one person to squeeze through, motioning for Xiaoshan and the others to enter. Once they were inside, she left the door slightly open.

When Xiaoshan asked why, she explained that this was for her sister. Her sister was training in martial arts at the Wudang Sect and only returned home occasionally. Leaving the door ajar meant she could come and go as she pleased without delay.

The moment Xiaoshan stepped through, he saw a middle-aged woman watering flowers in the courtyard. She greeted Ruoxi with a smile, "Welcome home, miss. The master is waiting for you in the garden," all the while tending to her plants.

Ruoxi replied with a nod and made her way toward the garden. On the way, she told Xiaoshan there were only five people in her family, and usually no more than three at home, including herself. The woman they’d just met was both the housekeeper and the gardener, handling meals and the upkeep of the grounds.

Ruoxi said her father’s name was Lin Feng. When Xiaoshan met him, he should address him as Senior Lin—her father liked being called that.

After another minute’s walk, Xiaoshan saw a man seated in the middle of the courtyard, his back to them. Judging by his silhouette, he appeared to be a middle-aged man.

"Ruoxi’s back! And she’s brought a stranger home," her father called out without turning around, having heard their footsteps.

"Mm-hmm! Dad, don’t be mad when I tell you, okay?" Ruoxi drew closer, nuzzling up to him with a playful air.

"What’s the matter?" Lin Feng asked, stroking Ruoxi’s head affectionately.

"You have to promise not to get mad before I’ll tell you!" Ruoxi smiled up at him.

"Alright, alright," Lin Feng said with a warm smile. "I promise, I won’t be angry."

"This is Xiaoshan. In the Kilimanjaro Forest, I chased a little rabbit and he helped me catch it, but things went awry—he fell and got tangled in some branches." Ruoxi pulled Xiaoshan forward so Lin Feng could inspect his injuries.

"I see," Lin Feng replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Good day, Senior Lin," Xiaoshan greeted him politely.

Lin Feng nodded in acknowledgment.

Noticing Ruoxi’s explanation, Xiaoshan wondered if she’d misspoken, but she shot him a warning look and pressed a finger to her lips for silence. Xiaoshan immediately understood.

"So what do you want to do?" Lin Feng asked, looking from Xiaoshan to Ruoxi.

"We ended up near the forbidden grounds. You’re not mad at me, are you?" Ruoxi shrank back, pretending to be afraid.

Xiaoshan couldn’t help but smile at her antics.

"It’s alright—I know it wasn’t intentional. Just be more careful next time," Lin Feng said, tapping her nose with a fond smile.

"Okay!" Ruoxi replied, beaming with happiness.

"Can he stay with us?" Ruoxi asked, a touch of uncertainty in her voice.

Xiaoshan’s eyes widened in surprise. He very much wanted to stay—the environment here was wonderful, and, of course, Ruoxi was here as well.