The next day, noon.
...
Lin Zhao, Chen Xue, and the others had already logged off from the game early. They helped Wang Ju with the cooking, Ding Chi and Luo Man picked vegetables, while Zhang Jun wielded his cleaver to chop chicken. This was his forte, the rhythmic thudding sound was extremely consistent, and in no time, he had chopped a large rooster into diced chicken for a Sichuan dish. Lin Zhao, meanwhile, went to wash rice and cook. Wang Ju was already busy in the kitchen, a flurry of activity.
The reason for all this busyness was that important guests were expected for lunch.
As it approached mealtime, the roar of engines could be heard from outside. Lin Zhao and Ding Chi hurried out and saw a white, vertical take-off and landing magnetic levitation passenger aircraft parked in the open space outside. This type of aircraft... Lin Zhao and Chen Xue had never seen one up close before. Previously, they had only seen a speck in the sky. It was a rich person's toy, something ordinary people could only admire from afar.
"This..."
Ding Chi frowned, "Who exactly is Leng Yan? This display... it's a bit much, isn't it?"
"Her name is Xu Yan,"
Lin Zhao said, "I heard she's from a wealthy family in Ningcheng."
"Damn..."
Ding Chi's expression stiffened, "Could it be the Xu Corporation, the big boss of Ningcheng?"
"It seems so..."
"Tsk tsk."
Ding Chi glanced at Lin Zhao and said, "Ah Zhao, I've known you've had a sensitive stomach since childhood."
"Huh?"
Lin Zhao was bewildered, "And then?"
"So you need to eat more 'soft rice'!"
"Get out of here, you bastard!"
Lin Zhao kicked Ding Chi out the door. Just then, Leng Yan happened to be descending from the aircraft. She was dressed very casually, a pink top, a white skirt, and white sneakers, with flowing long hair. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Landing with a light leap, she turned to look at Lin Zhao and Ding Chi. Indeed, she looked exactly like she did in the game.
"Lin Zhao!"
She walked towards them, followed by several people who looked like bodyguards.
Lin Zhao smiled and stepped forward, "A Yan, come in, lunch will be ready soon."
"Okay!"
Leng Yan patted her flat stomach and laughed, "I'm just a little hungry."
Ding Chi observed Leng Yan's appearance. She looked to be around 20 years old, young and beautiful, with a very delicate face. Her chest... wasn't too small either, perhaps a C cup. Her abdomen was flat, giving her a healthy appearance, with hints of exercise. The most striking feature, however, was her legs, long, well-proportioned, and fair, clad in a pair of white sneakers.
Was this the leader of Shengtian? Was this the eldest daughter of Ningcheng's Xu family, Xu Yan?
For the first time, Ding Chi was so close to a wealthy person, he didn't know which leg to step forward with to enter the house.
"Where are they?"
Lin Zhao looked at the bodyguards outside the door.
"They've already eaten, no need to worry about them. Just let them stand outside," Leng Yan said with a smile.
"That doesn't seem right?"
"It's fine. If they all come in, what will I eat?"
"Ahem..."
Lin Zhao felt a bit awkward and said, "Ding Chi, Da Jun, pour a cup of hot water for each of those big brothers outside."
"Got it."
Leng Yan secretly smiled. It was still the same Lin Zhao, his attitude towards handling matters was unchanged.
...
Not long after, lunch was served.
As it was her first visit, Leng Yan's eating was secondary. Her beautiful eyes furtively observed everyone in the room. The true purpose of her visit was to ascertain the types of people in the studio. Ding Chi and Zhang Jun, these were Lin Zhao's close friends. They immediately revealed to Leng Yan that Lin Zhao had gone for a foot massage. These two rascals posed no threat. As for Luo Man, she looked young and beautiful, but her chest was too flat, also posing no threat. The main threats came from two people.
One was Chen Xue. Shengtian had dealings with Xue Qiancheng of the Azure Dragon Guild before. Leng Yan had even exchanged a few words with her. She didn't know her well, but up close, Chen Xue's appearance and figure were impressive. She was the kind of woman who could fight a three-hundred-round battle with Shen Xingchen and herself. Moreover, Chen Xue was Lin Zhao's second-in-command and a direct candidate for the future deputy leader of the Scarlet Moon Knights. This made Leng Yan a little worried. Chen Xue was definitely a formidable opponent.
After that, Leng Yan's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, swept over the woman wearing an apron, the one everyone called Sister Ju Zi. This woman was quite attractive, with a good figure. Most importantly, she exuded a mature feminine charm, which made Leng Yan feel uncomfortable. She herself was 25, yet she still acted like a student, always eager to play. The womanly charm that Wang Ju possessed might be precisely what she lacked. What if Lin Zhao preferred that type of woman?
Throughout the meal, Leng Yan felt restless and uneasy.
It wasn't until after the meal, when she learned from Ding Chi's conversation that Wang Ju had a daughter named Xiao Ju Zi, and that she was a single mother, that Leng Yan finally relaxed.
"Xu Yan."
After the meal, Chen Xue handed her a glass of juice and smiled, "Thank you for yesterday. If Shengtian hadn't helped us, the Azure Knights would indeed have been a tough bone to crack."
"You're welcome."
Leng Yan smiled faintly, "Lin Zhao and I are friends, it was just a small favor. By the way, Chen Xue, you were doing well in Azure Dragon, why did you suddenly join the Scarlet Moon Knights? Logically speaking... the treatment at Azure Dragon should be much better than at Scarlet Moon Knights, and Azure Dragon is a quasi-T1 guild. If you stayed at Azure Dragon, you would definitely be the deputy leader."
"There's no other way..."
Chen Xue smiled slightly, glancing at Lin Zhao, who looked somewhat embarrassed. She also understood Leng Yan's concerns, so she proactively dispelled her doubts, saying with a smile, "I'm a former subordinate of Sister Feiyue, Lin Zhao's cousin. She once saved my life. And before that, she asked me to help Lin Zhao and bring up the Scarlet Moon Knights together. So, I was roped into helping. In fact, many people opposed it, including my boyfriend who was against me joining the Scarlet Moon Knights. But there was no choice, I'm here now, so I'll work hard~~~"
"Oh?"
Leng Yan was surprised, "You have a boyfriend?"
"Yes!"
Chen Xue smiled, "I met my boyfriend when I was in the Azure Dragon Guild. He seems to be doing quite well at Azure Dragon now, and should be able to become a guild leader soon."
"That's good."
Leng Yan said with a faint smile, "I thought so... how could such a beautiful woman like you not have a boyfriend?"
Chen Xue narrowed her beautiful eyes and looked at her, "What about you? Xu Yan, you're so good-looking, and your family background is so good. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Ah?"
Leng Yan secretly glanced at Lin Zhao and said, "Of course not..."
"Perhaps your standards are too high."
Chen Xue smiled, "The better the conditions of a woman, the fewer men she has around her. That's probably the reason."
Luo Man chimed in, "I don't have a man around me either. Are my conditions also good?"
Xu Yan smiled, "Luo Man, you're so beautiful, of course your conditions are good!"
Luo Man sighed, "I'm just a dancer..."
Lin Zhao glared, "Luo Man, shut up! Stop talking nonsense!"
Luo Man chuckled sweetly, "I know, Brother~~~"
She said in a seductive tone.
Leng Yan frowned, wishing she could throw this little vixen out. Who told her to call Lin Zhao 'Brother'?
Lin Zhao also felt a headache coming on. They couldn't chat any longer; he felt like sparks were about to fly.
"Ding Chi, want to play ping pong?"
"Got it!"
The three men went to play ping pong. Leng Yan watched for a while. When her bodyguards urged her to leave, she reluctantly departed. She walked with Lin Zhao, from under a tree, to the shore of Taihu Lake, then to a grassy area. She leaned her pretty head on Lin Zhao's shoulder. After taking over 500 photos together, she left.
...
Less than ten minutes after the Xu Corporation's plane had flown away, the roar of engines echoed in the sky once more. A total of seven aircraft crossed the sky. One was a high-end luxury passenger jet, and the other six were transport planes. Four of them were carrying heavy armored RVs suspended below, one was carrying an even heavier Zhurong-class close-in weapon system, and the last one was transporting various essential supplies.
"Damn..."
Ding Chi came to the door again, "Who is this now? Their display is even bigger than Xu Yan's?"
Lin Zhao glanced at his phone, "Shen Xingchen is here."
"..."
Chen Xue and Luo Man were speechless.
After the passenger jet landed, the rear cargo door opened, and with the roar of engines, a white supercar drove onto the ground, exuding a sense of advanced technology. As the sports car stopped, two bodyguards in black suits stepped forward. One of them opened the car door and respectfully bowed, "Young Miss, you can get out now."
"Oh..."
From inside the car, Shen Xingchen got out. She was wearing a neat black uniform skirt, looking simple and sharp. Her fair legs, clad in small high heels, stepped out of the car. Then, escorted by a group of bodyguards, she arrived in front of the villa. She was pulling a suitcase and said, "There are a few more suitcases on the plane... Lin Zhao, Ding Chi, why don't you help?"
"Got it!"
Ding Chi quickly nodded, "I am honored to serve Deputy Leader!"
This was Lin Zhao's first time seeing Shen Xingchen in reality. The two words that came to mind were "stunning." Shen Xingchen's overall appearance was too beautiful, even more so than Miss Leng, with an added touch of allure. He tried to keep his expression natural, smiled, and nodded, "Shen Xingchen, the Scarlet Moon Knights welcome you... The girls' rooms in the studio are on the second floor. You can go up and pick an empty one that you like."
"Mm."
Shen Xingchen looked up at the villa and couldn't help but smile. The accommodation conditions were indeed good; Lin Zhao hadn't exaggerated.
"Hello, I'm Chen Xue."
Chen Xue walked forward gracefully and shook hands with Shen Xingchen.
"Shen Xingchen."
Shen Xingchen looked at Chen Xue and smiled, "Xue Qiancheng, you're truly beautiful in reality..."
Chen Xue's lips curved slightly, "In front of Shen Xingchen, I wouldn't dare mention beauty."
Shen Xingchen chuckled and, pulling her suitcase, went upstairs with Chen Xue.
...
Afterward, a young man in a black suit entered the villa. He had neat short hair and respectfully said to Lin Zhao, who was carrying a suitcase, "Nangong Jilin, the Young Miss's captain of the guard. To ensure the Young Miss's safety and to fulfill my duties, we'd like to inspect the electronic wiring, radiation, and the safety of various appliances in this house. Is that okay?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded, "Just don't mess with things in any of the rooms."
"Please rest assured!"
Nangong Jilin entered the hall and took out a device that looked like a flashlight. When he turned it on, the objects in the room began to appear transparent. A holographic projection of the entire building's structure then appeared above the device. Afterward, Nangong Jilin led his men to confirm the safety of each room with extreme caution.
"Nangong Jilin!"
On the second floor, Shen Xingchen stood at the edge of the stairs, her beautiful eyes coldly watching the diligent bodyguard, "Enough is enough, don't go too far."
"Yes, Young Miss!"
Nangong Jilin turned and bowed to Lin Zhao, "Then we'll be going now..."
"Mm, thank you for your hard work."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded.
Nangong Jilin slowly exited the villa. The moment he stepped out, he glanced at Lin Zhao again. Was this lazy young man the legendary Lin Baiyi of Xue Yu Tian Chi?
He seemed very amiable...