Chapter 66: Journey to Nanjing II

  "I understand." Ding Xiaofeng raised his head and looked at Lin Ruolan, who was standing far away in front of the window of the VIP hall. The soft sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling window cast a faint golden glow on her hair and face... "I took the liberty of canceling the room you booked at the hotel. There's a quiet and safe place that Old Five bought as a vacation villa in Nanjing, which has been empty for a long time. Someone comes to clean it regularly, so the environment is serene and very clean. Why don't you let your sister-in-law stay there? It's much more comfortable than staying at a hotel."

  "Alright, let's go there."

  Li Donghua beckoned with his hand, and the security guard who had been standing outside the VIP lounge pushed open the door and picked up the suitcase to load it onto the off-road vehicle waiting outside.

  Lin Ruo Lan looked at Jin Huang, asking him with her eyes what was wrong. Jin Huang walked up to her side in big strides, took her hand and smiled: "Nothing's wrong, it's just that my old brothers are thinking of me, they know I've come so they must entertain me."

  Lin Ruo Lan leaned over from his side and asked in a low voice: "Do you want to go with them? I don't know them."

  Jin Hao wrapped his arms around her and walked towards the outer hall, saying as he went: "Right, let's go with them. Don't be afraid, they're my sworn brothers from when I was a kid, it's been years since we last met, I'll introduce you later."

  Ding Xiaofeng, who was quietly following behind, said in a low voice to Li Donghua: "With a calm and elegant demeanor, she exudes an ethereal and refined aura that is untainted by worldly vulgarity. Her entire being is filled with an understated yet discernible noble air. No wonder Brother likes her; compared to that other person who only has a fake smile and a sinister heart, she's far more worthy of Brother."

  Nanjing, historically known as Jinling, is a city with six dynasties' ancient capital, a place of paper drunkenness and golden bewilderment, where a bony framework exudes prosperity.

  Three off-road vehicles lined up in a row, passing through more than a dozen streets and alleys, leaving the bustling main street behind, gradually heading towards the remote Xuanwu Lake, turning over several small streets, and then seeing a deep mansion with blue tiles and white walls, along the wall opened for a while, the car drove into a crimson gate, stopped.

  Ding Xiaofeng jumped down from the first car and quickly ran to the second one, opening the door for Jin Huan: "Brother, we're here."

  Lin Ruo-lan got off the car behind Jin Huan and saw that there were guests arriving, so the gardeners who were busy sweeping, pruning branches and trimming leaves in the garden immediately stopped working and retreated to a corner where they could not be seen.

  This is a very large garden, where every flower and tree seems to be randomly arranged at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it reveals a natural and subtle charm. The cool greenery accompanied by the faint scent of water seeps into one's breath, making one feel carefree and joyful. From this arrangement of flowers and trees, one can infer the owner's style and taste.

  Ding Xiaofeng carried his luggage and led the way along the winding, serene corridor. Before they reached the end of the corridor, a faint, ethereal guqin sound seemed to reverberate in the air. At the end of the corridor stood several emerald-green weeping willows, their drooping branches like a natural screen that blocked Lin Ruolan's line of sight.

  Li Donghua, who had been walking at the back all along, quickly stepped forward and overtook Jin Huan and Lin Ruolan, and with Ding Xiaofeng on either side, they swept aside the willow branches.

  In front of Lin Ruo Lan, a man-made lake suddenly appeared. The lake was shrouded in a thin mist, and the water was crystal clear to the bottom, like a piece of unblemished jade. A gentle breeze blew by, causing the lake's surface to ripple and shine, reflecting the sunset on its surface, which moved with the ripples, like a silk ribbon dancing in the wind, breathtakingly beautiful.

  There are fish in the lake, a pavilion on the lake, and a brand new painting boat docked by the lakeside.

  "You can take a direct route to Xuanwu Lake, if you want to go for a stroll, let Old Zhang row the boat and take you there." Ding Xiaofeng pointed casually at the honest and obedient boatman standing beside the painted barge.

  Lin Ruolan suddenly turned her head and glared at Jin Huang with a scowl.

  "Don't shout!" Jin Huan scolded Ding Xiaofeng with a smile, putting his arm around her waist and walking towards a elegant two-story small building by the lake.

  This small building is a Tang-style imitation, with an ancient charm, beautiful shape, majestic and solemn, neat but not stiff, magnificent but not delicate, expansive but not ostentatious. The furniture inside is tidy and clean, but lacks the warmth of human presence, apparently no one has lived here for a long time.

  A man in his fifties, accompanied by five servants wearing uniforms, stood at the entrance of the living room on the first floor with his hands hanging down. With a smile, he introduced himself to Jin Huang: "I am the butler here, you can call me Old Yang. Whatever you need, just let me know. The master has specifically called to remind me to take good care of you two esteemed guests."

  Jin Hao smiled and said, looking at the luxurious decorations in the living room: "This old five is getting more and more enjoyable."

  Ding Xiaofeng carried the luggage into the living room on the first floor and heard this sentence, "Hehe" smiled: "He is a typical player, a spoiled son of a rich family, doing business is prosperous, making a fortune every day."

  Housekeeper Old Yang took the luggage and carried it to the second floor bedroom door, put it down, went downstairs with his hands hanging down and said: "I've already ordered the kitchen to prepare dinner. If there's nothing else, I'll go down first. If you need anything, guests can use the red internal phone to dial '0'."

  Jin Huang waved his hand at him, and Old Yang quickly left the living room.

  Ding Xiaofeng also said: "Big brother, I'm going back to Beijing to deal with my case. Once I have any news, I'll notify you immediately. Dong Hua will stay in Nanjing and live nearby, so he can be called upon at any time."

  "You two go back and tell them not to come to Nanjing either," Jin Huan thought for a moment and said, "When necessary, I will go to Beijing to see them."

  Li Donghua, who followed, hesitated for a moment and reluctantly agreed, handing Jin Huan a set of car keys. "You can use the off-road vehicle at the door as you like, just throw it away at the airport when you leave, someone will pick it up." After finishing speaking, the two people left the small building.

  "What kind of people are they? I keep looking and feeling like they don't look like soldiers, but rather have a gangster-like meaning?" Lin Ruolan, who had been standing by the side in a daze, raised her head and looked seriously into Jin Hao's eyes.

  Jin Hao turned his head to look at the living room door, then lowered his head to glance at Lin Ruolan, smiling: "Their work nature is extremely special, and they must strictly follow the confidentiality rules. After a long time, it's inevitable that they appear mysterious." He bent down and carried her in his arms up to the second floor, "Go take a bath and rest for a while, after dinner I'll take you on a night tour of Xuanwu Lake."

  He walked to the second floor and stopped in front of a bedroom door, put her down on the ground and stood up straight, pushed open the door and took a look inside, nodded his head in satisfaction, "Go ahead, I'll be staying next door." He took a step forward, ready to go into his own room.

  Lin Ruo Lan however refused to let go of him, jumping into his embrace, her slender hands wrapping around his strong neck, using both hands and feet to climb onto his body, wrapping herself tightly around him. Where was the gentle and elegant lady image she showed in front of others? "Don't try to placate me, tell me clearly."

  Jin Hao couldn't help but smile, one hand supporting her body and the other pinching her small nose: "My little rascal." He carried her into the room, sat down on the comfortable sofa, and placed Lin Ruolan on his sturdy thigh, facing him. "Want to know what? Ask away."

  "Why do they call you Big Brother? And what are they doing here? Are they really from the underworld? If you don't explain things clearly, I won't let you off." Lin Ruolan blinked her bright eyes, looking at him with confusion, feeling that everyone she had met this afternoon was a bit mysterious and suspicious.

  Jin Huang let out a helpless sigh, gazing at her bewildered face, and reached out to gently stroke it. His rough fingers slid over her delicate skin. "There were seven of us in total, around the same age. We thought it was fun back then, so we formed a pact when I was only ten years old. The rule was that whoever had the most skills would become the big brother, so we competed against each other. I won, and from then on, they all called me Big Brother. You don't think I could have organized a gang at the age of ten, do you?"

  Jin Huan's hand slid down to her slender neck, slowly pulling her close to his chest. He said slowly, "The two people who just came are from headquarters, ranking third and fourth among my sworn brothers. This time they came not only to see me but also to tell me some things related to me." Jin Huan lifted her head, looking seriously into her eyes: "Lan'er, there are some things I will tell you after we return. In these days in Nanjing, I just hope you can be happy and joyful, understand?"

  "Is it a troublesome thing? After going back, I won't be happy anymore?" Lin Ruolan asked cautiously, Jin Huan answered her questions one by one, but the uncertainty in her heart grew stronger and stronger.

  "No, after you go back, you will still be very happy, no one dares to disturb you, everything has me!"

  "Jin Huang." Lin Ruolan called out softly.

  "Huh?"

  "Are you going to fight again? Will it be dangerous?" Her hand drew circles on his chest, asking seriously.

  Jin Huang's thumb gently brushed against her lips, smiling with unparalleled tenderness. "No, don't worry, I'm not in danger, and this matter won't pose any threat to me either." As she listened to his words, she relaxed, deeply emotional, and nestled into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, revealing a carefree and happy smile. His warm chest had a reassuring magic, as if she was born to belong in this embrace.

  As the night fell, the moon rose slowly, and Jin Huan had already taken Lin Ruolan aboard a painted barge, rowing towards the tranquil Xuanwu Lake, which was as calm as a mirror. The moonlight spilled onto the lake's surface, and the water turned dark green amidst the soft green ripples of the aquatic plants. The nighttime Xuanwu Lake was even more beautiful than imagined, thousands of times more so. That expanse of serene lake water seemed to exist like an immortal, and the sound of the oars striking the water was like a beautiful melody.

  Lin Ruo Lan was drunk, drunk in this unspeakable quietness. She lay on the clean deck of the painted barge, placing her body in Jin Huang's arms, and the gentle breeze on the lake surface caressed her. When she looked up at Jin Huang, he didn't know what he was thinking about, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and a deep, mysterious smile slowly rose from the corners of his lips. His hands held her lightly but firmly, one palm gently patting her back, unintentionally gentle.