The days passed by in Lin Feng's ultimate enjoyment.

The harsh winter showed no signs of abating; on the contrary, it grew even more intense.

Plants in the mountains and forests are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and women have to take greater risks and expend more physical strength every time they go out to collect them.

Their dependence on Lin Feng thus became even more deeply ingrained.

Lin Feng's wooden cabin and hot spring are like a lighthouse on a deserted island in this icy and snowy landscape, representing warmth, food, and unattainable comfort.

Although they never enjoyed the private hot springs after they were built.

But these women had nothing to complain about.

Because when they were building their private hot spring, all their food was provided by Lin Feng.

This made it unusual for them to eat three meals a day during that period, and each meal was filling.

After completing the construction of the private hot spring, Lin Feng gave them a large sum of food before looking at them with cold eyes: "I know you want to take a bath, but that's impossible."

"Although you put in the effort for the private hot spring, I have already paid you for your work."

"We are even."

“You’re just here to work, not to be the owners of this place. I am the owner.”

These women had nothing to say about this.

That day, Qin Lan and Su Wanqing, along with Tang Bao and Qian Xiaoxiao, painstakingly searched for seasonings.

Only with seasonings could they exchange them for food from Lin Feng.

The cold wind lashed at their faces like knives, and their hands and feet were already numb with cold.

As Qian Xiaoxiao shivered, she brushed away the snow, complaining, "When will this awful weather ever end!"

Qin Lan's expression also turned serious. She patted Qian Xiaoxiao's shoulder and said, "Don't be discouraged. Keep looking. There's bound to be something."

Even so, she wasn't entirely confident.

Su Wanqing observed her surroundings more carefully and noticed a sheltered mountain hollow with relatively shallow snow accumulation. The soil there was a different color from the other places.

A thought struck her, and she said, "Let's go over there and take a look; maybe we'll find something."

The group trudged through the mud and into the valley.

Tangbao, being the smallest, was the first to squeeze inside.

With her small, red, frozen hands, she dug through the loose soil and snow. Suddenly, her hand touched something hard and cold.

"Huh?"

Tang Bao curiously dug hard and revealed an irregularly shaped stone with a dark yellow luster, half-buried in the frozen soil.

"What is this?" Qian Xiaoxiao also came over and scraped the surface of the stone with the stone shard she carried with her. Golden powder fell down and looked particularly dazzling in the gray snow.

Qin Lan and Su Wanqing were both taken aback when they saw this scene.

"A gold nugget...it's a gold nugget!"

A look of disbelief flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes. She reached out with trembling hands and touched the cold stone: "And... and it seems to be even bigger than the last one!"

This "dog's head gold" was indeed much larger than the one they found last time, about the size of a child's head. Its surface was pitted and its color was dull, but its unique density, heavy feel, and the dazzling golden powder that came out when scratched all indicated its extraordinary nature.

"My God! We've found another nugget!"

Qian Xiaoxiao was so excited she almost jumped up.

Qin Lan quickly calmed down. She looked around and lowered her voice, saying, "Keep your voice down! Quick, let's dig it out."

With the combined efforts of several people, using their frozen fingers and rudimentary tools, they finally managed to dig the heavy gold nugget intact out of the frozen ground.

Holding this unexpected treasure, a flame of hope ignited in the hearts of the four women.

"Sister Qin Lan, could we...could we use this to trade with Mr. Lin Feng for...some nicer things?"

Qian Xiaoxiao asked expectantly, her first thought being Lin Feng's warm and comfortable hot spring.

If only I could use this piece of gold to exchange for a real chance to soak in the hot spring!

Su Wanqing also looked at Qin Lan, her eyes filled with the same longing: "Yes, Qin Lan, this piece of gold is so big, Lin Feng will definitely be interested. Perhaps... we can try to mention it to him and use it to exchange for... permission to enter the hot spring."

Qin Lan looked at the gold nugget in her hand, her mind racing with calculations.

She knew that Lin Feng had a strong interest in these "unusual" minerals; the last time he made a whole set of gold tableware from that nugget of gold.

This larger and purer piece of gold must have been of immense value to him.

It would be more than enough to exchange for food and medicine.

But... if it could be exchanged for a chance to enter the hot spring...

Qin Lan recalled the days when the sisters could only wash their bodies with the still-warm wastewater left over from Lin Feng, and their endless longing for that warm and clean hot spring.

And wasn't she the same? Her body, which hadn't been properly cleaned for months, was sticky and uncomfortable, making it unbearable for her.

"good!"

Qin Lan took a deep breath, a resolute glint in her eyes. "We'll use this gold to negotiate with Mr. Lin Feng! We want not only food, but also... the right to enter the hot spring!"

"Great!" Qian Xiaoxiao and Tang Bao cheered.

Su Wanqing remained relatively calm. She reminded him, "Mr. Lin Feng's temper... we must be careful with our words and not offend him."

Qin Lan nodded: "I understand. I will take the lead in this matter."

They carefully wrapped the gold dog head in animal hide and, with a mix of trepidation and excitement, returned to Lin Feng's wooden house.

Lin Feng had just finished his daily "hot spring enjoyment" and was sitting in the sunlight in front of the wooden house, dressed in loose clothes, with the rare winter sun shining down.

He leisurely savored a glass of fruit wine he had just brewed from wild berries, which had a slightly sweet and sour taste.

The golden goblet shimmered with a soft light in his hand, perfectly complementing his languid yet noble demeanor.

Seeing Qin Lan and the other three return, and noticing their somewhat strange expressions, Lin Feng raised an eyebrow slightly but did not ask them anything.

Qin Lan took a deep breath, walked up to Lin Feng, and placed the heavy animal skin package on the wooden table in front of him: "Mr. Lin Feng, we... we made some new discoveries while we were out collecting today, and we would like to ask you to take a look."

Lin Feng put down his wine glass, his gaze falling on the animal skin package, and gestured for Qin Lan to open it.

When the huge, dark gold nugget was displayed before Lin Feng, even he couldn't hide the surprise and fervor in his eyes.

"Another one?"

Lin Feng reached out and picked up the gold nugget, which was several times heavier than the last one. The heavy weight and unique cool touch made him immediately realize that the purity and weight of the gold nugget were far superior to before: "Moreover... the quality is better."

He could feel that the moment he touched the gold, his knowledge of precious metal processing surged again, and even some more complex and precise techniques emerged.

For example, gold wire inlay, gemstone embellishment, and more advanced alloy formulas.

“Yes, Mr. Lin Feng.” Qin Lan carefully observed Lin Feng’s expression. “This piece… is much larger than the last one. We would like to… use it to exchange for something with you.”

Lin Feng weighed the gold nugget in his hand, already having made up his mind.

Such a huge piece of natural gold was of immeasurable value to him.

He could use it to make more goldware, or even try to create some more sophisticated tool parts, or use it as a catalyst for certain chemical experiments.

He raised his eyes, looked at Qin Lan, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Oh? What do you want to exchange? Tell me. For the sake of this piece of gold, as long as the request isn't too outrageous, I can consider it."

Qin Lan and Su Wanqing exchanged a glance and saw a hint of encouragement in each other's eyes.

She mustered her courage and tried to keep her voice steady: "Mr. Lin Feng, we hope to exchange this for enough food to get us through the winter. Also... we would like some of the ointment you make that can prevent wounds from getting infected."

Lin Feng nodded: "Food and ointment, no problem. This piece of gold is enough to buy you enough food and a large amount of ointment for the next month."

Upon hearing this promise, Qian Xiaoxiao and Tang Bao both showed expressions of joy.

A month's worth of food! This means they will no longer have to suffer from hunger and cold, and can safely get through this terrible winter.

But Qin Lan was not satisfied with that. She took a deep breath and said the main purpose of their trip: "Mr. Lin Feng, in addition to that... we have another request. We hope to use this gold to exchange for one... one chance to enter the hot spring you built and cleanse our bodies properly."

As soon as she finished speaking, the smile on Lin Feng's face faded slightly.

His cold eyes stared at Qin Lan with a scrutinizing and probing look.

"Hot spring?" Lin Feng's tone was calm, revealing no emotion. "You should know that it is my private domain."

“Yes, Mr. Lin Feng, we know,” Su Wanqing replied, her voice soft yet firm. “We dare not ask for frequent use, we only ask for… only once. We haven’t properly cleaned our bodies in far too long, and this is very important to us. We promise that we will only use it once, and we will clean it thoroughly as you request, leaving no trace.”

Qian Xiaoxiao hurriedly added, "Yes, yes, Mr. Lin Feng, just once! Please! We really... need it so badly!"

She was almost in tears; her longing for cleanliness and warmth was driving her almost insane.

Tang Bao looked at Lin Feng with her clear, adoring eyes and whispered, "Mr. Lin Feng... please..."

Lin Feng remained silent for a moment.

He looked at the women in front of him; their faces were covered in dirt, their hair was disheveled, and they exuded an indescribable mixed odor.

To be honest, he also found it a bit of an eyesore.

If they can clean him thoroughly, at least visually and olfactorily, it will make him feel more comfortable.

Moreover, the value of this piece of gold far exceeded his previous expectations.

If it's just in exchange for food and ointment, then he's getting a "good deal."

He has always preferred equivalent exchange, or rather, what he considers "equivalent".

"A thorough cleanse..."

Lin Feng stroked his chin, weighing the pros and cons.

His gaze swept over the huge gold nugget and then over the women's longing faces.

"If... if you can guarantee that you will strictly abide by the rules I set, and restore the bath to a state of even greater cleanliness than before afterward..."

Lin Feng spoke slowly, his pace very deliberate.

The women's eyes lit up instantly, and they held their breath, waiting for him to continue.

“Then,” Lin Feng drawled, “I can make an exception and allow you to use it once.”

"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, Mr. Lin Feng!" Qian Xiaoxiao was the first to cheer, jumping for joy.

Tangbao smiled happily, and tears even welled up in her eyes.

Qin Lan and Su Wanqing bowed deeply: "Thank you for your kindness! We will definitely abide by your rules!"

Lin Feng waved his hand, stopping their gratitude: "Don't be too happy yet. My rules will be very strict. If you fail to follow any of them, you won't even have the chance to use 'residual warmth water' anymore."

"We understand! We will definitely do it!" the women assured each other in unison.

Lin Feng nodded, put the gold nugget into his storage room, and then said to them, "It's getting late today. I'll let you use it first thing tomorrow morning. Prepare everything you need in advance. Remember, you only have one chance, so cherish it."

After saying that, he ignored them and turned to walk into his wooden house.