Chapter 282 The Old House of the Lan Dun Family
On the wide, smooth street, a person came running up, panting: "Miss Zuo, young master, I'm sorry I'm late!"
The newcomer was none other than Evan, the old butler of the Lan Dun family. Zuo Shan looked at him with a complex expression.
Out of respect for the elderly, she should be polite to him, but the memory of their last meeting, when he negotiated with her on behalf of Caesarland, was unpleasant.
He deliberately arrived late again today. Was he intentionally being disrespectful? Or was he trying to intimidate her or something?
However, seeing the beads of sweat on the forehead of the white-haired old man in front of him, Zuo Shan decided to let it go for the time being.
“Mr. Evan, you’ve arrived just in time. We’ve just gone through the identity verification channel.” Zuo Shan smiled faintly.
"Hello, Mr. Evan!" Ah Chen greeted him politely.
His impression of the old man was that every time his great-grandfather video-chatted with him, the old man would mutter quietly off-screen, reminding him not to forget this or that.
He himself never appears on screen, but Ah Chen is very familiar with his voice.
"Please follow me!" Evan didn't waste any words and led them to a place that looked like a bus stop by the roadside to wait.
Zuo Shan's eyes widened. Wasn't the central district supposed to be the power center of the entire Northern Hemisphere? Why did the Lan Dun family, one of the four major families, need to wait for the bus to get around?
"That's right, we have set up a triple radiation shield in the central area, which can reduce solar radiation to almost zero."
However, too many protective shields also have a drawback: if there are too many pollutants in the air, it will cause severe smog, which will not only affect visibility but also affect people's health.
Therefore, the central district enacted regulations strictly prohibiting private vehicles from operating within the city. Violators would be sent to the front lines as vanguards or to work in the mines,” Evan explained carefully.
While expressing his understanding, Zuo Shan couldn't help but think of the frequent traffic jams on Earth, as well as the greenhouse effect caused by excessive car exhaust emissions.
Although everyone has been calling for environmental protection, the higher authorities are unlikely to make a real effort to rectify the situation unless they are pushed to the brink.
For example, in this central area, if it weren't for the major catastrophe, the higher-ups probably wouldn't have sacrificed their own convenience to force everyone to take public transportation.
"Huh? Aren't many aircraft powered by energy stones? This stuff shouldn't cause pollution, right?" Pandora couldn't help but ask.
"Indeed not, but the production of energy stones is limited, and they should be prioritized for those with superpowers to cultivate and improve their levels."
Otherwise, they would suffer heavy losses when faced with a large-scale beast tide.
"To avoid wasting energy stones, the central area should naturally set an example by allowing the use of private transportation unless there is no public transport or scheduled flight to the destination," Evan said.
After learning that the Lan Dun family's old house was only two kilometers away from the city gate, and that the bus only ran every fifteen minutes, Zuo Shan decided to walk there.
After all, with the space button in place and no need to carry luggage, walking such a short distance is nothing for this family who exercise every day.
Evan quickly said he wasn't tired and could walk, even though he was actually quite tired, since he, as the seasoned housekeeper, was never usually asked to run errands around the house.
Moreover, he and the head of the family had not gone hunting for many years, and their physical fitness had indeed declined significantly.
Looking at the family, who were still full of energy despite their long journey, Evan couldn't help but sigh: I guess I can't be lazy anymore!
As they walked, Evan made sure to introduce them to the important buildings nearby: "The red building across the street is the opera house, where there are live performances every three days, including singing, dancing and plays."
The four-story building not far ahead is the largest shopping mall in the central area – Shengshi Huating. Although the items there are a bit more expensive, the quality is absolutely guaranteed, and the variety of goods is also complete.
Further ahead is the Dreamy Galaxy Bar, a popular gathering place for young people in the city center…
As Zuo Shan listened, he couldn't help but give the old man a thumbs up. This man was indeed an excellent butler, showing consideration and thoughtfulness in every way, leaving no room for criticism.
Well, she didn't actually intend to find fault with the old man, since her main purpose in coming here was to accompany him in his studies.
Although the two-kilometer walk wasn't particularly fast, it only took Evan 20 minutes. As he walked, he kept glancing at Achen.
This young master was clearly different from the pampered children in the central district. After walking such a long distance with the adults, Zuo Shan and the others did not take care of his short legs and deliberately slowed down their pace.
This meant he had to jog a few steps every so often to keep up with the adults, but he never complained and his expression remained cheerful throughout.
It's like a child who doesn't know what sorrow is, running and jumping all the way, asking questions from time to time. He's completely outgoing and friendly, unlike Young Master Modi at all.
Evan felt inexplicably relieved. The arrival of this young master would probably make the head of the family much happier.
The old house of the Lan Dun family was quite unexpected for Zuo Shan. Although it occupied a large area, it looked... old and simple.
The villa's exterior walls are made of bluish-gray stone bricks, with traces of moss faintly visible between the stones—a whisper of nature and time, telling stories of the past.
The roof of the two-story building is covered with dark brown tiles, which, despite the passage of time, still steadfastly guard this tranquil space.
Sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, casting dappled patterns on the rooftops, adding warmth and vitality to this ancient building.
The villa's doors and windows are designed in a simple yet exquisite style. The wooden frames, weathered by time, have acquired a warm luster and seem to exude a faint woody fragrance.
The window frames are carved with simple patterns, which, though not elaborate, perfectly showcase the ingenuity of the craftsmen of the old era and the aesthetics of that time.
In the vast garden, several ancient trees stand tall with lush foliage, sheltering the villa from the wind and rain.
Around the big tree, against the courtyard wall, a few lonely wildflowers bloomed tenaciously. Though inconspicuous, they added a touch of life and vitality to this old villa.
Apart from that, there was no lush green lawn and flowing water scenery that I had imagined in a large villa.
Most of the villa was empty, with ordinary blue bricks paving the ground, while the main passageway was made of old red bricks, which made it easy to see the way for people coming and going.
The house gave Zuo Shan a sense of familiarity, as if he were visiting an ancient building on Earth. It felt very welcoming, but without any of the oppressive feeling he had imagined.
At the end of a red brick passage, you'll see an elderly man craning his neck and waiting expectantly under the eaves.
Wait a minute! Why are there two old men?
As soon as Zuo Shan and the others came into the old men's sight, two old men rushed towards them as if in a race. Their figures were so agile that they left afterimages!
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