The next morning, Han Feng sat on the sofa, idly turning his car keys. After dropping Liu Mengran off at the company, he noticed that Su Wanwan's door was still tightly closed; he wondered what time the girl had stayed up all night.
As the key spun seven times on his fingertip, his phone suddenly vibrated. The words "Liu Xiaoran" appeared on the screen, causing Han Feng to raise an eyebrow. He wondered if Liu Xiaoran calling him at this hour meant the Liu family had agreed to a meeting.
"Do you have time today?" Liu Xiaoran's direct voice came through the phone after it was answered.
Han Feng slammed his car keys on the coffee table: "What's wrong?"
"My grandfather has agreed to see you." Liu Xiaoran's tone was as calm as if he were discussing the weather, but the weight of his words made Han Feng sit up straight instantly.
"Where should I wait for you?" Han Feng asked without hesitation.
"Are you home? I'll come pick you up." Liu Xiaoran said and hung up the phone in less than fifteen seconds.
Han Feng stared at the blacked-out screen, a slight smile playing on his lips. The Liu family patriarch wanted to see him? This was much faster than expected. He got up and went to the kitchen, hastily scribbling a note and sticking it on the refrigerator: "Wanwan, I have to go out. Take care of lunch yourself."
Just as he put down his pen, the doorbell rang. Liu Xiaoran stood outside, still impeccably dressed; even in the simplest casual wear, a sense of seriousness shone through. He glanced at Han Feng's casual t-shirt and jeans, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing.
The car drove out of the villa area and merged into the morning rush hour traffic. Han Feng rolled down the window, letting the morning breeze dispel the last trace of drowsiness.
"By the way, why does the old man suddenly want to see me?" Han Feng broke the silence.
Liu Xiaoran's fingers tightened on the steering wheel for a moment: "Only my grandfather is here today; the other family elders aren't here." He paused, then added, "Be a little more careful later."
Han Feng turned to look at him: "What should I be careful about?"
The red light came on, and Liu Xiaoran slammed on the brakes, turning to look Han Feng directly in the eye: "He knows about you and Mengran."
"So what? Are you going to kill me?" Han Feng shrugged dismissively.
Liu Xiaoran's gaze returned to the front, his voice low: "Things between you two might not go so smoothly. In short, be careful."
After this meaningful remark, silence fell over the car again. Han Feng gazed at the fleeting street scenes outside the window, his thoughts churning. The Liu family, once a reclusive clan, possessed extraordinary abilities in the secular world. If they hadn't been expelled from the reclusive clans for some reason, ordinary people wouldn't have been able to reach that level. Even outside the reclusive clans, the Liu family was still a behemoth in Kyoto.
The car finally stopped at the entrance of a quiet alley in the Xicheng District. After walking fifty meters, a courtyard house with gray walls and blue tiles came into view. The gate was simple and unassuming; if Liu Xiaoran hadn't led the way, Han Feng might have missed this inconspicuous entrance.
However, the moment Han Feng stepped across the threshold, his pupils contracted slightly—the seemingly ordinary courtyard house on the outside was actually more than ten times larger than he had imagined. The central courtyard, paved with bluestone slabs, was spacious enough to park a small convoy of cars, and the surrounding corridors meandered to different courtyards, with several ancient trees with gnarled branches casting dappled shadows.
"There's a hidden paradise inside," Han Feng murmured in amazement.
Liu Xiaoran didn't reply, but led him through the courtyard. Han Feng noticed that each stone slab under his feet was engraved with intricate patterns, which, when put together, seemed to be some kind of ancient formation. A faint scent of sandalwood mingled with the fragrance of herbs and trees in the air, calming the mind unconsciously.
Deep in the courtyard, an elderly man with gray hair was watering the flowers with his back to them. He was dressed in a simple gray Zhongshan suit, his figure upright like a pine tree. He held a bronze watering can, his movements slow and precise, ensuring that each plant received just the right amount of water.
"Grandpa, I've brought the person." Liu Xiaoran stopped five steps away and said respectfully.
The last drop of water in the kettle fell into the flowerpot, and the old man slowly turned around. In that instant, Han Feng felt an invisible pressure surge like a tide, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze. The old man's eyes were bright and piercing, and his complexion was ruddy, unlike that of someone in his seventies, but Han Feng keenly noticed a faint black aura lingering between his brows, as if his life force was being eroded by something.
What shocked Han Feng the most were those eyes, sharp as a hawk's, yet deep as an ancient well. In that instant of eye contact, he felt as if his very soul had been seen through. The pressure grew heavier, Han Feng's fingers began to tremble, and cold sweat seeped from his back, but he gritted his teeth, stood ramrod straight, and met the old man's gaze without flinching.
Ten seconds, twenty seconds... Just when Han Feng felt he was about to give up, the old man suddenly withdrew his imposing aura, revealed a smile, and said, "You must be Han Feng."
The pressure vanished instantly. Han Feng subtly adjusted his breathing and nodded, saying, "Greetings, Grandpa Liu."
Han Feng was well aware of his own limitations; given the Liu family's ambiguous stance, he dared not rashly address them as "Grandpa."
At this moment, Liu Shanhe handed the water bottle to Liu Xiaoran, looking Han Feng up and down, his admiration growing stronger: "Not bad, you're the first young person to withstand my aura for so long."
Just as Han Feng was about to respond, he noticed that the old man's brows furrowed slightly, as if he were enduring some kind of pain.
"Come with me." The old man turned and walked towards the east wing. "Xiao Ran, go prepare tea."
Liu Xiaoran glanced at Han Feng, seemingly wanting to say something but then hesitated, before silently retreating. Han Feng followed Liu Shanhe into the side room and found it to be an antique-style study. The bookshelves on the four walls were filled with thread-bound ancient books, and a yellowed handwritten copy lay open on a rosewood desk in the center.
Liu Shanhe sat down in the armchair and gestured for Han Feng to sit as well. When Han Feng's fingers touched the armrest, a faint, electric-like sensation surged through his arm. It seemed that the chair, and indeed the entire room, contained some kind of energy that he couldn't comprehend.
Indeed, the power and incredible aspects behind these reclusive families are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
"Han Feng, nineteen years old, the actual controlling shareholder behind Maple Leaf Investment Group, a top student in the Finance Department of Kyoto University..." Liu Shanhe slowly revealed his apparent identity, then changed the subject, "He is also the chief instructor of the Dragon Abyss Base, Xiao Ran's direct superior, am I right?"
Han Feng's muscles tensed instantly. He didn't know what the other party was up to, and asked, "Old Master Liu, you didn't just summon me here to verify my identity, did you?"
Liu Shanhe laughed, his laughter booming like a bell: "Good, straightforward! Then I'll get straight to the point." His eyes suddenly sharpened. "What exactly is your purpose in approaching my granddaughter?"
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