The Old House

Translator: Cinder Translations

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It was clear that everyone was very interested in the Fatty's self-introduction. A truck driver who wasn't an orphan seemed to hide a lot of stories.

"Alright," An Xuan sighed and said, "It looks like we're the only ones for this mission. If there are no objections, let's go out for a walk."

As if thinking of something, An Xuan's expression became slightly strange. He paused for a moment before continuing, "I had a brief chat with the staff here. They said some things that might seem a bit odd."

Some things are better left unsaid, but once he mentioned it, everyone became curious.

"What's odd about them?" someone asked.

"Well, their tone, their choice of words," An Xuan thought for a moment, "and the way they write—it's a bit different from what we're used to."

The group left the room, descending the stairs. The old wooden steps creaked under their weight.

Contrary to what the girl in the bear pajamas, Tang Shirou, had imagined, their clothes did not attract curious stares from the people around them.

People passed by them without paying any attention, as though their presence was being ignored.

"Guests," just as they were about to leave the establishment, a staff member, with a dirty rag draped over his shoulder and a sharp expression, blocked their way.

They exchanged looks, and An Xuan spoke first in a calm tone, "Is something the matter?"

The staff member flashed a flattering smile and said, "This morning, the steward from Master Huang's residence sent someone over. You were all still asleep, so they didn't disturb you. They told me to wait for you to wake up and then guide you to the master's house."

At these words, the group's expressions changed. It seemed this staff member was an NPC in this mission, meant to block their path and direct them to the next task location.

"Master Huang?" You Qi, the burly man with a deep voice, asked. "Which Master Huang?"

"Don't tease me, sir," the staff member lowered his stance further. "In this whole town, who else could it be other than Master Huang, the great benefactor?"

An Xuan didn't waste any more words. He glanced outside and said, "Please lead the way."

Following the staff member's guidance, the group left the inn. As they stepped outside, they were greeted by an ancient-looking town.

The streets were full of people dressed in traditional clothing, with various shops lining the sides: inns, taverns, small rice shops, and cloth stores.

Most of the street vendors had their stalls set up along the street.

A vendor selling sugar figurines was arguing with a candy apple seller, surrounded by a crowd watching. Both of them were dressed in ragged clothing, looking emaciated, as though they hadn't eaten a full meal in a long time.

This town, with its humble people, seemed to fit the scene perfectly.

Standing next to Fatty, Chen Qiang blinked slowly, carefully observing everything around him. There was an unknown light flashing in his eyes.

"Song Dynasty," he said softly.

"Song Dynasty?" The yellow-haired youth, Shi Liao Zhi, muttered, "I think all ancient times are pretty much the same."

"No, it's different," Chen Qiang explained quietly, "The architectural style of the Song Dynasty is unique for its elegance. The roof ridges and corners are curved upward, unlike the sturdy style of the Tang Dynasty. It's also more dynamic than the rigid styles of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties."

When discussing this topic, Chen Qiang seemed to have become more confident.

Hearing this, everyone looked at him in surprise.

"What major did you study?" Xia Meng suddenly asked.

"Architecture, with a focus on architectural history."

They crossed the street and arrived in front of a large estate. The gates were tightly shut, and no one made any attempt to knock, so they had to walk around the perimeter.

After walking for a while, they turned into a narrow alley. At the far end, there was a small wooden door.

The door was just wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

From a distance, they could see three people standing next to the door.

A man and two women.

The man was in his 40s, with thick brows and big eyes, a powerful build, dressed in coarse linen, exuding an intimidating aura as he stood by the door like a guardian.

The two women looked similar to each other, with blank expressions. The older woman was holding a flamboyant paper fan, though she wasn't waving it. The younger woman just stood there, her eyes hollow, as if her soul had been lost.

The change happened when the group walked in front of them. All three of them focused their gaze, their pupils narrowing as they all looked at Jiang Cheng and the others.

"Steward Zhou has been waiting for a long time," the older woman holding the fan said in a measured tone, her eyes slowly sweeping over everyone, "Please, follow me."

The group's expressions changed, realizing that in this ancient scenario, they were all being treated as doctors.

They remained calm and followed the middle-aged woman through the side door into the estate. As they walked, the scenery kept changing—pavilions, water features, all of which expanded their horizons.

If not for the weight of the task hanging over them, it might have felt like a pleasant opportunity for relaxation.

"We've arrived," the middle-aged woman stopped and turned to them. "Please rest here for now. The young master is still resting. Later, the doctors will be called to see him."

"Everything you need is in the guest rooms, and it's arranged according to your preferences. When it's time to eat, someone will come to get you," she paused before continuing in a mechanical tone, "The master prefers quiet. There are few rooms in the house, so please stay in the guest room and don't wander around at night, to avoid disturbing anyone."

After saying this, the woman turned and left.

"Wait," An Xuan reached out and grabbed her arm, smiling as he asked, "What about Steward Zhou? We're new here; we shouldn't keep the host waiting."

The middle-aged woman stared at him with an odd expression, devoid of emotion, as if she were looking at an inanimate object.

Realizing his mistake, An Xuan chuckled and released her arm.

"Steward Zhou had an urgent matter and won't be able to make it for now," she said in a flat tone, as if reading from a script.

"Sorry to trouble you," An Xuan apologized.

Once the woman left, the group began to survey their surroundings. They were by a pond, large enough to rival a small lake.

From this, it was clear that the master of the estate was extremely wealthy.

This Master Huang was likely involved in some large business or had inherited significant power and status, possibly even holding a position before retiring.

The estate was located deep within the old house, secluded and peaceful, with only the scent of flowers in the air and no birds singing. In other words, even if something were to happen here, no one would know.

"You were too hasty earlier," the experienced Qin Jian walked over, looking at An Xuan with a half-reproachful, half-worried expression. "Do you know who that woman is?"

"It's all my fault, I was too eager," An Xuan apologized for his earlier rashness.

(End of the Chapter)

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