Chapter 036: The Stunning Tenant

Lu Yuan turned to find a woman of ethereal beauty standing behind him. Her icy elegance made even the aloof Dujuan seem ordinary by comparison. Clad in a white tailored suit, she radiated an untouchable aura like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley. Her features bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain actress from his past life.

A memory clicked. "Yu Feihong... Ms. Yu?"

The woman's porcelain face tightened. "That title no longer applies."

Lu Yuan recalled Liu Feiyan's briefing—this former cosmetics mogul had lost everything. "You asked about the siheyuan. Did you have advice?"

"A... presumptuous request." Yu Feihong's gaze lingered on the courtyard's moon gate. "If you purchase it, would you refrain from renovations?"

Lu Yuan's eyebrow arched. "With all respect, Ms. Yu, ownership implies—"

"I know." She cut him off, voice fraying. "Forgive my impertinence."

As she turned to leave, Lu Yuan caught her wrist—surprisingly warm beneath the frost. "Why ask this?"

Her lashes lowered. "Three years ago, this wasn't mine. It was my grandfather's."

Over coffee, her story unfolded—a childhood spent chasing carp in the lagoon while her parents built their empire, summers pressing jujube flowers into her grandfather's ledger. "Every stone holds his memory," she murmured, tracing her cup's rim. "When he died, I bankrupted my company to keep it."

Cheng Xiao sniffled, handing over a tissue.

Lu Yuan studied Yu Feihong—the tremor in her shoulders, the way moonlight caught the single tear tracking her jawline. He'd bedded models and starlets, but this shattered ice queen stirred something unfamiliar.

"One year," he declared suddenly. "I'll preserve it for twelve months."

Her eyes widened, galaxies swirling in their depths. "Why?"

Leaning closer, he caught bergamot and despair. "Let's call it... artistic appreciation."

Cheng Xiao piped up: "You could rent a room! The east wing's vacant!"

Yu Feihong stiffened. "I can't afford—"

"Three thousand monthly," Lu Yuan interrupted. "Utilities included."

Her throat worked. "That's... below market rate."

His grin turned wolfish. "Consider it a heritage preservation grant."

Their handshake lingered—his thumb brushing her pulse point, her breath hitching.

System Note: Beijing's prime siheyuan rentals average ￥300,000 monthly. Lu Yuan's offer represents 1% market value.

As they stood to leave, Yu Feihong hesitated. "There's something else. Acquiring this property won't be simple."

To Be Continued...