The female knight, carrying Yan Shouyi, sped into Drunken Flower Lane.
The road leading to Drunken Flower Lane had security checkpoints. Several tall, robust security guards, dressed immaculately, stood ramrod straight, each holding a black umbrella. Judging by the material of the umbrellas, they were more than just rain protection; they could serve as weapons if necessary.
These guards were far more professional than Yan Shouyi or Long Feicheng…
Upon hearing the roar of the motorcycle and spotting the female knight from afar, the guards didn't attempt to stop them. Instead, they promptly raised the barrier and let them pass.
Beyond this checkpoint was Drunken Flower Lane itself.
Yan Shouyi felt as if he had instantly entered a different realm. The ordinary concrete road transformed into a meticulously paved asphalt one. Lined on both sides were various types of precious flora and trees. The lawns were adorned with uniquely designed lampposts and mosquito-repelling lights. Luxurious villas rose majestically, each featuring multiple floor-to-ceiling windows that, illuminated by the lights, exuded an aura of opulence.
Everything here seemed brand new. The lampposts were spotless, the small flowers had just bloomed, and even the speed bumps on the road looked as if they had been replaced yesterday, so clean they could almost reflect Yan Shouyi's face.
"This is Drunken Flower Lane?"
Yan Shouyi muttered to himself, "It is indeed quite luxurious."
There was a distinction between luxury and extravagance. Extravagance involved spending money on things that were immediately apparent, like opulent hotels. Luxury, however, involved spending money on aspects that required a certain discernment to appreciate. At first glance, it might not seem remarkable, perhaps even appearing somewhat unpretentious, but once the price was revealed, it could be astonishing.
Take, for example, the Podocarpus trees planted along the internal roads of the Drunken Flower Lane villa complex. A sapling alone cost over fifty thousand yuan, and a mature specimen would be even more expensive.
Some might argue that a fifty-thousand-yuan Podocarpus wasn't particularly costly. However, Yan Shouyi noticed that Drunken Flower Lane not only had numerous Podocarpus trees but also that each one was meticulously pruned. The labor cost for this meticulous shaping far exceeded the price of the saplings themselves. Under the prominence of these trees, even Canary Island date palms, priced at tens of thousands each, were relegated to mere companions.
Having traveled extensively with his grandfather over the years, Yan Shouyi had visited many affluent families. While Drunken Flower Lane might not be the most extravagant place he had ever seen, it certainly ranked among the top.
"You bumpkin, what do you know about luxury?" the female knight on the motorcycle teased from ahead, though her tone lacked any malice.
Yan Shouyi chuckled and didn't offer much explanation. Instead, he focused on the house numbers, trying to locate Drunken Flower Lane number 1.
Suddenly, the number 1 flashed past his eyes. Yan Shouyi didn't even have time to call out to stop her before the female knight had already navigated them through several turns.
Helpless, Yan Shouyi silently decided to keep his mouth shut. It wouldn't be too late to visit Drunken Flower Lane number 1 after his wounds were treated.
Remembering the female knight's earlier taunt about him being a bumpkin, Yan Shouyi suddenly decided to launch a small counterattack: "Your place is so remote, you can't be doing too well in Drunken Flower Lane, can you?"
"You..."
The female knight stifled a laugh, her voice laced with amusement. "None of your business?"
"But that's true, it's better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a chicken!"
"I'm not the head of a chicken, and neither is my whole family!"
"You misunderstood me. I said you're the tail of a phoenix."
"I don't want to be the tail of a phoenix either!"
Continuing her grumbling, the female knight suddenly turned into a small courtyard. There wasn't even a house number at the entrance, making Yan Shouyi wonder if she was a resident displaced by development within Drunken Flower Lane.
She didn't even get a house number; how pitiful.
"Get off and wait here for a moment. I'll go get a doctor," the female knight said.
"Oh."
Yan Shouyi dismounted and surveyed his surroundings. He noticed that within the courtyard, there was only a detached small villa. The exterior walls were covered in climbing ivy with small flowers blooming, lending it quite an aesthetic charm.
Behind the small villa stood a behemoth, grand as a small castle.
Yan Shouyi pointed at the small castle and said, "Look how magnificent their house is, and then look at yours."
"Idiot! That's my house too!"
The female knight shot Yan Shouyi a glare and pushed open a small side gate in the courtyard, entering the structure Yan Shouyi had referred to as a "small castle."
Yan Shouyi: "..."
It was over. It seemed he shouldn't mock others so casually.
He might end up mocking a true female magnate.
Feeling awkward, Yan Shouyi dared not speak further. He obediently sat on a swing in the courtyard, waiting for the female knight to fetch the doctor.
...
Liu Yiren returned home and loudly called for the butler. To her surprise, she discovered that the more than a hundred servants who were usually visible throughout the house were nowhere to be found today.
The house appeared desolate, as if it had just been ransacked.
What was going on?
Fortunately, the butler soon arrived. Liu Yiren asked curiously:
"Uncle Zhong, why is there no one in the house? Did we go bankrupt? Did Grandpa and the others run away?"
The butler, Uncle Zhong, found her question both amusing and exasperating. He was glad he wasn't drinking water at that moment, or he would have sputtered it out.
Uncle Zhong replied, "Second Miss, you don't know yet? The Old Master is hosting a banquet today to entertain a distinguished guest, so he has dismissed some of the less important servants. The remaining staff are all in the banquet hall."
"What distinguished guest requires such a grand occasion..." Liu Yiren mumbled.
"I'm not privy to that information. I only know that those who can attend later are the most esteemed figures in Drunken Flower Lane. I imagine that distinguished guest must also possess an extraordinary status."
Uncle Zhong then observed Liu Yiren. "Second Miss, the Old Master specifically instructed that you should also make an appearance later. Perhaps you should change your clothes?"
"What's gotten into Grandpa today? He never forces me to participate in such events... Oh well, never mind that for now. Where is the doctor? Tell him to go to my courtyard to help with the wound." Liu Yiren waved her hand impatiently.
Uncle Zhong immediately became concerned. "Second Miss, you're injured? Where?"
"It's not me. It's a bumpkin I picked up on the road. His arm is injured, and it needs treatment," Liu Yiren explained.
Uncle Zhong finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The Old Master also sent the doctor down the mountain. We don't have anyone at home today..."
"Ah?"
Liu Yiren's mouth opened, and then she said with resignation, "Alright then, I'll go get the medical kit. I know how to treat wounds too."
Uncle Zhong hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. As the butler, he had an obligation to remind Liu Yiren of the importance of the day's occasion and to not bring strangers home. However, he knew Liu Yiren well. No matter what he said, she wouldn't pay attention. Within the Liu family, she was the most headstrong, and apart from her beloved Old Master, she listened to no one.
With a sigh, Uncle Zhong returned to the banquet hall to inform the Old Master about Liu Yiren's request.
In the opulent banquet hall, an elder sat in the main seat, smoking a pipe. He had specifically placed an extra seat beside him, at his level, reserved for the distinguished guest.
Below him, about thirty juniors and guests were seated on both sides, all looking somewhat curious.
What kind of person could make the Liu family Old Master attach such importance, even setting aside a seat at his own level?
The Liu family was not particularly numerous, but those present today were individuals who had made significant contributions to the family. The invited guests were also among the top individuals in terms of wealth and status in Drunken Flower Lane.
It could be said that since the establishment of Drunken Flower Lane, an occasion as grand as this had never been witnessed.
The Liu family Old Master took puffs of his pipe, his gaze constantly fixed on the entrance. His expression was a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
"Master."
At that moment, the butler Uncle Zhong whispered something in the Old Master's ear. The Old Master could only nod resignedly and signal Uncle Zhong to withdraw.
"That girl Yiren, she's getting more disobedient!" the Old Master muttered to himself. Then, his gaze returned to the direction of the entrance. "Strange, the sun has clearly set, yet Shouyi hasn't arrived. Could it be that the connection between our Liu family and the heir of Lu Ban has ended, and Shouyi is unwilling to visit the Liu family anymore?"