"Xiao Feng, what do you think of our Zhu Family estate?"
Zhu Yan smiled gently, steering the conversation to a new topic.
"Extremely grand and beautiful especially this main residence. It rivals even the imperial palace."
Lu Feng replied with a polite smile, though internally, he was enduring quite the ordeal because his senstive area was being handled by quite a naughty legs.
Perhaps due to their bloodline, the women of the Zhu Family were universally stunning, both in face and figure. And Zhu Zhuqing stood above them all.
Though still young, she had already grown over 1.7 meters tall even taller than her sister Zhu Zhuyun, with the leggy proportions of a future supermodel.
But unlike the tall and skinny supermodels of later generations, who were famously flat-chested, Zhu Zhuqing was an exception. Her tight-fitting leather clothes accentuated her full, ample chest, her slender waist emphasized her perfectly curved hips, and her long, shapely legs possessed an ideal, nine-to-one body ratio that could ruin a man for years.
Yet who would've thought? Those very legs were now ruining him under the table.
And she was very creative with them.
Unaware of their extremely private exchange under the table, Zhu Yan laughed heartily at Lu Feng's praise.
"We dare not compare to the imperial palace, but when renovating, we hired the same craftsmen used by royalty, the top-tier artisans of the Pan-Continental Commerce Alliance, the Defense Clan. Their fees are expensive, but worth every coin. Sturdy, majestic… Rumor has it even the Martial Soul Hall's Pope's Palace relies on them for repairs. Stay as long as you like the Zhu Family will provide everything. If you have special requests, simply ask."
Lu Feng smirked inwardly.
Zhu Yan was flaunting his wealth by name-dropping the Defense Clan's work.
Little did he know, not just the Defense Clan, but the entire Pan-Continental Commerce Alliance answered to Lu Feng.
This was Zhu Yan's roundabout way of saying: "Whatever resources the Star Luo royalty or Martial Soul Hall offer, we can match."
But the old fox was too shrewd to state it outright. Since Lu Feng had already made his interest in Zhu Zhuqing clear, effectively putting himself at the Zhu Family's mercy, Zhu Yan could afford to wait.
A classic merchant's tactic: maximize your leverage.
Just then, maids brought drinks including cola, bottled in small glass vessels stamped with the Alliance's logo with Dai weiss beaming advertisement.
"Try this," Zhu Yan said. "A new Alliance beverage. Initially reserved for royalty, and was impossible to buy but just recently has been released in limited quantities."
Lu Feng grabbed a bottle and drained it in one gulp. "Refreshing. Delicious."
Naturally, he'd praise his own product.
"Hey! That's one gold soul coin per bottle," Zhu Zhuyun huffed, shooting him a glare.
Zhu Yan waved her off. "Zhuyun, you're going to be Empress. Must you count coppers? Xiao Feng, drink your fill."
Suddenly
Lu Feng felt a sudden increase in the pressure of the movement below, and another foot, adorned with silk stockings and no high heeled shoes, slid across.
The footwork was shockingly good and seemed to reach into his heart.
The sensation was unique, stimulating, and immensely pleasurable.
He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to act as if nothing were happening, all the while lowering his head to focus on the act of drinking.
"Pfft-" Zhu Zhuqing covered her mouth, stifling a laugh misunderstanding Lu Feng's flustered expression as his embarrassment.
He shot her a loaded glance.
Just you wait, wife. Laugh now… but tonight, you'll be meowing like a cat!
...
Unknowingly, night fell.
As the banquet ended, Zhu Yan specifically assigned Zhu Zhuqing to escort Lu Feng to his quarters.
Lu Feng's spirits soared.
Perfect arrangement.
Thank you, future father-in-law, for this chance at revenge.
After enduring so long, the fire in him had burned white-hot.
A gentleman's vengeance knows no curfew.
At the family banquet, he'd already plotted countless ways to "get revenge" on Zhu Zhuqing.
If he weren't such a well-known figure, constantly drawing glances from passersby, he might've already acted on his impulses instead of just walking and chatting like this.
Zhu Zhuqing seemed especially conscious of prying eyes, refusing to even let him hold her hand. Not that he blamed her. After all, this was their first real meeting, and the girl was naturally shy.
What neither Lu Feng nor Zhu Zhuqing realized was that a slender figure lurked in the shadows of the trees, silently trailing them under the cover of night. Curious eyes watched their every move.
The winding path eventually led them to a secluded courtyard in the estate's rear, a spacious residence personally arranged for Lu Feng by Zhu Yan. Bamboo groves surrounded the area, their leaves rustling softly in the wind, creating an elegant and tranquil atmosphere perfect for rest or cultivation.
Most notably, it shared a single wall with Zhu Zhuqing's own courtyard.
Zhu Yan's intentions couldn't have been clearer.
Finally alone, Lu Feng could no longer restrain himself. Heat burned in his gaze as he stared blatantly at Zhu Zhuqing's curvaceous figure, like a starved wolf eyeing a tender lamb.
Unaware of the shift in his expression, Zhu Zhuqing said, "I'll leave you here. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to hunt for your spirit ring."
"Teasing me all night, and now you think you can just walk away?"
Lu Feng flung his arms out, catching her by the waist, so slender it felt like it could snap in his grip.
"Ah!" Zhu Zhuqing gasped, stunned by the sudden boldness from the usually composed Lu Feng. Before she could react, he'd already pulled her tight against him.
Instinct took over. Her palms slammed into his chest with force.
She'd always been fiercely independent even Dai Mubai had never held her hand (though back then, she'd been young). Even now, with their engagement canceled and her budding feelings for Lu Feng, this was still their first meeting. The day's whirlwind of events left her mind in chaos, unprepared for such abrupt advances.
Without a second thought, she retaliated.
Lu Feng grunted as the impact sent him flying backward, his body arcing through the air before crashing toward the bamboo grove.
Only then did Zhu Zhuqing remember, Lu Feng had just awakened his new martial soul. Without spirit rings or tempered strength, he stood no chance against her full-force strike, fueled by embarrassment and fury.
At that moment a dark shadow shot out from the bamboo, intercepting Lu Feng mid-air.
The figure halted, revealing an alluring silhouette and a face brimming with sly charm.
It was Zhu Zhuyun.
She caught Lu Feng effortlessly, landing lightly on the ground. She had no choice but to interfere because her hiding spot was where he was about to fall.
"Zhu Zhuqing!" Zhuyun snapped, cradling Lu Feng. "Do you have any idea how valuable he is? Even the emperor treats him like a treasure! If you'd seriously injured him, could you have taken responsibility?"
Zhu Zhuqing rushed over, with her cheeks flushed.
Her embarrassment wasn't just from the fear of causing trouble; it was also because a man had touched her intimate area for the first time, and the shyness lingered.
At first, Lu Feng was dazed.
Then it hit him the woman's feet under the table earlier hadn't been Zhu Zhuqing's!
This was a huge misunderstanding!
Before he could fully process it, he felt his breath catch. The back of his head was nestled into an incredibly soft and gentle embrace.
"He breathing heavily" Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed.
"That means the injury is serious," Zhu Zhuyun echoed, her voice laced with panic. "What do we do now"