After a busy day, Shen Feng returned home. Chu Chaoyan had already prepared the meal. Previously, Chu Chaoyan's cooking lacked precision with seasonings, but with Chang Jianyian by her side, her culinary skills had improved significantly. At the very least, the food was edible.
"Afeng, quickly sit down and taste my cooking," Chu Chaoyan eagerly beckoned Shen Feng to sit, and the family prepared to eat.
However, Chang Haojie had eaten too many snacks during the day and didn't eat much at dinner before running out to play. His favorite thing was to go to the orphanage in the evening to watch movies with other children his age. He felt more at ease with peers, whereas at home, he was always being disciplined.
Seeing her brother leave, Chang Jianyian spoke more freely. She said in a low voice, "Well, I was thinking of inviting Zhang Xixi to live with us. Since there are so many rooms, letting her stay at Fengshen Palace is also a good choice."
Shen Feng shrugged, indifferent. "I don't have any objections, but it's not good to have her living in my house for no reason. People might think I'm interested in a young girl like her."
Shen Feng didn't care whether Zhang Xixi lived at home or not. His main concern was the potential impact on his reputation. Someone had spread rumors that he liked mature women and married ladies, which led to him often seeing maturely dressed and provocatively dressed female employees at the City Lord's Mansion, all looking the same.
Chu Chaoyan also nodded seriously. "That's right. Zhang Xixi is living well on her own. If you suddenly bring her to live in your house, she might not be able to adapt."
Chang Jianyian explained in a low voice, "Don't you realize? Zhang Xixi is an ability user, and she's about the same age as my brother. Although my brother is two years younger, they are a good match!"
As soon as she said this, Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan understood. Chang Jianyian's intentions were far from simple. The reason she wanted Zhang Xixi to live in Fengshen Palace was to matchmake Chang Haojie and Zhang Xixi.
Shen Feng said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm afraid that's not appropriate. Zhang Xixi is my friend's sister, and I'm only temporarily looking after her. If something were to happen between her and Xiao Jie, how would I explain it to my friend?"
"Children always grow up. Letting two young boys and girls grow up together is natural. If your friend knew her sister had found someone she loved, they would surely be very happy. Besides, what's wrong with my brother? Is he not good enough for her?" Chang Jianyian seemed displeased.
Shen Feng looked at Chu Chaoyan and asked, "What do you think? You have the best relationship with Zhang Xixi. Doesn't she always treat you like an elder sister? You should state your position now."
Chu Chaoyan also began to find excuses. This matter could not be simply agreed to, as it would be irresponsible towards Zhang Xixi. Nor could it be directly refused, as it would be a loss of face for Chang Jianyian and not good for their relationship. Therefore, if a reasonable excuse could be found, it would be ideal.
After much thought, Chu Chaoyan said to Chang Jianyian, "Well, I don't think it's suitable. Currently, Zhang Xixi is living with Du Xinshi, who was also entrusted to Shen Feng by a friend. These two are taking care of each other, one can protect the other, and one can take care of the other. If you let Zhang Xixi live with them, what about Du Xinshi?"
Chang Jianyian pondered for a moment and then said, "How about this? Let Du Xinshi also come to live with us. For cooking or cleaning, that's fine, isn't it? Fengshen Palace is so big, it won't make much difference to have one more person living here."
"No, no, there are hidden reasons," Shen Feng quickly refused.
Shen Feng had just managed to distance himself from Du Xinshi to prevent her from clinging to him all the time. The misunderstanding in Yanjing had not been spread by Lu Xian, so others had not heard any gossip. But now, his senior was bringing an even more troublesome woman home. Wasn't this asking for trouble?
Chang Jianyian immediately felt strange and asked, "Why? Wasn't Du Xinshi also entrusted by a friend? Why can't she live here too?"
Shen Feng coughed twice, thinking of an excuse. "I don't think it's good. Du Xinshi's son just learned to talk and calls me 'Dad' when he sees me. If this continues, it will inevitably lead to misunderstandings, which will be bad for my reputation."
"Is that so..." Chang Jianyian frowned as she heard Shen Feng's excuse and began to ponder. Suddenly, she said, "Why don't you recognize Du Xinshi's son as your godson? That way, it will be legitimate, and no one can gossip."
Shen Feng was immediately unable to object. It seemed that no matter what reason he presented, it could be explained appropriately. Chang Jianyian also acted on her word, asking Chu Chaoyan to contact the two women and invite them to live in Fengshen Palace. Then, she arranged for her subordinates to clean the rooms and prepare to welcome the two into the household.
Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi accepted Chu Chaoyan's invitation. After a brief polite exchange, they were led into Fengshen Palace by Chu Chaoyan.
The next morning, Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi, holding her child, walked into Fengshen Palace. As they entered, they couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, how magnificent!"
Chu Chaoyan led them around, introducing them. "This is the main hall. The study, home cinema, and communication room are all here. Generally, guests are entertained here, and meals are also served here. Further ahead is my garden, where I grow morning glories. Be careful not to weed them casually."
Zhang Xixi asked curiously, "Sister Chu, why do you plant morning glories in your yard? Do you like this flower?"
Chu Chaoyan nodded and said seriously, "Liking morning glories is secondary. It's mainly because my name comes from the morning glory. In ancient times, morning glories had an elegant name, called 'Chaoyan,' because morning glories open during the day and close at night."
Du Xinshi walked along, holding her child, looking at the surrounding palaces and pavilions. She was somewhat shocked. This Fengshen Palace was certainly not comparable to ancient palaces, but in this post-apocalyptic era, having such a luxurious residence was truly extraordinary. It could only be said that in Yuzhou, Shen Feng was the uncrowned king.
Shen Feng could not possibly be called a king, as this would be a return to feudalism, which society would not allow. However, Shen Feng's current status was that of a rightful king, and no one could deny it.
After walking a distance, the three arrived at the garden. The most striking feature here was the large tree in the center of the garden. It was an apple tree, with white flowers and many ripe apples. The apple tree was thirty meters tall and looked magnificent.
"Wow, what a huge apple tree! Deputy City Lord, you're amazing to have cultivated such a large apple tree," Zhang Xixi exclaimed the moment she saw the large tree. She had never seen such a massive apple tree before. It would be a great pleasure to climb the tree and pick apples.
Chu Chaoyan explained, "This apple tree was discovered by chance when Shen Feng led us to reclaim a county town in Jiangyang. It's a mutated plant. The seeds cannot be planted, but it has strong vitality and produces over ten tons of apples daily. However, other plants cannot grow around it. It can be said that this is the only one of its kind!"
After passing through the rock garden and lake in the garden, the three arrived at a pavilion in the center of the lake. Shen Feng and Chang Jianyian were already waiting there. Besides them, Chang Haojie was also looking around, clearly not focused on the present.
Chang Jianyian was clearly making great efforts for her brother's lifelong happiness. She chose a scenic spot within Fengshen Palace. The pavilion in the center of the lake offered a beautiful view. The lake was filled with many colorful carp, and water lilies were planted in the water. Small white flowers were blooming, and a gentle breeze carried a hint of floral fragrance. The surrounding area was a garden, and the scenery visible from the pavilion was truly wonderful.
It was indeed a pleasant and beautiful scene. Shen Feng and Chang Jianyian sat down with Chang Haojie to entertain Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi, who were about to move into Fengshen Palace. In reality, Chang Jianyian wanted Zhang Xixi and her brother Chang Haojie to meet and leave a good impression.
Chang Jianyian cared a lot about her brother. Although her brother was only twelve years old and there was no need to worry about his lifelong happiness yet, in this era, good women disappeared in the blink of an eye. Zhang Xixi had the ability of telepathy, making her a natural interrogator. If she could become part of their family, she would undoubtedly bring great help. For such a good girl, it was best to make her their sister-in-law.
As a result, the moment Du Xinshi walked into the pavilion, Xiao Long, whom she was holding, saw Shen Feng and immediately reached out for a hug, calling out, "Daddy, Daddy..."
Shen Feng felt awkward at this scene. He hadn't expected the child to have such a good memory and still remember his appearance. Now, he didn't know whether to agree or refuse.
Fortunately, Chang Jianyian came to Shen Feng's rescue. She looked at the infant in Du Xinshi's arms and couldn't help but feel maternal love. "May I hold him?" she asked.
Du Xinshi also noticed Chang Jianyian's pregnant belly and knew she was also a mother. She handed the child over. Xiao Long, held by Chang Jianyian, soon began to flail his arms and legs. His chubby little face looked very cute.
"Hello, baby, what's your name?" Chang Jianyian couldn't help but start playing with the child.
Chu Chaoyan also began to introduce him to Chang Haojie. "Xiao Jie, this is Zhang Xixi. Get to know each other. Since you're the same age, you can talk more."
Zhang Xixi nodded politely and sat down in the pavilion. "Hello, I'm Zhang Xixi."
Chang Haojie was also very polite. He offered the tea and snacks on the table and a plate of oranges. "Hello, please try these. Especially these oranges, they were transported from Dian Province and are very sweet. You can't buy them outside."
Yuzhou's geographical advantage had been fully utilized. The three southwestern provinces, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, were trading with Yuzhou. Although it was simple, many things that couldn't be found in Yuzhou were sold from other places. Fengshen Palace always received the best things.
Zhang Xixi picked up an orange and began to peel it, saying, "Thank you. When I return to the north, if you visit, I'll treat you to donkey meat burgers. I'm older than you, so you can call me 'sister'."
"Uh, okay, another sister," Chang Haojie scratched his head awkwardly. In the pavilion, apart from the infant who was still learning to speak, he was the youngest. He had to call everyone sister, which was truly frustrating.
Chang Jianyian saw the interaction between the two young people and her heart stirred. She quickly said to Du Xinshi, "Sister Du, I have some parenting questions I'd like to ask for your advice. Let's talk about this topic elsewhere; they don't like to hear it."
"Yes, Madam, you are right. Let's go aside and talk slowly." Du Xinshi didn't suspect anything and stood up to follow Chang Jianyian.
Chu Chaoyan winked at Shen Feng. Shen Feng understood; it was time to leave the two youngsters alone. He stood up and called out to Chu Chaoyan, "Chaoyan, come with me to the City Lord's Mansion. There are many documents to process."
Chu Chaoyan also stood up in agreement. "Yes, it's getting late. Let's go too. Xiao Jie, you're the host, entertain Zhang Xixi for us. During this time, take her around to familiarize herself with the place. We're very busy now, so we'll leave this to you."
Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan left the pavilion without waiting for Chang Haojie's reply, giving Chang Haojie and Zhang Xixi time alone.
Zhang Xixi, being dependent on others, was already very perceptive. At this moment, she immediately understood that Chang Jianyian's intentions were not as simple as they seemed.
"What should I do? I'm going to be married off to the landlord's foolish son!" Zhang Xixi worried inwardly.
In Zhang Xixi's eyes, Chang Haojie was completely the landlord's foolish son. After becoming dependent on others, she learned to read people's expressions. Despite her young age, she always thought about the reasons behind events. Thus, Zhang Xixi immediately saw through Chang Jianyian's intentions.
Chang Haojie, the foolish boy, truly believed he was supposed to entertain Zhang Xixi as a guest and enthusiastically invited her to walk around Fengshen Palace. However, Zhang Xixi was listless and always seemed uninterested.
Chang Haojie was confused. How could he entertain such a cold person like Zhang Xixi enthusiastically?