Chapter 96: Morning Drama

The pale, silvery hues of dawn had barely begun to creep across the horizon when an unusual sensation stirred the quiet air of the main estate building. It was hard to explain but for some reason, all three of them woke up shortly after each other like though someone had gone ahead to wake them up one after the other.

There was no loud noise, no sudden tremor, and no obvious disruption in the atmospheric energy; rather, it was as if an invisible, synchronized alarm had went off directly inside the minds of all three occupants at once. Within minutes of each other, their eyes snapped open, shattering their morning slumber.

Han Lin was the first to rise from her soft bedding. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and smoothing down her simple morning robes, she tied her hair back into a quick, practical knot.

Stepping out into the cool corridor, she looked around the quiet living quarters. Her eyes swept over the low tea tables, the polished wooden floors, and the subtle layer of dust that had accumulated along the baseboards near the central courtyard entrance.

Knowing that the new staff promised by Lin Laifu was bound to arrive later that morning, Han Lin felt a sudden, persistent urge to tidy up the living room one last time. In her mind, even if hired help was coming to handle the day-to-day cleaning and heavy chores, it felt wrong to hand over a messy space to newcomers. "The new workers are supposed to arrive today. I have to welcome them with a clean environment so they don’t see us as dirty masters."

She retrieved a broom, a damp linen rag, and a wooden bucket of fresh water, setting to work with the energy she’d mustered through her sleep. She felt full of energy after all.

She swept the floorboards, wiped down the dark rosewood tables, and adjusted the cushions around the low tea setting.

She was just in the middle of wringing out her cloth to wipe down the central window frame when soft, light footsteps sounded along the hallway. Lu Feng stepped into the living room, wearing a loose, comfortable dark robe that alighted his well toned stature. A weak, amused smile rested on his face as he took in the sight of Han Lin furiously scrubbing a corner that was already spotless.

"Han Lin," Lu Feng began softly, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe and folding his arms across his chest. "What are you doing up so early? The sun isn’t even fully up yet."

"Just cleaning up a bit, Young Master," Han Lin replied without stopping her motion, wiping down the wood with vigorous, rhythmic strokes. "The new workers will be here soon, and I want the main hall to look presentable before they step foot inside."

Lu Feng let out a quiet sigh, his smile lingering as he shook his head. "Han Lin, we hired those exact workers so you wouldn’t have to spend your mornings scrubbing floors and dusting furniture. You worked hard yesterday at the market and in the kitchen. Put the rag down and rest. Let the staff do the job we are paying them to do."

"It’s no trouble at all, Young Master," Han Lin insisted stubbornly, standing up and dusting off her knees. "It will only take me another twenty minutes to finish the side walls and the entrance rugs. Besides, a little morning work keeps the mind sharp! You’re being heavy on me being awake this early and yet, you are awake yourself."

Lu Feng was short of words. Was she trying to turn things around and start scolding him? Surely, she wasn’t.

Or so he thought.

"Why are you awake so early, Young Master?" She asked with that same look a mother would give to her growing rebellious son.

Before Lu Feng could offer another rebuttal to answer her and convince her that she should leave cleaning, the sliding door at the far end of the corridor creaked open once more.

Ye Chenxue stepped into the living room. Her appearance was a stark contrast to her usual immaculate, cold, and perfectly composed self. Her long hair was completely uncombed and slightly messy, with stray locks sticking out in stray directions.

Her robes were loosely tied, and her pale, delicate face bore the obvious marks of a person who had been pulled straight out of deep sleep. She moved with slow, slightly uncoordinated steps, her small hand actively scratching at her sleepy, half-open eyes as she blinked against the dim morning light.

Both Lu Feng and Han Lin instantly paused their conversation, turning their heads simultaneously to stare at her.

For a long, quiet moment, the living room fell completely silent as they processed the sight of the usually formidable sword-cultivator looking so thoroughly disheveled and drowsy.

"Chenxue..." Han Lin spoke first, her eyes widening as she immediately set her bucket down. "You look completely exhausted! Did you even sleep last night?"

Lu Feng’s weak smile broadened slightly, though his tone was filled with genuine concern. "She’s right, Chenxue. You look like someone who tossed and turned until dawn. Go back to your room and get some more sleep."

"No," Ye Chenxue muttered softly, her voice raspy with sleep as she rubbed her eyes once more with the back of her wrist. "I slept too much... It felt like something woke me up suddenly. I only came out to help clean..."

Han Lin immediately crossed the room, taking Ye Chenxue by the shoulders and attempting to turn her around back toward the hallway. "Absolutely not! Look at your hair! Look at your eyes! You are in no condition to hold a broom right now. Go back to bed this instant. I will handle the cleaning, and I’ll wake you up when breakfast is ready."

"I don’t need to sleep," Ye Chenxue protested weakly, though she didn’t actively resist Han Lin’s gentle pushing. "I am perfectly awake... I just need water..."

"You are practically walking in your sleep!" Han Lin shoot back affectionately, her voice firm and uncompromising. "Back to bed!"

Standing by the doorway, Lu Feng watched the interaction unfold, a helpless sigh escaping his lips. He ran a hand through his dark hair, utterly amused by the hypocrisy of the situation.

Here was Han Lin, stubbornly refusing to leave the cleaning duties for the incoming hired workers despite his own insistence, yet she was turning around and aggressively commanding Ye Chenxue to go back to sleep because she looked tired.

Realizing that trying to reason with either of them in their current morning state was a lost cause, Lu Feng shook his head softly.

"I’m going to take a stroll around the estate to clear my head," Lu Feng announced over their light bickering, stepping back out toward the central courtyard. "Try not to exhaust yourselves before the sun is fully up."

Stepping out into the cool morning air, Lu Feng took a deep breath, feeling the crisp breeze soothe his mind. The estate grounds were quiet and peaceful under the early light. The spiritual energy gathered by the property’s array drifted lazily through the central courtyard, settling over the newly planted garden patches and reflecting off the quiet stone walkways.

He walked leisurely along the stone path, admiring the tranquil setting and contemplating the plans for the day ahead. Lin Laifu had promised to send over the new servants, the gate guards, and a personal carriage complete with spirit horses and a driver. However, Lu Feng knew that such arrangements took time to organize, especially for a merchant house of Lin Laifu’s scale. He fully expected the delivery to arrive around noon at the earliest.

Just as Lu Feng reached the edge of the courtyard near the main entrance path, a loud, heavy noise shattered the morning tranquility.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The sound echoed loudly across the open grounds—a heavy, impatient fist slamming violently against the thick iron-reinforced wooden gates of the estate.

Lu Feng came to an immediate halt on the stone path, his eyebrows knitting together in slight confusion. He paused, listening closely to see if the sound would repeat.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Open up in there!" a harsh, booming voice bellowed from the other side of the heavy gates, its tone laced with arrogance and impatience.

Lu Feng stood still for a moment, his gaze turning cold as he looked down the long entryway toward the entrance. Who could possibly be knocking at their estate gates at such an ungodly hour in the morning?

It certainly wasn’t Lin Laifu, who possessed far too much manners and refinement to permit his people to hammer on a client’s front door like common bandits. Nor was it likely to be casual visitors, given that Lu Feng held no prominent public standing in Crimson Vale that would warrant an early morning call.

Curiosity mingled with a sharp, subtle alertness as Lu Feng shifted his posture. With calm, unhurried steps, he walked down the stone avenue toward the front gates to see who had dared disturb their morning peace. ’Who was it?’