It was Huang Rong.
She had just finished handling sect affairs and was about to return to her room. As she passed through the garden, she spotted Lin Xuan and a "strange young master" laughing at each other in the gazebo, their manner rather intimate. She could not help but feel curious.
"Master."
Lin Xuan rose to his feet. The smile on his face softened, though a trace of barely noticeable indulgence lingered deep in his eyes.
Huang Rong approached, her gaze assessing Dongfang Bubai from head to toe.
Even as a peerless beauty herself, Huang Rong was slightly taken aback when she saw Dongfang Bubai's face, secretly praising her: What a strikingly handsome figure!
Yet this person's gaze was far too sharp, instinctively making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"And this is?" Huang Rong asked.
"This is Brother Dongfang, a friend I met in the martial world. I specially invited him to the residence today for a chat," Lin Xuan introduced, without exposing Dongfang Bubai's true identity.
"So, he is Xuan'er's friend."
Huang Rong nodded slightly, a poised and gracious smile appearing on her face. "Since you are here, stay for a few more days. Xuan'er, see that you entertain him properly. Do not neglect our guest."
After saying that, she gave Lin Xuan another deep look. That gaze contained countless unspoken words—reminders, reproach, and a trace of concealed affection.
"Yes, Master. I understand," Lin Xuan replied.
Huang Rong did not linger either, turning to leave with her maid.
Watching Huang Rong's graceful figure recede into the distance, Dongfang Bubai withdrew her gaze. Her folding fan lightly tapped against her palm, and her expression became somewhat strange.
"So that is the famed Sect Leader Huang? Guo Jing's wife, and your... master?"
Dongfang Bubai looked at Lin Xuan with an enigmatic