Chapter 153: At the Patriarch’s Residence

The eccentric old man’s residence was located within a cluster of antique-style villas near the No. 13 High School. His family owned one of these impressive properties. Gan Ling’s father, who had once been a teacher at the high school, was now the manager of the Pavilion of Prince Teng scenic area, while her mother worked for the government.

As He Zhixing and his companion walked toward the residence, they were struck by the grandeur of the old-fashioned gate at the entrance to the courtyard. Beyond it lay the villa itself. Upon entering the main foyer, they were greeted by a spacious and imposing living room furnished with sets of rosewood tables, chairs, and coffee tables. The walls were adorned with high-end, soft-toned porcelain tiles, featuring delicate patterns of pale jasmine flowers and light green foliage. Most astonishingly, the walls surrounding the rosewood seating were decorated with a massive ceramic mural of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival." The dimensions of the mural perfectly matched the proportions of the room, leaving both He Zhixing and his companion in awe of its magnificence.

In addition to the rosewood furniture and wall art, the living room was equipped with an oversized LCD television, a high-fidelity sound system, and a refrigerator. A set of antique Yixing clay tea utensils sat on the coffee table. The old man invited them to sit, saying, "You have traveled from afar; please sit and have some tea."

He then called Gan Ling over. "Lingling, brew some tea for our guests while I go put these things away," he said, taking their drawing boards and supplies upstairs.

He Zhixing and his friend moved their travel bags to a corner of the living room. Seeing the purple sable poke its head out of his bag, He Zhixing wondered if he should let it out for some fresh air, though he hesitated, unsure if it might bother their host.

When He Zhixing opened the bag, a cute purple sable and several crawling golden-coin turtles emerged. Gan Ling, having just finished brewing the tea, turned around and was instantly delighted. "Oh! Did you catch these little animals? They are so cute!"

She reached out to touch the sable, but it glared at her and bared its teeth in a fierce display. Startled, Gan Ling recoiled. He Zhixing quickly reassured her, "Don't be afraid. It doesn't bite without reason. I’ll just tell it not to."

He Zhixing gestured to the creature. "Zi, come here."

The sable moved like a streak of lightning, landing instantly in He Zhixing’s arms. He stroked its head and whispered, "Be a good girl, Zi. Go play with the young lady; I’ll give you a treat later."

The sable gave him a resigned look before slowly approaching Gan Ling. She was stunned. "Is that a giant squirrel? It’s so adorable! Why is it purple? Can it really understand human speech? Is it a mystical creature? I love it!"

As she spoke, she reached out to hold the sable, which now sat quietly in her arms. He Zhixing explained, "It’s not a giant squirrel; it’s a purple sable. It’s quite extraordinary. It moves as fast as lightning and is capable of taking down large, ferocious beasts. It understands us—it’s truly a spirit creature."

The girl gently stroked the sable’s head, her eyes bright with excitement. "Really? That’s amazing!"

Just then, she noticed the turtles crawling out of the bag. "Oh? What are those? Wow, look at those beautiful turtles!"

"Those are golden-coin turtles," He Zhixing said. "I found them in an uncharted mountain valley. They are also spirit creatures; they seemed willing to follow me, so I brought them along."

"Wow, you are so incredible! You’re my idol, brother!"

At that moment, the old man returned. Seeing Gan Ling so happy with the pets in her arms and the turtles on the floor, he smiled. "Girl, why haven't you invited our guest to sit and have tea? It’s not polite to leave him standing."

"It’s quite alright, Elder Gan," He Zhixing replied. "We don't feel neglected at all."

Once they were all seated and sipping tea, the old man looked at He Zhixing. "Tell me, young man, you found these mystical creatures yourself? You are clearly no ordinary person."

"You flatter me, Elder Gan," He Zhixing replied modestly. "It was merely good fortune to cross paths with them. It’s nothing worth noting."

The old man chuckled. "Come, let’s have some tea."