Chapter Forty-Three: The Nalan Family

Chapter Forty-Three: The Nalan Family

Inside the car, Nalan Sheng was contentedly hugging Xia Zheng’s arm, leaving the driver thoroughly astonished. In his memory, the young lady rarely showed such overt emotions, especially not towards a young man.

“What kind of magic does this youth possess to inspire such attachment from the young lady?” The driver stole glances at Xia Zheng in the rearview mirror, only to find that he displayed no arrogance, but rather a calm composure. He responded to Nalan Sheng’s affection in a measured, appropriate manner, which only improved the driver’s impression of him.

It was difficult for outsiders to comprehend, but in Nalan Sheng’s memory, the most beautiful moments were when Xia Zheng comforted her. It was as if, suddenly, her childhood memories had gained a caring older brother or sister, warming and protecting her. For Nalan Sheng, who had grown up lacking parental love, such attachment became entirely natural.

Xia Zheng was not only her boyfriend; he resembled a brother, filling the void left by her absent father. She seemed to crave the tenderness and care from someone older.

Half an hour later, the car arrived at Ice Lake City. The scenery here differed greatly from the southern cities, as if the entire place were sculpted from ice. Intricate ice sculptures lined both sides of the city streets, and the architecture was predominantly white.

The streets weren’t crowded—certainly less lively than Hyde Castle—but still far busier than Portland or Dannute. Xia Zheng had expected the clothing stores along the street to sell only winter attire, but to his surprise, many shops offered lighter southern-style clothes. It made him wonder whether such garments were suitable for this climate.

“Brother, it’s very cold outside here, but the indoor heating is excellent. You won’t feel any chill, so these clothes are perfect for wearing inside.” Seeing Xia Zheng’s curiosity at the shops selling autumn, spring, and even summer clothes, Nalan Sheng explained.

“I see, I suppose I was being too hasty in my assumptions.” Xia Zheng smiled, and asked Nalan Sheng to tell him more about Ice Lake City.

As one of the three major cities in the northern territories of the Federation, Ice Lake City was an important commercial hub. Its unique Black Ice Lake resources drew orders from all over the Federation. Though the lake remained frigid year-round, it produced wild fish and shrimp of exceptional quality and rich nutrition, with medicinal properties that made them favorites among the middle and upper classes.

In the southeast corner of Ice Lake City lay a vast estate, spanning about a thousand acres—the home of the Nalan family.

Upon seeing the estate, Xia Zheng finally understood what true lineage meant. Just this single estate alone must cost a fortune, and even then, it wouldn’t necessarily be available for purchase.

Stepping into the estate, a wave of warmth washed over him, as if he’d passed instantly from winter into spring.

“Why is it so warm inside the estate?” Xia Zheng wondered aloud. He also noticed something peculiar: every hundred meters along the roads within the grounds stood a street lamp, glowing with orange light, even during the day.

Nalan Sheng patiently explained, “Brother, you’ve noticed the lamps that remain lit even during the day, haven’t you?”

“Yes—is that the reason?” Xia Zheng quickly connected the dots.

Nalan Sheng nodded. “These are the latest innovations from Imperial Power Energy Technologies, developed by the military. They greatly enhance the conversion of light into thermal radiation. Each thermal lamp can heat a radius of a hundred meters, raising the temperature in small or localized areas.”

“Impressive…” Xia Zheng couldn’t help but ask, “Such a lamp must be quite expensive?”

Nalan Sheng wasn’t sure what constituted ‘expensive’, so she turned to the driver: “Uncle Chen, how much does one of these thermal lamps cost?”

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror and replied, “One million per lamp, at bulk order price.”

“Wow.” Xia Zheng shook his head. He’d just earned a handsome sum—over a million and thirty thousand—from selling high-grade blood beast materials, but that would barely buy a single lamp. It was astonishing.

Looking again at Nalan Sheng beside him, he realized that this girl would one day become the head of the Nalan family, her wealth likely measured in billions—perhaps even tens of billions.

No wonder, since rumors of his relationship with Nalan Sheng spread, many wealthy heirs threatened to teach him a lesson, and in Hyde Castle, he’d been surrounded by thugs. If not for the intervention of the blood clan servants, he might have been forced into a fight.

The car traveled deeper along the estate’s roads, revealing what looked like a miniature city, complete with numerous amenities and entertainment facilities—far more comprehensive than those in Ice Soul Town.

After another ten minutes, a cluster of exquisite villas in a traditional style appeared. There were artificial streams, wooden bridges, southern trees, and animals found only in the south, giving the impression that one had suddenly crossed from the northern to the southern territories.

“We’ve arrived, young lady, sir.” Uncle Chen stopped the car, unlocked the doors, and signaled for them to step out.

Xia Zheng followed Nalan Sheng out of the car. A butler and maids were already waiting, dressed in traditional Chinese attire.

“Welcome home, young lady.” The butler, an elderly gentleman with silver at his temples, exuded cultured elegance befitting a noble family. The maids were youthful and beautiful, their hair braided or styled in traditional buns, making them appear quite conservative. By contrast, Nalan Sheng was fashionable and modern.

“Grandpa Lu, have my father and grandfather arrived?” Nalan Sheng asked.

Butler Lu bowed and smiled, “Yes, young lady. Sir and the elder master are waiting in the hall. This gentleman… must be the talented young man you favor?”

At once, the maids and guards focused their gaze on Xia Zheng. Nalan Sheng blushed, offering no objection, clearly tacitly admitting it.

“My name is Xia Zheng, a pleasure to meet you all.” Xia Zheng knew that when facing a noble family, one shouldn’t be overly deferential, lest he be looked down upon.

Butler Lu nodded approvingly. “Truly outstanding. The young lady’s tastes are exceptional.”

“Oh, Grandpa Lu, you flatter me…” Nalan Sheng protested, then cast a cold glance at the servants and guards, making them instantly drop their heads in silence—so, this girl was not so amiable in her daily demeanor.

As they entered, the interior decor was in the style of a grand southern household. Though Xia Zheng had never seen one in person, he had learned about it through the internet and television.

Passing through the screen wall into the courtyard, they encountered a vast lotus pond, the fragrance lingering in the air—a unique experience, smelling lotus blossoms in the snow-blasted north.

Crossing the corridor by the pond, they entered the hall, where a smaller, radiant warm chamber glowed brightly. Butler Lu signaled them to wait outside while he went to announce their arrival.

Moments later, he returned and invited them inside, standing guard at the door.

“Brother, don’t be nervous. My grandfather thinks highly of you and won’t make things difficult.” Nalan Sheng noticed Xia Zheng’s serious expression and comforted him.

Xia Zheng nodded, signaling for Nalan Sheng to lead the way, following her in.

He lifted the curtain and entered the warm chamber, which was several times warmer than outside. A small energy lamp blended perfectly into the room’s decor.

Nalan Rong was already there—Xia Zheng recognized him. He wore a green brocade robe and held a folding fan, looking every bit the cultured gentleman.

On the other side sat an elder in a moon-white robe of gauze, his silver hair pinned with a wooden hairpin, bearing the air of a sage from beyond the world.

“Grandfather, Father, Ah Zheng has come to pay respects.” Nalan Sheng stepped aside and addressed the two men seated at the head.

Xia Zheng did not presume, but bowed respectfully, as he’d learned from TV and books—the southern household etiquette for juniors meeting elders. He said, “Junior Xia Zheng greets Nalan Uncle and Nalan Grandfather.”

“Hahaha… Good, good child.” Before Nalan Rong could speak, the robed elder interjected first, stroking his beard with some helplessness.

Nalan Zheng, nearing seventy, was still robust, though the injuries of his youth occasionally flared up for a few months at a time. Fortunately, the thermal lamps had greatly relieved his symptoms, and he rarely ventured out.

Upon learning that his carefully nurtured granddaughter, Nalan Sheng, had been bested by an unknown youth, he became intensely curious. Later, when he heard the two youngsters were dating, his heart filled with anticipation.

After his son Nalan Rong returned and reported, he instructed his granddaughter to invite Xia Zheng to the family home, wishing to meet the young man in person.

Xia Zheng and Nalan Sheng sat beside Nalan Zheng. After some brief conversation, Nalan Zheng posed his first question: “Ah Zheng, let me ask: before your mental power awakened, did you ever eat anything unusual, experience any strange natural phenomena, or perhaps get bitten by some unknown insect or animal?”

Hearing this, Xia Zheng felt a bit speechless. His own awakening had indeed been unusual—from primary school to just a few months ago, his ability levels were always below critical threshold, which explained why people like Dias suspected him.

“No, my constitution was always average. Multiple AB-161 tests showed values below 0.05. But a few months ago—on the night before the professional exam—I felt my body change, and the next day, all my senses had been enhanced.” Xia Zheng recalled his awakening, and the other three listened intently.

Nalan Zheng pressed, “And the night before the special test, what exactly did you do?”

“What did I do? After classes, I went home, spoke to my parents, and my mother suggested eating light, nutritious food to help my test results. Then I read some novels online before bed, and went to sleep early. That’s it.” Xia Zheng scratched his head, still unsure why his awakening happened so smoothly.

“That’s all?” Nalan Zheng, Nalan Rong, and Nalan Sheng asked in unison.

“Mm, that’s it,” Xia Zheng answered.

The three exchanged incredulous looks. To awaken so casually—did eating light food and getting a good night’s sleep really boost the results? Did an early bedtime help, too?

What nonsense was this?

Nalan Sheng no longer cared; Xia Zheng was her boyfriend, and how he awakened his abilities was no longer her concern.

Nalan Zheng and Nalan Rong shared a bitter glance. The entire Nalan family’s efforts had produced only Nalan Sheng, a mind master, and half an ability user—Nalan Rong. The era of abilities was far more unpredictable than the gene modification era. Even with family wealth, one couldn’t guarantee an ability user, let alone a mind master.

If… if Xia Zheng and Nalan Sheng were to unite, then their descendants… At this thought, Nalan Zheng’s gaze toward Xia Zheng became fervent.