Chapter 347: The Mountain Lodge

“You can call us Big Brother and Big Sister. My surname is Ning, and his surname is Lin.”

Ning Xi took Wang Xue’s small hand in hers. Although Wang Xue’s hands were fair, her palms were rough, she was accustomed to labor. A wave of sympathy rose in her heart. “Little Xue, why don’t you introduce us to the mountain lodge?”

“Okay, Big Sister.”

Wang Xue’s delicate face flushed slightly as she held Ning Xi’s hand. The elegant aura around Ning Xi made her feel a bit self-conscious. “This place used to be a remote little village. The villagers relied on hunting, fishing, and farming to survive. Later on…”

As the little girl explained, Lin Xiao and Ning Xi finally understood why this village was called the Summer Retreat Lodge.

It turned out that although this village wasn’t far from Jinghai—just a few hours by car—in the past, before roads were built, it would take two full days to descend the mountain.

After the road was completed, a travel company accidentally discovered this secluded village. They were captivated by its fresh air and beautiful scenery and, seeing how impoverished the villagers were, decided to transform the village into a summer retreat. The company started bringing in tourists who wanted to escape city life and relax.

The villagers became the lodge’s staff. When no tourists were around, they farmed as usual. When visitors arrived, they caught game to serve as food and even built new houses to accommodate them.

After listening to Wang Xue’s explanation, Lin Xiao and Ning Xi exchanged a glance.

Lin Xiao smirked slightly. “Sister Ning Xi, are you satisfied now?”

“Hmph, did you really need to ask? I was already satisfied from the start. I was just joking earlier.” Ning Xi turned her head away sheepishly before continuing her conversation with Wang Xue. “What fun activities are there around here?”

“There are plenty! You can go hunting in the mountains, catch fish in the river, or gather mushrooms and wild vegetables.”

Wang Xue’s bright eyes sparkled with excitement. “Big Brother, Big Sister, if you want to go, I can be your guide.”

“Sounds great. We’ll leave it to you, then.” Ning Xi pinched Wang Xue’s little cheek.

While Ning Xi chatted with Wang Xue, Lin Xiao remained silent, listening while discreetly observing his surroundings. Being in an environment like this, he felt like a fish in water. He was far more comfortable than in the city.

After leading them for seven or eight minutes, Wang Xue stopped in front of a simple house and called out loudly, “Dad, Mom, I brought guests!”

A tall, burly man with rough hands and feet stepped out of the house. He appeared to be around forty years old, but his face looked much older. His temples were streaked with white, and deep wrinkles lined his forehead.

When he saw Lin Xiao and Ning Xi, he seemed momentarily startled. He quickened his pace toward them, rubbing his hands together nervously.

“Hello, sir, miss. I… I’m Wang Xue’s father, Wang Tianping. May I ask how to address you two?”

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning Wang Tianping’s hands, feet, and face.

Perhaps due to living near the mountains, Wang Tianping had a sturdy build. Judging from his physique, he seemed to have practiced martial arts before, though not traditional martial arts. Still, for an ordinary person, he was quite strong.

“Father, this big sister’s surname is Ning, and big brother’s surname is Lin,” Wang Xue piped up before Ning Xi could respond. “They’re here to stay at the lodge.”

“So it’s Miss Ning and Mr. Lin. Since you’re here to visit, you’re our lodge guests. Please, come inside.” Wang Tianping’s voice was honest and straightforward. “You two probably haven’t eaten yet, right? Join us for a meal, and I’ll tell you more about the lodge while we eat.”

Ning Xi glanced at Lin Xiao. Though she said nothing, Lin Xiao understood that she was leaving the decision to him.

“Then we’ll gladly accept your hospitality.” Lin Xiao smiled slightly, his voice as calm and composed as ever.

They stepped over the threshold and entered the main room. After taking their seats, Wang Xue ran into the kitchen and soon returned with two cups of plain boiled water. Following behind her was a middle-aged woman who bore a strong resemblance to Wang Xue.

The woman’s eyes widened when she saw Ning Xi. For a moment, she was stunned by Ning Xi’s beauty and elegance. As an ordinary village woman, she had never seen someone so stunning and refined before, leaving her unsure of how to act.

“Go inside and prepare the food. These two guests will be dining with us today.”

Wang Tianping waved his wife toward the kitchen before turning back, slightly embarrassed.

“I hope you don’t mind. My wife isn’t used to meeting outsiders.”

“It’s no problem.” Lin Xiao accepted the teacups from Wang Xue and smiled. “Uncle Wang, since the lodge is open to visitors, it must need to generate income. We don’t want the villagers to suffer a loss. Don’t hesitate to tell us how much we owe.”

“How long are you two planning to stay?”

“We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“In that case, three hundred yuan will be enough for a full day, including meals and lodging. You can either cook for yourselves or eat with us.” Wang Tianping scratched his head. “If you want to go hunting or fishing, you’ll need to hire a guide. That’s an extra hundred yuan per day. The mountains are dangerous. There are wild beasts, and it’s easy to get lost. If anything happens, we can’t take responsibility.”

The price Wang Tianping quoted surprised both Lin Xiao and Ning Xi—not because it was expensive, but because it was incredibly cheap. A single meal in the city could cost more than that.

Lin Xiao nodded at Ning Xi. Taking his cue, Ning Xi pulled out her wallet and placed ten hundred-yuan bills in front of Wang Tianping.

“T-this is too much,” Wang Tianping stammered.

“The extra is a gift for Little Xue. I liked her the moment I saw her.” Ning Xi pinched Wang Xue’s cheek playfully. “As for the guide… can Little Xue do it?”

“This girl? No problem. She grew up in the mountains. Don’t be fooled by how she looks, she’s quite the wild one.”

Seeing that Lin Xiao and Ning Xi were well-off, Wang Tianping no longer refused and carefully put the money away. “Mr. Lin, Miss Ning, after the meal, I’ll take you to your accommodations. The new houses outside are for guests, they have lodging and cooking facilities.”

“Alright, thank you, Uncle Wang.”

After lunch, Wang Tianping led Lin Xiao and Ning Xi to their lodging. It was a simple house of about fifty square meters. Though the furnishings were modest, everything was clean and well-maintained, with all the basic amenities needed for living.

“Mr. Lin, Miss Ning, this is a rural village, so it won’t compare to the city.”

Wang Tianping was an honest man. Having received so much money, he felt somewhat guilty. “If you need anything, just let me know, and I’ll bring it over.”

Although Ning Xi had grown up in far more luxurious surroundings, she felt completely at ease as long as Lin Xiao was with her.

She secretly had one thought, ‘I hope this house only has one bed.’

As this idea crossed her mind, a faint smile curved her lips.

Lin Xiao, oblivious to her thoughts, glanced at Ning Xi curiously before turning back to Wang Tianping.

“Uncle Wang, there’s no need to trouble yourself. This is perfect.”

For Lin Xiao, as long as a place provided shelter from the wind and rain, nothing else mattered.

Wang Tianping chatted with them for a while longer, explaining some precautions for staying in the mountains overnight. Then, he took his leave, leaving Wang Xue behind to accompany them.

“Lin Xiao, let’s go explore the mountains right now.”

The moment Wang Tianping left, Ning Xi wrapped her arms around Lin Xiao, bubbling with excitement.