Chapter 4: Without Her Permission, He Cannot Leave!

He had slept for far too long.

Lin Feng could barely tell if he was alive or dead. He felt as though he hadn’t had a drop of water in two days; his lips were parched like a desolate wasteland, and even the slightest movement brought a tearing pain. His throat was so dry that he couldn’t utter a single sound.

Instinctively, he rubbed his eyes, and his right hand easily touched his face. Suddenly, he realized that the iron chains that once bound him had been removed at some unknown moment.

Overjoyed, he hurriedly sat up, forcing his famished body off the bed. He looked around the bedroom.

The madwoman was gone.

Relieved, Lin Feng gathered his strength and searched the room for any communication device. But the bedroom was vast, each cabinet locked, and after rummaging for over ten minutes, he failed to find even a single phone.

On the bedside table, however, lay a neatly folded set of clean pajamas.

That woman was certainly well-prepared.

Lin Feng glanced at the tattered clothes he wore, then changed into the pajamas. He had to find a way out, and quickly.

Years of corporate warfare had taught him that the more prominent the family, the more tangled their affairs—especially when that woman was from a mysterious lineage...

He was exhausted from the past fifteen years. Pretending to be someone’s son, striving to please and fit in, only to be cast aside in the end. Even his girlfriend, the only person who allowed him to be himself, was only drawn to his status.

He no longer had the energy to play that game.

From now on, he only wanted to live for himself, to do what he desired, and not be anyone’s puppet.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the heavy bedroom door.

Instantly, a high-end, resplendent living room unfolded before him.

Much like the bedroom, it was built in extravagant palatial style, with gold everywhere—even the inconspicuous candlesticks on the table were pure gold, the entire place steeped in opulence...

Yet Lin Feng felt nothing for such luxury now.

After learning that she was the eldest daughter of the Chu family, he thought this extravagant decor truly matched their style.

He followed the staircase downward, traversing its winding length, and finally, at the bottom, he saw someone other than the madwoman for the first time.

“Sir, you’re awake?”

A woman, carrying a tray adorned with elegant antique tea sets, dressed in a housekeeper’s uniform, smiled at him.

She looked to be the villa’s cleaning lady.

Parched, Lin Feng didn’t reply. He strode forward, grabbing a cup from the tray and downing the tea in one gulp.

As the tea slid down his throat, he finally felt grounded—he was alive!

“Sir, please drink slowly, there’s more here,” the woman—Aunt Wang—said, hurrying to pour him another cup.

But Lin Feng only pressed his lips together and set the cup down, quickly saying, “Excuse me, could I borrow your phone for a moment?”

Aunt Wang’s eyes flickered; she ignored his request and walked toward the hall, saying as she went, “Dinner is ready, sir. You may begin your meal.”

Dinner?

Lin Feng stepped forward, and at the center of the hall, he saw a long silver dining table laden with dishes of unmatched refinement.

The presentation alone promised exquisite flavors; the aroma wafted toward him, and after two days of hunger, Lin Feng’s vision swam and his stomach growled uncontrollably.

Driven by hunger, he approached the table, licking his lips and swallowing hard, no longer caring about appearances.

The scent was intoxicating! Each whiff threatened to overwhelm his reason.

Seeing him linger at the table, Aunt Wang set down the tea set and smiled, “Miss has instructed that she’ll be delayed tonight. You needn’t wait for her and may dine first.”

Miss? As if he’d wait for her!

Lin Feng’s rational mind returned. Leaving just like this wouldn’t do—he’d glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows and seen nothing but flowers and greenery, a sprawling garden with no visible exit.

Without a car, he’d never make it out, and in his current state, he might starve before reaching a place to eat.

Better to fill his belly first.

With that thought, Lin Feng sat at the table, too hungry to worry about poison, and began to eat with abandon.

He was famished!

If not for the expensive, pristine pajamas marking his status, he’d look just like a vagrant who hadn’t eaten in days...

Aunt Wang quietly cleared away the bones and scraps, smiling as she watched him, seemingly quite satisfied.

Lin Feng swept through the dishes, sampling everything on the table. Thanks to his fitness habits, his body quickly recovered as he ate. Wiping his mouth, he finally felt comfortable once more.

“Sir, you have a hearty appetite—must be a strong body,” Aunt Wang remarked, content as she tidied the leftovers.

Lin Feng burped and patted his stomach, ready to return to his mission.

“Excuse me, could I borrow your phone for a moment? I’d like to make a call,” he asked.

Aunt Wang’s expression changed slightly, but she acted as if she hadn’t heard, and instead replied, “Is there anything you need, sir? Let me know, and I’ll prepare it for you.”

Lin Feng’s face darkened; he sensed she didn’t intend to let him contact the outside world.

He pressed, “I don’t know your miss at all—she brought me here yesterday. Just lend me your phone, I’ll only make a quick call.”

Aunt Wang shook her head with a smile. “Miss has instructed that you are to live here from now on. If you need anything, just tell me.”

...

Clearly, she wasn’t going to lend him the phone.

No point in arguing—he was merely a guest in their home, a stranger; why would she help him?

Lin Feng stood up and headed for the door, calling out as he walked, “Forget it, I’ll just leave on my own, then.”

Aunt Wang didn’t hurry after him, but called out, “Sir, you are in the Chu family’s private estate. The surrounding area is uninhabited.”

Private estate...

Lin Feng suddenly recalled hearing about a mysterious villa—Lake Yue Estate. He’d traveled to many places, but Lake Yue was never open to outsiders, and its true location was a secret...

In a place like this, without a car, escape was impossible!

He didn’t even know the way.

And with no phone, even if he reached the estate’s entrance, guards would surely be posted...

Lin Feng remembered the gun in Chu Lingshuang’s hand...

Damn it, without her permission, he truly couldn’t leave!