“Hasn’t Master Lei ever heard the saying about beauty being a calamity?” Feng Jiu’er kept a smile on her face while privately wanting to give him a beating.

Though it was only a change of clothes and a bit of styling, it had still cost her time.

Spending her precious time on such an unsightly man left her thoroughly unwilling.

Still, Lei Shenbao did have enough manpower and wealth to be worth reeling in.

“Beauty as calamity?” Lei Shenbao remained all smiles, not the least bit offended.

“If I can have a beauty like Miss Long by my side, nothing else matters — nothing at all!”

Beneath Lei Shenbao’s crinkled, smiling brows, his sickle-curved eyes stayed fixed on Feng Jiu’er.

Jian Yi and Qiao Mu, even knowing the truth of the plan, still felt deeply uneasy, a chill radiating off them both.

Xiao Yingtao felt it even more, though she didn’t need to ask to know this was all part of Jiu’er’s plan.

“Heh heh…” Feng Jiu’er gave a faint smile. “Master Lei isn’t just good at making money, he’s good at sweet-talking too.”

“No wonder there’s never been a shortage of beauties at Master Lei’s side.”

“Jiu’er, are you jealous?” Lei Shenbao asked, smiling.

“From now on, I’ll call you Jiu’er — you don’t mind, do you?”

“Why would I?” Feng Jiu’er smiled without the smile reaching her eyes.

Jealous? Was this fool actually serious? He should take a good look in the mirror!

“Is Jiu’er really going to move in?” Qiao Mu pinched her own arm, pretending to play the fool.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at her and smiled faintly.

“Jiu’er, you wouldn’t refuse me, would you? I said it already, I won’t force you into anything — I just want to invite you over as a guest.”

Seeing her hesitate, Lei Shenbao grew anxious at once.

“If Jiu’er doesn’t like having so many people around at my residence, I’ll send them all away.”

“As long as Jiu’er is happy, from now on I’ll have only one wife.”

“No need!” Feng Jiu’er shook her head. “I’m not worth such trouble from Master Lei — besides, who knows what the future holds?”

Wife, indeed — the very word made her skin crawl. Even if she never married in this lifetime, she’d never marry this donkey of a man.

Though, of course, she would have to marry eventually.

Once she found her father, she’d consult both him and her own man on whether to stay with the Feng clan or return.

Once things settled down, she planned to marry herself off.

Holding it in too long wasn’t good!

Thinking of her own man, Feng Jiu’er’s mood finally brightened a little.

“Jiu’er, rest assured, I won’t disappoint you.” Lei Shenbao said.

He understood what Jiu’er meant — she’d said that after their duel, she would choose her own husband.

Either way, it wouldn’t be long now; he could wait.

“Jiu’er, will you come stay at my residence for a while then?” Lei Shenbao raised an eyebrow and asked.

“If Jiu’er’s going, I’m going too.” Qiao Mu said without ceremony.

“Me too.” Xiao Yingtao nodded fiercely.

Jian Yi said nothing, but everyone knew that wherever Feng Jiu’er went, he went.

“If Qiao is going, I’ll go as well.” Feng Jiang, who had stayed silent the whole time, glanced at Lei Shenbao.

Lei Shenbao seemed to pick up on the implication and finally managed to tear his gaze away from Feng Jiu’er.

He looked at Lei Shenbao, then at Qiao Mu.

“Lei, you and Miss Qiao…”

“Mm.” Feng Jiang made no attempt to hide it.

“That’s wonderful, then.” Lei Shenbao’s smile grew even more delighted. “With Miss Qiao keeping Jiu’er company once she joins my household, even better, even better!”

The man, grinning ear to ear, had no idea how many people in the hall were silently judging him.

Once Jiu’er joins my household? Only he could come up with something like that.

“Then how about this, Jiu’er.” Lei Shenbao turned to look at her. “I’ll clear out the entire east wing of my residence for all of you to move into.”

“Everything arranged to Jiu’er’s preference — your Dragon Shadow agents can station people there too, I guarantee no one will interfere without my order.”

Meaning, he himself reserved the right to interfere.

But since this was the plan, Feng Jiu’er saw no point wasting more time on it.

“Since Master Lei is so sincere, I won’t refuse.” Feng Jiu’er curved her lips slightly. “The Lei residence really is a paradise to live in.”

“Then it’s settled, I’ll go arrange things now.” Lei Shenbao, having achieved his goal, was anything but displeased.

He stood at once and strode out with a swagger.

“Jiu’er, wait a little — once I’ve handled things, I’ll come personally to fetch you.”

Whether the others came along or not, Lei Shenbao didn’t care in the slightest — if anything, he resented their presence.

Still, for Feng Jiu’er’s sake, he couldn’t say too much.

Whatever the case, he’d sort it out once they were back at his residence.

“No need to trouble yourself, Master Lei.” Feng Jiu’er nodded lightly toward him. “When the time comes, just send someone to inform us.”

She didn’t want to miss a single one of his gestures or expressions.

Lei Shenbao felt as though this was the first time in his life he’d truly seen a woman.

In that moment, in Lei Shenbao’s mind, aside from Feng Jiu’er, no other woman counted as a woman at all.

“No trouble at all, I’ll come myself.”

With that, Lei Shenbao withdrew his gaze and strode off, practically glowing with self-satisfaction.

Once Lei Shenbao left, the few attendants he’d brought left with him.

Jian Yi stepped out for a moment, then returned to the hall.

“Has everyone withdrawn?” Feng Jiu’er asked softly.

“Mm.” Jian Yi nodded.

“Jiu’er, I really want to go kill someone.” Xiao Yingtao said, brow furrowed, coming up beside Feng Jiu’er.

“Count me in.” Qiao Mu stood.

“Let’s go.” She looked at Feng Jiang.

Feng Jiang stood and went over to ruffle Qiao Mu’s hair. “It’s fine, it’ll be over soon.”

“Mm.” Qiao Mu looked at her man, her expression seeming to ease a little.

She turned back to Feng Jiu’er. “If anything comes up, come find us in the back courtyard — Little Bao and I are going to practice swords.”

“Go on, then.” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand. “Nothing else to deal with today.”

Qiao Mu nodded, withdrew her gaze, and left.

Feng Jiang followed her out.

Xiao Yingtao looked at Jian Yi, a smile spreading across her face.

“Jian Yi, go keep watch outside — I have something important to discuss with Jiu’er.”

Jian Yi didn’t mind, and turned to leave.

And so the move happened — before nightfall, the whole household had relocated from the east wing of the Bao residence into the east wing of Lei Shenbao’s manor.

Feng Jiu’er had only ever visited the main hall of Lei Shenbao’s residence, but she already knew the place was far larger than what she’d seen.

Past the main hall lay a vast garden, and beyond that, the east and west wings.

Several buildings stood spaced some distance apart.

Lei Shenbao had said she could bring however many people she liked, and she hadn’t held back.

Aside from Feng Jiang, Qiao Mu, Xiao Yingtao, Jian Yi, Feng Yinan, Yue Qinchun, and Dragon Shadow, twenty more brothers had moved in as well.

The brothers took the four rooms at the far ends on both sides, while the others were each given several rooms of their own.

The room at the very center — the largest, most luxurious one — was, of course, prepared for Feng Jiu’er.

On the first night, Lei Shenbao stayed for dinner in the east wing.

His eight wives, residing in the west wing, had certainly heard that the master had brought a woman home again — and this time, an especially ravishing one.

But they were also wary of Lei Shenbao, and didn’t dare go over rashly to make trouble.