Landlord in the Arctic

At that thought.

Feng Mountain felt a wave of heat shoot up from the soles of his feet.

His entire face flushed bright red, so embarrassed he wished a hole would open up and swallow him.

"Hey, man. You gave Natasha a gift? How come I didn't know about it?" Frank's curiosity got the better of him. He tilted his head with a curious expression and stared intently at Feng Mountain as if trying to uncover some secret.

Just then.

A waiter approached with brisk steps, carrying a delicate tray. He placed a glass of Tundra Aurora on the table.

Under the lights, the liquid in the glass shimmered with a strange luminescence, as dazzling and captivating as the mysterious aurora in the night sky.

Its perfectly timed arrival was a godsend, saving Feng Mountain and giving him a temporary escape from his extremely awkward predicament.

Feng Mountain seized the opportunity to stand, forcing a slight smile as he spoke.

"I just remembered, there are still a lot of last-minute preparations for Christmas Eve tomorrow. Uncle Frank, you stay here a while longer with Natalia. Hu Zi, Black Hide, you're with me. We're going to the restaurant."

Since they had nothing better to do that evening, Hu Zi and Black Hide wanted to stick around and watch the drama unfold.

But when they saw Feng Mountain frantically making faces and gesturing for them to leave immediately, they had no choice but to get up and go, albeit reluctantly.

A complicated expression crossed Frank's face. He shot a hopeful look at Feng Mountain, as if pleading for the three of them not to leave so soon.

However, Feng Mountain pointedly ignored him. After giving Natalia a polite nod, he dragged Hu Zi and Black Hide away at a brisk pace.

Once they were outside the tavern doors.

A blast of frigid air hit their faces. The bone-chilling cold made all three of them shiver involuntarily.

But the chill also instantly cleared Feng Mountain's head. The awkwardness and tension from the tavern seemed to vanish with the cold blast, and he felt much more at ease.

Hu Zi and Black Hide trailed behind, looking thoroughly displeased and muttering under their breath.

"Bro, why'd you walk so fast? I wanted to keep watching."

"Yeah, seriously. That lady still seems to have a thing for Uncle Frank. Talk about rekindling an old flame."

"Can you two just shut it?" Feng Mountain flicked both of his 'brothers' on the head. "It's late. Old lovers are reuniting. Don't you think they'd want to do... something meaningful, without you two playing third wheel?"

True enough!

Hu Zi and Black Hide mulled it over for a second before it dawned on them. They both nodded in agreement, looks of sudden understanding on their faces.

Without another word to Feng Mountain, the two of them turned and headed for the guest cabins.

"Hey, hey! Where are you two going?" Feng Mountain shouted, completely exasperated as he watched them walk off without a moment's hesitation.

Hu Zi stopped and turned around, a baffled look on his face. "To sleep, of course!" he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's late, and Xiaohua is waiting for me."

"I'm going to sleep too," Black Hide added with a nod, looking equally unconcerned.

"What about me?" Feng Mountain asked, standing there helplessly as he watched them, a wave of frustration washing over him.

Not only had he lost his home, but now he didn't even have a place to sleep for the night. He felt as lonely as a homeless stray cat.

"Don't look at me. The cabin only sleeps two," Hu Zi said without a shred of sympathy, shutting down Feng Mountain's unspoken plea.

"Brother Shan, Erica said all the cabins are assigned. Even I have to squeeze in with Paine and his group tonight." Black Hide gave him a helpless look and shrugged.

Then, he gave a wink and a mischievous grin. "Or," he teased, "you could go find Ms. Zhan and do something... meaningful."

"Get lost!!" Feng Mountain waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies, wanting the two disloyal punks to disappear at once.

After the two had left, Feng Mountain was the only one left standing in the wide-open clearing of the camp.

His figure looked lonely under the dim moonlight. He glanced around, his brow furrowed in frustration.

'Over at the tavern, Frank and Natalia are having their long-awaited reunion. If I go back now, I'd just be asking for trouble and playing the third wheel for no reason.'

'And the restaurant... The doors are locked up tight, and it's pitch-black inside. No way I can stay in there.'

Feng Mountain looked up at the vast camp surrounding him, and a wave of bitterness washed over him.

'I can't believe it. In a place this big, there's nowhere for me to even sleep.'

'To think that my own cabin has been taken over by Natasha, a cuckoo in my nest... It's so frustrating. I'm the one who's ended up like a homeless bum.'

An inexplicable sorrow washed over Feng Mountain, like a cold wind blowing through his very soul, and he couldn't help but shiver.

Just then, the sound of soft footsteps came from behind him, startlingly clear in the silent night.

"Feng!" A voice as gentle as a mountain spring called out to him.

Feng Mountain turned to see Jenny, dressed in casual clothes, walking toward him with graceful steps.

The moonlight bathed her, outlining her slender figure. She looked like a beauty from a painting, come to life under the moon.

Looking at Jenny, Feng Mountain felt his face flush slightly. He scratched his head awkwardly and spoke.

"Still up?"

Seeing his reaction, Jenny's lips curved into a radiant smile. It was like the warmest spring sunshine, instantly dispelling the gloom from Feng Mountain's heart. With a trace of gentle concern, she said softly,

"I heard you don't have a place to stay. I came to take you to my cabin."

'Take me in?'

'What a joke. As if I'd have nowhere to stay!'

'That's impossible. There are tons of cabins in this camp. I could squeeze in with anyone and make do for a few nights.'