Landlord in the Arctic

I...

Feng Shan opened his mouth, but found he was at a loss for words.

’If I’d known this was going to happen, I never would have brought out such good beef for this woman,’ he thought.

Now, not only had he failed to intimidate her, but he’d also ended up on the hook for a whole cow every month.

Natasha quickly, yet elegantly, devoured the entire steak.

Her speed was so astonishing it left Feng Shan speechless. ’This woman looks so refined,’ he grumbled to himself, ’but she sure doesn’t mess around when it’s time to eat.’

As for the glass of red wine Feng Shan had deliberately filled to the brim, it was completely ignored, as if it were merely a decoration.

Picking up a clean white napkin, Natasha dabbed her lips gracefully. Then, she slowly rose to her feet, her gaze fixed on Feng Shan. Her tone was calm but left no room for argument.

"Show me around the camp. It’s been a long time. I believe the last time I was here was twenty years ago."

Feng Shan raised an eyebrow and shrugged helplessly. His eyes flicked pointedly to her thin casual clothes as he reminded her with a sarcastic tone.

"You’ve got a great figure, I’ll give you that, but you’re going out in that? Come on, it’s ten degrees below zero outside."

"I know!" Natasha’s beautiful eyes swept over Feng Shan. "Wait for me outside. Unless you’d rather stay and watch?"

With that, she turned and walked toward the bedroom, her steps as elegant and unhurried as ever, leaving Feng Shan standing alone.

Feng Shan was about to fire back a few sarcastic remarks, but the words caught in his throat as if blocked by something, and he forced himself to swallow them.

He could only walk out of the cabin resentfully, standing at the door with the bearded bodyguard with extreme reluctance.

The two men stood there face-to-face, staring at each other in an awkward silence.

It was so quiet they could only hear the sound of each other’s faint breathing.

Feng Shan racked his brain for something to say to break the silence. After a long, strained moment, he finally managed to squeeze out a single sentence.

"Have you eaten?"

"No. That steak smelled delicious, though. I could smell it from outside." The bearded bodyguard was clearly surprised by Feng Shan’s sudden question. He paused for a moment before replying, then amicably extended his hand. "Andrei, head of security."

’These guys don’t seem so hard to get along with after all.’

So, Feng Shan extended his own hand and shook Andrei’s, emphasizing, "Feng Shan. The owner of this place."

After they shook hands, the tense atmosphere seemed to melt away like ice and snow in spring.

"Do you really raise a pack of tigers?" Andrei couldn’t help but ask, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

Feng Shan raised a hand and pointed to a row of wooden crates by the Melt River. "Yep. Twelve of them, to be exact. They’ll be back tonight. See those crates over there? That’s their home. But don’t worry, they’re all good, obedient kids."

"I have a brown bear at home, too. His name is Peter. If you’re ever in Lengwan, I’ll introduce you." A sincere smile spread across Andrei’s face, looking particularly warm on his otherwise intimidating features.

It was strange, the topics that brought men closer together.

One raised tigers, the other a brown bear. These seemingly dangerous hobbies had instead become a bridge to build a connection and foster friendship between them.

It was rare to meet someone else who also raised dangerous beasts. Feng Shan’s interest was instantly piqued, and he even forgot about the unfair treatment he had just received in the cabin.

His face lit up, and he began to speak with great enthusiasm.

"It’s not just tigers. I also have a pack of Taiga Wolves, two Polar Bears, a vulture, a herd of horses, and a flock of parrots. I’ll introduce you to them sometime."

Andrei’s eyes went wide with astonishment, and even his full beard seemed to quiver. His gaze toward Feng Shan was now filled with a newfound admiration.

"Holy Mother Mary, my friend, you’re incredible."

Just then, Feng Shan changed the subject and suddenly asked, "By the way, is Natasha your boss?"

"Well..." Andrei was at a loss for words, a hesitant look on his face.

After a moment of thought, he slowly shook his head and said, "We’re not exactly a traditional gang. We left that life behind starting with the previous ’Highness.’ To be honest, Her Highness Natasha has it very tough. A single woman supporting this entire region... I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time. I hope you can help her."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soft sound of footsteps came from inside the cabin.

Andrei immediately snapped his mouth shut. The relaxed expression on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by the serious demeanor of a guard on duty. He straightened his back and stared intently ahead.

Feng Shan shot him a contemptuous look from the side.

The cabin door opened, and Natasha emerged, dressed elegantly in a mink coat as white as snow.

Natasha stood tall, her steps light. The proud, haughty air had returned to her stunning face, and she seemed like an aloof Queen, exuding an aura that was impossible to ignore.

"Let’s go."

"Where would you like to tour first?" Feng Shan asked. He then glanced at Andrei, a questioning look in his eyes. The bodyguard gave him a surreptitious wink.

"Let’s take a walk around the camp first. It looked quite nice when we passed by earlier." Natasha lifted her delicate chin, her eyes glinting with deep curiosity, and started walking.

Seeing this, Andrei immediately put his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.

In an instant, four figures emerged from all around the cabin like phantoms. Their movements were swift and their steps light as they quickly closed in around Natasha, forming a tight protective circle.

Watching this, Feng Shan couldn’t help but purse his lips, a look of exasperation on his face.