Landlord in the Arctic

The red wine wasn’t particularly strong, but they drank so much of it that soon, all the women were completely smashed, stumbling all over the place.

It was this tipsy state that allowed them to let loose completely. What had started as a respectable dinner party gradually devolved into a chaotic farce.

It had to be said, this was just more proof that women, no matter what country they were from, all acted the same once they got drunk.

At first, they were still immersed in a joyous atmosphere, their laughter echoing without end.

But somehow, the topic of conversation shifted. For Erica and a few other women with similar pasts, it was as if the most tender chord in their hearts had been struck, and they began to recall painful memories.

They clung to each other and began to wail, tears streaming down their faces as if trying to unleash all the grievances of their past in this one moment.

The emotions, however, came and went in a flash. The wailing would stop on a dime, only to be replaced by a sudden, baseless burst of uproarious laughter—laughter so hard it brought fresh tears to their eyes.

But a moment later, who knows what they remembered, the crying would start again, followed immediately by more laughter.

They repeated this cycle over and over, their emotions whipsawing between joy and sorrow.

The men watching from the sidelines could only look on, feeling a mixture of helplessness and amusement.

Feng Mountain and the others, seeing things were getting out of hand, had long since retreated to the side, afraid of getting caught up in the chaos.

"Brother Shan, aren’t you going to do something?" Xiaohua asked, turning to Feng Mountain. She watched the women let loose in their drunken revelry, a hint of envy in her eyes.

"Forget it. It’s tough keeping things bottled up. Letting them vent a little is a good thing," Feng Mountain said, shaking his head. He had no intention of interfering.

’Everyone’s under so much pressure day to day. It’s rare to get a chance to completely relax and let out all that bitterness. This might actually be a good thing.’

The others were also aware of the past experiences of Jenny and the women.

Hearing Feng Mountain’s words, they couldn’t help but let out a silent sigh. They then took it upon themselves to stand guard nearby, keeping a close watch on the women’s actions.

Let them be drunk, let them be rowdy. As long as someone kept an eye on them to make sure they didn’t get hurt, it would be fine.

Just then, Erica staggered to her feet, swaying as she rose from the midst of her friends and picking up an empty wine bottle.

Her eyes were glazed over as her head swiveled from side to side, as if desperately searching for something.

A moment later, she flopped onto the floor with a THUD and then, at the top of her lungs, she yelled.

"Feng! Feng, where are you?! Come out! You heartless bastard! You’re not a man! You bullied us..."

Ooooh!

That one shout.

Instantly snapped the few sober people in the room to attention. Their eyes lit up like searchlights.

In perfect unison, they swiveled their heads to stare at the bewildered Feng Mountain, their expressions reeking of juicy gossip.

’How did I get dragged into this?’

Feng Mountain was genuinely confused. For a second, his mind had gone completely blank, unable to process what was happening.

But in the next instant, he seemed to remember something.

The bewildered look on his face instantly morphed into one of panic.

Hearing Erica’s accusations, Tammy, who was already thoroughly drunk, also staggered to her feet.

She gripped the back of a chair to steady herself, her unfocused eyes gazing blankly around the room. She was the very picture of intoxication.

No one expected Tammy to actually chime in and second Erica’s words.

"That’s right! Feng’s a bad person! A very bad person! He bullies people and doesn’t want to take responsibility!"

"He bullied me, he bullied Erica, and he bullied Jenny!"

The words tumbled out of Tammy’s mouth like a string of firecrackers, her voice a mix of drunken slurring and a petulant whine.

She waved her arms as she spoke, as if trying to physically vent all her grievances against Feng Mountain.

Now, everyone’s gaze on Feng Mountain grew even more curious. It seemed they were all waiting for him to offer a plausible explanation.

In everyone’s memory, the everyday Tammy was like a quiet little pixie who didn’t talk much.

She spent most of her time in the gardens, meticulously caring for the vegetables and strawberries. Everyone had subconsciously started treating her with the gentle care one would reserve for a child.

Moreover, Tammy seemed to have been blessed by the heavens, embodying all the most enviable traits of a Westerner.

Her face was like a finely sculpted porcelain doll, so exquisite it was hard to look away.

Unlike the somewhat rougher complexion common among Western women, Tammy’s skin was as delicate as the finest porcelain—fair with a rosy undertone, glowing with a soft luster.

Her figure, too, was a world away from the larger-boned frame typical of Westerners.

Tammy was petite and delicate, looking as if a gentle breeze could lift her from her feet.

If you didn’t know her real age, you would, without a doubt, assume she was a young woman of no more than eighteen upon first glance.

It was because Tammy was so endearing that everyone tended to be a little more protective of her.

Who would have thought that, when drunk, she would reveal such a private matter?

That she’d been "bullied" by Feng Mountain.

The news hit them like a bombshell.

If these words had come from Erica or Jenny, everyone might have just laughed it off. They were all adults, after all; a one-night stand wasn’t unheard of.

But they had never imagined Feng Mountain would make a move on a girl as innocent and sweet as Tammy.

Xiaohua’s eyes went as wide as saucers, her face a mask of disbelief. She shot an angry glare directly at Feng Mountain, her expression screaming a question.

’Tammy is so adorable.’

’How could you do something like that?’

’Are you even the Brother Shan I know anymore?’

Hu Zi and Black Hide stood frozen in place, looking completely lost, their faces etched with awkwardness.

They exchanged a glance but, not knowing what to say, could only continue standing there stiffly. The atmosphere had become decidedly strange.

Eldest Young Master Xu and Su Ziweng, however, were struggling to suppress mischievous grins, looking like they’d just stumbled upon a fascinating secret.

They furtively gave Feng Mountain a thumbs-up.

Among the women in the camp, Jenny, Erica, and Tammy were all top-tier in terms of both looks and figure.

Out in the world, they would have long since been targeted—or worse, devoured—by men with ill intentions.

It was only thanks to being in the Crown Territory, under Feng Mountain’s protection, that no one dared to mess with them.

They just hadn’t expected Feng Mountain to have already made a move himself.

Nash, meanwhile, remained off to the side, his expression as impassive as ever, his gaze as calm as still water.

In his eyes, whatever Khilla did was correct.

Any fault lay with the women.

"I’ve been framed! I don’t know anything!" Feng Mountain said with a helpless expression, spreading his hands. He looked like someone who’d just had mud slung at them, putting on a pitiful act to defend himself.

"Really?" Xiaohua tilted her head, her eyes filled with suspicion.

’I’m so conflicted. On the one hand, I know what kind of person Brother Shan is.’

’With his qualities, Brother Shan could get a girlfriend in a heartbeat. He wouldn’t have to resort to something like this.’

’But on the other hand, Tammy and Erica sounded so sure of themselves, even if they were drunk.’

"Truer than gold!" Feng Mountain explained urgently, looking for all the world like a man who’d been framed.

Just then, Erica, who was still on the floor, tried to wobble to her feet.

Seeing this, Tammy rushed to help her up.

But Tammy wasn’t watching her step and tripped over Demi, who had passed out on the floor long ago.

She lost her balance and pitched forward, about to fall flat on her face.

Xiaohua darted forward and caught Tammy, holding her securely in a gentle embrace.

Looking at Tammy’s drunken state, Xiaohua, feeling both worried and curious, couldn’t resist asking.

"Tammy, how did Feng bully you?"

Tammy dazedly pursed her lips, tilted her head, and leaned into Xiaohua’s embrace.

She raised a hand and pointed vaguely at the air, her breath reeking of alcohol as she spoke between hiccups.

"That... that night... at the party... HIC... We... we got... Feng drunk... and took him to the bedroom. E-Erica said... she wanted to sleep with Feng, but Maria got scared..."

She paused, as if struggling to recall the details, then continued, her words still slurred.

"Maria was scared... and ran... ran away. Erica dragged Jenny... into the room... Hmph... She told me to hold him down... no, to stand guard."

Tammy’s voice grew quieter, but she was still trying her best to make herself understood.

"We went in... Erica cried so loudly... said she was going to call the police... Jenny’s voice went hoarse. It hurt when I walked... and Erica said it hurt her to walk for days after. She said Feng was an animal."

At this, she mumbled as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"So annoying. Why... why did I have to... Tammy hates pain... and guarding the door."

After hearing Tammy’s drunken rambling...

...everyone instantly understood the gist of what had happened. The plot twist was so ridiculous they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Their gazes toward Feng Mountain shifted from accusation to teasing.

This was going to be a good show!

...