"My sisters, I hope you've been well."
As soon as Xu Ran led the ladies into the Xu Sect, Ya Fei sashayed over, her smile beaming as she greeted everyone.
Ya Fei had nearly become the household manager now. She had run the grand auction house in an orderly manner, and since it was integrated into the Xu Sect, she had almost become the Chief Steward. Ya Fei may not have been the most powerful, but she was formidable in her networking skills. Having gained a thorough understanding of Black Corner Region and Zhongzhou during her time managing the auction house, Ya Fei typically handled affairs, while powerhouses like Gu Yuena acted as enforcers. Often playing the peacemaker, many were willing to take her words to heart.
Therefore, Ya Fei's status in the family had visibly improved, putting Xun Er and the others on alert.
A strong competitor like her was rather bad news for them.
"Ya Fei?"
Queen Medusa and Yun Yun narrowed their eyes slightly, clearly familiar with Ya Fei's reputation.
After all, Ya Fei had soared from a mere Dou Zhe to the pinnacle of Douhuang, and now had even advanced to Douzong status. Her rapid rise had already been widely circulated as stories within the Jia Ma Empire.
Of course, what mattered most was Ya Fei's current high status.
From Ya Fei's radiant face, it was evident that she was doing very well here. In their view, Ya Fei seemed to possess the charm of the Snake-People Tribe and the grace of Yun Yun and the others, alluring when dynamic, irresistible when in repose, and yet demure as a maiden, standing tall and elegant. They all had to admit that Xu Ran had an eye for women; apart from his other attributes, the ability to choose such women was admirable. Xu Ran was indeed fickle-hearted, but each sister he brought into his chambers was more formidable than the last. They were not only stunning in appearance but also excelled in other aspects.
"Let us sisters go inside and talk," Ya Fei suggested as she energetically ushered them towards the house, not minding the wary eyes of Queen Medusa and Yun Yun.
However, she couldn't help but feel a bit startled upon seeing so many people brought by Xu Ran.
Xu Ran was like an animal, herding groups of girls to his home, enough to startle anyone who saw it.
Fortunately, the Xu Sect had plenty of land and rooms; otherwise, they wouldn't all fit.
They say three women make a drama; dozens of women could lead to an apocalypse... almost enough to assemble an aircraft carrier battle group.
Xu Ran couldn't help but let his mind wander, thinking of those ship-girl games from his past life, hehe... With him as the only male captain, it was simply delightful.
"You actually brought so many people at once; if the other sisters see this, there's bound to be trouble again," Ya Fei commented as she approached Xu Ran. Seeing the smug look on his face, she knew he wasn't thinking of anything good and couldn't help but pinch his waist forcefully.
It wasn't just others, even she felt indignant.
So many in the house and yet he still coveted more from outside. She even thought that Xu Ran was bound to suffer a significant setback over a woman's belly someday.
As the number of people in the house increased, so did the risk of conflict. There hadn't yet been an incident to exacerbate the tensions, but if someone broke the peace, Ya Fei feared the house would become a scene of chaos.
She now felt it was a miracle that so many could live together in peace.
Others were typically a family of three. However, the Xu Family amounted to forty or fifty members, and this was even before having any children. Once children were in the picture, the household would easily grow to several hundred people, rivaling the size of another clan that had been around for a millennium. Families that prided themselves on their ancestral lineage would surely worship Xu Ran like some deity after seeing this.
"Don't you already know all of these people? I haven't kept them a secret from you. Didn't we agree on this before?" Xu Ran hastened to say. He was afraid, indeed. If several jealous types turned their nagging into a cacophony in his ear, like a flock of noisy birds, he feared he might collapse.
With dozens of people talking, he didn't even know whose statements he should listen to first.
"Knowing is one thing, but seeing is another. It's really quite a sight to see so many sisters entering the house together. With so many people, I don't even know who to look at. I have no idea how you got through this, you scoundrel. If I had this many wives, I would probably run far, far away," Ya Fei chuckled, then whispered.
She felt that talking romance with so many people was simply more exhausting than negotiating with a crowd in business.
To please so many people at the same time, to keep them happy and jealousy at bay, really was a technical job—one careless move could set off the vinegar pots.
Ya Fei glanced at Queen Medusa and Yun Yun beside her and complained, "You probably haven't told them about the situation here, have you?"
This fellow had deceived their feelings in the past by saying he loved only them.
"Hold on, help me explain, will you? I just can't bring myself to say it. If you help me this time, I'll set aside time to dote on you for an entire day this week," Xu Ran said as he rubbed his hands together. Ya Fei and Yun Yun hailed from the same place; they shared a common language, and Ya Fei was always exceptionally good at smoothing things over.
Xu Ran really did not want to speak up. Although in the end all the ladies would surely compromise, the process would definitely leave him utterly drained.
"Pfft. Why didn't you think of this day when you were chasing them? Now, look at you, expecting me to clean up your mess," Ya Fei teased coyly.
But in truth, she did want to spend time alone with Xu Ran; usually, she had to share him with others most of the time.
She truly was fond of the rascal of a man in front of her.
Only a true lover would experience such emotional fatigue. If Xu Ran didn't genuinely care for them, would he bother so much? Simply banishing anyone who annoyed him to the cold palace would be the simplest and most effective solution.
Yet, Xu Ran had never done so. Even when the sisters' rivalry and jealousy went too far, at most Xu Ran would spank them, never punishing them excessively. Xu Ran was definitely a man of passion and loyalty.
That was what Ya Fei found most comforting.
What stood out most about Xu Ran was not his strength or his talent, but his emotions, which remained consistent no matter what. Someone once said that humans experience aesthetic fatigue, that after eighteen months they enter a period of aesthetic ennui.
But she observed how Xu Ran treated those who had been with him for a long time, and he was consistently good to them.
This was why, even though they often had to wait alone, they couldn't bring themselves to be angry with Xu Ran. They might blame him, but they did not have regrets.
Numerous virtues combined in Xu Ran allowed them to accept some of his special, excessive flaws.