Chapter 289: Old House

As how Wang Li Lei had explained her briefly, the place where they were going to visit took a great distance to journey. By the time they car arrived, the sun had turned halved from being swallowed by the horizon. The bluish hue of the sky became orange and darkness filled a few of part from the bottom of the sky. Xiao Yun wondered where the car had entered at and took her eyes to travel around the place where she was to see a large mansion with a white walls and large steel gate opening for their car to enter.

The mansion seemed to be quite old in age, the structure was not one to be called modern as it followed the western mansion architecture. Yet even thought there was not a person to be seen in the vicinity, the green weeds in the garden was on a short level and almost feel as though someone had placed a great attention to take care of the garden.

As the car entered through the long path they stepped out of the car when they reached the entrance and stopped at the stairs in front of the tall double door. Seeing the unfamiliar face brimming with warmth and memories, Xiao Yun asked. "Where is this place?"

"My parent's house." Wang Li Lei gave a smile, nostalgia sweeping to his mind whenever he glances around the place.

"It's a very beautiful place." Xiao Yun looked at the marbled floor which was free from dust and leaves. Not far from where she stood at, she could see a wood swing making a little creaking sound as the wind hit the two rope tied to the wood plank. Usually, a mansion with no signs of people living in the house the place would have looked barren and haunted. But the mansion where Wang Li Lei once lived at held a warm feeling and showed well how the people lived in the house before had tended the house with care and memorable memories.

"Is this the place where you want to show me?" She asked as she recalled how Wang Li Lei gave a remark it would be better to come in the evening.

"Not yet," he replied with a gentle smile. "There is still a place where I want to show you."

Not far from the two, a man on his forties with a thick straw hat and a farm uniform crouched on the ground not too far from the swing in the garden. Wiping his sweat, the man patted the gardening fork he held on his hand to give a few pats to the piled dirt on the sides of the new planted flowers.

The man thought of the work left to do today on the garden and remembered he should also cut the weeds on the far left corner of the garden. He stood up from his place to stop his work now as the Sun was set when he noticed two people standing in front of the mansion's entrance. Who? He tilted his head. He didn't hear anyone would be visiting here from Mr. Wang and thought of how little the possibility of the couple standing on the entrance to barge into the mansion with iron gates.

The man placed his palm over his temple and squinted his eyes to have his eyes widened. Without any wait, the man threw his dirty gloves with grim and ran ove toward the entrance.

"Is there someone tending the house?" She asked and saw him nods. "There are two caretakers for this house. Mr. Len and Mrs. Len." A husband and wife, Xiao Yun thought. Ever since I was little the two had work in the house under my parents."

"No wonder," Xiao Yun whispered, "This house seemed to be taken care very well."

Just then, Wang Li Lei and Xiao Yun heard sounds of running footsteps running toward them accompanied with a bubbling voice. "Mr. Wang! You've come to visit the house?" Mr. Len said to perform a bow which was stopped half way when he saw Wang Li Lei Hand hinging him to stop his formality.

"Yes, Mr. Len how are you?" It wasn't rare for Wang Li Lei to greet someone with those words but now to her ears, his greeting sounds very gentler even more than how he talk to his own grandparents.

Mr. Len gave a chuckle of delight from being asked, "I'm great in health, Mr. Wang! I'm getting a little rusty in tending the garden but I can assure you I'm the best in the field." The old man placed his hand over his hat to take it off and had his eyes stopped at Xiao Yun to greet her with a smile. "This lady here is?" The Old man trailed to Wang Li Lei.

Taking her shoulder closer, Wang Li Lei proudly stated, "My future wife." Her eyes darted toward him and her cheeks were flushed red. Rather than the word fiancée, future wife had more impact for her smile to widen in a smooth line.

Mr. Len took a look at Xiao Yun to give a warm expression of an old caretaker who had stayed beside Wang Li Lei since his childhood. He could still remember the day when Wang Li Lei came back to the house after the death of his parents. His black eyes held no single speck of emotion and when he saw how the childish smile he once had didn't seem like it could ever return back, he could feel his heart break.

Fortunately, like a God's gift Wang Li Lei had found a kind and gentle woman who could make him smile once again. The lady to his eyes, was a woman that remind him a little of Wang Li Lei's mother. "May I ask for your name, Miss?" The Old man held the straw hat over to his chest.

"My name is Xiao Yun." She greeted, "You must be Mr. Len, I have just heard about you from Li Lei. Thank you very much for taking care of the house."

Mr. Len shook his head, "Thank you very much for your words but I didn't really do many thing. I'm only a gardener in this house and can't do much then cutting the wild weeds and taking care of the flower beds."

"I'm not exaggerating Mr. Len, what you do may seem simple to you but for someone to be able to hold the place for such a long time, I could see how well you took care of the house." The place was different than any abandoned house, it was beautiful and brought warmth to her. Mr. Len heard her words and pulled a bright smile.

"That's right Mr. Wang, are you going to stay in the house today? I should inform Si to prepare a room." Xiao Yun guessed the name Mr. Len mentioned must be his wife's name.

"No thank you, can you just prepare the West Room and please also bring some snacks."

"I should do that then, please excuse me." Mr. Len bowed to Xiao Yun and Wang Li Lei to leave into the mansion.

Wang Li Lei took Xiao Yun's hand gently and leaded her inside the house, "Be careful of your steps." He warned as he knew how her legs was still wounded.