The decoration style inside the castle is equally rooted in traditional European design—grand crystal chandeliers, intricate ceiling and edge profiles, numerous Roman columns and sculptures, and stunning oil paintings everywhere. The only exception is the study, which exudes a classic Chinese ambiance. Furniture such as the eight-arrangement table, taishi chairs, and bookcases are all crafted from fine redwood. An elderly man dressed in a Tang-style robe, with gray hair, sits at his desk, holding a bound scroll and reading intently. Tap, tap, tap… The sound of knocking interrupts him. He remains immersed in his reading, not lifting his head, and simply says, “Come in!” The door opens, and Su Wu rushes in like a breeze, standing gracefully before the desk, her voice soft and bright. “Dad, I’m back!” “Ah, good,” he smiles, “Little Wu has returned. Let me see if you’ve been sun-baked.” Only then did the elder set down his book, gazing at his daughter's lovely face for several seconds, and smiled warmly. "You're still as beautiful as ever. Now, tell Dad about your experiences on this Asian journey!" Su Wu pulled a chair over and sat down, pouting slightly. "Honestly, not much to report. All those so-called scenic spots and landmarks were just made up—really, nothing exciting at all. However, the flight back was quite thrilling. The plane nearly lost control and almost crashed from the sky, but thanks to my efforts, over three hundred passengers were safely rescued!" The elder was taken aback. "Under your efforts, do you know how to fly a plane or repair one? I didn't know you had such talents!" "The little girl pouted even higher: 'I helped the captain locate a height indicator—didn't that save the plane? Besides, there's a pale young man on board who's really annoying. He took advantage of me, even went so far as to eat my lunch, and I caught him red-handed!' 'Indeed,' the elder said, grabbing the table. 'To dare to take advantage of my precious daughter Su Kui—let him have his hand chopped off! My dear daughter, rest assured, I'm issuing the order right now to chop off his hand for you!' Su Wu quickly added: 'I've already locked him in the dog cage—your worries are taken care of. Besides, the height indicator that saved the passengers was actually provided by him. Even if he didn't make a big contribution, he certainly put in some effort!' 'Saving lives is one thing, taking advantage of others is another—these can't be mixed up,' Su Kui said, sounding rather upset. 'Who dares touch my daughter with even a single finger, I'll chop off his hand. My dear daughter, how exactly did he take advantage of you? Did you suffer too much?' " "Little girl blushed slightly: 'Now it's all settled! You don't really know your daughter, do you? As soon as he reaches out, I've already taken care of him!' Su Kui nodded in agreement: 'That's good, that's good. Actually, it's a bit odd—your beauty itself might be the problem. Since childhood, your charm has often attracted unwelcome attention from people with less than sincere intentions. As you've grown, things have only gotten worse. With women changing as they mature, how many men have stared at you with wolfish eyes? I've been worried ever since!' Su Xiao Niu huffed: 'That can't be blamed on me. It's simply because you and Mom have born me so beautiful. Should I then go out into the city and deliberately look unattractive?' 'Hmph, of course not!' the old man chuckled. 'My daughter, Su Kui's, must be the most beautiful girl in the world!' He paused, then added: 'Recently, the city has been experiencing some unrest. You'd better stay indoors as much as possible. If you must go out to shop or meet friends, bring along more bodyguards—just be careful, and you'll be The young girl's eyes settled on her father's book, expressing keen interest and asking, "What book are you reading? You're so absorbed!" The old man blushed, "Nothing special—just some classic literary works. Honestly, I'm just browsing, casually reading!" "Really?" Su Wu didn't believe him. Before her father could react, she snatched the book from him and read aloud the title on the cover: "A rare Ming Dynasty edition—*The Golden and the Jade Bottle*. Dad, you're actually reading such a serious literary work! I'm going to tell Mom!" "Dear daughter, please don't tell Mom! I beg you!" Su Kui quickly reclaimed the book, firmly declaring, "This is a Ming Dynasty printing, over four hundred years old—rare and precious, truly a cultural treasure. That's exactly why I paid a premium to acquire it, and why I'm studying it academically. You must believe me!" "Really?" Su Wu remained skeptical of her father's words. Su Kui's face turned even redder, and he held his ground, saying, "Absolutely true. If my father truly wanted to see *Jinpingmei*, why didn't he choose the modern illustrated version? It's only because it's a rare ancient edition that he decided to buy it to take a look!" Su Xiaoniu decided to let her father off this time, and said with a sniff, "Then I'll believe you this time!" "Ha ha, it's still the good daughter who treats her father well," Su Kui felt as though he had narrowly escaped disaster. Su Xiaoniu clapped her hands and stood up, saying, "I'm off to visit the new puppy. I'll also give that arrogant young man a piece of my mind. Father, you go on studying those rare ancient books!" "Fine, fine. If I have to say anything, I'll have that young man's hands chopped off," Su Kui grumbled. "I told you not to chop them off—he's the one I brought back. What should I do, I'll decide!" Xiaoniu gave her father a withering look and stormed off angrily. "Alright, then, daughter, you make the call—I absolutely won't interfere... By the way, I've already arranged the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes. We'll have a nice family meal together... Daughter, please don't go so fast. Just stay a little longer and chat with Dad a bit more, okay?" The daughter had already walked far away. Su Kui shook his head with a sense of helplessness, murmuring to himself, "Used to always hope my daughter would grow up, but even now, she still doesn't settle down. It seems like I'll have to find her a husband—only when she's married will she truly be grown up!" Su Wu changed into a riding outfit—tight-fitting top, paired with riding pants and high boots—and carried a dog lead. She arrived at the back courtyard. This was where the Su family kept their dogs. The kennel housed more than a dozen world-renowned breeds, ranging from large Saint Bernards to small Poodle dogs, all represented. Today, however, the family had added a new member—Qin Feng. Just thinking about how miserable he looked, confined in the kennel, Su Wu couldn't help but smile. He must have been absolutely terrified—after all, A-san would surely confine him with several fierce-looking dogs, hehe. The servant in charge of the dogs didn't greet the lady as usual, but due to her excitement, she didn't notice this small detail. "Dogs, sisters come to see you! Did you want to see me? Hmm, where are the dogs?" Only then did she realize the dog cages were empty—no dogs at all. As she was puzzled, a figure appeared behind her, and then came a loud thud. Su Wu lost consciousness and was caught in arms by Qin Feng, who smiled mischievously. "I've been waiting for you all along—how long did you take to arrive?"