My Sexy CEO Wife

Gao Fei sighed softly, "The situation here is much more complicated than we imagined."

"I always feel like something is missing here," Chen San frowned and said.

"It lacks vitality," Liu Qing said.

"That's right! Exactly, it lacks vitality!" Chen San slapped his thigh, "This place feels dead to me."

"Let's go, head to the City Lord's Mansion," Gao Fei said as he stepped forward and walked ahead.

Chen San and Liu Qing quickly followed suit.

…

"This is the City Lord's Mansion?"

"Holy crap! This is clearly just a broken-down house!"

"That's right, this is the City Lord's Mansion! There's even a sign hanging at the entrance with 'City Lord's Mansion' written on it."

When they saw the City Lord's Mansion, Gao Fei, Chen San, and Liu Qing were all stunned.

Across from them was a manor, with broken doors and collapsed walls. The yard was overgrown with weeds, and the sign that was carved with "City Lord's Mansion" was covered in dust. The house's windows were almost all broken, rundown, far too rundown! Was this really the City Lord's Mansion? How could it be in such decay?

"It looks like this City Lord's Mansion has been abandoned for a long time," Gao Fei spoke in a heavy voice.

"Damnation! How can anyone live in such a dump!" Chen San cursed indignantly.

"I'm very curious, who destroyed the City Lord's Mansion? This is definitely deliberate sabotage!" Liu Qing said angrily.

"Do you even have to ask? It must have been that He Hentian!" Chen San said furiously, "This is unbearable oppression! Utterly unbearable!!!"

"Sir, let's find a different place," Liu Qing said with a wry smile, "This place is simply uninhabitable."

"No! We shall stay here," Gao Fei waved his hand, "While we still have some daylight, let's start cleaning up." As he spoke, Gao Fei stepped into the City Lord's Mansion.

"Sir, we can't stay here," Chen San and Liu Qing caught up, "We should find another place."

Gao Fei straightened a fallen stone table, "As the city master, I must reside in the City Lord's Mansion."

"Sir…"

"If you disdain this place, then go live outside. I'll stay here alone."

"…Alright then, since you are determined to stay here, we will stay with you," they conceded.

In the following time, the three of them began to clean.

"Chen San, clean the windows in the next room," Gao Fei instructed.

"Liu Qing, fix that door," he continued.

"Be careful not to break anything," he cautioned.

"Pick up the pace, we want to finish before daylight," he urged.

The three worked energetically, and in no time, the City Lord's Mansion was transformed, becoming clean and bright. They swept up the dust on the ground, pulled the weeds, repaired the broken doors and windows, and wiped down the furniture inside the house…

…

In a luxurious attic,

an attractive man sat in a chair, slowly savoring a cup of fragrant hot tea.

This man was none other than He Hentian, the de facto Controller of Heavenly Water City.

"The three of them are cleaning the City Lord's Mansion," a subordinate reported respectfully.

"Oh?" He Hentian revealed a hint of surprise in his eyes, "Are you sure you saw correctly? They're really cleaning in the City Lord's Mansion?"

"Your subordinate has seen it with absolute certainty."

"Interesting! It seems I have underestimated them."

"What should we do next?"

"Keep watching them, and the moment they make any suspicious move, report to me immediately. Remember, you are in charge of surveillance; do not provoke them," instructed He Hentian.

"Yes." The subordinate acknowledged and then turned to leave.

"Snap!"

He Hentian placed the teacup on the table and then picked up a handkerchief to dab at the water stain at the corner of his mouth, "Gao Fei! I really want to see what tricks you can play?"

...

The Imperial City.

Within the Imperial Palace Hall.

Emperor Dugu Jingtian sat on the dragon throne, listening as the guards reported the situation in Heavenly Water City.

"A bet?" Dugu Jingtian laughed, "This Gao Fei does have some skill! Deliberately angering He Hentian, preventing He Hentian from thinking calmly, and then using a provocative strategy to compel He Hentian to bet with him! Clever, very clever! I indeed didn't judge him wrongly," said Dugu Jingtian, pausing for a moment before continuing, "But can Gao Fei resolve the grudge in He Hentian's heart within a month? If he can't, then Gao Fei's situation will become dangerous... Gao Fei, oh Gao Fei, I hope you won't disappoint me."

...

Compared to Gao Fei, Dongfang Jian's appointment to Chaotic Wind City was much easier.

The military commanders of various levels in Chaotic Wind City lined up in formation, welcoming Dongfang Jian to Chaotic Wind City as the City Lord in the warmest manner. That day, Dongfang Jian rode a tall horse into Chaotic Wind City, with the streets on both sides filled with citizens holding garlands, waving them while shouting, "Welcome, welcome! A warm welcome! Welcome, welcome! A warm welcome!"

Dongfang Jian was well aware that these welcome ceremonies were all staged by the commanders, with the sole purpose of flattering him. Seeing these commanders so understanding, a smile spread across Dongfang Jian's face.

Seeing Dongfang Jian smile, the commanders breathed a sigh of relief. They had gone through great pains to arrange the welcome ceremony, aiming to please Dongfang Jian. Now, it seemed, the effect was pretty good.

Dongfang Jian was no ordinary City Lord; he was the son-in-law of the Emperor, a person of high status. It was only natural for the commanders to try to flatter him vigorously.

Currying favor with Dongfang Jian was akin to currying favor with The Tenth Princess Dugu Xiu, and currying favor with The Tenth Princess was akin to currying favor with the Emperor. These commanders were indeed shrewd.

"Not bad, not bad at all!" Dongfang Jian nodded with satisfaction, "Seeing Chaotic Wind City thriving, my heart is greatly comforted." Accompanied by many commanders, Dongfang Jian made his way to the City Lord's Mansion. Looking at the familiar houses, Dongfang Jian felt a wave of complicated emotions. In the recent past, he used to live here, back when he would call Bai Daqing father-in-law and Bai Mudan his wife. As for now... Dongfang Jian had become a stranger to Bai Daqing and his daughter.

"Sigh!"

"Times change, times change," Dongfang Jian sighed softly.

"Is there anything about the City Lord's Mansion you're not satisfied with? I'll have someone fix it immediately," a commander asked urgently.

"No," Dongfang Jian shook his head, "I'm very satisfied! Actually, I've lived here for a while in the past... Let's go in," Dongfang Jian led the group into the City Lord's Mansion, nodding to himself as they walked. The environment hadn't changed at all from before.

At that moment, The Tenth Princess Dugu Xiu stepped forward and gently poked Dongfang Jian, "Are you feeling a bit sentimental now?"

"Ah? Oh? Hmm!" Dongfang Jian was startled, "Sentimental? Who am I missing?"

"Obviously, you're missing the master of this place, or more precisely, the previous master."

"Oh, how could that be!"

"You were just heaving sighs and murmurs."

"You're mistaken! I wasn't sentimental, I was just... a little moved. I used to be just a visitor here, and now I've become the master. The change in position gives me a feeling of being in a dream. I swear, I really wasn't missing anyone just now."

"Really not?"

"Really not!" Dongfang Jian nodded firmly.

"That's good, because if I find out you're still thinking about that Bai Mudan, I will deal with you harshly." With those stern words, Dugu Xiu led a group of maids towards the back yard.