Chapter 1739 – Warm Feet
Sun Lan returned to the estate, but despite the carriage arriving at the front gate, no one came out to welcome him. The slightly worn gate was tightly shut, and the area was desolate, even the doorkeeper seemed to have vanished. Even with his good temper, Sun Lan felt a spark of anger at the sight.
Before he could speak, a flurry of hurried footsteps echoed in his ear.
It turned out to be the steward, who hurried over upon hearing the commotion. He looked noticeably plumper than before, his figure expanding sideways.
The steward immediately began to apologize as soon as he approached. Sun Lan remained silent, leaving the steward unsure of his thoughts.
Seeing Sun Lan’s slight unease, the steward relieved a bit of his tension since Sun Lan didn’t press any questions.
“I’m tired; I’ll head back to my quarters first.”
With that, he walked past the steward and crossed the threshold into the estate.
The steward felt a twinge of anxiety upon seeing Sun Lan, who was stoic and unreadable.
Once Sun Lan observed the main courtyard, which seemed tidied yet still less than clean, his dissatisfaction grew deeper.
The guards who accompanied him began unloading items from the carriage. Most of it consisted of books—there were the educational materials sent over from Golden Scales Academy, along with several boxes containing assignments and study notes Sun Lan had written over the years, all neatly stacked.
A small portion included Sun Lan’s personal belongings and a change of clothes.
Having returned later than planned, Sun Lan decided to review his studies today and look for friends tomorrow to catch up and familiarize himself with the teaching style of the academy’s teachers. He and Feng Yi had been on leave for over two years, and he wondered what bizarre new antics the teachers of Golden Scales Academy had cooked up in the meantime.
Night fell quickly in winter, and after having some lights lit for illumination, Sun Lan finished dinner and practiced a set of martial arts moves before diving back into his studies.
Around the early hours of the night, around nine o’clock, a guard lightly called out to him.
“What is it?”
“The steward came by and suggested that Young Master should rest early since it’s getting late.”
Sun Lan asked, “What time is it?”
He wasn’t feeling sleepy yet; it was probably still too early for his usual bedtime.
The servant replied, “Just hit the early hours.”
That still seemed quite early, with about an hour left before his usual sleep time.
However—
“Fine, there’s plenty to do tomorrow, so resting early isn’t a bad idea.”
He was the only one at the estate, and any social dealings required his involvement, leading to an abundance of chores.
Unbeknownst to Sun Lan, a “surprise” or perhaps a “shock” awaited him in his room.
After a quick bath and wash-up, Sun Lan donned his nightclothes and prepared to sleep.
In the dim light of the room, as he started to feel drowsy and was about to crawl into bed—
When he first entered the covers, the warmth enveloped him, eliciting a sigh of relief from Sun Lan.
Transitioning from frugality to luxury is easy, but moving from luxury back to frugality is tough.
After spending more than two years in the military camp, he had endured hard, icy mattresses. Every cold winter night, slipping into bed felt like diving into an ice cellar, forcing him to curl up and wait for his body heat to warm the bedding.
Even though the servants were somewhat slack, they still remembered to warm his bed with a hand warmer, making it not entirely hopeless. With this thought, Sun Lan stretched his legs, only to unexpectedly encounter two soft and warm objects.
Not only did that heat startle him awake, but those things also trembled against his icy feet.
“What the—”
Sun Lan shouted angrily, bolting upright as he withdrew his feet and threw off the covers.
To his surprise, that thing reacted quickly, trying to extend its hands to hold onto his feet and pull them to its chest.
What a shameless ghost!
In a swift motion, Sun Lan grabbed his sword and drew it out, ready to slay this bizarre creature.
Hearing the commotion, the guards rushed in, but before they could see anything, they heard the muffled cries of a girl begging.
The two night-watch guards exchanged glances, stepping back in unison, questioning what was happening.
Sun Lan, still shaken, vaguely spotted a naked woman sprawled at the foot of the bed, instantly comprehending what he had just touched. His embarrassment and anger heightened, and gripping his sword tightly, he gritted his teeth, “It’s nothing, everyone get out!”
The guards shared a knowing glance, understanding everything silently.
As Sun Lan kept his sword close, he turned on all the lamps in the room to find the naked girl kneeling at the end of his bed.
Her long, glossy black hair cascaded down her back, with some strands falling over her shoulders, highlighting the smooth white skin that was visible.
Sun Lan averted his gaze, feeling awkward.
“Who are you?”
The girl, or rather the young woman, seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen but was quite well-developed.
“I’m the one sent to warm the Young Master’s feet.”
Warm feet?
Naked, crawling onto his bed to warm his feet?
Sun Lan was genuinely enlightened—that surely a hand warmer would do a better job than this! Why bring a person to occupy his bed?
If anything, couldn’t she merely wear clothes and warm up before leaving? What kind of nonsense was this?
Sun Lan stood at a distance, bluntly expressing his thoughts, making the girl feel embarrassed and utterly mortified.
“I… I also came to serve the Young Master…”
Warming feet, in simple terms, meant being a girl who could sleep with him without any official title, seemingly less than a concubine.
They heated the bed for their masters, and if the master had needs, they could also fulfill those.
After Jiang Pengji caused a commotion last year, families had become cautious, not daring to arrange concubines or maidservants because of their insufficient achievements to warrant such privileges. Once a concubine was taken, it would be deemed a grave violation of propriety, resulting in lighter penalties such as losing one’s official title or more severe consequences for the entire family.
But a man couldn’t have just one proper wife throughout his life. Even the best dishes can become tiresome after a few years, requiring a change of taste.
Even if it’s a piece of stale rubbish, if it’s something new for these men, they’ll want a taste.
Thus, the term “warming feet” came to imply another layer of meaning.
Not only responsible for warming the master’s feet but also warming their bodies and hearts, accompanying them in sleep.
Sun Lan, having spent time in the military camp, had become accustomed to the soldiers’ raunchy talk, and though not wholly innocent, he could understand the girl’s underlying implications.
“Ha, did the steward send you?”
He sneered coldly, noticing the maid trembling in fear.
Well…
The room’s temperature wasn’t high, and being naked, it was no wonder she was shivering.
“When did it come to a point where a servant could meddle in their master’s private affairs and take control of what happens in their room?”
Sun Lan couldn’t fathom how bold this girl was, trying to crawl into his bed on his very first night back.
Did she think he was some fool?
Just thinking about it incensed him!
The “foot warmer” girl looked like she was about to burst into tears, her form illuminated by the candlelight, appearing pitiful and endearing, especially her naked body, which stirred something within the vigorous young man. If it were an ordinary wealthy young master who saw her, he would likely take her in, why not enjoy such a gift delivered to his door? Yet Sun Lan felt a mix of humiliation and mockery, pointing his sword at the girl commanded, “Get out!”
“Get out! Let the steward in. I want to ask him if a mere servant thinks he can pull something like this!”
The steward had gone slack in his duties, ineptly trying to curry favor with him by delivering a woman – just thinking about it made him want to gag.
What a mere servant to attempt playing games with the master while employing such a despicable and disgusting ploy!!!
Typically, the matriarchs of noble families would arrange for teaching maidservants for their almost-adult sons.
Rejection or acceptance should at least be discussed with the parties involved.
But a steward really thought he could play the role of his parents?
