My seniority is extraordinary: I was only eight years old when the whole village came to wish me a H

Without the slightest hesitation, Wu You, a small figure, walked step by step up the bluestone steps of the Wu Clan Ancestral Hall.

He didn't turn around.

The enormous, vermilion gate, seemingly carved from a single piece of nanmu wood, began to slowly close behind him.

"Creak—"

The heavy door hinges turned, emitting a long and ancient sound, like a sigh from ancient times.

Su Qinghuan's gaze followed that figure intently.

She watched him walk through the door until the last bit of his clothes disappeared from sight.

"Bang!"

The two doors finally slammed shut together with a deep, heavy thud.

The sound was like a thunderclap, striking Su Qinghuan's heart and the hearts of all the viewers in the live stream.

The door closed.

An invisible yet indestructible boundary was thus drawn.

Outside the door lies a world that ordinary people like them can only glimpse.

Inside the gate lies Wu Family Village, and the absolute forbidden area belonging to "Young Master" Wu You.

At that moment, a complex mix of feelings welled up in Su Qinghuan's heart, a mixture of loss, curiosity, and awe.

The square became empty as the villagers dispersed.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched everyone's shadows long.

After the ancestral hall doors closed, the head steward, Wu Jingzhi, slowly straightened up. He turned to look at Su Qinghuan, a gentle smile appearing on his wrinkled face, a stark contrast to the stern demeanor he had displayed when facing the villagers.

"Miss Su, I'm sorry to have startled you and your team." His voice was polite, with the refined elegance of an old-fashioned scholar. "The young master has already given instructions. Please follow me."

"Thank you... thank you for your help, Elder Jing." Su Qinghuan quickly came back to her senses and replied politely.

She gestured for Lao Wang and Xiao Li to follow, and the group followed Wu Jingzhi and the elders behind him, beginning to walk towards the other side of the square.

Walking through this "village" again, Su Qinghuan's feelings were completely different from when she first arrived.

If she was initially shocked by the luxury of the place when she entered, then...

So now, she was deeply shocked by the "people" here.

She watched the villagers walk past her; some drove electric scooters, while others got into sports cars parked by the roadside.

They greeted each other with relaxed smiles, looking no different from any other resident of an affluent neighborhood.

But Su Qinghuan knew that each of these people was a behemoth who controlled a world-class industry.

That young mother who drives a pink Bentley to pick up her child may be in charge of a vast fashion empire.

That seemingly ordinary old man playing chess by the roadside might be controlling something...

This stark contrast made Su Qinghuan feel as if she were walking in a magical realist world.

Assistant Xiao Li followed behind, no longer daring to make a fuss like before.

He simply lowered his voice and whispered in Su Qinghuan's ear in an almost inaudible whisper.

"Sister Qinghuan... that 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion'... it sounds like the name of a teahouse or a pavilion. We... we're not going to end up staying in a small side room, are we? Or will they give us a servant's room or something?"

His concerns were not unfounded.

After all, they are outsiders.

Although the young master acknowledged him as a "distinguished guest," in such a strictly regulated place, being given a place to stay was already quite a privilege.

Compared to the "villagers" living in detached villas, they are nothing.

Su Qinghuan was actually a little nervous, but she still glared at Xiao Li, signaling him to shut up.

"Don't talk nonsense, you should be grateful to have a place to stay."

Wu Jingzhi seemed to have heard their whispers. He turned around with a meaningful smile on his face, but said nothing and continued to lead the way.

They crossed several wide roads and turned into a quiet path shaded by lush bamboo groves.

The path is paved with pebbles of varying sizes, and you can hear a rustling sound when you walk on it.

The air is filled with the fresh scent of bamboo leaves and the fragrance of earth, which is refreshing and invigorating.

After walking for a few minutes, the path ended and the view suddenly opened up.

A building appeared before them.

It was a detached villa.

The villa's design is extremely ingenious.

It's not one of those ostentatious European-style castles in the village, nor is it a minimalist modern glass box; instead, it's a courtyard filled with Zen-like tranquility and a modern Chinese style.

With its white walls, black tiles, and wooden lattice windows, the main building blends perfectly with the surrounding bamboo groves, rockeries, and flowing water, resembling a naturally formed ink painting.

It lacks the overt luxury of other villas, but exudes a restrained elegance and nobility that requires careful appreciation.

Wu Jingzhi stopped at the entrance of the courtyard.

The gate was automatically activated and slid open silently to both sides as they approached.

"Miss Su," Wu Jingzhi turned to the side and gestured for Su Qinghuan to enter, "this is 'Tingyuxuan'."

"You will be staying here for the next few days. A dedicated butler will take care of your daily needs. The smart system in the house can meet all your requirements."

As he spoke, he took out a card that looked like it was made of black jade from his pocket and handed it to Su Qinghuan.

"This is the access card for Tingyuxuan. With this card, you can come and go freely."

Wu Jingzhi paused, then added a sentence that made Su Qinghuan's heart skip a beat.

"The young master instructed that you are free to move around and take pictures anywhere in the village except for the Wu Clan Ancestral Hall and some core areas."

After saying this, he bowed slightly to Su Qinghuan, and then led the other elders back the way they came and left.

Only Su Qinghuan, Lao Wang, and Xiao Li remained at the entrance of the empty courtyard.

They stood there, stunned, staring at the heavy black jade card in their hands, then at the detached villa before them, a work of art in itself. The three of them looked at each other, and in each other's eyes, they saw the same expression.

It was a sleepwalking expression, a mixture of ecstasy, confusion, and utter unreality.

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