Lin Tingyu had an elegant demeanor, appearing more like a scholar than a soldier. His eyes sparkled with mischief when he smiled, and there were rumors of multiple women by his side, all from influential backgrounds.

Others speculated that Lin Tingyu had increasingly indulged in romantic escapades, and that his so-called retreats were just opportunities to chase after beauty. He seemed to care less about power, otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed the Zhu family to gain such influence in the military. The Zhu and Xu families were known to be closely allied, and many believed Xu Yintian was overly ambitious, aiming for both military and political dominance.

Lin Tingyu was familiar with Su Ting'er. Seeing him in a butler's attire, serving tea, Lin teased, "It's a pleasant surprise to see Mr. Su in this role in my lifetime."

"Seeing Commander Lin at the Litchi Mansion is also a delight. It's been years. I wonder, during your retreat, how much progress have you made in your martial arts?" Su Ting'er's question was on everyone's mind. Zhou You silently observed Lin Tingyu, looking for signs of his martial prowess in his demeanor, the way he walked, and his composure. While Zhou couldn't gauge the exact extent of his skills, he sensed Lin had formidable inner strength.

"Is Mr. Su genuinely curious, or is this someone else's question?" Lin Tingyu glanced at Zhou You, nodding subtly in appreciation. Lin was known to have an eye for beauty, be it in men or women. While most were aware of the women in his life, few knew about his male companions.

Zhou You was uncomfortable under his gaze. Upon hearing Lin's comment about the martial skills of the Marshal's wife, Zhou proposed, "Why don't we spar, then we'll know each other's capabilities?"

"That's a tempting proposition. However, we are guests today. It's not appropriate to challenge our host. Perhaps another time."

Zhou wondered if Lin's refusal was genuine or a mere excuse. Regardless, Zhou had no intention of being an adversary. Whether Lin's martial skills were advanced or not didn't matter. Zhou was more curious about the nature of this elusive man.

Zhou doubted that someone of no talent or virtue could maintain the position of Chief Commander of Yang City. And could Lin really be oblivious to the Zhu family's affairs?

In the end, pondering the past seemed pointless. Zhou had only one burning question.

Everyone was meeting for the first time, and with the evident age difference, it was hard to strike deep conversations. However, Zhou could infer Lin's stature among the other commanders.

When Lin spoke, others refrained from interrupting. Even their glances were filled with respect, making Zhou even more convinced of Lin's significant influence.

They didn't stay long, just had a few cups of tea and left behind some gifts. Lin gave Zhou a pass to the military zone, mentioning he was welcome in Yang City anytime.

Zhou examined the pass and asked Su Ting'er, "In your eyes, what kind of person is Commander Lin?"

"Cunning, astute, highly intelligent, and charming," Su Ting'er summarized. All words of praise, save for the last.

"Then why do you think he seemed indifferent when he knew Shao Qi was in Yang City? Can someone in retreat be so out of touch? What if there was a major emergency in the military zone?"

"Two possibilities. First, he might've known the Marshal's intentions and chose to distance himself by going into retreat. Secondly, he might've had the same goals as Marshal Shao. If someone else was taking action on his behalf, why intervene? As for the retreat, there were rumors last year that he was on the brink of a significant breakthrough."

Zhou You nodded. What he intended to investigate might not be related to Yangcheng Base. However, since he was here, he decided to look into it, even if finding a lead wasn't going to be easy.

"Master Xuan should be arriving soon. I'll prepare dinner. He loves sour and sweet dishes, so I'll make some of his favorites."

Su Ting laughed, "He must be over the moon. He might even brag about it to Marshal Shao."

Zhou You had already received the satellite phone from Shao Qi. Given the capabilities of the Xuan Sect, getting a few phones wouldn't be difficult. It will make staying in touch much easier in the future.

Just as he finished preparing a dish, Master Xuan arrived, this time with his grandson. Upon entering, he greeted Zhou You and then took Xuan Wei to tend to the garden.

This garden seemed to flourish only under his care. Others might find it odd despite their best efforts. Plus, after a few mutant vines were added, most gardeners dared not come here.

Xuan Wei knew his grandfather had cultivated a garden in the Litchi Mansion, but he had never visited. After seeing it, he was somewhat reluctant to leave. No wonder his grandfather enjoyed staying here; Litchi Mansion was truly beautiful.

He wasn't particularly interested in plants but had many questions for Zhou You. After accompanying Master Xuan for only a few minutes, he eagerly went inside to chat with Zhou You.

He played the afternoon live stream directly in front of Zhou You. The conference was still ongoing; unless it was Marshal Shao speaking, the camera wasn't focused on him. Xuan Wei had been praising Marshal Shao online all afternoon, becoming his little fan. Seeing Zhou You now, he felt even more familiar.

"I told my classmates that I know Marshal Shao, and they were green with envy! Haha! It's a good thing I insisted on accompanying him, or I would've missed out on spending so much time with him."

"I've got bragging rights for life now! You wouldn't believe how regretful those who didn't come with us are. Not only did they miss out on generous rewards, but they also lost the chance to fight alongside Marshal Shao. Many people have asked me for your contacts in the game. Hmph, as if I would give them out..."

Xuan Wei chattered on, but Zhou You wasn't annoyed. Litchi Mansion had been too quiet lately. Those who were talkative had left. Long Gan wasn't much of a talker, and although Li Yunxi spoke more, she wasn't home most of the time. With so many people gone, he indeed felt lonely.