Chapter 44: He Likes Men

When Lou E'e stepped into the courtyard, she was completely stunned.

The fast-growing flowers surrounding the courtyard were in full bloom, and Boston ivy had climbed up the brick walls, giving the entire yard a vibrant, spring-like atmosphere. A sunshade pergola had been set up in one corner, beneath which sat a lounge chair and a small tea table.

On the opposite side stood a large table accompanied by two long benches.

Both the table and benches were exceptionally wide and thick, exuding a sturdy, high-quality texture. Atop the table sat a vase holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, creating an aesthetic and picturesque scene.

"Would you like a drink of water?" Lin Shaowen asked.

"No, thank you," Lou E'e replied in a soft voice.

"Would you like some coconut?" Lin Shaowen asked again.

"Coconut? You have coconuts at home?" Lou E'e asked in astonishment.

The last time she had tasted coconut was when she was very young, after her father had asked someone to source and buy it from afar.

"Nope." Lin Shaowen spread his hands.

"Oh." Lou E'e looked somewhat disappointed.

Lin Shaowen stepped into the study for a brief moment and emerged holding two coconuts, complete with inserted straws.

"Why are you teasing me like that?" Lou E'e complained with a playful glare.

"Well, do you want it or not?" Lin Shaowen shrugged.

"Yes."

Lou E'e answered with a blushing face.

"Drink slowly."

With that brief instruction, Lin Shaowen immediately set to work tinkering with his electric fans.

He had bought three fans in one go, placing one under the pergola, giving another to Qin Huairou, and keeping the last one in his bedroom.

However, there was no power outlet near the pergola, so he was currently running electricity to it, planning to install a light fixture while he was at it. Otherwise, without moonlight, the courtyard would be pitch black at night.

"May I look around?" Lou E'e asked, standing up while hugging her coconut.

"Mm-hmm."

Lin Shaowen acknowledged with a hum and continued tinkering with his electrical wires.

Lou E'e walked over to the study and couldn't help smiling when she saw two pairs of slippers resting on the floor. This Dr. Lin was certainly thoughtful, even preparing a pair of slippers for guests.

She changed into the slippers and stepped into the study, only to be struck with amazement.

The polished wooden floor was impeccably clean, and the golden nanmu furniture gleamed under the sunlight. Aside from a bouquet of fresh flowers, paper, and writing brushes, the expansive desk was entirely devoid of clutter. Behind the desk stood a massive bookcase stretching all the way from the floor to the ceiling, with a small wooden ladder parked neatly beside it.

The shelves were packed tightly with books, and judging by their worn appearance, they were clearly old volumes that had been frequently handled.

"No wonder he's so extraordinary," Lou E'e muttered to herself.

Had Lin Shaowen heard these words, he would have loudly protested his innocence.

Aside from a portion of the books acquired through a mysterious system, the rest were part of his late father's collection. After all, for a middle-aged widower with a substantial income, indulging one's personal hobbies was the easiest thing in the world.

She picked up a book at random and flipped through a few pages. Every margin was densely covered with reading notes.

The handwriting was vigorous and powerful; it bore a slight resemblance to the medical prescription she had seen at the Zhao family residence last time, though with minor differences. Lou E'e didn't dwell on it.

Next, she inspected the bathroom and restroom. Upon discovering the luxurious shower facilities, she was taken aback yet again. There was even hot water? Yet she saw no boiler anywhere in sight.

Lou E'e pondered for a long time without figuring it out.

Of course, had she been able to comprehend a hybrid solar and electric water heater, it truly would have been a miracle.

"Such a little bourgeois,"

Lou E'e murmured her evaluation, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately decided to head toward Lin Shaowen's bedroom.

The two-meter-by-two-meter king-sized bed genuinely startled her.

The bedroom furnishings were remarkably spartan; aside from an enormous wardrobe, there was nothing else in the room.

Recalling the two pairs of slippers in the study and noticing another two pairs inside the bedroom, Lou E'e felt her heart tighten. She poked her head out to take a peek and, seeing that Lin Shaowen was still occupied with his fan, she suppressed her shyness and pulled open Lin Shaowen's wardrobe.

"Whew!"

Lou E'e let out a long breath of relief.

There was not a single piece of women's clothing inside the wardrobe.

Suddenly, a commotion from the courtyard made her face flush crimson. She hurriedly shut the wardrobe doors and rushed outside in a flurry.

"Tsk, now this is what I call living."

Lin Shaowen looked up at the modified fan swaying back and forth at the top of the pergola, highly satisfied with his handiwork.

"Are you all done?" Lou E'e asked with a smile.

"Yep, all done." Lin Shaowen nodded and reclined onto the lounge chair.

"Treating a lady like that is quite impolite, you know," Lou E'e reminded him.

"Weren't you just on a blind date with Xu Damao? What are you doing running over to my place?" Lin Shaowen asked lazily.

"I wanted to be friends with you," Lou E'e replied with a charming smile.

"If you were Xu Damao, would you allow your partner to have a close friend of the opposite sex?" Lin Shaowen curled his lip.

"Why not?" Lou E'e widened her eyes.

"Between a man and a woman, where is there ever pure friendship? There is only desire disguised as affection."

With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Lin Shaowen rocked leisurely in his chair.

"No way... pure friendship definitely exists," Lou E'e argued, her face flushing.

"For instance, right now, you've abandoned your blind-date partner and run straight into my courtyard. Do you think I'd believe you only want to be friends? Or better yet, do you think Xu Damao would believe you only want to be friends with me?" Lin Shaowen asked playfully.

"Then what do you suppose I came here for?" Lou E'e asked, resting her chin in her hands.

"You've taken a fancy to me, naturally," Lin Shaowen said smoothly.

"You... you have no shame!"

With that parting remark, Lou E'e turned and fled, her face burning red.

Before leaving, she couldn't resist glancing back at Lin Shaowen one last time. Catching him standing beneath the pergola, gazing at her intently with glowing eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly slammed the courtyard gate shut.

She leaned against the wooden gate, taking heavy, panting breaths. Her heart was beating frantically against her ribs.

"E'e, how did you end up running all the way over here?"

Xu Damao tracked her down. "Don't lean against his gate. Lin Shaowen is not an easy person to deal with; he's practically the public enemy of the entire courtyard..."

You had to hand it to Xu Damao—he was truly talented at smearing Lin Shaowen's reputation at every given opportunity.

"Oh? Why is that?" Lou E'e's curiosity was instantly piqued.

"He shows no respect for the elderly and is utterly selfish," Xu Damao maligned Lin Shaowen without a shred of hesitation. "Take his private indoor toilet, for example. The elderly folks in the yard wanted to use it, but he flatly refused. Tell me, isn't someone like that lacking in moral character?"

"Mm-hmm, sounds like it," Lou E'e agreed, nodding. "What else...?"

"You know the Deaf Old Lady, right? The one living in our back courtyard. The First Master in our yard gives her ten yuan every month to take care of her..."

"Why does it have to be him taking care of her?" Lou E'e asked curiously.

"Because his courtyard is spacious," Xu Damao said with a sour tone. "You've never been inside his house, have you? Let me tell you, this guy has always been greedy, hogging three large rooms all by himself. It's even more outrageous than the big landlords of the past..."

"That certainly sounds excessive."

"I'm telling you, I suspect there's something a bit off about this guy," Xu Damao lowered his voice conspiratorially. "We have a divorced woman living in his side room now, and that woman is an absolute stunner..."

"And then?"

"Plenty of people are waiting to catch them in the act at night," Xu Damao chuckled slyly. "But who would've guessed? The guy never steps out of his house after finishing work, and the woman never comes out either. The two of them act like total strangers who want nothing to do with each other. Don't you think something's wrong with him?"

"What could possibly be wrong with him?" Lou E'e asked in surprise.

Isn't that completely normal?

A divorced woman and a young man—must something scandalous happen between them for things to be considered normal?

"Lots of people say he prefers men." As soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Damao burst out laughing with a sudden snort.

"Prefers men?"

Lou E'e burst into laughter as well, her smile blossoming with captivating charm.