The Mysterious Card Maker: Starting with Zhang Jiao's Deification

The servant pushed Lin Fan through a narrow path and brought him to a detached building.

"Mr. Lin, this is where you will be staying for the next period of time. Mr. Zhao specially arranged it for you. It is quiet here and very suitable for you to recuperate."

Lin Fan was stunned when he looked at the small villa in front of him. He had thought he would be given a separate room, but he didn't expect it to be an entire building. It would be so empty for one person to live there.

"Do I live alone?" Lin Fan asked.

"Mr. Zhao has arranged two attendants for you, including myself, and we will take care of your daily life."

Seeing that Lin Fan did not answer, the attendant immediately explained, "We usually live in the basement. Your room is on the second floor. We won't come up to disturb you unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Hmm." Lin Fan let the servant push him into the villa's hall.

Upon entering, he was stunned by the lavishly decorated hall. The floor was covered with marble, the walls were adorned with several oil paintings in gilded frames, and a gaudy crystal chandelier hung overhead.

"Hello, Mr. Lin!"

When Lin Fan entered, several uniformed servants stopped what they were doing and bowed to him.

"Hello!" Lin Fan replied.

"This is... for me to stay in?" He turned to look at the servant behind him, his tone full of disbelief.

The attendant bowed slightly: "Mr. Zhao said that Mr. Lin is a distinguished guest and should naturally stay in the best place."

Lin Fan looked at the attendant behind him and asked, "Where is my room?"

"I'll take you there now. Your room is on the second floor, and the card-making room is on the third floor." The attendant said as he pushed Lin Fan toward the elevator.

The elevator stopped on the second floor, and a servant pushed Lin Fan slowly toward the bedroom. Lin Fan looked down through the glass of the corridor.

At this moment, the servants downstairs stopped what they were doing and went out one after another, and the hall quickly became quiet.

The bedroom door was open, and a maid was making the bed inside. Seeing Lin Fan enter, she quickly stopped what she was doing and awkwardly tugged at her clothes.

"Mr. Lin, please wait a moment, it will be ready soon."

"It's alright, take your time," Lin Fan said, glancing at the study next to the bedroom.

"That's the study. Mr. Zhao has something to give you." The servant pushed Lin Fan to the desk and stopped. He took a brown paper file bag from the drawer and handed it to Lin Fan with both hands.

"What's this?" Lin Fan took the file folder, weighed it in his hand, and found it somewhat heavy.

"We dare not look at Mr. Zhao's things without permission," the attendant said apologetically.

"By the way, I still don't know your name?" Lin Fan looked up at the servant.

The attendant bowed slightly, a polite smile on his face.

"You can just call me Xiao Zhou. The maid outside who is making the bed is called Xiao Yun. From now on, we will be in charge of your daily life."

Lin Fan nodded: "Xiao Zhou, you've worked hard."

"Of course," Xiao Zhou said, taking a step back and bowing.

"Then you can rest now, I won't disturb you any longer. Dinner will be delivered to your room later. If you need anything else, just press the call button on your desk or bedside table."

After speaking, he bowed slightly, turned and walked out of the study, gently closing the door behind him.

Lin Fan looked at the file folder in his hand but didn't rush to open it. He placed the folder on his lap, turned his wheelchair, and returned to the bedroom.

Xiaoyun was bent over with her back to Lin Fan. At this moment, she was gently stroking the wrinkles on the bed sheet, as if she was afraid of making any noise that might disturb Lin Fan.

"Xiaoyun," Lin Fan called out.

Xiaoyun's body trembled slightly, and she quickly turned her head. Her face was a little red, whether from bending over for too long or from nervousness, it was hard to tell.

"Mr. Lin, what can I do for you?"

"How long have you been working here?" Lin Fan asked.

"Less than a month." Xiaoyun's voice was very soft, with a hint of timidity, as if she was afraid of saying the wrong thing and offending the person in front of her.

"Don't be so nervous, I'm not going to eat you!" Lin Fan said in a slightly joking tone.

"Brother Zhou said you are a distinguished guest and we can't offend you," Xiaoyun said in an even lower voice.

"We were just chatting, nothing else. Where were you before?"

"Before..." Xiaoyun lowered her head, as if recalling, "I used to work at a hotel in the west of the city, but it closed down, and I came here through someone's introduction."

"Is it more relaxing here than at the hotel?"

Xiaoyun nodded first, then shook her head, and finally said softly, "There are many rules here."

"What are the rules?"

Xiaoyun bit her lip, considered her words carefully, and then slowly said, "It's just... there are some places we can't go."

Lin Fan's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he spoke:

"After all, this is a private place, and it's normal for it to have some private areas, right?"

Xiaoyun continued, "I heard from Brother Zhou that there was once a servant who went to those secret places and disappeared the next day."

"Gone?" Lin Fan's voice turned somber.

"It's just... I'm not working here anymore." Xiaoyun's voice was even lower.

"We don't know exactly where they went, but since then, no one has dared to wander around. Mr. Lin, you should also be careful," Xiaoyun reminded him.

"Look at me, where can I possibly run off to?" Lin Fan said with a smile, spreading his hands as he sat in his wheelchair.

Xiaoyun raised her head, glanced at him, and then quickly lowered her head again: "You...you seem different from the other distinguished guests."

"Oh, what's different?"

"In the past, Mr. Zhao's distinguished guests would order us around and treat us like royalty, unlike you who would joke with us like this."

She raised her head slightly, watching the changes in Lin Fan's expression. Seeing that Lin Fan didn't seem displeased, she became bolder, and her previously hunched back straightened up considerably.

"Xiaoyun, what are those places you said I can't go to? I'll be more careful after I get better," Lin Fan continued to ask.

She glanced instinctively toward the door, and seeing it was closed, she whispered:

"There's a wall in that grove of trees to the east. I've seen Mr. Zhao and Miss Su frequently going in and out with people, but Brother Zhou told me that we can't go there."

Xiaoyun paused for a moment, then continued, "Also, these villas are off-limits to anyone except those who are assigned to stay there. They say it's so as not to disturb our distinguished guests or something."

"There are quite a few villas here?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhao lives in Building A, Ms. Su lives in Building B, and then..." Xiaoyun was talking excitedly when she seemed to realize something and immediately shut her mouth.

"Mr. Lin, you can't tell anyone what I just said!" She looked at Lin Fan pleadingly. "If others find out that I told you so much, I might not be able to continue working here."

"Okay, I won't tell anyone. It's a secret between us!" Lin Fan put his hand to his lips, making a shushing gesture.

"And you absolutely must not go to those places. Brother Zhou said it's best if we don't know what's inside."

She checked again and saw Lin Fan nod before leaving the room.

Lin Fan stared at the closed door, his mind racing with what Xiao Yun had said. This place was more than just a residential area; what lay behind the woods?