A red Cayenne sports car was parked in front of the hotel. Just one glance and I was smitten, recalling the same model sitting in my garage, my heart itched with desire. Elsa seemed to sense my longing from my gaze and said with a smile, "Sir Beaumont, why don't you take the wheel?"
Sofia stood by my side, tossing me the car keys without waiting for my consent, "I don't care what kind of 'Sir' you are, but if anything happens to my sister, you'll answer to me!"
Elsa, seeing my beaming face and familiar demeanor, waved to Sofia, "You can take a taxi home. Sir Beaumont has an identical car at his home." It was clear she was assuring Sofia that there was no need to worry about her safety; Sir Beaumont was a seasoned driver indeed.
I started the beautiful Cayenne, and with a slight press on the accelerator, it silently sped away, leaving other cars that whined upon acceleration far behind. Luxury is indeed luxury; there's no comparison.
"Is this car to your liking, Sir?" Elsa asked softly.
I nodded, grinning, "Absolutely fantastic. Driving such a beauty is exhilarating."
Elsa paused for a moment before saying, "This was left behind by Charlie Garden. It's the first time we've driven her in five years."
I turned to look at her in surprise. Her face was calm, no sadness apparent at the thought of her late husband. I didn't respond because there was nothing to say. With few vehicles on the streets, the conditions were perfect for the red Cayenne to speed up, and so I pressed the gas again. The car glided like an eagle skimming the water, truly thrilling.
Guided by Elsa, we arrived at her home, or rather, what should be called her "residence." My uncle and I had visited here five years ago, but it was too dark to see the surroundings clearly. Now, in the daylight and summer, everything was clearly visible.
The main gate of the Garden family was made from redwood that was five hundred years old. Elsa leisurely introduced it to me. I touched the door frame, as if hearing the sounds of chaos from five hundred years ago. On the horizontal plaque above the gate were the four vigorous characters "Premier's Residence," next to which was a line of small vertical script: "Bestowed by the Emperor in the year of...".
I gasped and asked, "Mrs. Garden, is the Garden family a lineage of top scholars?"
Elsa nodded with a gentle smile, "The ancestors of the Garden family were top scholars, and this plaque was a gift from the emperor. The residence is now protected by the government as a cultural relic, and the house is worth three hundred million."
I stepped in and saw a courtyard-style layout, with sunlight streaming down from the patio, adding warmth to the otherwise cool interior. I could easily imagine the luxury and liveliness of the Premier's Residence in its heyday.
Elsa's parents were not at home, and in such a large house, she was the only one present. I asked her, looking at her handsome face, "Do you live here alone? I thought your parents moved in with you?"
Elsa laughed, "This place has been designated as a key cultural relic by the state, and they have provided us with an apartment. My parents live in a separate building. I only come here to manage the place; I don't dare to live here permanently."
So, why did you bring me here? That was my thought, but I didn't voice it. Elsa seemed to read my mind and said with a smile, "Sir, although we no longer live here, the property still belongs to the Garden family. The government is willing to give us a few hundred thousand in subsidies each year to maintain the life of the residence. Isn't it nice to receive the government's subsidies annually?"
I thought about it and agreed, "Is Mrs. Garden perhaps taking me on a tour?"
Elsa nodded and then shook her head, smiling, "Sir, why don't you stay here tonight? I'll accompany you, how about that?"
If I weren't familiar with Charlie Garden, I might have misunderstood Elsa's intentions. When she said "accompany," she didn't mean anything else; it was a form of hospitality in the Garden family.
I nodded, smiling, "Mrs. Garden is so hospitable; I can only follow your lead."
Mrs. Garden was pleased with my response and led me to tour the left and right wings of the house. There was nothing particularly special about the inside; it was just ordinary housing. Modern furniture and appliances were available, and there was no deliberately gloomy atmosphere to create a sense of antiquity. The only difference was that the structure and materials of the house were from five hundred years ago. The truly valuable or culturally significant items were probably these, I thought.
In the right wing, Elsa said with a smile, "You can rest here at noon, and we'll go out to see the night view of Turku in the evening. Is that arrangement okay?"
How could I say no? I quickly agreed, "I will follow Mrs. Garden's arrangements."
Elsa said, "You can rest here in the afternoon. You can move anything you like, and I'll be resting in the room on the left." She didn't ask for my opinion and went straight to the right wing.
I looked around the room, which was furnished with an ancient-style wooden bed. I tapped the edge of the bed and was amazed! It was a bed made of agar wood, the king of woods, which must be a thousand years old. Sleeping on such a bed would bring health and longevity, and all insects and impurities would stay away.
Just as I was in awe, Elsa walked in lightly, smiling and saying, "Does Sir want to take a bath? I'll bring you some clothes to change into."
I hadn't thought about taking a bath, but since Elsa had taken the initiative to bring me some clothes, I had to follow the host's instructions and take a bath and change into new clothes.
"Here is the bathroom, with both hot and cold water available," Elsa said. "I'm sure you've noticed the bed, Sir. It's a bed made from thousand-year-old agar wood, which was once used only by emperors. After the ancestor of the Garden family became a top scholar, the emperor gifted it to the family. Sir, you can try its wonderful qualities."
I was aware of the value of the agar wood and didn't say anything, following Elsa's instructions to take a bath in the bathroom. The weather was actually very hot, but for some reason, the feeling of restlessness disappeared as soon as I entered the Premier's Residence. Instead, it was quiet and cool, very comfortable.
Elsa put down the clothes to change into and left. I didn't bother to check if the clothes would fit and took them into the bathroom. After washing up and putting on the clothes, I realized they were ancient Chinese costumes. It took me a while to figure out how to wear them. When I came out, Elsa was still there, sitting on the edge of the bed, quietly watching me.
"Mrs. Garden, these clothes are ancient costumes, aren't they?" I asked, "It took me a while to figure out how to put them on."
Elsa smiled at me, nodded, and said, "Alright then, you rest. I'll go to the room on the right. If you need anything, just call for me; I'll hear you."
I nodded, and Elsa left with a contented look. Afterward, I felt extremely tired, probably because of working on the construction site. I felt utterly exhausted. So, I lay down and quickly fell into a deep sleep.