The village of the White Feather Rabbit Tribe looked somewhat like the bandit camps seen in films and TV shows.
Several meter high wooden walls enclosed the area, with many guards seen patrolling along the perimeter.
However, judging from their figures, most seemed to be female.
Tsk tsk, there really is a shortage of men...
"Don't look around so much, your eyes are black which makes you look very suspicious. Just follow behind me."
The security here seemed rather lax, they had wandered around for quite a while without anyone questioning them.
Emily brought Lin Feng to a building surrounded by wooden spikes, pulling aside the curtain and going inside.
"Phew, we're home." Emily breathed a sigh of relief, perspiration was already beading on her temples, clearly she was quite nervous.
Lin Feng looked around, there wasn't a single decent piece of furniture here, just piles of clutter everywhere.
Was this really where Emily had been living all this time? It looked rather simple.
"Where's auntie? Did she go out?"
Emily paused for a moment, stomping her feet on the wooden boards below, which sounded hollow.
"We live downstairs, the top part is for keeping out the rain." Emily removed the floorboards, revealing a pitch-black hole before the two.
That made sense, rabbits burrow as well, an underground home was fitting.
"Wait here, I'll jump down first and get a ladder for you."
"No need, I can jump down too."
Emily looked at Lin Feng in surprise, then leapt straight into the hole. "Alright, you jump down too."
Lin Feng jumped down steadily, landing on the earthen floor.
Looking up, it was at least several meters deep, an ordinary person would likely break some bones jumping down.
He followed Emily to a wooden door, tightly grasping her hand.
"My father died because of humans, I don't know what my mother will do when she sees you. Keep your hood and mask on for now."
"Got it."
Emily heaved a long sigh, then knocked lightly on the wooden door.
"Mother, I'm home."
Hurried footsteps sounded, and the door opened, the dark passageway lit up by the soft yellow candlelight.
The one who opened the door was a young and beautiful woman, her looks comparable if not superior to Emily's, but her face was unhealthily pale, and she spoke in a breathless, feeble voice. "Thank heavens...you're finally back, I've been worried sick these past few days."
"I told you not to worry, I'd be back in a couple of days." Emily helped her to a chair, then waved Lin Feng over.
Her mother-in-law's gaze instantly shifted to Lin Feng.
"And you are?"
"Auntie, I'm Emily's..."
Lin Feng had just started speaking when Emily cut in. "Mom! He's my man, his name is Lin Feng! We're in love!"
Then she ran to her mother's side, introducing Lin Feng. "Dear! This is my mother, Rosa Linda, the best archer in the tribe!"
"The best archer? That was long ago, I'm not even as good as you young'uns nowadays." Rosa Linda sighed.
Her gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, immediately noticing something amiss.
Although Lin Feng was wrapped up like a rice dumpling, his black eyes were still exposed.
Seeing that they couldn't hide it, Emily pulled Lin Feng's hood down. "He's special, a human."
Rosa Linda coughed drily, her gaze shifting between the two before finally settling on Emily. "Does he love you?"
"I swear on my life, he's different from other humans. Sure, he's quite lecherous, but he truly loves me."
Lin Feng felt a bit embarrassed at this.
That part about being lecherous probably didn't need to be said.
Emily took out the Takizawa flower from her bag. Having been delayed for two days, the flower was clearly somewhat wilted, the petals lacking the previous vibrancy.
The well-informed Rosa Linda's eyes lit up. She looked at Emily in disbelief. "The holy flower? Where did you get this?"
Emily poked Lin Feng's arm. "He heard that mom was sick, so he brought me into the depths of the Great Forest to find it."
"That's elf territory, our tribe's forbidden land. To do something so dangerous without discussing it with me first..." Anger flashed across Rosa Linda's face.
Emily put her hands on her hips and pleaded coquettishly, "Aw mom, don't be mad. If I told you first, you probably wouldn't have let me go no matter what, right?"
Having said that, she held up the Takizawa flower and went to her mother's side. "This flower represents his sincerity, please accept it."
Seeing that her stubborn old mother remained unmoved, she took a wooden cup from the table, poured in some water, and added a petal.
Remarkably, the clear water turned light red upon meeting the petal after just seconds.
"Specialized for heart chill disorder. Drink some, mom." Emily held up the cup, smiling happily.
"I won't interfere in you young folks' matters, but..."
Her mother-in-law's gaze remained fixed on Lin Feng, seemingly unsatisfied.
"Drink first." Emily pushed the cup again.
Seeing no way to decline, Rosa Linda could only take the cup and drain it in one go.
In a moment, some color returned to her face.
Emily smiled arrogantly upon seeing this.
Short of food at someone's mouth, short of hands at someone's beck and call, her chances of getting approval for the marriage had increased by ten percent.
Rosa Linda sighed. She seemed to see her younger self in Emily's gaze.
"You don't have to keep running back and forth. Just being happy is enough." She got up and crooked a finger at Lin Feng, indicating for him to follow. "Lin Feng, right? Come with me, I have some things I want to ask you."
"Mom!" Emily yelled anxiously, blocking Lin Feng's front.
"Go take a bath first, I've heated the water. I just want to chat with your man for a bit, that should be fine right?" Rosa Linda said with utmost seriousness.
Lin Feng gently pushed Emily's shoulder, whispering by her ear, "Go on, I'll be fine."
Emily was extremely reluctant.
She had a bad feeling Lin Feng would get an earful the moment she left.
"Then I'll go bathe first. Good luck..."
Lin Feng followed Rosa Linda into the room.
"Let me get right to it."
"Okay."
"How long have you known each other?"
Lin Feng answered without hesitation. "Around a month or so."
He wasn't actually clear on the exact time, but his instinct told him a prompt answer would be better, even if the time didn't match up.
Come at me, it was just meeting the mother-in-law, what's so tough about it?
Yet in the next moment, Rosa Linda's words made Lin Feng's mind go blank.
"Have you two...slept together?"