Chapter 33

Shen Yao Xing was in a great mood after freeloading a meal. Seeing there were still many dishes left on the table, she had an urge to pack them up and take them home, since she probably wouldn’t come to this place again.

Qing Lian sat opposite the young woman. Seeing that she had eaten her fill but was still eyeing the leftover dishes, a glimmer flashed through his beautiful eyes. He glanced at her oily fingers and placed a handkerchief in front of her.

“Benefactor, please wipe your hands.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed at being “served” after freeloading someone else’s meal, Shen Yao Xing licked the corner of her mouth. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and said while wiping: “No need, no need. I have my own.”

The young woman’s voice was like the tinkling of a spring, clear and pure, without any hesitation. Even with such a beautiful man sitting beside her, her gaze never lingered on him for more than a moment.

It even made Qing Lian wonder if, in the young woman’s eyes, he might be less important than the dishes on the table.

His already irritated mood worsened. He couldn’t believe there was a woman in this world who didn’t love beauty. Perhaps she was used to putting on an act, maintaining it even in a place like this.

“Does the benefactor like it?” The man’s eyes were coquettish, his soft voice slightly cool.

“Huh?” Shen Yao Xing didn’t immediately understand what he was asking. Looking at the dishes on the table, she nodded repeatedly: “Of course I like it when it’s so delicious!”

“Ruyun Garden has more than just these. This table’s dishes are just the tip of the iceberg. If the benefactor likes it, you can come find Qing Lian anytime.”

As he spoke, the man suddenly stood up and sat down next to her. As a waft of fragrance drifted over, Shen Yao Xing, who was eating dessert, watched wide-eyed as he poured tea for her.

The light green wide sleeves slid down to his wrists as the man moved, revealing long fingers that seemed carved from the finest jade, looking even more pristine as they gripped the green teapot handle.

So even the fingernails of beautiful people are pretty, Shen Yao Xing marveled, picking up the teacup and naturally moving to another seat.

The distance between them widened again in an instant.

Qing Lian bit his lip lightly, slowly withdrawing his hand from the teapot handle. His eyes lowered dejectedly: “Although the benefactor doesn’t say it, in your heart you still despise a man like me from this place of pleasure.”

The young woman paused her chewing and looked at the person who seemed to be in low spirits. She denied it with her mouth full: “I don’t mean that. Besides, how could I despise you when you treated me to a meal?”

She was grateful to have such a good meal when she was hungry.

“If that’s the case…” The man’s eyelashes fluttered as he raised his eyes to stare directly at her: “Then why does the benefactor avoid Qing Lian like the plague?”

Shen Yao Xing couldn’t answer this question right away. Since coming to this world, apart from her big brother Song Si Nian, she had been unwilling to get too close to other men. Originally, she thought she just disliked those men with heavy makeup, but later, she didn’t know why, as she kept avoiding them, she got used to it and couldn’t bear to be too close to men.

“Well,” Shen Yao Xing scratched her neck, piecing together words in her mind. After a long while, unable to think of a tactful way to say it, she pressed her tongue against her teeth and said directly: “I’m just not used to being too close to men. It’s not specifically about you.”

Not used to… being too close to men? Qing Lian’s heart stirred slightly. Even he didn’t notice that his breathing quickened for a moment. The markings at the corners of his eyes became increasingly red due to his changing mood, as if they were about to burn.

“Then… you said earlier that you often come to places like this?” He didn’t know what had come over him, actually questioning something that should have been completely irrelevant to him.

A burning sensation arose in his cool palm. He lightly stroked that spot, his alluring eyes flashing with a faint light as he watched the changes in the young woman’s expression.

Shen Yao Xing was completely unaware of the man’s mood changes. She stuffed the entire dessert into her mouth and, without looking up, mumbled indistinctly: “I was forced to.”

Speaking of which, the two people she got along well with were both passionate about such places. It was bad enough that they were always surrounded by men, but they also wanted to drag her along every time, claiming they were bringing her to enjoy happiness.

Huh, standing at the door listening to their moans and groans was supposed to be happiness.

The man looked at the young woman’s childish face full of resentment. The irritation in his heart disappeared like an extinguished flame. He picked up the dessert in front of him and placed it in front of the young woman, his well-shaped lips curling into a faint smile.

Seeing this, Shen Yao Xing quickly accepted it and said happily: “Thank you, the desserts here are really good.”

Setting aside the bland food she had eaten these past two days, the things in this building were indeed delicious, with excellent color, aroma, and taste. They were not at all inferior to those in the Imperial Treasure Pavilion in the capital, temporarily changing her prejudice against this chaotic city.

Thinking of this, she raised her cheeks, which were puffing in and out, her clear black and white eyes showing a hint of confusion: “The city is so chaotic, what are you doing going out alone?”

Looking like such a bewitching beauty, he was exactly to those women’s taste. Fortunately, she happened to pass by, otherwise, he might have been devoured alive.

Faced with the young woman’s question, the man remained composed. He pursed his red lips slightly, his eyes somewhat coquettish: “Qing Lian originally wanted to buy an ornament. I had chosen a quiet road, but who knew I would still encounter villains.”

“Couldn’t you have found someone to accompany you?”

“At that time, the servant happened to be called away by the madam. Qing Lian thought there wouldn’t be any problem going alone, who would have thought I’d still be noticed by villains.”

Shen Yao Xing nodded understandingly. Recalling the “young lady” those people mentioned, she secretly glanced at him and asked tentatively after a light cough: “I’m afraid those people won’t give up easily. What if they come to trouble you again?”

The man’s beautiful eyes rippled with worry as he said softly: “Qing Lian doesn’t know what to do either…”

“Why don’t you just agree to that so-called young lady and let her redeem you from the brothel? Wouldn’t that be better than staying here to entertain people?” This was Shen Yao Xing’s thinking. Rather than staying in this place, it would be better to find a way to get back the contract of indenture. There might be a chance to regain freedom.

The man’s eyes darkened: “That person is only coveting this body. How would she be willing to spend a large sum to redeem Qing Lian?”

If she’s not willing to redeem you, then there’s nothing more to say. Shen Yao Xing took a bite of the dessert: “Then you must remember to be careful when going out in the future. It’s best to have a couple of people with you. No, it’s best to go out less often.”

Qing Lian remained silent for a long time. He glanced at the pastry on the plate that had been bitten halfway through, with clear teeth marks visible. Perhaps the taste didn’t suit the young woman’s palate, as she only ate half and didn’t touch it again.

“If it were the benefactor…”

The man spoke softly. Shen Yao Xing looked over, puzzled.

“Would you be willing to redeem a man like me from this place of pleasure?”

Shen Yao Xing felt this comparison was quite inappropriate. She frowned and thought for a good while, imagining the muscular man she had seen at Plum Blossom Creek that day. She thought, she would!

“Your comparison isn’t right,” Shen Yao Xing didn’t know how to explain the reason, and after struggling for a while, she said: “You’re not my type. If it were someone I liked, of course I’d be willing to spend money.”

If it were a muscular man, she’d spend her entire fortune to redeem him!

The hand resting on his knee tightened slightly, and the smile on the man’s lips faded.

Shen Yao Xing secretly glanced at him, feeling that she was being too inconsiderate. Eating the meal he had treated her to while saying things he didn’t want to hear – why was her mouth so loose!

She put down the half-eaten pastry, wiped her hands, and coughed lightly: “I didn’t mean it that way. You’re very good-looking, really!”

“It’s just…” Shen Yao Xing wracked her brains until her brow furrowed into a knot. Her mind was full of men’s muscular bodies. Gritting her teeth, she said sincerely: “Actually, I already have someone in my heart, so I can’t give you a satisfactory answer when you ask me this.”

After she finished speaking, she noticed that there was no more pleasure on the man’s face. The red markings at the corners of his eyes dimmed as if withering, and his bewitching features became gloomy and cold. For a moment, Shen Yao Xing felt this face was extremely familiar.

“I see…” No wonder she could remain unmoved by this appearance. The man sneered coldly.

“What?” Shen Yao Xing’s expression turned strange.

The man didn’t give her much chance to scrutinize. His cold face returned to normal as he stood up and walked towards the inner room: “Benefactor, please leave. Qing Lian has nothing more to offer.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open from outside. A young man dressed in gray-blue clothes stood at the door and made a gesture inviting her to leave.

Everything happened too quickly. Shen Yao Xing hadn’t even finished eating the pastry. She took out another handkerchief from her pocket, quickly wrapped the remaining pastry in it, said a word to the person in the inner room, and didn’t linger any longer.

It was the busiest time, and as she went downstairs, she bumped into the madam with her face thickly powdered, waving a silk fan. Seeing her, the madam’s eyes lit up.

“Oh my, young lady, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? We have all kinds here, whatever you want. Come, come, let me introduce you!”

As she spoke, the madam was about to reach out and pull her, but her peripheral vision seemed to catch something. Her hand, which hadn’t yet extended, froze. She lowered her head as if not seeing her and walked past her towards the second floor.

Shen Yao Xing’s whole face wrinkled at the strong scent of powder on her. She went downstairs hugging the wall, clutching the pastry to her chest, and ran out quickly.

—————

When she returned to the inn, Meng Xin Yi happened to be there. Shen Yao Xing happily placed the pastry in front of her: “Try it, it’s better than anything we’ve eaten before.”

Meng Xin Yi glanced at the pastry on the table and said with a smile: “Did you receive a reward?”

Mentioning this, Shen Yao Xing suddenly remembered that the remaining one tael of silver wasn’t counted properly. She took out her money pouch from her pocket and poured everything onto the tea table. The sound of copper coins falling was crisp.

Meng Xin Yi raised an eyebrow with a smile: “Why are there copper coins?”

Could it be that the criminal still had some change?

Shen Yao Xing pouted, sat down at the table, and swept the copper coins together with her long arm: “That bailiff said they didn’t have whole silver, so they could only make up the difference with copper coins.”

“It seems that bailiff also thought you were easy to bully.” How could they not have whole silver? They were probably just teasing her.

Shen Yao Xing ignored this and recounted the copper coins.

Meng Xin Yi suddenly placed a long, cloth-wrapped object on the table. Shen Yao Xing was startled and asked curiously: “What’s this?”

The woman sat down across from her and pushed the object on the table towards her: “It’s for you. Why don’t you open it and see?”