Gu Qingyun arrived at the place where the cry for help had originated, just in time to see several rowdy, disreputable men surrounding a group of women, preparing to lay hands on them.
“Stop right there.”
Her silhouette blurred as she moved, appearing directly in front of the women. The saber at her waist remained unsheathed, but the killing intent radiating from her body was enough to momentarily stun the thugs.
Seeing Gu Qingyun’s youthful face, they burst into laughter.
“Where did this little brat come from? You nearly had me fooled. Looking closer, you’re not bad yourself, girl. How about you come and have some fun with me?”
The leader—a scrawny man with yellow teeth stained with bits of food—reached out a hand to stroke her face.
With a look of disgust, Gu Qingyun seized the thug’s wrist. With a slight exertion of force, a sharp crack echoed, followed by a piercing scream.
“So? Is this the kind of ‘fun’ you had in mind?”
With her other hand still on the hilt of her blade, Gu Qingyun delivered a horizontal strike. She slammed the back of the scabbard into the man’s face, sent him sprawling to the ground. The man let out a cry of agony, spitting out a mouthful of blood and several teeth. He roared in a violent rage.
“We’ve hit a tough one! Brothers, get her together! I’m going to kill her!”
At his command, the thugs behind him snapped out of it and swung their fists toward Gu Qingyun’s face.
She swayed slightly to the side, dodging the blows. Her wrist twisted as she clenched her hand into a fist, meeting two of the oncoming punches head-on. A loud crack followed as the thug, along with the several men behind him, was sent flying several meters back like a pile of collapsing blankets.
The thugs lay on the ground, their bodies numb with pain and drenched in cold sweat. The one who had traded blows with Gu Qingyun was even worse off; his face was deathly pale as he rolled on the ground.
“My hand! My hand! It hurts so much!”
Seeing Gu Qingyun walking toward them, the remaining men struggled to retreat. However, Gu Qingyun gave them no time to react. She used the back of her blade to slap their faces a few times. Only after each of them had lost a few more teeth did she nod in satisfaction.
“Fine, get lost. If I catch you harassing women again, you won't be keeping those hands.”
Once the thugs had scrambled away on all fours, Gu Qingyun walked directly to the women wearing veiled hats.
“Ladies, it is safe now.”
The women performed a formal curtsy.
“Thank you.”
Facing these beauties, Gu Qingyun felt a bit flustered. Do not ask how she knew they were beautiful—her eyes told her. The one in the lead was the same woman she had seen yesterday; those eyes had left a deep impression. She had not expected the beauty’s voice to be so pleasant as well.
“Ladies, let me escort you back. It will be dark soon, and it isn't very safe.”
Ma Lingyi and the others exchanged glances and shook their heads.
“Thank you, Benefactor, but we still have things to attend to. We will find our own way back shortly. Please accept this small token of our gratitude.”
She produced a banknote and held it out.
Gu Qingyun did not take it, dismissing the gesture with a casual wave of her hand.
“No need. I only did what I could in passing. Since you have business, I will not intrude further. I shall take my leave.”
Once her back disappeared into the distance, Ma Lingyi and the others resumed walking back and forth along the street. This time, however, things were not as smooth as before. They had paced back and forth several times, yet they still could not find that teahouse.
As time passed, Lu Yuanyuan and the others grew increasingly dejected. Could it be that there truly was no hope, and they were not ‘fated people’?
The two of them bit their lips, utterly unwilling to give up. Seeing their expressions, Ma Lingyi sighed and comforted them.
“It’s all right. I also had to search back and forth several times before I found it. Sincerity brings results. Perhaps the teahouse will appear in the next moment.”
“Indeed, sisters, do not lose heart,” Madam Wang added at the right time, without a hint of impatience.
Lu Yuanyuan and the other felt both moved and a bit embarrassed.
“Let’s look for a bit longer. If we still can’t find it, we’ll head back. This is at least giving Hu Jie’er and me a bit of hope.”
They all agreed. Hu Jie’er, who happened to look up, widened her eyes and pointed.
“Look! A teahouse appeared over there. It’s the Meiyu Teahouse!”
Ma Lingyi looked in the direction of her gaze and smiled softly.
“That’s the one. Jie’er, it seems you both are fated people after all. We can come here together in the future.”
“Mhm, that’s wonderful! Let’s go inside quickly, I can’t wait,” Lu Yuanyuan urged.
...
After parting ways with the ladies, Gu Qingyun headed straight back to the inn. Head Constable Liu and the others were sitting in the main hall, snacking on peanuts and chatting. Seeing her return, they quickly beckoned her over and signaled the waiter to bring out the food.
“Qingyun, you must be hungry. Come, sit. The food is coming right up. It’s cold today, so we’re having hot pot.”
Gu Qingyun sat down and poured herself a cup of hot tea.
“Uncle Liu, did you all sleep the entire day?”
Head Constable Liu scratched his head sheepishly.
“Yeah, we slept all day. We’re full of energy now.”
The waiter began serving the dishes, and they started their meal, planning to discuss their return to the county seat once their bellies were full.
...
After returning home from the teahouse, Ma Lingyi touched her increasingly beautiful face with excitement. She was so engrossed that she did not even notice Zhu Ningmo wrapping his arms around her from behind at first.
Meeting his gaze in the mirror, she smiled at him. Her eyes rippled with such allure that his heart immediately raced with desire.
“Lingyi, you have become even more beautiful.” Zhu Ningmo held her tightly, breathing in her scent. He felt himself falling deeper in love with his wife; every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel stirred.
His movements grew more bold, and finally, the two of them tumbled onto the bed in a feverish rush. Before long, the room was once again filled with sounds that would make one’s heart race and face flush.
A wisp of white mist, invisible to others, drifted out of Zhu Ningmo’s body and was absorbed by Ma Lingyi. Her physique became even more enchanting.
...
Inside a room in Caixiang Pavilion, red candles flickered, and the bed curtains hung heavy with the warmth of a spring night.
Zhao Qian had summoned a girl named Xue’er for half a month straight. He truly adored her figure and features.
At this moment, the woman beneath him had skin as white as snow and features like a painting. She carried a numbing fragrance that brought him unprecedented pleasure. He was drowning in this bliss, feeling as if he were drifting among the clouds, losing all sense of time.
It was not until the sixth time that he sensed something was wrong. That pleasure turned into agony. He felt himself becoming weaker and weaker, as if his very life force were rapidly draining away.
He wanted to push the woman away, but his body betrayed his thoughts, continuing its rhythmic movements. His vision began to darken.
He noticed that Xue’er’s face was becoming more radiant and her fragrance even more intense. He could clearly feel himself losing control, watching helplessly as he grew more and more frail. Finally, as he slipped into darkness, the last thing he saw was Xue’er’s panicked face.
Seeing Zhao Qian suddenly collapse on top of her, Xue’er’s face turned pale. She struggled to push the man off, covering her mouth to keep from screaming.
A moment later, she pulled the quilt over Zhao Qian’s body, dressed herself, and ran to a room on the third floor.
“Madame, someone... someone is dead! A customer died in my room!” she stammered, her entire body trembling.
The woman inside the room was reclining on a soft couch, her voice lazy and relaxed.
“What are you afraid of? Go back to your room and hide the body. I will deal with it shortly. I guarantee he will disappear without a soul knowing.”
If Ma Lingyi were here, she would have discovered that the Madame of Caixiang Pavilion and the proprietress of that teahouse were the exact same person.
Rate on N.U.
