“Miss Shi, a moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold.
If you stop now, you’ll waste your money,” Ning Hua’s delicate hand climbed up Shi Cuiyan’s neck, trying to kiss her lips, but was blocked and firmly pressed back onto the embroidered pillow.
“A mere thousand gold is nothing to me,” Shi Cuiyan said as she sat up and began to dress, but Ning Hua’s expression changed.
As the top courtesan of Yunli Lou, the renowned beauty, how could she endure such disdain? She immediately leaned her naked body against Shi Cuiyan, refusing to let go.
“Did the servant ruin the mood? I’ll comfort you well,” her fingers teasingly roamed over Shi Cuiyan’s body, “I was captivated by you at first sight.
If you don’t mind, may I serve you? I promise to satisfy you.”
“Is that so? But I don’t want you to serve me,” Shi Cuiyan turned around, pinning Ning Hua’s hands above her head, looking down at that beautiful face, but no interest was stirred, “You indeed have a good appearance, but you don’t win my favor, so don’t cling to me like a leech.
You saw how my dear sister looked, but do you know I wish she would undress me? Willingly join me in bed?”
That’s impossible.
She hates me too much, and now I’ve hurt her again…
“Then let me boldly say, you’re truly blind,” Ning Hua dared to say.
How could someone like that compare to her?
“…Blind?” Shi Cuiyan was taken aback, but then suddenly laughed heartily, “What a phrase, blind!”
What a phrase, a lifetime of regret, what a phrase, blind!
Shi Cuiyan laughed a few times, then suddenly drew a silver snake dagger from her waist and pressed it against Ning Hua’s neck, scaring her into a pale face.
“I have a temper too.
Whether I’m blind or not is not for Ning Hua the beauty to judge.
You just focus on pleasing others.
If you dare to speak out of turn again, be careful not to lose your life, beauty?” Shi Cuiyan’s eyes blinked lightly, but the dagger exuded a chilling murderous intent.
Just a little more force, and this beauty would meet her end.
Shi Cuiyan withdrew the dagger, dressed swiftly, and then leaped out of the window.
The strong wind blew her long hair into disarray, but it also scattered the troubles in her heart.
Regret, remorse, blind…
“None of it concerns me,” Shi Cuiyan said as she spun and leaped down from the ten-foot city wall.
Because she is the Jianghu expert Shi Cuiyan.
－－”Alright, since my dear sister wants to be a beggar so much, then go ahead.”
－－”You shouldn’t trust me again.”
－－”That’s why I said, I’m going to deceive you badly.”
－－”This wine is for Ling Xue…”
－－”There’s no going back.”
In the rain, Xi Fuhong walked forward with her head down.
Many words echoed in her mind, but there were no images, only fragments of phrases.
Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she panted a few times and sat down exhausted by the stone wall.
How far had she walked since leaving Yunli Lou? She didn’t remember, only that her legs were numb, the day turned to night, and night turned to day.
Not hungry, not thirsty, her feet were blistered but didn’t hurt, even her heart seemed to have turned to stone.
Once unbearable memories could bring tears to her eyes, but now she couldn’t squeeze out a single tear.
Is her heart dried up? Or has she become stronger?
No answer, only a bitter smile in return.
Rainwater slid down her forehead, and Xi Fuhong didn’t have the strength to find shelter from the rain.
She was already soaked, so she might as well sit in the rain and let it pour over her.
If she were to die here, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Dying on the street is the fate of most beggars, isn’t it? Perhaps it’s better this way, at least someone would find her dead here, rather than in the wilderness, dying alone and unnoticed.
Yes… at least not alone…
Xi Fuhong realized she wasn’t afraid of hardship, but she feared loneliness.
Has she been lonely in the valley for so long that she’s afraid of returning to that silence?
As her thoughts drifted, the sound of rain was clear in her ears.
She closed her eyes, feeling her body gradually grow cold, even the sound of rain seemed to drift further away.
In a half-asleep, half-awake state, she vaguely heard the sound of a door opening, steady footsteps splashing through the water, the cries of a baby inside, and the busy footsteps of servants.
“Thanks to your help, our lady gave birth smoothly,” an elderly woman’s choked voice said.
“You’re welcome, just remember to brew the medicine three times a day, and she’ll be fine in a while,” a familiar voice replied, but Xi Fuhong’s groggy mind couldn’t recall who it was.
After a while, the sound of rain grew louder, pattering against…
