Under the madam’s suspicious gaze, Jiang Si brushed off nonexistent dust from her clothes and maintained a serious expression as she nodded slightly. “Madam, please don’t trouble yourself further. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Ah—” The madam opened her mouth but swallowed her doubts.
As she had said before, people in their trade worked for money; everything else was not their concern.
Jiang Si walked past the madam toward the exit, with Old Qin following silently half a zhang behind.
As Old Qin passed the madam, he gave her a single glance. Though he didn’t make a sound, the madam felt as if ice water had been poured over her head. In this hall flowing with sensual ambiance, she suddenly felt as if she’d fallen into a midwinter ice hole.
The madam’s lips turned pale, fear crawling into her eyes.
Such a person must have blood on his hands!
This was not something she should be curious about.
Though Old Qin had already strode after Jiang Si and couldn’t see her expression, the madam still maintained a fawning smile.
Let these harbingers of trouble leave quickly and never return.
Turning her head, she saw Ying Ying, the leading performer, leaning against the second-floor railing, and her face stiffened.
How troublesome—that youth had said they would return tomorrow night.
But soon the madam noticed something strange: hadn’t that youth wanted to meet Ying Ying? Why did they leave without acknowledging her?
After a moment’s thought, the madam recalled the cold young man who had descended the stairs.
There must be something between those two.
The madam hurried up the wooden stairs to the second floor and said to Ying Ying, “Come to your room.”
Once inside Ying Ying’s chamber, the madam asked, “What did that young master who just left do in here?”
Ying Ying started, then smiled. “What does Madam mean? When a patron visits, what else would they do?”
The madam’s sharp eyes examined Ying Ying up and down like bright lanterns.
Ying Ying lowered her head slightly. “Why is Madam looking at me this way?”
The madam spoke slowly, “The time spent… wasn’t it rather brief?”
That young master didn’t look like a mere ornamental pillow, so why had things concluded so quickly? Even the village fool from Lin River lasted longer.
Speaking of the fool—he wasn’t truly foolish, just slow-witted. Had he been born into a wealthy family, it wouldn’t have mattered at all, but unfortunately, he was poor, and no girl would marry him when he came of age.
A slow-witted man was still a man, and somehow when he got some money, he came to Yan Chun House.
The madam couldn’t pass up a chance to make money. While the fool didn’t deserve the premium courtesans, an aging one would do.
The result? The courtesan ran out with disheveled hair after a full night, crying hysterically.
Well, it seemed even a village fool had certain advantages over these refined young masters.
“Madam, what are you saying!” Ying Ying spat.
The madam pulled her thoughts back from their wandering and spoke coldly, “Ying Ying, that young master is no ordinary person. Don’t harbor any inappropriate thoughts.”
Ying Ying smiled faintly. “Madam jests. This isn’t my first time entertaining a guest—what thoughts could I possibly have?”
“Good then.” The madam finally stood and returned to the main hall to exchange glances with patrons.
Completely unaware that the madam had mentally compared him unfavorably to a village fool, Yu Jin waited silently near the riverbank after leaving the pleasure boat, finally seeing Jiang Si emerge.
Jiang Si immediately spotted the youth lurking in the shadows and struggled internally: should she approach or pretend not to see him?
Dressed as she was, with her modified appearance, perhaps he hadn’t recognized her and only found her familiar.
Yes, knowing Yu Seven’s temperament, if he had recognized her, he would have carried her off immediately rather than leaving so decisively.
Jiang Si decided hopefully: better to pretend not to see him and avoid walking into trouble.
With this thought, she affected a relaxed, satisfied expression like most contented patrons and unhurriedly walked in the opposite direction from where Yu Jin stood.
Seeing this, Yu Jin’s nose nearly twisted with anger.
Earlier on the pleasure boat, he had expended great effort to suppress his reaction for fear of exposing her identity. And now, she was pretending nothing had happened!
The youth strode over with a taut face, blocking Jiang Si’s path.
Jiang Si deepened her voice and asked, “Sir, do we know each other—”
The rest of her words turned into a surprised cry.
Yu Jin hoisted her onto his shoulder, speaking in a low voice: “You’ll soon find out if we know each other or not!”
Old Qin rushed forward.
Though he knew Yu Jin and understood there was something special between these two, this behavior was still going too far.
Long Dan placed a hand on Old Qin’s shoulder, smiling. “Why be so troublesome? These are our masters’ affairs—why should we interfere? If you’re upset, why don’t we spar instead?”
Yu Jin carried Jiang Si toward the small grove, calling back without turning: “Don’t make too much noise.”
The grove by Jin Shui River was pitch dark, occasionally filled with faint sounds of breathing.
Those sounds sometimes rose high and tender, sometimes fell to pained whimpers, endlessly entangling, soft, and graceful. Unable to see the sources made the sounds even more stirring to those who heard them.
Yu Jin ignored all this, looking up to find a leafy tree in the thin moonlight. He adjusted his hold from carrying her on his shoulder to holding her in his arms. One arm held her tightly while the other used the tree’s protrusions for support as he climbed up in a few breaths.
When Jiang Si came to her senses, she found herself placed on a tree branch.
“Now do you say we know each other?” Yu Jin leaned in, bringing the autumn night’s chill with him.
In the darkness, only his unusually bright eyes were visible.
So bright—probably from anger.
Jiang Si instinctively shifted. “We’ll fall…”
“Who told you to move!” Yu Jin cursed softly, turning to pull her onto his lap and holding her firmly. “Miss Jiang, seeing you dressed like this visiting Jin Shui River has truly exceeded my expectations.”
The usual place? She even had a usual place with a brothel madam!
This girl wouldn’t rest until she drove him mad.
Yu Jin’s anger grew as he thought about it, his broad but still somewhat thin young chest rising and falling.
Jiang Si felt as if she were sitting in a small boat, rocking until her whole body went weak.
“Tell me about your usual place.” Yu Jin lowered his head, his hot breath falling entirely on Jiang Si’s cheek.
Jiang Si turned her head away, saying unhappily, “Your Highness, isn’t this a double standard? I believe I just saw you leaving Miss Ying Ying’s fragrant chamber.”
“So you even know their leading performer is called Ying Ying?” Yu Jin raised his eyebrows in anger.
Now adapted to the darkness, Jiang Si could see his frost-laden, angry expression. She lifted her chin. “So what if I do?”
Yu Jin wrapped one arm around her waist and pressed his other hand against the back of her head, kissing her fiercely.
To hell with double standards—before her, he was nothing but a pitiful commoner.
Today, if he didn’t turn the tables at least once, he might as well stop being a man!