Chapter 32: Re-entering the Brothel

The alley was pitch black.

Luo Zijun and Su Qingling walked one after the other toward the mouth of the alley, which radiated light.

Luo Zijun carried a food box in his hand.

Inside the food box was the meal his sister had specially packed for his master.

"Senior Sister, even if you walk behind me, if I really wanted to pinch you back, you wouldn't be able to escape."

Luo Zijun looked back to threaten her.

Su Qingling said with a cold, pretty face, "You want to try?"

Luo Zijun said, "I wouldn't dare now; someone who can't win a fight will go and tell on me."

"Hmph."

Su Qingling ignored him further.

The two arrived at the mouth of the alley.

Seeing the bright lights outside and the people coming and going, Luo Zijun realized it wasn't too late yet, so he turned his head and said, "Senior Sister, there are quite a lot of people on the road; why don't you go back by yourself?"

Su Qingling stepped out of the darkness; her tall figure and cold demeanor, illuminated by the moonlight and lanterns at the alley entrance, were clear yet hazy, elegant yet charming.

She raised her eyes to look at him: "Your sister said to have you see me home."

Luo Zijun shrugged: "It's not far anyway, just go straight to the Pharmacy; Master doesn't have a key to the house, so she must still be waiting for you at the Pharmacy."

He still had to go to the Brothel later.

Su Qingling narrowed her eyes: "Are you sure you aren't seeing me off?"

Before Luo Zijun could answer, she added coldly: "Even if you wanted to, I wouldn't want you to, hmph!"

Having said that, she left on her own.

Luo Zijun hurriedly said from behind: "Senior Sister, I didn't say I wouldn't see you off; I was just making a suggestion."

He was afraid this girl would go and tell on him to his sister tomorrow.

Su Qingling ignored him and walked away quickly; her black hair and soft skirt hem swayed like water ripples under the blowing night breeze.

That tall figure soon disappeared into the crowd in the distance.

"It's one thing that other places are big, but I didn't expect her temper to be just as big..."

Luo Zijun muttered, stood at the alley entrance for a while longer, and after confirming it was safe, immediately left the alley, blended into the crowd, and walked toward Tianxian Pavilion.

When he had just come out, he had secretly hidden that stack of manuscript paper in his sleeve.

He had to report to the Academy tomorrow.

There might be even more things to do in the future, so he decided to go find that Miss Chujian tonight to discuss the matter of publishing his book.

If she had connections, that would naturally be best.

If not, he would have no choice but to go ask Su Bie later.

Unless it was an absolute last resort, he still didn't want to go find Su Bie.

That guy had a big mouth; if he made it known to everyone, it would be troublesome.

After all, he planned to write "Jin Ping Mei," "Pin Hua Bao Jian," and so on in the future.

If his sister and brother-in-law found out, it would be so socially mortifying...

He thought about things along the way.

Soon, he arrived at Tianxian Pavilion.

The young women, dressed in colorful thin silk dresses and decked out in finery, were twisting their waists at the entrance and on the second-floor railings, soliciting guests with charming smiles.

As soon as Luo Zijun approached, he was immediately grabbed by a woman and pulled inside.

"Oh my, what a handsome little Young Master! Is this your first time here tonight? Do you have any familiar girls in the house? If not, let big sister serve you tonight, how about it?"

Luo Zijun said: "Are you the most wanton girl here? If you aren't, I don't want you."

The woman was stunned, then giggled.

"Young Master is so interesting; as long as you choose me tonight, I can be as wanton as you want me to be, hee hee hee hee hee..."

The two of them entered the building together.

At the same time.

Across the street outside, a tall young girl wearing a plain white dress looked toward this place and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Tsk tsk, what a beautiful lady!"

Just then, a drunken young man saw her, immediately widened his eyes, and approached with a face full of smiles: "Miss, you... ah—"

A scream startled the girls at the entrance of the Brothel, and they all looked over. A young man was clutching his stomach, kneeling on the ground, actually spitting out blood, his face full of pain.

And behind him, a tall young girl walked away coldly.

Not long after.

In front of a certain residence in Willow Leaf Alley, a series of knocks sounded on the door.

"Yo! Isn't this Young Master Luo!"

Luo Zijun had just been pulled in by the girl named Shui Shui when he was spotted by the sharp-eyed Liu Mama.

Liu Ju hurried over, the wrinkles on her face blooming into a smile.

"Young Master Luo, why did you come alone tonight?"

Shui Shui was a bit puzzled: "Mama, does this Young Master come here often? Why don't I recognize him?"

Liu Ju glanced at her and said: "Go out and receive guests; I will serve Young Master Luo myself."

Shui Shui joked with a smile: "Mama, you can't. This Young Master Luo said he wanted to find the most wanton girl tonight; better let Sister Mei'er do it."

!

Luo Zijun hurriedly whispered: "Liu Mama, does Miss Chujian have time tonight?"

As these words were spoken, Shui Shui, who was just about to leave, stopped in her tracks.

She then turned her head and laughed, "Young Master Luo, in these past two days, there have been at least several hundred, if not thousands, of people looking for Sister Chujian. They are here from morning until night; just look over there, there are still several dozen people waiting. Sister Chujian has been feeling unwell lately and hasn't seen a single one of them, so you should look for someone else. Besides, Sister Chujian isn't the least bit flirtatious, hee hee hee hee..."

Liu Ju immediately glared and snapped, "You're the only one with a loose tongue! If you run your mouth again, I'll have your tongue cut out!"

Shui Shui stuck out her tongue, gave Luo Zijun a charming smile, and prepared to leave, but then she heard Liu Mama say in a low voice, "Young Master Luo, come, let's go straight upstairs. Chujian should still be reading at this hour; she hasn't slept yet."

Shui Shui's footsteps faltered, and she turned her head in astonishment.

At this moment, Liu Mama was already affectionately pulling that Young Master Luo along and leading him toward the stairs.

"Young Master Luo, why did you... last night?"

"I had something to attend to last night, so I left in a hurry. I truly apologize."

"It's nothing, it's nothing. This old woman thought Chujian had accidentally said the wrong thing and offended Young Master Luo."

As the two went upstairs, a maid had already gone up ahead to notify them.

At this time, in a side chamber on the third floor.

Liu Chujian was wearing a pink dress, her jet-black hair draped lazily over her waist. She was sitting at the table reading a book. Beneath the pink skirt, a pair of slender, delicate feet clad in white socks were partially visible; her small embroidered shoes were placed to the side, not yet put on.

Her fine willow-leaf brows were tightly furrowed, and her beautiful face was tense; her emotions were clearly fluctuating along with the story in the book.

Bi'er was quietly practicing embroidery to the side.

Just then, a knock on the door suddenly sounded.

A maid said from outside the door, "Sister Bi'er, has Sister Chujian gone to sleep? That Young Master Luo has arrived, and Mama is bringing him upstairs right now."

Liu Chujian was stunned for a moment: "Young Master Luo?"

She immediately realized: who else could it be if it were a Young Master Luo that Mama could bring straight up?

She hurriedly put down her book and said, "Bi'er, quickly help me comb my hair. Where is the hairpin I bought today? Oh dear, I haven't even put on my shoes yet..."

Bi'er frowned and said, "Young Lady, didn't you say last night that that frequent-urination Young Master was hateful and you didn't want to see him again?"

Liu Chujian paused, only then remembering her words from last night.

Bi'er said indignantly, "That fellow comes and goes as he pleases; he doesn't put you in his eyes at all. There are so many people outside crying and begging to see you, and you haven't agreed to any of them, yet that fellow doesn't know how to cherish the opportunity. Hmph, Young Lady, let's not see him; let's leave him hanging for a while first!"

Liu Chujian hesitated.

Just at this moment, footsteps and the voice of Liu Mama sounded in the corridor outside.

"Has Chujian gone to sleep?"

"Mama, the maid just knocked on the door, but there was no movement inside."

"Oh? Is she asleep so early?"

At this time, another voice spoke up: "Liu Mama, since Miss Chujian has already gone to sleep, then I shall... forget it, I probably won't have time tomorrow night either. When I have time in the future, I will come to disturb her again."

Liu Ju said, "Young Master Luo, is there something you need to find Chujian for? Or is it that you just want to come and chat with Chujian and have a drink? If you just want to find some entertainment, Mama can find you other girls. Hehe, Young Master Luo doesn't know, but the girls of our Tianxian Pavilion are all full of praise for that poem of yours, and they are all eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of Young Master Luo. If they knew today that the author of that poem had arrived, they would be overjoyed. Come, Mama will first take you to play with Mei'er and Ziwei; those two girls have been dying to see Young Master Luo."

"Creak..."

Just at this moment, the door suddenly opened.

Liu Chujian was wearing a pink long dress, her small feet clad in white socks bare, her jet-black hair draped down. She stood inside the doorway looking at the two of them, looking delicate and fragile, her gaze deep and lingering.

She bit her pink lips, her eyes rippling with light, and her voice was soft and carried a hint of emotion: "Young Master Luo, please come in."

This time, not only was she not wearing a veil, she hadn't even put on her shoes.

(End of this chapter)