Lu Jinlan was still debating how to start speaking when a cup of hot tea was placed in her hand. The man beside her closed the distance, leaning in closer than she expected.
She subtly shifted back, and Lou Yumian tilted his lips into a faint smile.
“You’ve never been to a brothel before, have you?”
“Mm.” Lu Jinlan muttered, sipping her tea.
“This is my first time serving a guest as well.”
She choked slightly on her tea, her face flushing crimson. Lou Yumian’s silent smile softened his usually cold features, like the weather outside: after heavy clouds, a refreshing rain finally falls.
Lu Jinlan’s gaze shifted between the rain outside and the man inside.
Lou Yumian had a striking presence—like a rose in the rain. Those melancholic eyes seemed to hold an endless season of sorrow. His sharp jaw was like the rose’s thorns: proud, stubborn, and refined. In the mirror, his reflection carried a damp, fallen-world beauty.
Feeling her eyes on him, he asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”
“Your name… why ‘Rain Sleep’?”
“My mother said I was born during a heavy rain. I only cried once and then fell asleep, so she named me Rain Sleep.”
He spoke gently, without bitterness for the family that had ruined him.
Lu Jinlan hesitated before speaking: “I heard a bit of your story. When I saw you perform just now, there was a look of tragic determination—it didn’t feel like a mere pleasure-house youth.”
Lou Yumian smiled wryly. “Then what did it feel like?”
“Like a soldier forced onto a battlefield.”
Lou Yumian lowered his gaze. “Here, my master said I have no talent for entertaining, so I must earn money while young and handsome. My ultimate fate… probably just as your poem describes: doors deserted, horsemen rare, the eldest married off to a merchant.”
Lu Jinlan quickly interjected: “Don’t let the poem fool you—life isn’t that pessimistic. I know you’re trapped in circumstances, but tonight, I won’t force you into anything.”
Lou Yumian shook his head repeatedly. “No… in the world of pleasure, all days will be beyond my control, but tonight, I choose willingly.”
Lu Jinlan: “……”
Is my protagonist aura really this strong?
System old lady: “If he’s willing, what reason do you have to refuse?”
Lu Jinlan: “It’s almost midnight. You clock out, leave me be.”
CS: “The system task has triggered. Even if I clock out, you still must act.”
“Fine, fine, I’ll do it. Stop nagging.”
The man knelt beside her, tentatively holding her fingertips, speaking earnestly:
“Thank you for choosing me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to get through tonight. I’ll serve you well. Though I have no innate talent, I’ve learned all they teach here and practice diligently. I only pretend to be clumsy so the vulgar guests won’t notice. I can do well—you can trust me.”
He began unfastening his outer garment, and Lu Jinlan hastily stopped him: “Don’t.”
His voice trembled, hoarse: “I only want to show you the chastity sand. I am pure.”
Her heart jolted. She looked down at the man humbly seeking her pity, his melancholic eyes silently saying, “Don’t despise me.” She traced his cheek with gentle fingers, a complex emotion rising, and leaned forward to kiss his cool lips.
Lou Yumian froze, seemingly forgetting how to breathe.
Lu Jinlan teased, pinching his face lightly: “You were pretending to be clumsy? Why does it feel real?”
Embarrassed, Lou Yumian’s heartbeat raced, drumming so loudly he could barely respond.
When he looked up again, Lu Jinlan was already leaning against the headboard, patting the space beside her: “Come here, Yumian.”
The summer rain outside fell in chaotic bursts, then softened, tentative and careful.
As the thunderstorm subsided, so did the panting inside the room.
Lu Jinlan, briefly fatigued from excitement, closed her eyes for a short rest. When she opened them again, rain still pattered outside, and a warm body clung close, a strong arm around her waist, unwilling to let go.
Seeing her awake, he asked quickly: “Cold?”
“No. Why aren’t you sleeping?”
He paused, then answered softly: “I don’t want to wake and see morning.”
Lu Jinlan’s heart softened. She stroked his face, voice gentle: “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Tears glimmered in Lou Yumian’s eyes: “Just hearing you say that is enough. I know you are someone who cherishes loyalty, willing to risk all for friends. Someone like me, of this background, cannot hope for any of your favor. Just this one night… it’s more than I could ask for. My only wish… is that when the next rainy season comes, you’ll still remember me.”
He held her hand. “When it rains again, will you remember me?”
Lu Jinlan’s answer was resolute: “Of course. I will never forget you.”
Lou Yumian shook his head with a smile. “I suppose you’ve said that to many men, but hearing it still makes me happy.”
Lu Jinlan, puzzled: “I haven’t had many men. At least… not yet.”
He didn’t believe her: “Who in the world doesn’t know you’re a brilliant and flirtatious talent? Even if unmarried, you must have had countless fleeting affairs. Otherwise, how would those poems come about? ‘Dream encounters’—aren’t those… secret trysts?”
“Poems? That’s what everyone thought? No wonder…” Lu Jinlan suddenly understood.
She had always wondered why people called her flirtatious just because she glanced at men a little more often than others. Now she realized the misunderstanding: everyone assumed her poems were mementos of secret trysts. In reality, she always credited the original author, writing “Dream encounter—an occasional work.”
Her “dreams” were just imagined conversations with the poets, yet everyone interpreted them as literal romantic encounters.
Truly unfair! Though, in this moment, it didn’t feel so unfair anymore.
Lou Yumian nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Write one for me too. Just one. I won’t show it to anyone; I’ll keep it for myself.”
Lu Jinlan laughed: “I’ll let you in on a secret. Only the poems I get in dreams are good. Ones I write awake… not so much.”
“You writing it is already good enough,” he said.
Seeing him plead like that, she sat up and said, “Bring the ink and brush.”
From the moment she first saw Lou Yumian, Lu Jinlan felt he carried a story of his own. Now that she had heard it, she silently reflected on the vicissitudes of life. Without hesitation, she began to transcribe the sorrow he wouldn’t speak of.
By the dim candlelight, Lou Yumian wrapped his arms around her from behind, draping her in his outer garment as they sat together.
“Really writing it for me?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s for you.”
Lou Yumian’s eyes lit up as he read the lines:
“Already caught in the mortal dust for many years,
Today I finally grasp life’s harsh truths.
Brows full of endless sorrow,
Leaning on a perilous tower, I listen to Rain Sleep.”
The poem was titled “First Meeting Rain Sleep”, dated and stamped with her seal.
He blinked in surprise. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll show this to others?”
Lu Jinlan replied earnestly: “I’m afraid you’ll show it. Others wouldn’t believe it. That’s why there’s a seal—so you won’t be wronged.”
Lou Yumian froze, tears and smiles flooding his face simultaneously.
“You really are… a true heroine, daring and bold, first among equals,” he murmured.
“Why are you crying?” Lu Jinlan teased gently, wiping his tears, “It’s still early. Perhaps we…”
Before she could finish, he lunged forward.
In the ensuing passionate kiss, Lu Jinlan received a system notification:
「Ding! Heart captured, HP +9999」
Does this mean he’s truly in love with me?
________________________________________
The next morning, Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin rode back to their countryside estate in a carriage.
Yan Wuxin was half-asleep, while Lu Jinlan, though also lacking sleep, felt wide awake.
“Hey, don’t sleep yet. I have a question for you.”
“Hm?” Yan Wuxin opened one eye.
“Have you ever thought about redeeming Fang Qing?”
Yan Wuxin sat upright immediately. “Are you crazy? Bringing a brothel boy home? My mother would kill me if she knew. Our family is strict—if not for my mother being away, I wouldn’t even get near a place like that. Why bring this up now? Do you want to redeem Lou Yumian?”
Lu Jinlan hurriedly explained: “No, I didn’t say that. I was talking about you. Don’t put words in my mouth.”
She had learned from experience that speaking without consulting the system could get her into trouble. Now, she skillfully navigated the conversation, speaking cautiously.
Yan Wuxin raised an eyebrow. “Did Lou Yumian ask you to redeem him?”
“No, he didn’t say anything. He was unusually obedient… so obedient it hurts.”
“Could it be a ‘catch-and-release’ tactic?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. Do you know how much it would cost to redeem someone like that?”
“Several thousand taels, maybe less than ten thousand at most.”
Lu Jinlan was astonished. “So cheap?”
“Men… after their first night, they’re not worth much. So… you really want to redeem him?”
Lu Jinlan replied cautiously, “Let me think about it first.”
She immediately consulted the system: 「If I redeem Lou Yumian, would that violate the male-focused (male protagonist) spirit?」
System Customer Service: “Hard to say. No one has done this before. Male-protagonist stories rarely redeem a brothel performer without special skills or a significant background. Generally, if you redeem someone without a utilitarian purpose, the system may deem you overly moral and responsible—seriously violating male-protagonist spirit, which will hurt you.”
Lu Jinlan exhaled and answered Yan Wuxin: “I won’t redeem him.”
________________________________________
Back at the estate, they ran into Xiang Ruzhen.
“Where were you last night? Why weren’t you in your room?”
“Stargazing.”
“Fishing.”
They spoke simultaneously, giving completely different answers. Yan Wuxin quickly combined them: “We did a bit of both.”
Xiang Ruzhen raised an eyebrow. “But it rained all night. How could you see stars?”
Lu Jinlan blinked: “True. We couldn’t see stars, couldn’t fish, so we made do in a cave. I didn’t sleep well—thunder and rain all night. I need to catch up on rest.”
Xiang Ruzhen reminded them: “Tomorrow we register at the academy. Classes start soon—settle down, don’t wander off.”
Both answered sheepishly, “Mm,” and returned to their rooms.
Lu Jinlan lay in bed, thinking: one night of fleeting intimacy, like dew on leaves, evaporates under the sunlight.
Logic told her to act like a man: no pointless indulgences. But those melancholic eyes haunted her, leaving her restless.
She clenched her teeth: I’m really not a despicable man.
________________________________________
Just past midnight, Yan Wuxin prepared for bed. Lu Jinlan, flustered, pushed the door open.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Shh!” Lu Jinlan held up a piece of paper, gesturing for silence.
________________________________________
Author’s note:
“First Meeting Rain Sleep” was a playful piece I wrote for Lu Jinlan—it doesn’t reflect her real literary level. She had been drinking and was half-asleep… the line “Already caught in the mortal dust for many years” is adapted from Dream of the Red Chamber, original line: “Foolishly caught in the mortal dust for many years.”