The carriage finally came to a stop.
The owner of Snowflake Retreat personally led a group of people waiting respectfully at the entrance.
As Chen Luosheng lifted the carriage curtain, a seemingly clever young boy knelt before the carriage, hands pressed against the ground, exposing his back and waist, inviting Young Master Chen to step on him to dismount.
Seeing this scene from inside the carriage, Su Wan couldn’t help but frown.
Using human flesh as a stool to step on—this involved insulting personal dignity. She instinctively felt that Chen San was inexplicably detestable.
Chen Luosheng chuckled softly, giving the boy a light kick, his tone indifferent. “Where did you learn such manners? I’ve never liked this sort of thing.”
The owner of Snowflake Retreat forced a few wrinkles into a smile, appearing extremely obsequious.
“This custom comes from the south. I’ve heard that some young masters down there enjoy stepping on the backs or waists of young boys or girls when dismounting from their carriages.
Third Young Master, rest assured, this boy has been trained. You may step on him without worry—I guarantee he won’t utter a single word of complaint.”
Chen Luosheng motioned for the boy to move aside and jumped down from the carriage himself.
Walking over to Chen Nian, he asked for a horsewhip, raised it high, and struck the owner twice.
The owner winced in pain but dared not offend, forcing an ingratiating smile.
The expression was truly indescribably absurd.
“Your Snowflake Retreat used to be known for elegance. What are you playing at now?
How dare you bring such vulgar practices to Shangjing City? This is the foot of the Son of Heaven. If some censor takes offense one day and reports you to the Emperor, implicating us regular patrons, who are we supposed to turn to for justice?”
The owner let out a pained cry and slapped himself several times across the face.
“It was my blindness, my foolishness—I didn’t think of that.”
Then, he winked at the people beside him. “Quick, take him away. From now on, this practice is forbidden.”
The boy was carried off by several burly men, looking pitiful indeed.
Chen Luosheng tossed aside the horsewhip and abruptly lifted the carriage curtain, calling inside.
“Get out.”
Only then did the owner of Snowflake Retreat notice there was someone else in the carriage.
A pair of small feet emerged from within.
The owner’s expression grew somewhat despondent.
It was a young lady. Judging by Third Young Master Chen’s rare display of care, she must hold a special place in his heart.
Didn’t that mean their Jiaoniang’s infatuation with Third Young Master Chen was misplaced?
As soon as Su Wan stepped out of the carriage, a robe was draped over her head and body.
Chen San took her hand and led her into a small courtyard within Snowflake Retreat.
Not daring to look around or touch anything, she lifted the robe and found herself surrounded by unimaginable luxury. Immediately, she appeared flustered and uncertain.
“Chen Luosheng, why have you brought me here?”
“What else? Should I have taken you to the Chen residence instead?” Chen Luosheng opened a door, passed through a half-meter-long corridor, and entered another room.
“I brought you here so you could bathe and change.”
Just before closing the door, he suddenly turned to look at her.
“Do you need my help with your bath? The wooden tub here is quite large—it can fit two people.”
Su Wan’s face must have darkened like that of an enraged maniac.
What she wanted was to develop a romantic relationship with Chen San, not a one-night affair.
His sudden proposal caught Su Wan completely off guard.
Could the desires of noble young masters be expressed so bluntly?
Su Wan felt inexplicably afraid and took a few steps back, clutching the collar of her clothes tightly.A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Chen Luosheng’s lips. “If you find me frightening, just close the door. I won’t break it down and devour you.”
Thud. Su Wan immediately shut the door connecting the two rooms.
For good measure, she even locked it from her side.
However, once she immersed herself in the hot water, her mind cleared.
She leisurely washed herself before changing into the fresh clothes provided by Snowflake Retreat.
True to his word, Chen San remained in the adjacent room without attempting to break in.
Such young masters had their own pride. While they were capable of using underhanded methods to seize a young lady, more often than not, they chose not to.
They preferred to play a game of cat and mouse with young ladies, leveraging their own power and charm.
They relished the thrill and ambiguity of the pursuit.
Su Wan was of the same breed, differing only in gender.
After roughly half an hour, Su Wan finally opened the door.
She wore an emerald-green silk dress, identical to the one she had soiled earlier. It seemed Chen San had deliberately arranged for this.
Her hair was not styled in a bun; instead, her smooth, waist-length black tresses cascaded down her back.
Her steps were somewhat hurried as she headed straight for Chen Luosheng.
“Chen Luosheng, I just noticed I’ve lost a gold hairpin. It was a gift from my sister. Could I trouble you to help me find it?”
To Chen Luosheng’s eyes, she appeared like a butterfly with dampened wings.
Her wet black hair had not been thoroughly dried, and droplets of water clung to the ends, dampening the floor.
And this butterfly, in her haste, had not even put on shoes. Barefoot, she hurried toward him across the cold floor tiles.
This was dangerous.
Chen Luosheng immediately rose to meet her. Sure enough, the wet young lady’s steps were too rushed, and she failed to notice her footing, slipping and tumbling forward.
Fortunately, Chen Luosheng was long-limbed and quick to react. He swiftly caught her by the waist, holding her firmly in his arms, averting what could have been a mishap.
Had it been any other young lady, Chen Luosheng would have suspected it was a deliberate ploy to charm him. But Su Wan did not seem like such a scheming woman. Her expressions and movements were too natural, revealing no hint of artifice.
Having spent so much time among women, Chen Luosheng could easily see through their various schemes and calculations.
Yet, he could not decipher Su Wan’s intentions, so he could only regard her as innocent and guileless.
The slender waist held by his large hands squirmed slightly.
Su Wan turned her head anxiously to look at him. “When I got off the carriage, I specifically checked, and the hairpin was still there then. It must have been lost somewhere around here.”
Chen Luosheng smiled faintly. “No need to worry. I’ll have them search every corner of Snowflake Retreat. I’ll definitely help you find that hairpin.”
Of course, it would be found, because Su Wan had deliberately dropped the hairpin somewhere along the way. A ten-minute search would yield results.
What she wanted was not the hairpin but a legitimate excuse for Chen Luosheng to witness her alluring state just after her bath.
Her soft waist, held by two large hands, twisted slightly, and she could faintly feel the warmth of his palms.
Su Wan called out to him in a gentle yet unaffected voice, “Chen Luosheng, my hair isn’t dry yet. It might dampen your clothes.”
Chen Luosheng was momentarily taken aback, and Su Wan naturally slipped free from his grasp.
The water from her hair had indeed dampened his brocade robe slightly.Chen Luosheng looked at the water stains spreading across the brocade robe, the warmth of her slender waist still lingering in his palm. He was reluctant to let her go.
Just as Su Wan turned to leave, his fingers hooked onto the ends of her hair, pulling her back into his embrace. With his other hand, he picked up a clean handkerchief and wrapped it around a section of her damp hair.
“Sit still, I’ll help you dry your hair.”