The Young Miss Calls Her “Qingqing” for the First Time.
“Is the young master really planning to marry Miss Su? Look at this sharing a carriage, personally accompanying her to buy clothes.”
Once they were a good distance from the tailor’s shop, Chen San and his companions couldn’t help but gossip.
They hadn’t joined Qingmu Lao Wu at the teahouse to listen to storytelling, nor had they followed the bearded man to browse pottery shops. Instead, they’d gone with Chen San to have some fun.
Out of the group of several dozen, they naturally formed three smaller cliques. These men were all under Li Xuanliu’s command, so they were naturally closer to Chen San. Shared interests made them fast friends.
“No way. He’s probably just playing around,” someone shook his head.
“Hard to say. When have we ever seen the young master fool around with women on this trip?”
“Exactly! That merchant back in Jiangnan was clearly up to no good so guilty he sent his daughter to serve the young master, but the young master didn’t even bat an eye.”
“Such a shame. That girl was as soft as water, with a waist as slender and graceful as a willow branch, yet the young master remained unmoved.”
“You think ‘he’ might be, incapable? He looks so delicate and effeminate. How many real men could resist that kind of temptation?”
“‘Incapable’? If ‘he’ were incapable, who’s the one accompanying Su Qingqing shopping right now? Clearly, that other girl just wasn’t to his taste. Only a beauty like Su Qingqing could catch the young master’s eye.”
“Well, he is the young master of the Qin family his standards are high. Of course, he’d go for someone like Su Qingqing.”
Someone recalled the fleeting glimpse they’d caught of Miss Su when passing the tailor’s shop earlier. Even without a proper look, her beauty and graceful figure were impossible to ignore.
Standing among racks of colorful garments, she was so stunning that everything else seemed to fade into the background, unable to compete with her radiance.
She was the kind of woman who could take your breath away just from her silhouette, no need to even see her face.
No wonder Qin Yu was smitten.
“Let’s be real here,” one of them glanced at Chen San, speaking up on his behalf, “the young master is being way too selfish.”
“Hey now, that’s still the young master’s woman. What the hell are you thinking?”
“Ah!” Chen San, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, raising an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with thinking? Besides, with the young master’s frail little body, could he even satisfy a woman like Miss Su?”
“True,” someone chuckled under his breath, joining in with crude humor. “Miss Su looks like the wild type.”
“Brother Chen.”
One of them hinted suggestively.
Among the five of them, none held much respect for Qin Yu as their young master. They thought he was too young, too pretentious always acting aloof and cold. He was nothing like Young Master Li, who was so much more approachable.
If someone were to give Qin Yu a hard time, they’d be more than happy to watch.
And if anyone were to take the lead in that, it would undoubtedly be Chen San.
First, his resentment toward Qin Yu wasn’t new. Second, he clearly had his eyes on Qin Yu’s woman.
Where there were bold ones, there were also the cautious. “But she’s still the young master’s woman.”
“That’s exactly what makes it exciting. Otherwise, where’s the fun?”
Chen San grinned. “Want me to show you how it’s done tonight?”
“Brother Chen, you’re the best. We’ll be waiting for good news.”
Chen San felt as if he were floating amidst the flattery, his footsteps light and unreal, as though he already had Su Qingqing nestled in his arms.
Preoccupied with his thoughts, Chen San and his companions surprisingly didn’t linger in the pleasure quarters that night. They simply drank and returned early.
While Qingmu and the others were bathing, Shopkeeper Zhou had someone prepare spiced peanuts, duck feet, and chicken feet for them to enjoy with drinks after washing up.
Downstairs, the men were boisterous and loud, while upstairs, Shen Su closed the door to show Yunzhi the day’s “spoils.”
“So many clothes?” Yunzhi gasped in awe. “Young Master Qin is incredibly generous!”
Neither of them actually knew what Qin Yu did for a living, he could be a merchant or perhaps a bodyguard escorting goods but one thing was certain: he didn’t seem short on money.
“And he bought a gold hairpin too~” Shen Su propped her chin on one hand, tilting her head to show Yunzhi the hairpin tucked into her hair. “Does it look good?”
“It does!” Yunzhi nodded without hesitation. “Gold suits you so well, miss!”
Delicate, refined women looked elegant in jade, but someone as radiantly beautiful as Shen Su was made for gold.
The gaudier the gold hairpin, the more stunning it looked on her, lending her an air of regal opulence.
“These are mine, and these are yours,” Shen Su said. “Aside from the gold hairpin in my hair, almost all the clothes come in matching pairs.”
Yunzhi froze. “There’s even something for me?”
Unable to resist, she held up a dress against herself and asked timidly, “Does it suit me?”
“Of course it does,” Shen Su replied softly, folding the clothes one by one as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Since Qin Yu bought it, you should wear it.”
Clutching the dress to her chest, Yunzhi giggled. “Then, I’ll try it on.”
Shen Su nodded. “Go ahead.”
As Yunzhi went behind the screen to change, Shen Su suddenly remembered something. “Did you buy the books?”
“I did,” Yunzhi said. “Exactly as you asked.”
Yunzhi had never studied and couldn’t read, so to avoid exposing Qin Yu’s gender, Shen Su had written a note for her to show the bookseller.
She had deliberately instructed Yunzhi to look for illustrated booksm the bolder and more explicit, the better.
Knowing Yunzhi was shy, Shen Su was certain the more she emphasized this, the less likely Yunzhi would dare to peek at the books she bought.
Sure enough, Yunzhi mumbled, “The shopkeeper picked them all. I didn’t even dare to flip through them. They’re all on the table, in that bundle.”
Shen Su chuckled and moved from the bed to the table, unwrapping the bundle.
Yunzhi had bought three books, each bound in plain indigo covers with bold black characters in regular script:
The Kingdom of Women.
Compared to mainstream erotic literature featuring men and women, works depicting relationships between women were far rarer, their covers and titles much more restrained.
But appearances were deceiving. The moment Shen Su opened one, she was met with shockingly bold illustrations.
Tsk tsk tsk, Qin Yu is in for a treat.
By the time Yunzhi emerged in her new dress, Shen Su had already put the books away.
“D-does it look alright?” Yunzhi clutched the sides of her skirt, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Shen Su.
Seated at the table with her chin resting on one hand, Shen Su smiled, her eyes crinkling. “More than alright, you look absolutely stunning.”
“Miss, don’t tease me!” Yunzhi’s ears turned red instantly. She had just been called beautiful by her mistress, who was a peerless beauty herself.
“Then I’ll take all these clothes down to wash them. After drying overnight, they’ll be ready to wear tomorrow.” Yunzhi reached out to gather the clothes.
Shen Su suddenly remembered something, her thick, curled lashes fluttering as they lowered. “I’ll go with you,” she said.
Shen Su rarely came downstairs, so when she descended today, the rowdy men below were instantly spellbound.
“Is that a fairy?”
“What fairy? Clearly, she’s a seductress.”
No, more like a fox spirit that had cultivated into human form.
Chen San turned his head to glance back, his eyes locking onto Shen Su in her pale blue ruqun dress, unable to tear his gaze away for even a second.
Qin Yu was upstairs bathing at the moment. The young mistress might not show it, but she was actually quite fastidious in private. Having gone out and worked up a sweat today, she naturally wanted to soak a little longer.
Shen Su had timed her descent, figuring Qin Yu would be nearly done.
Her eyes curved with amusement as she swept her gaze over each man, nodding slightly at them.
Several of the shyer ones immediately flushed, scratching the backs of their necks and not daring to look at her for too long.
Shen Su and Yunzhi headed to the backyard clearly to wash clothes.
Chen San exchanged glances with a few others, sensing an opportunity.
“Need to piss,” Chen San muttered as an excuse to leave.
He circled around and entered the backyard through the rear gate.