Thanks to Heaven for the Gift of a Young Master.
The fish had vanished, and the bait had wandered out on its own, this was a situation Qin Yu had genuinely not anticipated.
After all, who could have imagined that late at night, “Su Qingqing,” a delicate young woman, would stroll into a crowd of men with her maid in tow?
“Su Qingqing” had stormed in with palpable anger, and Qin Yu couldn’t help but glance behind her, wondering if Chen San had been utterly incompetent not only failing to succeed but even getting beaten up by two women instead.
Tsk, useless.
Shen Su had entered with a cold expression, but upon meeting Qin Yu’s gaze, she took a deep breath, smoothed her brows, and smiled sweetly, her voice soft and fragile as she asked, “Young Master Qin, who are you looking for?”
As she spoke, she even obligingly turned her head to glance behind her, her face full of innocent confusion. “Was there someone back there? We didn’t see anyone on our way here.”
Qin Yu, “…”
Only then did Qin Yu properly lift her eyes to scrutinize “Su Qingqing.” This woman seemed different from what she had expected.
Chen San had abandoned countless fine wines and slipped away under the pretense of relieving himself. Qin Yu was certain he had gone after these two, yet “Su Qingqing” claimed they hadn’t encountered anyone on their way.
How was that possible?
Qin Yu didn’t doubt Chen San’s despicable character she simply assumed “Su Qingqing” wasn’t telling the truth.
Earlier, “Su Qingqing” had arrived seething with anger, yet now, upon seeing her, that fury had completely dissipated, as if it had all been an illusion.
Qin Yu narrowed her eyes slightly.
This stunningly beautiful and alluring woman gazed at her with a radiant smile, taking delicate, graceful steps forward like a cunning fox hiding its tail.
“Miss Su, why aren’t you resting yet?” The bearded man turned and blinked in surprise at the sight of her.
He hastily pulled his open collar together and chuckled, nudging the man beside him with his elbow, signaling the others to rein themselves in two young ladies had come to the front.
The men had been drinking heartily, but now, with Shen Su and Yunzhi’s arrival, they grew noticeably more restrained and awkward.
Empty wine jars littered the ground, and the hall reeked of alcohol. A few men, having drunk themselves sick, leaned against the doorframe to vomit outside.
Now, all of this had been witnessed by a pair of delicate, beautiful women. Some of the more self-conscious men wore faintly embarrassed expressions.
“It’s pouring outside you must have gotten soaked on your way here,” the bearded man said, shifting to make space. “Come warm yourselves by the fire.”
“Miss Su, did you come here because you were afraid of the thunder and rain?”
A delicate woman like Miss Su, frail and tender, must be spending the night in such a place for the first time. It was only natural for her to be too frightened to sleep.
A woman like this ought to be tucked into bed and coaxed to sleep with gentle whispers.
“I was a little scared,” Shen Su admitted, sitting down beside Qin Yu while Yunzhi stayed behind her, unwilling to squeeze in.
Her voice was soft as she said, “The rain is so heavy, it’s quite frightening.”
Yunzhi, sitting behind Shen Su, “???”
Huh?
Why did that sound so familiar?
Once Shen Su spoke, the men lost all interest in their drinks, clamoring to comfort her. “The rains up north are even heavier!”
“You southern girls are made of water, afraid of thunder and rain. The women up north? They wouldn’t flinch even if the sky rained knives!”
Some of the men thought to themselves that a timid, fragile creature like Shen Su like a little white rabbit, would probably be knocked over with a single punch by their wives. Two of her, even.
“Little White Rabbit” Shen Su delicately furrowed her slender brows. “So the rain can get even heavier?”
Her tone was full of naive wonder, as if she had never seen such a thing before.
Qin Yu sat beside her, silently critiquing in her mind:
If you’re so afraid of the rain, then why did you come out in it?
Her well-laid plans had been completely ruined.
Just as Qin Yu was wondering where Chen San had gone, she heard someone call out, “Chen San, where the hell did you run off to? Took you long enough!”
“At this rate, people will think you fell into the river and couldn’t climb back out instead of just taking a piss!”
The group burst into laughter.
None of them were fools Chen San’s intentions might as well have been written on his face. Everyone knew he had likely gone to the backyard to find Su Qingqing, probably hoping to take some advantage.
But when they turned around, both girls were already sitting in the main hall!
Chen San had made the trip for nothing.
His expression was particularly sour, especially when he saw Shen Su and Yunzhi already inside the hall. His chest tightened with frustration, nearly choking him.
He had spent ages sweet-talking outside their door, his throat dry from pleading, he might as well have been calling them “grandma” yet neither had uttered a single word in response.
Damn bitches, refusing kindness and courting punishment instead! Chen San thought angrily. He had shoved the door open forcefully, only to find the room empty just a lone candle flickering in the wind.
He had no idea where the two women had gone. After searching the entire backyard to no avail, he had returned in disappointment.
And now, here they were, sitting perfectly fine next to Qin Yu.
Goddamn whores!
Chen San cursed inwardly.
Not only had his little fantasy been crushed, but he had also wasted all that good liquor.
“Let’s all thank Chen San today,” someone deliberately jabbed at his sore spot. “This fine wine was all bought by him. Good stuff, really good stuff!”
Chen San’s face darkened. He wordlessly returned to his seat and snapped, “Even good wine can’t shut your mouth.”
Noticing Chen San’s return, Qin Yu’s gaze lingered on “Su Qingqing’s” face, her expression faintly meaningful.
“Su Qingqing” didn’t even bat an eyelash at Chen San’s arrival, as if she had never seen him before. Yunzhi, however, shrank further behind her.
“What is Young Master Qin looking at?”
Shen Su suddenly leaned closer to Qin Yu, her peach-blossom eyes glinting with amusement, the corners lifting like delicate little hooks that tugged at the heart.
“Could it be that there’s a flower on my face? Is that why Young Master keeps staring at me?”
She moved too quickly Qin Yu instinctively shifted away, putting distance between them.
Shen Su chuckled, her voice even softer now, just loud enough for the two of them to hear.
“Young Master, that man is still watching. If you’re putting on a show, shouldn’t you commit to it?”
Qin Yu paused, noticing Chen San’s lingering gaze, then slowly straightened her posture, lowering her lashes to veil her thoughts. “You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”
“Su Qingqing” was no naive little rabbit, she was clearly a fox who had cultivated into a spirit!
In such a short time, she had already guessed Qin Yu’s intentions and was even playing along.
Qin Yu glanced sideways at “Su Qingqing,” realizing this woman was far too sharp to be easily controlled.
Then again, if she weren’t sharp, how could she have escaped bandits with her maid and remained unharmed all this way?
Just as Qin Yu’s wariness toward Shen Su began to rise, the latter spoke again, her voice slow and deliberate.
“If Young Master has a plan, just tell me. Considering you’ve protected us this far, of course I’ll cooperate.”
Shen Su let out a soft sigh, lifting her eyes to cast a sidelong glance at Qin Yu. Her voice was tinged with melancholy and discomfort. “Why must you jest about a woman’s purity?”
“The world is so harsh toward women perhaps you don’t realize it. Had we not run just now, our reputations would have been ruined.”
“No matter how clever I am, all I seek is to protect my own body.”
The struggles of women in this world, the weight of their shackles and constraints, most men might not understand, but Qin Yu, this “man,” knew all too well.
Precisely because she knew, hearing “Su Qingqing’s” words stirred a pang of guilt within her.
Qin Yu silently lowered her head, hands resting on her knees, and spoke hoarsely, “I apologize.”
This matter was truly her own lack of consideration.
Though Qin Yu had intended to protect them, “Su Qingqing” had no way of knowing, so the fault lay with her, and the apology was hers to make.
Shen Su’s eyes shimmered, her smile growing even more dazzling as she softly suggested,
“How about the young master punishes himself with a drink, and we’ll consider this matter settled?”
Qin Yu hesitated.
She rarely drank, mainly out of fear that alcohol might lead to mistakes.
But Shen Su had already taken the untouched jar of wine in front of Qin Yu and placed it before herself.
Her wide sleeves draped over the jar as she fumbled with it for a long while before finally opening it.
She looked at Qin Yu, cradling the jar in both hands, tilting her head slightly with a playful glint in her eyes, her voice sweet and alluring. “Here, let’s make up.”
What she truly meant was, “Let’s cooperate.”
Qin Yu understood. She took the jar with one hand, lifting it from the bottom without touching the young woman’s fingers.
“Su Qingqing” was clever, and working with clever people was always simpler.
Qin Yu knew what she was after nothing more than seeking her protection to preserve her purity and safely reach the capital, hence the flattery.
Understanding the other’s motives, Qin Yu lowered her gaze and took a small sip from the jar.
Just that tiny sip, what use could it possibly have?
Shen Su narrowed her peach-blossom eyes slightly, then suddenly spoke, her tone laced with feigned confusion. “Earlier this evening, while I was bathing, the window blew open, and I thought I saw a figure passing by outside.”
“!!!”
Qin Yu hastily gulped down a large mouthful of wine.
Shen Su smiled brightly and asked, “Who could it have been?”
Qin Yu drank nearly half the jar before setting it down, her face wooden as she looked at Shen Su. “I’m full. I really can’t drink any more.”
To show sincerity in their cooperation, this was all she could manage, any more and she’d be sick.
Shen Su gazed at Qin Yu’s refined, handsome face and her earnest, unguarded expression, unable to resist turning away, her ears reddening as she pressed her lips together in a smile.
She was a little adorable.
Though Qin Yu had schemed against her, the sight of her dutifully drinking still made Shen Su’s heart flutter.
Someone this beautiful, if she missed this chance, there might never be another.
Unconsciously, Shen Su’s hand drifted to the pouch at her waist. The drawstring had been loosened slightly, and its contents had been slipped into the wine while she pretended to open the jar.
She had given the jar a couple of shakes earlier, ensuring the powder dissolved completely colorless, odorless.
This substance was called “Better Than Mortal Bliss.”
As the name suggested, once the effects took hold, there would be a brief period of pleasure surpassing anything in the mortal world. It was somewhat similar to an aphrodisiac, though not as potent, one could endure it if they tried.
Shen Su lowered her eyes.
Qin Yu believed her goal was merely to preserve her purity and reach the capital safely, which was why she had let her guard down. Little did she know, Shen Su’s true intention was to bed “him.”
Thinking of the wretched marriage awaiting her in the capital, Shen Su clasped her hands together and bowed slightly toward the Bodhisattva statue behind her.
Thanks to the heavens’ gift, she was able to sleep with a handsome “young master” in the prime of her youth, when she was at her most radiant and alluring.
Even if she were to live as a widow in the future, she wouldn’t have much resentment in her heart.
The night was half over, and everyone was drowsy from drinking, with many already snoring.
Qin Yu, Shen Su, and Yunzhi each retreated to the backyard to rest.
Yunzhi knelt on the dry grass, shaking out the woolen blanket and calling to Shen Su, “Miss, come and sleep. If we squeeze in, the blanket can still cover both of us.”
“Keep it for yourself,” Shen Su’s voice sounded light. “I won’t need it.”
Yunzhi was puzzled. “Then what will you do?”
She turned her head and saw Shen Su about to open the door to leave.
Yunzhi, “?”
She asked, “Where are you going?”
Of course, Shen Su was going to sleep with someone. Calculating the time, the medicine should have taken effect by now. If she didn’t go now, when would she?
Shen Su blinked, her expression serious. “To relieve myself.”
She knew Yunzhi would fall asleep as soon as she lay down, so she added, “Don’t wait for me. It might take a while.”
“Oh, oh,” Yunzhi said. “Then find a secluded spot and be careful.”
Suppressing her excitement and nervousness, Shen Su replied softly, “Mm, I know. Go to sleep.”
With that, Shen Su stepped out, closing the door quietly behind her.
Yunzhi lay on the dry grass, shifting to the side to make more room for Shen Su.
Meanwhile, Shen Su was already standing outside Qin Yu’s door, holding up the hem of her dress with both hands.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright with an indescribable tension. Though she felt a little fear, excitement outweighed it.
Shen Su lightly pressed her red lips together, released the wrinkled fabric of her dress, took a deep breath, and then raised her hand to gently knock on Qin Yu’s door.