Strange, suggestive moans echoed through the private room.
Jiang Suan continued to exert pressure, and Azuki’s favorability continued to climb.
She was on the verge of being completely conquered by his top-tier technique; she couldn’t take much more.
Meanwhile, outside…
Yi Xuan hovered suspiciously by the window, controlling her Qingming Bird.
She was intensely curious about what the two of them had been discussing for a full hour.
“Gently, Jiang Suan…
I can’t take it anymore…
don’t be in such a hurry, take it slow.”
“Oh?
Weren’t you acting tough just a moment ago?”
“I give up…
Jiang Suan, your hands are amazing.”
“I have even better tricks.
Would Miss Azuki like to try them?”
“Mnh~”
Through the curtains, Yi Xuan could barely make out the projected shadows.
A woman was lying on the sofa, while the man named Jiang Suan stood beside her, busy moving back and forth.
Yi Xuan’s footing wavered, and her Dao heart nearly faltered as a faint blush crept onto her face.
This…
What on earth were they doing?
*Keep a pure heart and few desires; this must be a misunderstanding!*
She knew a bit about Miss Azuki of The Immortal’s Brew.
That sophisticated, socially adept woman wouldn’t bring a guest into a private room to do scandalous things…
right?
She leaned in to listen closer to their conversation.
“Jiang Suan, um…
if you have some free time in the future, feel free to come sit at The Immortal’s Brew more often.”
“Looking for a free ride?
I’m working so hard, putting in all this effort—does Miss Azuki think that’s appropriate?”
“Ahem…
of course not.
How much for one session?”
Jiang Suan wiped the sweat from his forehead, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
Talking about money was so uncouth; wasn’t winning someone’s heart more important than cash?
However, he really did intend to live off her “soft rice” for a bit.
As a newcomer, his pockets were empty.
After this bout of physical labor, he was getting hungry.
He couldn’t exactly go begging on the streets, could he?
Especially since Yi Xuan was still watching him.
“How about this?” Jiang Suan suggested.
“I feel that Miss Azuki and I share a great destiny.
Would you mind if The Immortal’s Brew had one more person eating for free?”
“That’s it?”
“Mr.
Jiang Suan hasn’t actually taken a liking to this little lady, has he?
You can’t just be after my person, you know.”
The most expensive things are the ones that are free.
Azuki was well-versed in the ways of commerce and naturally understood this principle.
But on second thought, if Jiang Suan came by often, it would be a good way to close the distance between them.
She was also incredibly curious.
Why would such a generous patron suddenly come to Chenghui Square just to tell fortunes for people?
Yet her smile remained bright as she extended a slender, jade-like hand toward the man.
“It’s a deal.
A gentleman’s word…”
“…is his bond,” Jiang Suan finished the phrase cooperatively.
However, he had a second half he didn’t say out loud: *Unfortunately, Miss Azuki is a lady.*
“Ahem…”
Azuki felt slightly embarrassed at having her little schemes seen through.
She gave Jiang Suan a coquettish glare.
It was just one more mouth to feed; was he afraid she couldn’t afford to keep him?
It wasn’t as if Jiang Suan would eat all three meals a day here.
And surely he wouldn’t bring his own guests along, right?
That was the most “wicked” scenario Azuki could imagine, but she assumed a mysterious fellow like him ought to be a man of dignity.
Unfortunately, she was mistaken.
In a thousand days of trade, there is always a time for a slip-up.
The two walked out of the private room side-by-side.
As they exited, the two young girls in cheongsams were staring intensely at Jiang Suan.
They had heard everything.
“Sister Azuki, you…”
“Ahem…
why are you two girls eavesdropping?”
“It’s because you were shouting so loud!
We were worried!
Sister Azuki, didn’t you say that in our line of business we can’t, we can’t…”
“You’re overthinking it!”
Azuki’s face turned beet red as she shot a private glare at Jiang Suan.
She didn’t look particularly convincing, but there was no need for further explanation here.
She grabbed Jiang Suan’s hand and hurried away.
Her little hand was soft, but her grip was firm.
“Mr.
Jiang Suan, don’t mind them.”
*Don’t mind what?*
Jiang Suan felt a bit strange being led along by the woman, the scent of her perfume wafting into his nose.
But since she didn’t seem to mind, what could he say?
“It’s no problem.
Why did you stop calling me Jiang Suan?”
“Ahem, business is business, and personal friendship is personal friendship.”
Azuki released his hand subtly.
When she met his eyes, she gave a demure, gentle smile, her gaze as alluring as silk.
Invisibly, she had already tagged the two of them as having a “personal friendship.”
“Does that mean we’re friends now?”
“Can a friend get free massages and fortune-tellings then?”
*He really does have his eyes on the money.*
The tiny fluttering in Jiang Suan’s heart disappeared instantly.
He chuckled and replied, “That depends on what kind of friend you are, Azuki.”
The two of them walked out of The Immortal’s Brew together.
The Qingming Bird perched by the window, steam practically rising from its head, wobbled as it followed them.
At this moment, how could the spiritual pet’s owner fail to guess what had happened in that room?
***
Sui-Bian Temple.
Yi Xuan was drinking tea, but she choked and spat it out several times.
“It’s nothing…”
“But Master’s face is very red.
Your health…”
Orange Fufu looked worried.
Her Master had been meditatively resting in bed, but that Jiang Suan must have disturbed her, forcing her to use techniques that allowed the Corruption to flare back up.
Invisibly, a black pot of blame was placed firmly on Jiang Suan’s head.
But he wasn’t entirely innocent.
After all, he knew Yi Xuan might be eavesdropping and had acted that way on purpose.
If she heard it, she heard it…
Regardless, he wasn’t afraid of shadows because he stood straight.
It was fun to tease the eavesdropper.
But what was Yi Xuan thinking?
This fortune-teller was far too improper.
While love and romance were normal, acting out with a proprietress in a teahouse was simply absurd.
It had caused her to lose her composure and made Fufu worry about her.
“Alright, Fufu, stop worrying about me.
I need to go out for a bit.
Watch the temple well with your junior sister today.”
Yi Xuan was a woman of her word.
She rubbed the little tiger-girl’s head.
In a few days, she would have to complete some tasks at the Mayor’s request.
But today, a strange man with unreadable motives had arrived in Chenghui Square.
Jiang Suan claimed he had no ulterior motives…
But what kind of cultivator sets up a fortune-telling stall right in front of someone else’s Daoist temple?
It was a blatant provocation.
There had to be a deeper meaning behind this move.
She couldn’t rest easy without investigating thoroughly.
Thus, she followed the trail of the Qingming Bird and trailed Jiang Suan and Azuki.
Without her disciples by her side, she could freely test the depths of Jiang Suan’s abilities.
***
On a small path in the Radiant Porcelain Market.
Azuki and Jiang Suan were still chatting happily as they headed straight for a souvenir shop called “Relic-Spirit Hall.” The fortune-telling shop rewarded by the system was right next to it.
Azuki introduced the area enthusiastically.
“Uncle Baorong is the owner of this shop.
You’ll be neighbors from now on.
He’s taken in quite a few children, so it’s very lively around here.”
“Uncle Baorong!
This is the Mr.
Jiang Suan I told you about the other day—”
A burly man walked out from the shop entrance and greeted them with a smile.
Jiang Suan had heard of him; was this Oyoha’s father?
It seemed every move the system made had a deeper purpose.
Opening the fortune-telling shop right at Oyoha’s doorstep…
it would be strange if there weren’t some special missions involved later.
Inside the shop, several young girls poked their heads out to look…
However, the red-haired “little witch” with twin tails, Ukiba Oyoha, was nowhere to be seen.
She was likely still at school.
He offered a greeting.
“I’m Jiang Suan.
I’ll be living next door from now on.
I’ll be in your care.”
“Haha, any guest is welcome!”