At this moment, Liu Qingluo had already adjusted her emotions and makeup.
"Silver is naturally inevitable for the lady."
Xu Chang'an knew that it was impossible for Liu Qingluo to carry so much wine by herself, so he nodded and got up to go to the backyard to get the wine.
Thus, only Yun Qian and Liu Qingluo were left in the room.
Yun Qian looked curiously at the wine lady in front of her, as she was the first woman she had seen with an affection almost full for Xu Chang'an, clearly of romantic interest.
Yun Qian didn't know how her feelings for Xu Chang'an differed from Liu Qingluo's feelings for him.
As Yun Qian watched Liu Qingluo, Liu Qingluo was also watching her.
Even though Yun Qian wore a veil, just by the eyebrows and eyes, Liu Qingluo understood that in front of this first-rate lady from Wanzhi Building, she was as ordinary as a maid.
Jealousy?
Liu Qingluo found that facing Yun Qian, she couldn't feel a shred of jealousy.
Because the person whom Young Master Xu would like isn't just someone outstanding in appearance—this sister before her must be someone excellent in every way.
"Ms. Yun." Liu Qingluo bowed to Yun Qian.
"Hmm." Yun Qian nodded.
The two didn't speak further; they weren't very familiar with each other, and Liu Qingluo didn't know what to say, as longing served no purpose.
"..."
Liu Qingluo placed the bucket on the ground, gently knelt on the shattered floorboards, picked up the blood-stained wood blocks, and seriously cleaned the bloodstains on the floor.
She couldn't truly ask Gu Qiancheng to help her clean the floor; one must have some self-awareness.
Yun Qian looked at Liu Qingluo, thinking she was just a very ordinary girl, as most women in the novels written by Xu Chang'an were depicted as gentle.
"Aren't you afraid of blood?" Yun Qian asked, noticing the scratches on Liu Qingluo's hand from the wood blocks. "You've gotten it all over your hands."
With a knife, whenever Yun Qian accidentally cut her finger and it bled a bit, Xu Chang'an would be extremely worried.
"Does sister mean me?" Liu Qingluo wrung out the blood from the cloth and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of."
Speaking, Liu Qingluo smiled gently, "Water is powerful; there's nothing in the world it can't wash clean."
"I also like soaking in the bath." Yun Qian nodded, remembering several impressive times with her husband.
Liu Qingluo was startled, then shook her head, thinking this sister was indeed interesting, and continued to work on cleaning.
Yun Qian looked at Liu Qingluo's light makeup and at the rather pretty tear mole, blinking.
Speaking of which, Xu Chang'an had also bought her rouge, but she hadn't used it much.
She felt that Liu Qingluo was a very beautiful person.
Yun Qian obviously wasn't referring to appearance, but to something deeper, almost soulful.
The wine lady before her, in Yun Qian's eyes, exuded faint glimmers of fireflies, just like the jar of yellow wine she had given Xu Chang'an, making one feel comfortable in body and mind.
Oh, but that's not important.
Yun Qian found Liu Qingluo's Jade Dew Wine very nice; although it was spicy, she could drink it.
...
At this moment, Xu Chang'an returned from the backyard with a storage pouch, surprised to see Liu Qingluo cleaning up the bloodstains on the floor, but he didn't comment at all.
"Young Master, have you finished?" Liu Qingluo asked.
"Got it all." Xu Chang'an patted the storage pouch, then took out two ingots of silver and placed them on the table, "Here's the silver."
"Court-lady's wine, isn't it practically all moved by Young Master..." Liu Qingluo bit her lip, the gem earrings on her ears gently swaying, "Thank you for supporting court-lady's business all this time."
"Can't really call it support." Xu Chang'an thought Liu Qingluo was an artiste-courtesan by birth; she shouldn't lack this little silver. According to Zhu Pingniang, after redeeming themselves, these brothel-born ladies had to find a proper career if they didn't choose to marry as concubines.
"Heading back?" Yun Qian stretched lazily.
"Going back." Xu Chang'an said, planning to organize Yun Qian's luggage when they returned, then go up the mountain.
"Little Young Master, take care." Liu Qingluo waved to Xu Chang'an with a smile, "Court-lady won't see you off."
Xu Chang'an nodded, then took Yun Qian's hand and left the tavern, returning home.
In the tavern, Liu Qingluo carefully, meticulously cleaned the bloodstains in the crevices.
Sometimes, when you know the result early, accepting or not isn't up to you.
Might as well be dignified.
...
On the way home, Yun Qian held Xu Chang'an's hand and said, "I quite like her; the wine is very drinkable."
"I brought a lot of Jade Dew Wine that Miss loves to drink; I'll keep it all." Xu Chang'an said.
Yun Qian watched Xu Chang'an's expression for a while, then suddenly asked, "Do you like her?"
"Of course I like her." Xu Chang'an said.
As long as one does no evil, an effortful and strong person doesn't necessarily deserve respect, but regardless, they shouldn't be despised or insulted because of their effort.
Like someone like Liu Qingluo, naturally Xu Chang'an likes her, but this liking has nothing to do with romantic love.
"Hmm." Yun Qian indicated she understood.
"Miss, I haven't explained yet; why don't you give me a chance to explain." Xu Chang'an felt helpless, wondering if his wife was already generous enough to accept him liking other women.
"I was just asking." Yun Qian hugged Xu Chang'an's arm and said, "As long as you're happy."
Xu Chang'an sighed.
Miss Yun, when it's time for you to be jealous, how come you can't do it?
Then he started to explain to Yun Qian what he meant by the kind of liking.
...
At Flower Moon Building, Gu Qiancheng walked over to Zhu Pingniang hesitantly and said timidly, "Aunt Tong."
"Realize your mistake?" Zhu Pingniang gave Gu Qiancheng a side-eye.
"I know I was wrong." Gu Qiancheng approached and affectionately took Zhu Pingniang's hand.
"Being so harsh, you're not afraid of causing trouble for Liu'er?" Zhu Pingniang asked.
Gu Qiancheng thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll kill all those related to that scoundrel."
"What are you thinking?"
"Aren't enemies supposed to be killed?"
Zhu Pingniang's mouth twitched slightly, "Why don't you go join the Demon Sect; never mind, it won't really cause trouble; I'm just saying."
"Oh." Gu Qiancheng didn't quite understand, but she had always listened to her Aunt's words since she was little.
"Aunt Tong, why doesn't Sister Liu strive for herself when she likes Ms. Yun's husband?" Gu Qiancheng asked.
"Indeed a little girl, asking such questions." Zhu Pingniang chuckled lightly, "For them in this line of work, making the young master happy while listening to music and being comfortable in bed keeps the rules; being detached below the bed also keeps the rules. Yet, there are always some who take it upon themselves to believe that making him happy is from the ladies' heart... ...> Zhu Pingniang shook her head and said, "Then upon realizing the ladies aren't truly fond, they angrily call them heartless bitches... In truth, to sweep the stage, to lift the brows, to remove the floral makeup, those thousand spring breezes amount to this."
"I don't get it." Gu Qiancheng shook her head, feeling that liking should mean holding tightly.
"Self-indulgence is something Liu'er is very aware of." Zhu Pingniang proudly said, "The girls under me always understand themselves."
Artiste-courtesans have their way of life, red courtesans have theirs.
Cultivators have their way of life, ordinary people have theirs.
Nor is it for an aloof, unworldly Immortal Sect to judge wantonly.
But.
High status and strength can indeed control the fate of the weak, but Zhu Pingniang, refining her heart in the brothel, doesn't mean she fully integrates.
"Ni Zi, when you're going up the mountain, take Qingluo with you, and then arrange her on Tripod Heart Peak or Celestial Bright Peak, like Yun Qian." Zhu Pingniang laughed.
"Eh?" Gu Qiancheng's eyes widened.
"It's not really a personal bias." Zhu Pingniang squinted her eyes, "Her bones are excellent; previously she just had poor temperament not suited for cultivation, but now it's different."
Feeling moved, Zhu Pingniang stood up, "Well, I'll first ask her."