Qin Ren lay back on the bed, transitioning from boy to man, his head resting on his arm, a cigarette dangling from his lips (don't ask me where the cigarette came from, I don't know either), enjoying the pleasant act of inhaling and exhaling the smoke.
Xiao Xiang Yue, who had just transitioned from a girl to a woman, curled up in Qin Ren's embrace like a little kitten. Her delicate fingers traced circles on his chest.
"Master, are you satisfied with this slave?" she asked, her voice soft.
"Mm, very satisfied," Qin Ren replied lazily.
"Then, would you be willing to stay a few more days?" she asked coyly.
"Oh? Little girl, are you trying to make me spend all my silver on you? Do you know, to spend just one night with you, I've already spent fifty thousand taels of silver! Damn, that's more than the funds sent to aid the victims of the Nu River disaster..." Qin Ren's tone was playful, but he noticed a flicker of sadness cross her face. It was fleeting, though, and she quickly replaced it with a seductive smile.
With one hand wrapping around Qin Ren's neck, she reached down and began teasing him, making him gasp in surprise. "Would you like to spend all your silver on me, Master?" she teased, her voice dripping with sweet temptation.
Qin Ren sucked in a sharp breath. "Little girl, take it easy, take it easy, or you'll end up cutting off the family line!" he joked.
"I won't stop!" Xiao Xiang Yue pouted playfully, her angelic face coming closer to his, her eyes mischievously twinkling. "If you don't agree to stay with me a few more days, I won't stop!"
"Alright, alright, I'll agree," Qin Ren sighed, already feeling a bit overwhelmed. He had always set his sights on being the greatest flower thief in the world, but he didn't intend to become the greatest flower destroyer. There were plenty of beautiful women in the world, but someone like Xiao Xiang Yue, with her beauty and the significance of being his first, held a special place in his heart.
"Yue'er," he casually called her by name, not even realizing that she had already found a spot in his heart. "I wonder, what's your relationship with the leader of the 'Flower Embrace Hall' in Jiangnan, Xiao Shanhe?"
Xiao Xiang Yue's expression darkened again. She forced a smile, replying, "I don't know anyone by the name of Xiao Shanhe..."
Qin Ren was just casually asking, not paying much attention to her reaction. "Oh," he said. "I heard that Xiao Shanhe is the most handsome man in the Jianghu. He's famous for his iron flute and his deep internal strength. It's said that his 'Seven Ultimate Heavenly Sounds' is the most powerful technique in the world, and he founded the 'Flower Embrace Hall,' a place where the most beautiful women gather. He's known to be a lover of beauty, and all his disciples are women. He even married seventeen of them! Ha! Xiao Shanhe really is a man among wolves!"
Qin Ren wasn't skilled in martial arts, but he was knowledgeable about Jianghu tales. The "Wandering Mountain Manor's" intelligence network, known as "Jianghu Rumors," collected and spread information, using rumors to mask the truth. Though many stories had been distorted, Wandering Mountain Manor was always able to uncover the truth. This was their secret to staying ahead of everyone else.
Aside from practicing light-footwork and studying medicinal knowledge, Qin Ren had a keen interest in classical literature. Famous works like Spring Palace, Beauty of the Spring Palace, Dreams of the Pleasure House, and The Story of Three Men and One Hundred and Five Women were all familiar to him. His knowledge of Jianghu tales was vast—he could recite them all by heart. In fact, if it came to knowing famous people or legends in the Jianghu, Qin Ren would claim second place, and even his father, Qin Xiaoyao, wouldn't dare claim the first.
When Xiao Xiang Yue heard Qin Ren talk about Xiao Shanhe's exploits, she couldn't hide the admiration in her voice, and her expression darkened further. She forced a smile and said, "Master, you talk about these martial arts stories, but I don't understand them. Isn't it like playing a lute to a cow?"
Qin Ren caressed Xiao Xiang Yue's smooth face and chuckled. "What cow in the world is as charming as you? Little girl, the headquarters of the 'Flower Embrace Hall' is only about seven hundred miles from here. I'm thinking of paying them a visit to see the famous flowers there. Heh, I might even pluck a few!"
Xiao Xiang Yue sighed softly, "With your wealth, skills, and charm, how many women in this world could resist you? Plucking those famous flowers would be as easy as pie, wouldn't it?"
Qin Ren laughed heartily. "Little girl, you've hit the nail on the head! But you know, picking flowers isn't just about looks or money. Look at today—getting you wasn't just about spending money. My skills, my unrivaled martial arts, also helped me conquer that demonic man, Bu O. If not for my martial arts, I'd have been chopped into pieces by him long ago. How would I have had the chance to taste such a mesmerizing beauty like you? But these methods only work in the pleasure houses. If I encounter a virtuous woman, no amount of tricks would work. In that case, I'd have to use poison—spring poison, sleep poison, all at once. Even the most virtuous woman would be turned into a pleasure slave. Ha ha ha..."
Xiao Xiang Yue shook her head quietly. She hadn't expected Qin Ren to be so shameless. But what could she say? As a woman of the pleasure house, she couldn't say much. Even though she knew her own position, she couldn't help but say, "Master, even if you use all your tricks to get a woman's body, what if you can't win her heart?"
Qin Ren shook his head. "I only wish to indulge in the flowers and make all the world's beauties bow before me. I want to live a carefree life, indulging in all my time in pleasure. What use is winning a heart? Doesn't that only add more burdens? To win a woman's heart, one must first give away their own. But I'm just an ordinary man, how could I offer my heart so easily? Fake affection is something I don't know how to do. Even if I indulge in this pleasure house, it's just a business transaction—money in exchange for your body and youth. Fair and square. Would you give your heart to an honored guest? If you truly gave your heart to me, even if I spent all my wealth, I'd treat you with genuine affection. But you know well that in this place, people can't afford to give their hearts. If you get too emotional, you can't keep working here."
After speaking these words, Qin Ren smiled faintly and hummed a song from his past life:
"If the heart seeks freedom, don't say the chains are keeping you down;If the heart is weary, what splendid sights can't be thrown away?What face in the world will never age?"
Xiao Xiang Yue listened intently, gazing at the handsome face of the young man before her, and the hint of confusion in his eyes. She realized that although he spoke with the confidence of someone carefree, his eyes reflected a deep sense of weariness. Despite his carefree talk, his words seemed more like a form of self-destructive resignation, as if he had seen through everything and found no joy in life anymore. Philosophers' pain often stems from their wisdom and detachment; when one has seen through everything, what pleasure is left?
"Master, I'm so afraid..." she murmured, her voice trembling as she nestled closer to him, tightly wrapping herself around him. "Master, will you take me away?"
Qin Ren was momentarily stunned, then asked, "Take you away? But you're the top courtesan here, your future is limitless. Why would you want to come with me?"
Xiao Xiang Yue's voice grew soft. "Master, can you bear to leave my pure body in the arms of other men? You're the first man I've known, don't you want to be the last?"
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Qin Ren took a deep drag of his cigarette, feeling momentarily lost in thought. He considered the dilemma—if he agreed, it would bring more trouble. But if he didn't, he couldn't bear to leave such a beauty behind to sell her smile to other men. Every man's possessiveness is strong—if they've touched a woman, they find it hard to share her with others, and Qin Ren was no different.
After some thought, he said, "Alright, I'll take you away from this pleasure house. I may not have much, but I do have enough money. Tomorrow morning, I'll buy your freedom."