The night was deep and silent, the room filled with an ambiguous atmosphere that, if rated on a scale of one to ten, barely lingered at a five.
Because the foolish, ignorant boy had no idea what to do after taking off his clothes and hugging the girl he liked!
Chu'he stiffened as she was pulled into an embrace brimming with youthful hormones. Opening her eyes, she was met with the boy's pale, bare chest.
Looking up further, she locked eyes with his utterly clueless gaze.
—Those eyes, untainted by knowledge, truly sparkled.
Summer was hot, but his body temperature had always run low. At first, Chu'he felt too awkward to move, but once she experienced the benefits of this human air conditioner and realized he didn’t know anything, she relaxed—even going so far as to wrap her limbs around him.
Cool and comfortable.
She squinted blissfully, almost ready to expose her belly and purr.
Ninth said, "You like it when I hold you to sleep."
Half-asleep, Chu'he responded dismissively, "Mhm, I like it."
He curled his lips into a soft smile, his voice gentle. "Then every day and night from now on, I’ll stay skin-to-skin with you."
Chu'he nodded. "Sure, sure."
Ninth’s gaze was clear as he traced the contours of Chu'he’s profile with his eyes, then with his finger—starting at the corner of her eye, his thumb gliding slowly down to the tip of her nose.
"Ah’he, do you really like me that much?"
Chu'he felt ticklish and swatted his hand away. All she wanted was sleep. "Yes, yes, I like you."
Ninth let out a calm "Oh," betraying no emotion, as if her affection meant nothing special to him.
Chu'he slept soundly. The next morning, she opened her eyes, lifted her head, and froze at the sight of the boy’s stunning face. After a pause, she asked, "Did you not sleep all night?"
He blinked. "Nope."
That tone sounded oddly familiar.
Ninth rolled onto his stomach, lounging lazily like a salted fish, yet still tilting his head to gaze at her with a grin. "I definitely didn’t stay up all night excited just because you said you liked me."
When it came to being aware of his own beauty, he excelled. But regarding intelligence, he seemed to harbor some serious delusions.
Chu'he was silent for a moment before pulling the blanket over him and gently touching the dark circles under his eyes. "We still have to travel. You need rest. Sleep a little longer."
As she got up to leave, Ninth grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?"
His gaze was sticky, thick with clinginess.
Chu'he replied, "To ask the innkeeper to prepare breakfast for when you wake up."
Ah, so it was for him again.
Ninth released her hand, tugging the blanket up to cover half his face. His silver-white hair spilled like scattered moonlight, veiling his smooth, pale shoulders.
"Come back soon."
This was dangerous!
Chu'he couldn’t shake the feeling that their roles and the scene were somehow reversed—the boy resembled a delicate young bride after her first night, exuding a charm that could tempt a king to neglect his duties.
Summoning immense willpower, Chu'he averted her eyes, dressed, washed up, and headed for the door. But before leaving, she couldn’t resist glancing back.
At some point, Ninth had propped his chin on his hands, the blanket slipping to reveal swathes of skin. He stared unblinkingly as Chu'he tied her hair, and when she met his gaze, his eyes curved into an innocent, beaming smile.
Chu'he walked back, tucking his bare feet under the blanket. "The morning’s chilly. Don’t catch a cold."
He obediently retracted his feet, the bells on his anklet jingling crisply. His light laughter made the air feel livelier.
Chu'he finally lost control. Cupping his face, she leaned down and planted a fierce kiss on his lips. "Go to sleep, now!"
The moment she spoke, she bolted from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Leaning against the wall, Chu'he wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Just a little more, and she would’ve committed the mistake every woman in the world was prone to making.
A small green snake peeked out from her shoulder, hissing softly, as if asking why she hadn’t gone ahead and made that mistake.
Chu'he straightened her face, speaking solemnly. "I haven’t married him yet or given him a proper status. How could I just take his innocence like that?"
The little snake looked utterly confused.
Chu'he headed to the main hall, instructing the waiter to prepare breakfast and slipping him extra coins to inquire about where she could buy a carriage.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a street vendor selling candied hawthorns. On impulse, she stepped out of the inn and hurried over.
"One stick of candied hawthorn, please."
The small town was far less bustling than Xiaocheng. Early in the morning, the streets were quiet—which made the sight of a sobbing woman being dragged along by a man all the more conspicuous.
"Brother, please don’t sell me to Chunxiang Tower!"
"Little sister, the family’s drowning in debt. I have no other choice. Do this for me, for your sister-in-law, for your little nephew—he’s sick and needs medicine!"
"If you hadn’t gambled away everything, we wouldn’t be in this mess!"
The man’s temper flared. "Our parents died early. I raised you. Even if it’s to repay that debt, what’s wrong with selling you to a brothel?"
The woman fell to the ground, struggling to get up. When she lifted her tear-streaked face, her delicate beauty was heartbreaking. "Brother, I’ll find a way to earn money—just don’t sell me to Chunxiang Tower!"
"Enough nonsense!" The man, furious, slapped her.
The woman’s cheek flushed red, but she didn’t dare fight back.
"How pitiful," the candied hawthorn vendor sighed. "Once a girl enters Chunxiang Tower, she’ll never come out unscathed."
Chunxiang Tower—the name alone made it clear it wasn’t a respectable place.
A vegetable seller nearby muttered, "That brother looks decent, but to sell his own sister? A wolf in scholar’s clothing."
The woman clutched the man’s leg, pleading. "I’ll do anything—be a servant, a slave—just not Chunxiang Tower!"
He kicked her away. "Who’d want someone who can’t even lift a finger?"
This time, she collapsed at Chu'he’s feet.
Looking up and seeing Chu'he’s refined clothes and noble bearing, the woman seized her last hope, grabbing the hem of Chu'he’s robe.
"My lady, I can wash, cook, do hard labor—anything! Please buy me, let me be your maid!"
