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墨書 Inktalez
"Hey, Cheng Cheng, today there's someone who isn't afraid of death, actually saying they want to compete for a table with you. Look at them, not even two pounds of meat on their body, and that appearance is quite unbearable. What do you think we should do?"
However, before he could finish speaking, a carefree voice interrupted him, and then two figures appeared. Shen Yuanyuan looked up in surprise, her mouth agape.
The two young men before her were around thirteen or fourteen years old. The one who spoke was dressed in a white long robe, wearing a golden crown to tie back his hair. With red lips and white teeth, his features were exquisite, and his playful eyes were now teasingly looking at Shen Yuanyuan. The other young man beside him wore a lake-colored robe, tall and graceful, with sculpted features. His deep-set eyes were coldly fixed on Shen Yuanyuan, filled with anger as if to say: "If you know what's good for you, step aside."
Realizing this, Yuan Yuan stopped being infatuated and raised an eyebrow at the two. She calmly waved at the waiter who was now sweating profusely and trembling slightly. However, he couldn't ignore Shen Yuanyuan and respectfully bowed to the two young men before approaching her.
"Stir-fried pork intestines, Kung Pao chicken, stir-fried lotus slices, and a dry pot of tea tree mushrooms—one of each."
As the waiter approached, Shen Yuanyuan didn't even look at the menu; she immediately listed several dishes she liked and placed a silver ingot on the table. The waiter took a closer look; it was gleaming gold. Suddenly, he dared not be negligent towards this customer but still hesitated to keep her at this table. After all, the person who reserved this place was a big shot—someone no one in the entire capital could afford to offend. Taking a few deep breaths, he politely suggested:
"Young master, there are premium private rooms upstairs; how about I give you a 50% discount?"
His tone turned almost pleading by the end.
"I have money; first come, first served—it's an ancient rule."
The more he insisted, the more defiant Shen Yuanyuan became. She coldly glanced at the two stunning young men sitting across from her and pulled out another gold ingot, saying somewhat angrily:
"Hey hey hey, just go ahead; everything remains as usual."
However, Luyan suddenly signaled for the waiter to leave with a good-natured gesture and cast a meaningful glance at Shen Yuanyuan. He pondered that the last person who contested for this position seemed to have long since disappeared. He wondered what kind of death this fearless man would meet next.
The young boy was momentarily taken aback, but soon looked at Shen Yuanyuan with immense sympathy before sighing and leaving.
Before long, the dishes began to arrive one by one, but they were not what Shen Yuanyuan had ordered; instead, they were for the two men across from her. Shen Yuanyuan was so furious that her mouth could have hung a wine jug, yet she did not make things difficult for the boy. Instead, she waited leisurely.
Once the other table's orders were all served, it could be said that their table was filled to the brim. Meanwhile, her own dishes were hastily placed on the edge of the table by the boy, who then fled as if his life depended on it. The moment he dashed out of the booth, the door slammed shut with a loud bang.
The noise startled Shen Yuanyuan, causing her to jump slightly. Her gaze flickered as she felt a twinge of guilt; even her earlier bravado seemed to wane. To her surprise, she discovered that once the booth door was closed, it felt as if they were isolated from the outside world—no sound penetrated through. The two men across from her continued to eat leisurely, though their eyes occasionally darted toward the window.
At that moment, Shen Yuanyuan belatedly realized that they had booked this booth solely for its window view.
Curiously, she turned her gaze toward the window as well.
What she saw nearly made her eyes pop out of their sockets. In their corner, she caught sight of the vibrant scene at Yichun Pavilion across the street. Dozens of women dressed in revealing outfits and heavy makeup stood at the entrance, waving colorful handkerchiefs in various enticing ways. Each one seemed to sparkle with interest at any man who appeared well-dressed and cultured, practically ready to pounce on them.
Though only fourteen years old, Shen Yuanyuan had grown up alongside Xia Muxin and her two unscrupulous brothers. She was not unfamiliar with such scenes and felt a sense of disdain for the two men across from her.
They were merely handsome faces; she had thought they reserved this booth for something more significant.
With that thought in mind, she rolled her eyes and made a subtle movement with her small hands before sampling each dish a few times and preparing to leave.
"Kid, sitting down is easy, but leaving is a bit more difficult."
However, just as she approached the door, an arm suddenly blocked her path. The man in white had somehow positioned himself beside her and now stood with an imposing presence that obstructed her way.
"This restaurant is public; I don't owe you anything," Shen Yuanyuan replied sharply, raising an eyebrow at this rude man. As she spoke in a low voice, her hands reached out to grasp his arm.
However, the man's hand felt as solid as bronze and iron; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move him an inch.
At this moment, Luyan was also puzzled. No matter how small he was, he was still a man, and he was only using one arm without any internal energy. Yet this man seemed as if he hadn't eaten, his hands gripping Luyan's like they were just tickling him. Strangely enough, it made his heart race.
"Hey, what are you trying to do? I paid for this!"
Shen Yuanyuan was now furious and slapped Luyan's arm, whispering angrily.
She had never encountered someone so unreasonable before. Being pampered all her life, she had never been treated this way. Moreover, these two men now appeared to her as nothing more than lecherous fools. It wouldn't be easy for her to swallow her anger.
However, she had just played tricks on the two of them. If they found out, she would be the one at a disadvantage when they pursued the matter. Therefore, she needed to leave quickly.
Luyan was momentarily stunned by her shout, but his hand instinctively dropped down, even he didn't know why he did that. Meanwhile, Shen Yuanyuan seized the opportunity, gathered her strength, charged forward, and quickly opened the booth door, rushing out with a burst of energy.
"I didn't mean to."
Realizing what had happened only afterward, Luyan received strange looks from Skyview City and awkwardly spread his hands in innocence.
However, just moments ago, that man had bumped into him, and it was clear that the person's body was soft like a bundle of cotton and carried a faint floral scent—a unique fragrance that he enjoyed.
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Skyview City didn't care whether Luyan had intentionally let the person go; instead, he frowned impatiently and growled a few words. Luyan immediately lost his confidence and walked toward the table to continue watching the opposite side.
"Hey, I said you can't possibly have taken a liking to her? As far as I remember, you already have a confidante. After all these years, don't you want to go see her?"
The "she" that Luyan referred to was his half-sister, who had chosen an unusual profession as a female bodyguard. This time, she was delivering a package to Yichun Pavilion. However, his sister had a strong personality and showed little interest in Skyview City, yet she was infatuated with her senior brother. This had led her to clash several times with that flamboyant Concubine, resulting in a stalemate.
He didn't even understand why Skyview City had suddenly taken notice of her and booked this booth two months ago, just to have a window view of everything happening at Yichun Pavilion.
As friends for many years, he had never revealed his true identity to her. They were like lonely companions relying on each other, and he couldn't fathom why the crown prince of a nation would choose to befriend the son of a merchant like him.
"Want to know?"
Skyview City was not yet thirteen years old but appeared much older than his age. Not only was he tall, but his demeanor and way of speaking were akin to someone in their twenties. He was as cunning as an old fox; despite knowing him for so long, he had never seen him fail at anything. As a secret friend, he would rather oppose the entire world than engage in futile conflict with him.
At that moment, Skyview City's mysterious demeanor made Luyan's heart race with tension, yet he still leaned closer:
"Of course, you always have me help you out, but you need to tell me your purpose."
Friendship is built on trust, but lacking even the most basic trust made him feel uneasy, no matter how close their relationship was.
"Well, ask your sister what this delivery is about."
Skyview City was unexpectedly straightforward. He knew Luyan's family; his father was a merchant who might not be rich enough to rival nations but was well-known in the capital. Besides having considerable wealth, he also had numerous wives—counting fingers and toes wouldn't suffice. Naturally, Luyan's siblings were many; his youngest siblings might still be in swaddling clothes.
His sister Lu Bing was only three months younger than him and skilled in martial arts. However, she had no interest in anything except being captivated by a man who looked rather ordinary and willingly did anything for him. This delivery wasn't just a one-time affair; it had happened multiple times, and despite using many connections, he couldn't uncover their true intentions.
Recently, there had been rumors in the remote areas of the capital about many unmarried women going missing or suddenly dying—of course, these deaths must have been suspicious before they occurred. He suspected something foul and had forced his father and Mother Empress to assign him this task. It was the first time he had ever accepted such a mission; it should be significant and meaningful.
"You know our relationship is like oil and water."
Luyan felt somewhat frustrated. Wasn't it just because of that tomboyish sister? Why couldn't Skyview City ask her directly? Their sibling relationship was well-known; they both wished the other ill. Moreover, the Concubine in their household fought tooth and nail daily just to catch their father's eye. That family was one he dared not approach.
It was out of the question to ask in person.
When he returned, everything would definitely be different. If someone asked, he would have to shout that it was that manly woman, Lu Bing, who had beaten him up.
This was something he could do nothing about.
"Hey, that man doesn't seem like a lecher. Could he be a spy?"
Yichun Pavilion was a mysterious establishment in the capital. No one knew its origins; they only knew that the girls here were top-notch, and those who came to spend money were either rich or noble. He had once wondered why the business legend, Xia Muxin, seemed to involve herself in everything except for the restaurant and brothel industry.
Now, the man who had just slipped away from him was striding confidently into Yichun Pavilion, which left him somewhat disappointed, and he couldn't help but blurt out his thoughts.
Skyview City was also looking over at the scene. Shen Yuanyuan was surrounded by a group of heavily made-up women, who were pulling him this way and that. It was clear from his expression that he felt very uncomfortable and seemed unaccustomed to such an environment. For reasons he couldn't quite understand, he stood up and said to Luyan:
"Let's go take a look."
No one knew that this was their first time entering such a place.
Skyview City's actions clearly surprised Luyan, but he was also curious about what made such places so special that they could intoxicate men to the point of abandoning everything else.
"Hey, hey! Don't pull me! What kind of manners are these?"
At the entrance of Yichun Pavilion, Shen Yuanyuan had yet to escape from the clutches of the women Yingying and Yan Yan. With one hand grabbing and another pulling, she was already furious. After struggling several times without success, she wondered if these women were all bandits.
Finally, feeling utterly helpless, she shouted:
"This young master has no money! No matter how enthusiastic you are, I can't produce a single coin!"
As she spoke, a colorless and odorless powder was scattered from her palm. With her shout, the flamboyantly dressed women not only stopped pulling her enthusiastically but also cursed and pushed her away.
When Shen Yuanyuan was suddenly shoved like this, she lost her balance and fell towards the steps. She thought she would have a close encounter with the ground, but instead, she caught a whiff of a pleasant dragon's saliva fragrance, and strong arms caught her.
"Thank you."
Realizing her good fortune, Shen Yuanyuan thanked the person who saved her without even looking at them.
At that moment, Skyview City not only noticed her thick eyelashes resembling a fan but also the ear holes on her earlobes. After a brief pause, he loosened his grip.
Shen Yuanyuan was still immersed in her luck, but the next moment, she found herself sprawled on the ground in a dog-like position. The impact sent waves of pain through her body, and tears immediately filled her eyes. Just as she was about to raise her head to complain, she saw Ice Cube Man from the booth earlier. She could only sigh at her misfortune and, upon noticing the faint red rash appearing on his neck, chose to remain silent.
She scrambled to her feet, glared at them with gritted teeth, and angrily walked away.
"Oh no, that kid has plotted against us."
However, as the market was bustling with people, in just a moment, her petite figure disappeared into the crowd. It was only then that the two realized they had been set up. But when they turned around, they could no longer find that small figure.
"Ouch, it's so itchy; I'm going to die from the itch."
Not only them but also the dozen or so girls from Yichun Pavilion began scratching themselves. The places touched by their delicate fingers were breaking out in bubble-like rashes that visibly spread.
In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the faces of those dozen girls had completely changed beyond recognition, making them unidentifiable. Those who wanted to enter were deterred by the sight.
"What’s going on?"
Skyview City had mysteriously vanished from everyone's sight, and Luyan didn't know when or how it had happened.
He was like someone preoccupied with scratching an itch, and when he saw those beautiful girls turn into grotesque figures, his face was filled with horror. He silently prayed not to end up like them. Just then, a cold voice reached him, causing Luyan to shudder and not dare to look up. Even if he turned to ash, he would recognize that voice as belonging to his half-sister, Lu Bing.
Lu Bing was always cold and unfeeling, even towards the mother who raised her. The only ones in the family who did not heed Old Lu's wishes and refused to inherit the vast family business were himself and her; everyone else fought tooth and nail for it.
"Get lost!"
In the next moment, Lu Bing's emotionless voice rang out again.
The girls scattered in fear at her presence.
"Are you following me?"
At that moment, Luyan wished he could sprout wings and fly away. However, before he could take a step, Lu Bing had already recognized him and approached him, looking at him coldly with a hint of mockery in her tone.
"Bad luck, just passing by."
Luyan refused to look at her and replied without any emotion. After saying that, he tried to walk away.
"Did you do this?"
But Lu Bing had no intention of letting him go and continued to press him.
"Am I so bored that I would seek trouble for myself?"
Luyan felt anger rising within him. Ignoring his current appearance, he looked up and glared back at her. Upon seeing his expression, Lu Bing fell completely silent, and Luyan was certain she smiled.
However, this matter spread rapidly, and within a short time, the entire capital was abuzz with rumors. The girls at Yichun Pavilion seemed to have caught a strange illness known as "Pig Head Madness," which was highly contagious and spread quickly. Once infected, a person's face would be utterly disfigured. After this news broke, Yichun Pavilion saw no more customers; even those who were already inside hurriedly fled, fearing they might catch the illness.
Meanwhile, Lu Bing's senior brother, Chen Zhong, took this matter seriously and secretly arranged for people to investigate it thoroughly.
*
"Antidote, or I will leave your corpse in the wilderness."
On the other side, Shen Yuanyuan was happily munching on her ice candied hawthorn while bouncing around a scenic spot when suddenly a hand covered her mouth and nose, dragging her into a secluded area. A cold voice threatened her.
Shen Yuanyuan's heart raced, but she recognized that this person was the Ice Cube Man from the booth. She tapped his hand, signaling him to let her speak first.
After following him and easily capturing him, Sky Shocking City confirmed that this person had no martial arts skills. However, the small bundle he carried contained suspicious items. The sounds coming from it suggested there were bottles or similar objects inside.
Moreover, she had not only targeted herself but also the people from Yichun Pavilion. Therefore, she had been less aggressive in her approach. At her signal, he loosened his grip on her.
Once Shen Yuanyuan was free, she took deep breaths and instinctively moved away from the Ice Cube Man. However, upon catching a glimpse of his face, she was puzzled. It was strange; her father's treasure had little effect on this Ice Cube Man. Although he had developed some rashes, he looked significantly better than others, and his facial changes were minimal. If one didn't look closely, they might think he merely had a mild allergy.
Realizing this made her cautious; she couldn't afford to underestimate this man.
Well, he should be considered a more mature boy.
"Here, eat this and you'll be fine."
She had already prepared the antidote in her hand because her bundle contained precious items essential for her survival that she couldn't let anyone see. Cleverly, she chose not to resist any longer and obediently offered the antidote while thinking to herself that once he ate it, they would go their separate ways and never meet again.
Skyview City took the small red pill without hesitation and swallowed it.
"Alright, farewell."
Seeing this, Shen Yuanyuan quickly tried to escape. She felt like her breathing was becoming difficult, and just as she lifted her foot, her collar was grabbed. At the same time, a chilling Demonic Voice echoed:
"Where do you think you're going? This thing hasn't worn off yet."
As the Demonic Voice faded, a hand held her mouth shut, and a pill was forced into her mouth.
"Alright, we're even now. If you don't want to die, just obediently follow me."
Before Shen Yuanyuan could react after swallowing the pill, the Demonic Voice sounded again from behind her. The grip on her loosened, but the last sentence made her grit her teeth. She jumped up and grabbed the person's chest, shouting in frustration:
"What did you give me?"
"Just some poison that can go through your intestines."
The other party shrugged nonchalantly, showing no concern for her plight, and then walked away.
"Hey, didn't you say we were even? I gave you the antidote, so shouldn't you give me one too?"
It wasn't fair; she had already made concessions and willingly gave him the antidote. How could he treat her like this and leave her hanging?
However, Skyview City pretended not to hear. Not only did he not stop, but he also quickened his pace.
Shen Yuanyuan became anxious and had no choice but to jog after him, trying to talk him into stopping. But it was like water off a duck's back; no matter how much she pleaded until she was on the verge of tears, he remained indifferent and insisted that she follow him. Thus, the dignified young lady of the Xia Family became a little follower of a cunning fox the next day.
"That also needs to be brought along, and you carry this."
At that moment, the two were exiting an inn. Last night, the man had been empty-handed, but this morning, two heavy bundles had mysteriously appeared. To make matters worse, he was taller than her and ate more, yet he had piled all the heavy work onto her.
He was treating her like a servant.
Shen Yuanyuan was so angry that she wanted to sneak up on him in the middle of the night and kill him.
However, since her life was still in his hands, she dared not act rashly.
After a simple breakfast, the man tossed her a pill the size of an eye booger.
"Take this first. My medicine requires you to take the antidote for eighty-one days. Missing even one day won't work. Don't doubt my words; you can ask anyone in the capital."
Shen Yuanyuan was completely taken aback by his words. Eighty-one days meant she had to stay with this perverted demon for that long. She would rather die than endure it, but she didn't dare question him because she could guess the effects of his medicine; he had become a monster beyond comparison.
But this was unbearable... even if she were to die, she wanted to die beautifully; dying like this felt too worthless.
So, changing from her previous attitude of disdain, she asked with utmost politeness:
"Then... may I ask where we are going now?"
Ideally, they would head to Zhushan County, where she might find acquaintances and inquire about her parents' whereabouts. There was no poison in this world that could not be resolved with a father’s help.
"If I'm in a good mood, we might travel all over Tianli Kingdom."
"......" So, if you're in a bad mood, does that mean you want to poison everyone in the world?
Shen Yuanyuan wailed inwardly, realizing it must be because she didn't check the calendar and pay her respects before going out; otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen into the hands of this demon. But now her life was in someone else's grasp, and all she hoped for was an early escape.
Of course, she hoped his next answer would be to go see Daimiao Mountain when feeling down, or perhaps just stay in this capital city.
"Hehe, so what if I'm in a bad mood?"
As she asked this question, her heart was anxious and uneasy because demons never played by the rules.
"Well... then I'll travel every inch of land in other countries."
Skyview City said without a moment's hesitation, a charming smile curling at the corners of his mouth. However, Shen Yuanyuan, who was deeply immersed in her own grievances, failed to notice.
"Okay, from now on I will go to the temple every day to pray for your good mood."
Clearly, Shen Yuanyuan had already wilted; it felt like the burden on her back weighed a thousand pounds, making it hard for her to breathe. Suddenly, she spoke with even more determination.
Skyview City frowned; what kind of twisted logic was this? If the Bodhisattva were to manifest, she wouldn't have ended up in his hands.
Moreover, while he might not know much about it, his emperor father certainly did. He had even asked Uncle Shen Muhan for a few bottles specifically to punish those women who sought to climb onto the dragon bed. He had won some himself and had become immune to it now; it was clear who this little one was.
He just couldn't understand why she hadn't eaten properly in six years.
Not only was she thin as a rail, but she hadn't even grown taller.
Sigh... perhaps this is the difference between men and women.
However, it was not so bad; meeting her at this time made his future days less boring.
In the following days, Skyview City did not make things difficult for Shen Yuanyuan, but he assigned her the daily household chores.
He took her to a large mansion and stated that it was his home. The place was eerily quiet, with not a single servant in sight.
If Skyview City was not home during the day, Shen Yuanyuan did not dare to stay inside alone. However, she had some skills in household tasks, as Xia Muxin had trained her since childhood.
Aside from sewing and embroidery, cleaning and cooking were not difficult for her.
She also found a nearby temple and truly went there every day to pray, her only wish being that this demon would be in a good mood each day and wouldn’t take her away to another country.
At the same time, she used her connections to find supermarkets in the capital and even acquaintances who could help inquire about her parents. She also looked into the matter of poison and medicine. The demon had not deceived her regarding the poison and medicine, but there was still no news about her parents.
“Hey, what do you do? There isn’t a single servant in this big house, yet it seems you’re quite wealthy.”
Unknowingly, half a month passed. Their interaction was quite simple; they saw each other many times a day. Often, Skyview City would take her out, but they never did anything significant—just went to tea houses or listened to music. He was generous with his spending, which only deepened her confusion. Holding back these questions made her uneasy; if she didn’t ask them, she wouldn’t feel at ease.
Moreover, the man who had been with him appeared twice. She learned his name was Luyan, but she didn’t know the demon’s name; he was only referred to as Young Master Cheng by others.
“Just living off idle chatter.”
Skyview City generally remained tight-lipped about her questions or answered them evasively. At this moment, with just a few words, he left Shen Yuanyuan speechless. She even cursed herself inwardly, thinking that she must have too much free time on her hands to be prying into his affairs.
Wasn’t it just eighty-one days?
She could no longer wait.
After that day, she stopped speaking up altogether, completing her tasks and then counting the days as they passed.
Her silence finally drew the demon's dissatisfaction. One day, he took her out, but the destination was a hot spring in the outskirts.
"You... why are you dragging me here to bathe?"
At this point, Shen Yuanyuan could no longer sit still. Looking at the steaming hot spring, she instinctively covered her chest and took a few steps back, questioning him warily.
Even she, in her ignorance, understood the difference between men and women. Moreover, it took a lot of time to apply her makeup every day; otherwise, it would be easy to expose herself. Given the demon's nature, if he knew she was a woman, he might sell her off without hesitation.
She had witnessed it firsthand. Just over ten days ago, a woman had clung to him desperately, and his expression had been as dark as the bottom of a pot. That woman had later touched his clothes and was directly thrown off the bridge into the river by him. No one dared to go down and rescue her.
At that moment, she saw the deep disgust in his eyes, and he changed his clothes immediately afterward. As for that outfit, it seemed he never wore it again.
She couldn't let this ruin the hard-earned fruits of her perseverance. Besides, she didn't know when her money had disappeared. Right now, she was relying on him for food and shelter. The supermarket had rules: without parental permission, no direct relatives could take money from inside— not even one or two coins.
Fortunately, she had been foresighted enough to prepare several changes of clothes in advance; otherwise, she would have had to beg on the streets.
"You're all men; why are you making such a fuss?"
Seeing her reaction, Skyview City smirked mockingly but reprimanded her with an expressionless face.
Instantly, Shen Yuanyuan felt that her reaction was excessive. After all, just because he said he wanted to soak in the hot spring didn't mean she had to join him. Her racing heart calmed down as she forced a laugh and said:
"Hehe, hehe, I can't swim; I thought I had to accompany you even for bathing."
Although her excuse was somewhat forced, it at least hit the nail on the head; if this person needed company even while showering, then there was something wrong with him.
If this got out, it wouldn't be her reputation at stake, but his.
Skyview City smirked and ignored the self-entertaining Shen Yuanyuan, stripping off his clothes and jumping straight in.
As he undressed in front of Shen Yuanyuan, leaving only a pair of underwear, it immediately caused her to cover her eyes and scream.
"Shut up and come help me scrub my back!"
- End of Chapter -
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