Looking out, the cicadas’ chirping was annoying, but it couldn’t drown out the daytime bustle.
The hustle and bustle of people mixed with the faint scent of makeup that drifted from the streets from time to time, always making one want to follow that fragrance to its source.
At that moment, in a room in Dawn Spring Courtyard with its windows open, Liu Yao leaned on the windowsill and stuck her head out, taking a deep breath.
“Hiss—huff—cough, cough!”
“This scent… I really can’t get used to it.”
The girl’s delicate nose twitched slightly, as if protesting this thick, almost suffocating smell. She turned her head, pinched her nose in disgust, and waved her hand in the room, unable to help complaining:
“This old pervert really treats the brothel like his home. All day long, except for going to restaurants to drink with his scumbag friends, he just stays in his room and never comes out.”
“I hope he gets worn out!”
After muttering that, Liu Yao sat back down on the bed, crossed her legs, propped her head on her hand on the small table by the bed, and let her gaze gradually go blank to the noise outside Dawn Spring Courtyard.
These past few days, except for going to the Wang family to collect a debt from Wang Huaiyu and drinking with Zhao Yi’an two days ago, she had been within Wang Chengle’s range of activity, secretly protecting him.
But staying in Dawn Spring Courtyard these days, Liu Yao felt increasingly unbearable.
It wasn’t because of the nauseating smell of makeup after smelling it for so long, but rather…
“Smack smack smack~”
“Haah, haah… mmm…”
“You bitch, hiss—oh hoh hoh!”
The bed boards creaked, mixed with the man’s obscene words and the woman’s panting coming continuously from the next room, making Liu Yao’s face gradually turn red.
The girl turned around, climbed onto the bed, and pounded the wall forcefully, shouting with a flushed face:
“Can’t you be a little quieter in broad daylight?!”
“Shut up, you brat!” the man in the next room managed to yell back through the wall.
“Heh… you think I can’t handle you or something?”
Liu Yao scoffed in anger and rolled up her sleeves, planning to teach that rude guy a lesson.
But before she could make a move, there was a knock at the door of her room.
A slightly coquettish voice came to the girl’s ears from outside the door—
“Young Master, are you busy? I have something to tell you.”
That voice… Miss Su?
Liu Yao was a bit puzzled, but she still jumped off the bed, straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes, and went to the door to open it.
Pushing the door open, she saw Miss Su standing outside, looking a bit uneasy.
“Miss Su, sorry to keep you waiting. I’m actually free right now,” she said.
“Is there something you need? Want to come in and talk?”
Seeing the visitor, Liu Yao put on that bright but distant smile again and asked.
“Ah, ah… no need, thank you for the kind offer. It’s really just a simple matter, no trouble.” Miss Su forced a smile and waved her hand in refusal.
She raised her hand and patted her chest. After calming down a bit, she looked at the handsome young man in front of her again.
Taking a deep breath, her eyes no longer wandering, she said firmly:
“Young Master, Lord Wang invites you to come over.”
“Huh? Come over?”
Liu Yao was stunned, pinched her chin, and tilted her head in thought.
‘Shouldn’t this old bastard be in his room fooling around with those girls at this time?’
‘What does he mean by calling me over?’
‘…Forget it, I can’t be bothered to guess.’
‘Anyway, it shouldn’t be anything important. The one with the money is the boss. Let’s go.’
Maybe it was because she had been too idle these past few days that Liu Yao’s little brain gave up turning after just a moment of thought.
She shrugged and said casually:
“Since Second Master Wang is inviting me, I’ll tidy up and go over then.”
“If that’s the case, that would be best. Then I’ll take my leave.”
After saying that, Miss Su bowed slightly and turned to leave.
Liu Yao watched Miss Su’s retreating figure. Her eyes flickered, but in the end, she just shook her head and didn’t say much.
She walked out of the room and closed the door, but she didn’t leave immediately.
Liu Yao paused, as if suddenly remembering something. Then she turned and walked to the door of the next room, raised her foot, and kicked it.
She used some finesse with that kick. Although it didn’t kick the door open, the sound was exceptionally loud.
“What the hell! Who is it?!” The man inside was startled and cursed angrily.
“Premature ejaculator! Every time you make so much noise, but in the end, you still come too fast. Pfft!”
After dropping that remark outside the door, Liu Yao turned and ran directly.
“You little bastard, just wait for me!!”
The man angrily pulled open the door, only to catch a glimpse of a figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the corridor.
His angry shouts chased her halfway down the corridor, but in the end, they were drowned out by the singing and laughter that filled Dawn Spring Courtyard.
At the other end of Dawn Spring Courtyard, in Wang Chengle’s private room.
As soon as the door was pushed open, a strong smell of alcohol hit them.
The red sandalwood round table was filled with delicacies—glossy roast chicken, sliced soy sauce beef, a mountain of osmanthus cakes, and several celadon wine flasks tilted crookedly on the table, with amber-colored liquor still hanging from the mouths of the flasks, dripping down the edge of the table.
It was a completely decadent scene.
Wang Chengle was lounging on a soft couch, holding a wine glass in one hand and resting the other on the shoulder of a girl beside him, with three parts of drunkenness and seven parts of complacency on his face.
His cheeks were flushed, he reeked of alcohol, and his collar was hanging loose, revealing half of his greasy chest.
“Come on, come on, drink!”
Wang Chengle picked up his wine glass, raised it to the person opposite him, and downed it in one gulp.
The liquor trickled down the corner of his mouth, but he didn’t wipe it. He just reached up and wiped it away, then filled his glass again.
“Brother Yang, I’ve been waiting for days! You finally came! You have no idea how anxious I was!”
As he spoke, Wang Chengle pounded his chest, putting on a look of great distress.
“Hehe, isn’t this to better investigate whether that batch of goods has any problems? The wait is worth it.”
The man with the goatee that Wang Chengle called Brother Yang raised his glass, drank with Wang Chengle, and said with a smile.
He used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of beef, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed a couple of times, and then asked slowly:
“Speaking of which, I heard that things have been unsettled around you lately, Brother Wang. You even hired a bodyguard.”
“Bah! Don’t even mention it!” Wang Chengle sighed heavily, slammed his glass on the table, and waved his hand.
“Don’t bring it up! It’s all because someone wants to kill me. Otherwise, why would I waste my money on that? A hundred taels of silver at once—enough for me to stay in Dawn Spring Courtyard for half a year!”
As he spoke, he hugged the girl beside him tightly, and the girl giggled and pushed him.
“Oh? Is that so?” The goatee raised an eyebrow and put down his chopsticks. “Who would be so bold as to dare to touch you, Brother Wang?”
“Who knows!”
“Suddenly, two idiots jumped out that day, shouting and waving knives at me. Damn, it scared the hell out of me.”
As he spoke, Wang Chengle waved his hand, his tone still carrying some lingering fear.
“If it weren’t for some hotheaded kid who saved me that day, I would have been done for.”
When he said the words “hotheaded kid,” a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were full of disdain.
Wang Chengle let go of the girl, sat up straight, and exaggeratedly mimicked Liu Yao’s appearance from that time.
“You didn’t see it. That kid had such an upright expression, saying things like ‘I can’t stand by and do nothing when I see injustice,’ as if it were real!”
“Seeing his foolish look, I was amused—he’s practically a sucker who offered himself up on a silver platter, isn’t he?”
The goatee narrowed his eyes, half-smiling, and didn’t take the bait.
He first touched the Yamen waist token at his waist, then took a sip of wine, his eyes shifting over the rim of the glass.
“Speaking of which, are the funds for this time ready, Brother Wang?”
“Oh! Speaking of that…” Wang Chengle leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and sneered. “I gave that silly kid the job. He probably still thinks he’s going to collect a debt.”
“I figure that this time when he goes to ask for money, he’ll definitely come back after my niece gave him a good scolding.”
“Thinking about it, I find it hilarious.”
After saying that, he burst out laughing, slapping his thigh and chuckling.
“Tell me, isn’t this silly kid pretty useful?”
The goatee listened, then laughed along, a meaningful tone in his laughter.
He raised his glass and gestured to Wang Chengle:
“You’ve got good skills, Brother Wang! Come, come, a toast to you!”
“Come, cheers!”
The two clinked glasses, the crisp sound echoing in the room.