Chapter 33: Is it free?

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The young woman’s boudoir was filled with a seductive fragrance.

Luo Zijun entered the room, cast a glance beneath someone’s skirt, and walked over to the table.

Liu Chujian seemed to notice where his eyes had wandered. Her pretty little face flushed, and she immediately lowered her head. She went to put on her embroidered shoes and said shyly, “Bier, bring Young Master Luo some tea.”

Bier gave a quiet snort and went to pour the tea.

“Young Master Luo, I am truly sorry. I had already prepared to retire for the night, so…”

Liu Chujian lowered her head as she put on her embroidered shoes, her little face flushed red. Then she came to the table.

“It is nothing. I was the one disturbing you.”

Luo Zijun did not waste time on pleasantries. He went straight to the point. “Miss Chujian, forgive me for intruding tonight. There is something I would like to discuss with you.”

“Oh?”

Liu Chujian looked puzzled.

“What is it, Young Master? If it is within my power, I certainly will not refuse.”

Bier pouted beside them.

Her thoughts were full of silent complaint: The young lady is far too easy to fool. She clearly said last night that she would ignore this fellow.

Luo Zijun asked, “Miss Chujian, do you usually enjoy reading?”

Liu Chujian paused, then nodded.

Bier interjected, “My lady comes from a family of scholars. She has loved reading since childhood and has read every sort of book.”

That might not be entirely true.

Have you read erotic novels too?

Luo Zijun glanced at her before explaining the reason for his visit.

“When I was bored, I wrote a book. I would like to see whether it can be published and sold in bookstores. However, I do not know anyone in that line of work, nor do I know whom to consult, so I thought I might ask you, Miss Chujian.”

Liu Chujian stared at him in surprise. “You can write books?”

Then her eyes lit up. “May I take a look first?”

Luo Zijun drew a thick stack of manuscripts from his sleeve and offered it to her with both hands. “I wrote it casually. You may read it first. If it is no good, it does not matter.”

Liu Chujian accepted the manuscripts. After glancing at the handwriting and confirming that it was his, she immediately grew eager to read them.

“Please sit for a while, Young Master Luo. I will finish it very soon.”

She read quickly in her daily life, especially stories. A tale of several tens of thousands of words could be finished in no time.

Luo Zijun nodded.

Just as he was about to sit down, he looked around and suddenly felt that remaining there would be rather uncomfortable. A little maid was staring at him intently from nearby.

After a moment’s thought, he clasped his hands and said, “Take your time, Miss. There is no hurry. I will go downstairs and sit for a while.”

Liu Chujian paused and looked up at him.

After a moment, she asked, “Do you enjoy watching the girls dance?”

Several young women were currently performing an alluring dance downstairs, one that left little to the imagination, baring their chests, backs, and thighs.

Without hesitation, Luo Zijun replied, “I do.”

Liu Chujian gave him another deep look, then said nothing more and lowered her head to the manuscripts in her hands.

Luo Zijun took his leave.

As soon as he had left the room, Bier angrily said, “My lady, look at him! He came to ask you for help, and the moment he finished, he went downstairs to watch other women dance. How shameless!”

Liu Chujian said nothing. She sat down at the table and began reading with complete concentration.

Bier snorted. “What kind of book could he possibly write? It must be nothing but dry scholarly nonsense. No bookstore would ever accept it.”

Liu Chujian seemed not to hear her. She had already reached the second page.

Downstairs in the main hall, several young women in gauzy dresses were swaying their waists onstage, performing a dance that set the blood racing.

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A crowd beneath the stage applauded and cheered without pause.

Luo Zijun came downstairs.

He had only just found a seat when the girl called Shui Shui suddenly approached him with a smile.

“Young Master Luo, you came down so quickly. Did you fail to see Sister Chujian? I told you, Sister Chujian has been unwell and has not been receiving guests lately.”

Luo Zijun looked at her. “Are you not supposed to be outside greeting guests?”

Shui Shui smiled. “There are people outside. I had been standing there for so long that I came in to rest for a while.”

Then she blinked at him. “Young Master Luo, you look rather unfamiliar. I thought this was your first time here. Do you know Mother Liu? This is the first time I have ever seen her treat someone with such enthusiasm. She personally led you upstairs to find Sister Chujian.”

Luo Zijun joked, “Did Mother Liu not tell you? I am her childhood sweetheart, a companion she grew up playing with.”

“Gigglegiggle… Young Master, you are teasing me again!”

Shui Shui’s laughter made her body tremble delicately. She lightly slapped him with her little hand.

“Grew up playing together? I think you mean you grew up playing with her, gigglegiggle…”

At the railing on the third floor, Bier watched the scene coldly.

He really is a scoundrel!

“Young Master, you are so amusing. I truly like you. Why not choose me tonight? Then I can grow up playing with you too, all right?”

Shui Shui grinned as her soft, fragrant body pressed directly against Luo Zijun’s chest.

“Is it free?” Luo Zijun asked.

Her smile stiffened for a moment. She swatted him. “How hateful! Are you saying I am not worth even a single coin?”

“But I am a virgin. I heard that when a virgin visits a pleasure house, not only is it free, the girls are supposed to give him a red envelope as well?”

Luo Zijun spoke with complete seriousness.

Shui Shui covered her mouth and giggled again. “I do not believe you. You are so good at flirting. How could you still be a virgin?”

Luo Zijun sighed. “What use is being good at flirting? The main problem is that I have no money.”

Shui Shui gave a coquettish snort. “It is not that you have no money. You simply do not want to spend any on me.”

Then, her face filled with envy, she said, “A young gentleman came to our establishment yesterday. He casually threw away ten thousand taels of silver just to see Sister Chujian, and he even claimed in front of everyone that he was poor.”

Luo Zijun exclaimed in surprise, “There is actually such a generous yet low-profile gentleman in this world? What is his name?”

“I think it was Luo… Hmm?”

Shui Shui suddenly looked at him. She froze, then gradually widened her eyes.

“Why are you staring at me? Could I possibly be that generous and low-profile gentleman?”

Luo Zijun asked.

Shui Shui fell silent.

At that moment, Mother Liu spotted him and hurried over.

“Young Master Luo, were you not invited into Chujian’s room just now? Why have you come back down?”

“Miss Chujian is arranging her appearance and asked me to wait a while before going back up.”

Mother Liu immediately smiled. “That girl did not know Young Master Luo would be visiting tonight. She is usually like that. Just now, she had not even combed her hair or put on her shoes before welcoming you into her room. I expect she only realized afterward that something was amiss.”

“Then please sit here for a while, Young Master Luo. This old woman still has guests to receive. Let Shui Shui keep you company.”

“Go about your business, Mother. Miss Shui Shui is quite entertaining.”

Shui Shui fell silent.

Mother Liu laughed heartily. “This silly girl is greeting guests for the first time today. Normally, she hides in her room and refuses to come out. Who would have thought that her very first guest would be Young Master Luo? It is certainly her good fortune. If you find her entertaining, Young Master Luo, then play with her a little longer. You may even take her upstairs.”

“Is it free?”

Mother Liu coughed, pretending not to hear him. She quickly turned away and greeted a young gentleman entering through the door.

“Young Master Wang, what an honor! Welcome, welcome!”

Luo Zijun turned his head and met Shui Shui’s deeply aggrieved gaze.

“So the generous and low-profile gentleman wants to have me for free?”

Shui Shui pouted, her watery eyes full of reproach.

Luo Zijun hurriedly said, “I was only joking, only joking.”

Shui Shui wrinkled her little nose and snorted. “Young Master Luo is so wealthy. You spent ten thousand taels just to see Sister Chujian. Surely you can spare at least a little silver for me?”

“It is not that I am unwilling. I truly have no money.”

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“Hmph.”

Shui Shui turned her face away and snorted. “You simply think I am not worth it, so you want me for free.”

Luo Zijun very much wanted to say that he had never considered taking advantage of her at all.

But Shui Shui’s soft body suddenly pressed against him again. Her eyes shimmered like spring waters as she gazed at him.

“Young Master Luo, come upstairs. I will let you have me for free tonight. But be gentle, all right? It is my first time.”

Luo Zijun fell silent.

As if I would believe that nonsense!

“Young Master Luo, my lady is calling for you.”

At that moment, Bier came over, her little face cold.

Luo Zijun quickly rose. He gently pinched Shui Shui’s tender cheek and said, “I have something to attend to tonight. Another time.”

He had met plenty of women like her.

When all was said and done, it was always about money.

This Shui Shui probably did not know the truth. She believed that he had truly spent ten thousand taels just to see Miss Chujian, which was why she was willing to let him have her for free.

Naturally, she was thinking of future business.

“Young Master Luo, you are so heartless! I do not even want your money, yet you still refuse to play with me? Boo-hoo…”

Shui Shui rubbed her eyes, her face full of sorrow.

Luo Zijun paid her no further attention and followed Bier up the stairs.

“Hmph!”

“Bier, who was that snorting just now?”

“Hmph, hmph!”

“Oh? Do they raise pigs in this place? Why do I hear a pig snorting?”

“Pfft…”

Bier hurriedly covered her mouth and quickened her pace. She turned around and glared at him, her tender little face flushed red.

What a scoundrel!

My lady must not let herself be deceived by him!

After finishing the manuscripts, my lady had looked completely dazed. She had murmured to herself, “I never imagined that, besides writing poetry, he could write books as well. To possess such talent…”

Hmph!

No matter how talented he was, he was still a scoundrel!

If I had not appeared in time, this scoundrel would have gone to a room with that little seductress Shui Shui to do wicked things!

“Bier, has your young lady finished reading?”

“Hmph!”

“How did she find it?”

“Hmph!”

“If you snort at me one more time, I will tell Mother Liu to sell you to me. Then I will take you home, throw you into a pigsty, and make you snort for me every day until you cry.”

The little maid turned her head, pouted, and gave him an adorable little roll of the eyes.

Then she answered reluctantly, “My lady says that Young Master is extraordinarily talented and will certainly become someone of importance in the future. As for how well the book is written, this servant does not know.”

“Then naturally, it must be well written.”

Luo Zijun praised himself.

The little maid secretly rolled her eyes again.

The two soon reached the third floor.

They crossed the corridor and arrived at the doorway.

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