Chapter 2-4

Shaanxi’s Flower Fragrance Pavilion. It was the most famous pleasure house in Shaanxi. And there was one courtesan there who was more famous than all the rest. Since she was a courtesan, she did not sell her body, but many people sought her out because of her performances.

“Xuelan. You have a guest.”

“…….”

A girl sat absentmindedly atop a pile of firewood. Though she had not completely shed the traces of childhood, she had an exceptionally beautiful face, and she was idly touching the qin resting on her lap.

“Xuelan!”

“Ah, Sister.”

Xuelan was now fourteen years old, more mature and beautiful than she had been two years ago, while the woman calling her was Choryeong. Unlike Xuelan, who had changed greatly, Choryeong had not changed at all.

“Thinking about that boy again?”

“Yes. We made a promise.”

“You’re really devoted. Do you like him that much? He’s four years younger than you.”

At Choryeong’s words, Xuelan’s face flushed red and she lowered her head. It had only been three short days, but that boy had engraved himself into Xuelan’s heart and never left it. Two years had passed since he left saying he would return soon, yet there had been no news. No, there had been news. News that his master, Cao Zhenshi, had died. Since wandering swordsmen occasionally came as guests, she had also been able to hear of Cao Zhenshi’s death.

“He isn’t dead, right?”

“Do you really think that boy would die?”

Despite his young age, his eyes had been incredibly deep. He was a boy who had not seemed eight years old at all. He had clearly been four years younger than her, yet being around him had felt more like being with an older brother. Bai Shixuan was the first boy she had ever been close to, so at first she had wondered whether all boys were like that, but as she grew older, she came to understand that Bai Shixuan had been special.

“More importantly, Sister, what did you need?”

“Honestly, I told you. You have a guest.”

When Xuelan looked at Choryeong and asked, Choryeong spoke with a sigh. At that, Xuelan rose from the firewood.

“Where?”

“Our room.”

“Our room? Why there…?”

If it was a guest, why was that person in the room she shared with Choryeong? Even faced with Xuelan’s gaze full of questions, Choryeong merely shrugged. Then she pushed Xuelan on the back.

“Go on. This sister has work to do.”

Choryeong pushed the puzzled Xuelan forward, then let out a faint laugh. Still smiling, she turned and walked away again.

Holding her qin, Xuelan carefully opened the door to her room. Inside, she saw a boy sitting at the table and drinking tea.

“Ah, ah…….”

-Clatter

She was so startled that she even dropped her qin. But Xuelan could not bring herself to care about that and covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes grew hot, and soon tears began trickling down. The boy who had been drinking tea turned his head when he heard the door open and the qin fall.

“Have you been well?”

“Shixuan!”

It was Bai Shixuan. After being thoroughly humiliated by Namgung Qi in Sichuan, Bai Shixuan had sold his sword on the spot. He went to a blacksmith and sold it for an absurdly low price, realized that martial arts simply did not suit him, and came straight back to Shaanxi. Then, at the entrance, he asked for Choryeong. Of course, they did not summon her immediately, but after he insisted that he knew her personally and slipped them every last coin he had, he finally managed to meet Choryeong. He then came to this room with her and waited for Xuelan.

“Whoa.”

Seeing Xuelan rush into his arms, Bai Shixuan stroked her hair. Two years ago, Xuelan had definitely been taller than him, but now they were about the same height. Looking up at Bai Shixuan as he stroked her head, Xuelan puffed out her cheeks.

“I’m still your noona.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“More importantly, you’ve grown a lot. You’re almost as tall as me now.”

At Xuelan’s words, Bai Shixuan smiled. He was still handsome, and a smile suited him well. Xuelan stared blankly at Bai Shixuan’s smile for a moment, then suddenly realized that she was still in his arms and hurriedly pulled away. When Bai Shixuan sat down again, Xuelan sat opposite him and stared at him.

“Why?”

“I heard your master died.”

“Yeah. He died.”

“You managed to survive?”

In truth, Xuelan was immensely grateful that Bai Shixuan had survived. She was also overjoyed that he had remembered their promise and returned. But the words that came out of her mouth were very different from what she truly felt. It was because she had been hurt that there had been no letters or news from him all this time.

“Yeah. I almost died.”

“What? Really?”

“No. I’m joking.”

When Xuelan startled at Bai Shixuan’s claim that he had nearly died and asked him about it, Bai Shixuan answered with a faint grin. Xuelan immediately frowned.

“Seriously…… You’re awful.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I’m glad we were able to meet again safely.”

At Bai Shixuan’s words, Xuelan nodded.

“Then you’re staying here from now on, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ll keep staying with me, right?”

“Yeah.”

At Xuelan’s question, Bai Shixuan nodded. He had nowhere else to go now. Choryeong had gone to speak with the Madam and ask permission regarding him. If she returned with a favorable answer, Bai Shixuan would live and work here.

“Then when we grow up, you’ll marry me, right?”

“What?”

At Xuelan’s question, Bai Shixuan nearly choked on his tea and stared at her in surprise. Xuelan was looking at him with a flushed face. Bai Shixuan stared into her two black, gleaming eyes like obsidian, then sighed.

“Why? Is it because I’m a courtesan that you don’t want to?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

She looked as though she might cry at any moment. She was only fourteen. He was ten. They were still young. Of course, she would become even prettier as she grew older. In just two years, she had already become astonishingly beautiful.

“Because we’re still young. Let’s think about it when we’re older, after we’ve earned a lot of money and become free from this place.”

They were both still young, so Bai Shixuan felt that it was too early to think about marriage.