Chapter 2-9

Xuelan bowed at the waist and apologized. Then she tried to pull her arm free from Yang Xinwu’s grasp.

“Why? Am I not to your liking?”

At Xuelan’s rejection, Yang Xinwu’s head began to ache slightly. He was the son of a well-known merchant in Shaanxi. He was intelligent and quick with calculations, so he had already been chosen as his father’s successor. On top of that, he was expected to become an outer disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Although he was rather old to begin learning martial arts, the status of being an outer disciple of the Mount Hua Sect would be of great help in his life as a merchant. Yang Xinwu had always lived however he pleased. Because he was talented, his father did not interfere with him, and because he was handsome and wealthy, women always flocked to him. Xuelan was still young, but because she was beautiful, he had approached her while thinking he might take her as a concubine. And until just moments ago, Xuelan had been blushing and seemed completely taken with him. Yet now she suddenly rejected him? He did not like that.

“No. But I’m not a woman suitable for you, Young Master Yang.”

“Hmph. Didn’t I tell you I’d get you out of there? You’ve never embraced a man anyway, so your body is still pure. So don’t refuse my request.”

“I’m sorry.”

At Yang Xinwu’s words, Xuelan apologized once again. In the end, anger began rising inside him at her rejection. What had he ever failed to obtain as he pleased? Whatever he wanted, he had gotten. Objects, books, money, women. There was nothing he had wanted that he had failed to possess. He did not like this.

“Ahh!”

Yang Xinwu tightened his grip on Xuelan’s arm and shoved her, causing her to fall heavily to the ground. He reached toward Xuelan, who had collapsed beside him.

“Please don’t do this.”

“What’s wrong with it? There’s no one around.”

“I didn’t come here for this…….”

Because of Yang Xinwu’s hands groping at her body, Xuelan could no longer continue speaking. The Yang Xinwu she had known until now was gone. There was only a filthy man blinded by lust.

‘Ah, Shixuan…….’

She had been a fool. Blinded merely by outward appearances, she had abandoned Bai Shixuan. She had wronged Bai Shixuan terribly. She probably could never go back to how things had been before. Bai Shixuan must have been deeply disappointed in her and would likely never even speak to her again.

‘There’s nothing I can do now.’

Even so, she did not want to give herself to Yang Xinwu. She might no longer be able to give herself to Bai Shixuan either, but Yang Xinwu was still out of the question.

She struggled to escape from Yang Xinwu, but his hands were already beginning to pull at her clothes. Xuelan’s pale skin gradually became exposed from her shoulder downward.

“What are you doing?”

Yang Xinwu had been enjoying himself while touching Xuelan’s soft body when a voice from behind startled him and made him turn his head.

“Ah, so you’re Xuelan’s younger brother?”

It was Bai Shixuan. Xuelan, who had squeezed her eyes shut, also opened them slightly at the sound of Bai Shixuan’s voice. And then she saw him. Bai Shixuan stood there holding an axe, looking at her and Yang Xinwu with an utterly emotionless expression…….

“I asked what you’re doing.”

“A child shouldn’t interfere in the affairs of adults—ugh!”

Yang Xinwu had begun lecturing Bai Shixuan with an irritated expression when he hurriedly dodged aside. An axe swept through the place where he had just been at tremendous speed. Bai Shixuan had obtained the axe from somewhere, and after being hardened by chopping firewood, his axe swing was far too fast to be called the attack of a child. In particular, Yang Xinwu preferred using his head rather than his body, so Bai Shixuan’s attack felt especially threatening to him.

“W-What the hell! You’ll really kill me if you do that!”

“I intend to.”

At Yang Xinwu’s words, Bai Shixuan nodded as he answered. Then he began slowly advancing toward Yang Xinwu, who was trying to retreat.

‘Me, against a brat like that?’

That was absurd. No matter that Bai Shixuan held an axe, Yang Xinwu knew he was still only a child. Yang Xinwu drew the sword hanging at his waist. He did not actually know how to use a sword. It was merely for self-defense and intimidation, but he thought it would have a strong effect on the young Bai Shixuan.

“Your hand is shaking.”

But Bai Shixuan was no ordinary child. He had not learned martial arts, but his body had been tempered through harsh training and chopping firewood, and he had lived amid blades and death. On top of that, he had even killed before. Those experiences closed the large age gap between the young Bai Shixuan and Yang Xinwu, who had grown up using only his head within the safety of his household.

“Damn it!”

Somehow gripping the sword with his trembling hand, Yang Xinwu thrust it forward. But Bai Shixuan lightly twisted his body and avoided the blade. Neither of them had learned martial arts, but Bai Shixuan thought Yang Xinwu was exceedingly slow. Then he swung his axe directly at the sword.

-Clang!

The sword and axe collided. Sparks flew as the sword rang loudly, and the vibration caused Yang Xinwu to lose his grip and drop it.

“Ugh!”

“Hmm. You shouldn’t have sent your attendants away, should you?”

This place was close to his home. It was practically his own front yard. So Yang Xinwu had never imagined that he might lose his life here. Assuming nothing could possibly happen, he had dismissed his attendants. No matter what woman he had played around with in the past, nothing had ever happened to him, so he thought this time would be the same.

“Do you know what kind of family mine is? If I-I die, do you think the Flower Fragrance Pavilion will remain unharmed?”

Yang Xinwu threatened Bai Shixuan, but his voice was trembling so badly that it did not sound threatening in the slightest. Bai Shixuan looked at him and gave a faint scoff.

“Just die. It has nothing to do with me.”

“W-Wait! How much do you want? I’ll give you money. How about one hundred taels?”

“In gold?”

When Yang Xinwu desperately asked, Bai Shixuan immediately shot back with a question. One hundred taels of gold? Was that something one could simply produce upon demand? With Yang Xinwu’s current means, one hundred taels of gold was beyond him. No, even if it had not been, once he escaped this crisis, he intended to take revenge. So he only needed to somehow get out of this situation.

“Just die.”

“Eek!”

Bai Shixuan finally swung the axe. Yang Xinwu startled and squeezed his eyes shut, hearing a whoosh right beside him. But there was no pain. Bai Shixuan must have become tempted by the money, or perhaps his threat had worked after all.

‘He’s still just a child.’

Yang Xinwu inwardly mocked Bai Shixuan as he opened his eyes, only to see the axe buried in the ground right beside his eye.

“Eek!”

“Get lost.”

Looking at Yang Xinwu, who had even wet himself in terror, Bai Shixuan spoke with an irritated expression. At Bai Shixuan’s words, Yang Xinwu hurriedly scrambled to his feet and began running toward his horse.

‘He was lucky.’

If Yang Xinwu had still had his attendants with him, or if he had learned martial arts, this would never have happened. But because he met women like this so often, his attendants had assumed that nothing would happen and left. At first they had always remained nearby, but Yang Xinwu had often cursed them for getting in the way, and nothing had ever happened even on days when they did not guard him, so they had gone back. But in the end, something had happened to Yang Xinwu, and his attendants had not been there. Once they returned home, they would probably lose their jobs.

“Let’s go.”

“Hm? Okay.”

When Bai Shixuan spoke to Xuelan, who was still sitting there blankly, she nodded. She tried to stand on trembling legs, but apparently her strength gave out, because she immediately collapsed again. Bai Shixuan sighed at the sight, then picked her up in his arms.

“Um… Shixuan?”

“What?”

“That… never mind. It’s nothing.”

She had been about to ask whether he was angry, but for some reason she felt that she should not, so she kept her mouth shut. Then she rested her face against Bai Shixuan’s chest as he carried her.

‘I really do like Shixuan.’

He was cold and blunt, but when she was in danger, hadn’t he come running to her like this? That alone made Xuelan incredibly happy. She had thought he did not like her, but perhaps that had merely been her own misunderstanding. He was simply bad at expressing himself; surely he had been thinking of her all along.

‘Come to think of it, he worked for three days just so he could go out with me.’

Bai Shixuan had increased his workload for three days just so he could somehow free up this one day. Yet she had spent it with another man. Worse still, she had introduced Bai Shixuan to that man as her younger brother. Somehow, she now felt terribly ashamed of what she had done.

‘Forgive me for letting my eyes wander for a moment.’

She reproached herself for having been captivated by Yang Xinwu’s gentle yet hearty smile and inwardly begged Bai Shixuan for forgiveness.

‘Still, I wish he’d grow up quickly.’

Bai Shixuan was carrying her without difficulty, but his face still looked far too young. Everything else about Bai Shixuan was good, but his youth was a serious drawback. Even so, she firmly believed that with just a little more time, he would grow into a fine man.

“By the way, what if he really retaliates?”

“It’s fine. No one can easily touch the Flower Fragrance Pavilion. We have connections with the government office as well.”

At Bai Shixuan’s sudden question, Xuelan answered with a smile. The Flower Fragrance Pavilion was connected not only to the government office, but also to many martial artists. In particular, for some reason, the Madam of the Flower Fragrance Pavilion was acquainted with many renowned Murim masters. So no matter how famous a merchant Yang Xinwu’s father was in Shaanxi, he would not be able to act recklessly against them.

“What are you smiling about after what you did?”

“Sorry…….”

Xuelan had been answering brightly with a smile, but at Bai Shixuan’s words, she immediately wilted. Even so, being held in Bai Shixuan’s arms made her feel so happy that she could not stop herself from smiling. To keep Bai Shixuan from noticing, she buried her face in his warm, firm chest.

She had let her eyes wander for a moment, but because of this incident, she came to like Bai Shixuan even more. Although he was blunt and poor at expressing his emotions, Xuelan still liked Bai Shixuan.