Chapter 2-10

“Shixuan. Are you finished?”

“Yeah.”

Two years had passed since the incident with Yang Xinwu. And it had already been six years since Bai Shixuan entered the Flower Fragrance Pavilion. Naturally, Yang Xinwu no longer caused any trouble. In fact, he was never seen at the Flower Fragrance Pavilion again. Xuelan continued to seek out Bai Shixuan. Now twenty years old, she grew more beautiful with each passing day. Many men now drooled over her, but she no longer spared any other man a glance. Wherever her eyes turned, Bai Shixuan was always there.

“Here, your meal.”

“Thanks.”

Xuelan always came to see Bai Shixuan. Not a single day had passed in six years when she failed to visit him. No matter how busy she was, she always came to wherever Bai Shixuan was working.

“You’re getting faster and faster.”

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

He was now a sixteen-year-old boy. As Bai Shixuan grew older, the speed at which he split firewood became frighteningly fast. Since he had chopped firewood every single day without fail, it was only natural that he had become more proficient. Moreover, with Xuelan waiting for him every day until he finished his work, he could not help but put even more effort into it.

“How was your day?”

“I just greeted guests and played the qin…….”

Whenever the two met, they always talked about the same thing: how their day had gone. Bai Shixuan’s work consisted of little more than chopping firewood, but Xuelan, unlike him, met many guests. What pieces she had performed, what the guests had been like that day—nothing more than trivial little stories, yet Xuelan always told them to Bai Shixuan with a delighted expression.

“How does it taste?”

“It’s good. You’ve improved a lot.”

“Hehe.”

At Xuelan’s question, Bai Shixuan nodded in satisfaction and gave his honest opinion, causing her face to brighten. It was food she had cooked solely for Bai Shixuan. The first time she brought him something she had made, it had tasted so awful that it was practically inedible. Fortunately, the cooks were highly skilled, so her cooking improved quickly, but the first few months had still been days of suffering for Bai Shixuan. He would finish a hard day’s work only to eat Xuelan’s terrible cooking. It had truly been the worst.

‘At this level, she could probably be called first-rate.’

Perhaps because she had diligently practiced cooking for six years, her skills had improved tremendously. He was still always dissatisfied that he had been her test subject, but at least he could now enjoy delicious food like this.

‘She’s twenty now. I’m still only sixteen. And yet…….’

He had thought that as she grew older, she would realize her feelings had merely been the curiosity of a young girl. But she remained attached to Bai Shixuan, who was four years younger than her. No matter how impressive a man approached her, she rejected every one of them.

‘Sigh. Is she really serious?’

He had thought it was merely a childish misconception. But she truly meant it. And Bai Shixuan could no longer reject her feelings. Watching her grow more beautiful with every passing day made him feel as though his heart might burst.

“I’ve saved up a lot of money.”

“Really? I still don’t have enough.”

He had saved every coin he earned for six years without spending any of it. But it was still nowhere near enough. Since Bai Shixuan was neither a courtesan nor an entertainer of the Flower Fragrance Pavilion, he could leave whenever he wished. That was how it was for the men. But it was different for the women. Especially for top-class courtesans like Xuelan, an enormous sum of money was required to buy their freedom. That was why Bai Shixuan still had not left and continued saving money.

“When we leave this place, we’re going to get married, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah.”

He felt a little embarrassed. Bai Shixuan blushed and scratched his cheek as he looked at Xuelan, only to find her staring at him in shock. She covered her mouth with both hands as tears began to fall.

“Ah…….”

It was the first time. Bai Shixuan had accepted her proposal for the first time. He had always rejected her before, so even now, she had asked without expecting anything. Yet this time, he had agreed.

“Don’t cry.”

“B-But……. Sob.”

She tried desperately to hold back her tears, but they kept falling. Bai Shixuan sighed and wiped the tears from Xuelan’s eyes. Then he took her hand.

“I’m too young……. Honestly, that was why…….”

“It’s okay. You’re the only one I have, Shixuan.”

Xuelan tightened her grip on Bai Shixuan’s hand. His hand was rough and covered in calluses, but Xuelan loved it. Holding Xuelan’s soft hand, Bai Shixuan slowly leaned toward her face.

“Ah…….”

As Bai Shixuan’s handsome face drew steadily closer, Xuelan slowly closed her eyes. She felt soft, warm lips against her own. Their first kiss. The moment Bai Shixuan’s lips touched hers, Xuelan felt a tingling sensation run through her entire body. It was only a short, gentle kiss, but as soon as Bai Shixuan pulled away, she felt all the strength leave her body.

“Hehe.”

In the end, Xuelan’s legs gave out, and she collapsed against Bai Shixuan’s firm chest. Now that he was eating properly, there was no trace of his former skinny frame, only well-developed muscle. Yet he was not so large that he looked cumbersome. His physique was impressively proportioned.

‘Though with his clothes on, he still looks like a young scholar…….’

His skin had tanned slightly beneath the sunlight, but his features were still so refined that, dressed properly, anyone could have mistaken him for a scholar. His bluish eyes had grown deeper with age, and his brown-tinged hair remained beautiful. There was still some youthful softness to his face, but Xuelan thought he had become extraordinarily handsome.

“Oh, there you are, Xuelan.”

She had finally been able to spend a happy moment in Bai Shixuan’s arms after he accepted her feelings, only for someone to tactlessly call out to her. Xuelan frowned and turned her head. A white-robed young master was approaching her with several attendants.

“Young Master Ha?”

“Haha. This Ha came here today to ask for Xuelan’s hand in marriage.”

At a glance, he clearly appeared to be the son of a prestigious family. Even his white robes looked expensive, and he wore a smile suggesting that he might not even know the meaning of the word hardship.

“And who is this fellow?”

“He is my betrothed. So I cannot accept your feelings, Young Master Ha.”

“Your betrothed? A fellow like this? Xuelan, if you come to me, I can buy your freedom and set you free. So forget this man and come to me.”

The man glanced at Bai Shixuan before turning back toward Xuelan as he spoke. When Xuelan showed no reaction whatsoever, the man’s expression gradually stiffened.