Chapter 1-5

“Mm.”

It was warm. Bai Shixuan had always slept on cold floors, and in all eight years of his life, he had never once thought of anything as warm. The warmth felt strangely pleasant, and he unconsciously pulled whatever he was holding even tighter against his chest.

“Kyaa!”

The moment he drew it closer, whatever was in his arms let out a small, adorable shriek. At the sound, Bai Shixuan slowly opened his eyes. A flushed red nape came into view.

“What?”

“Th-That is…….”

“Too loud.”

When Xuelan spoke with her face burning red, Bai Shixuan frowned and turned his body the other way. He was in a foul mood from being awakened from such a deep sleep. Watching him, Xuelan suddenly felt indignant. Wasn’t she the one who should be angry? She had been sleeping when he suddenly hugged her, then started touching her body. The strange sensation had made her heart feel as though it would burst, and she had barely been able to sleep properly. Yet he was the one getting angry at her……

“Y-You…….”

“Why are you suddenly fighting?”

Xuelan had just been about to scold Bai Shixuan when Choryeong’s voice suddenly sounded. She had clearly gone out to attend to a guest the previous night, yet at some point she had returned to the room.

“When I saw you this morning, the two of you were sleeping just fine while hugging each other……”

“Sister!”

“Don’t shout. I’m sleepy right now. If you’re not going back to sleep, go outside and practice or something.”

When Xuelan shrieked, Choryeong covered her ears and lay back down. Xuelan watched Choryeong try to fall asleep again, then turned her head toward Bai Shixuan, who was lying there asleep.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

He was the first boy who had ever held her. Of course, they had not gone as far as having relations, but even so, Bai Shixuan was the first boy who had touched—no, felt—her body. Did that mean Bai Shixuan had to take responsibility for her?

‘What am I thinking! Hmph. As if I’d marry someone like him!’

Xuelan imagined herself living happily with Bai Shixuan after he had grown older and become extraordinarily handsome, then quickly shook her head and picked up the qin in one corner of the room. In any case, Bai Shixuan was practically a slave. He might not technically have slave status, but he had no ability and owned nothing. If she married Bai Shixuan, hardship would surely await her.

‘Why is my heart beating so fast!’

Even so, her heart was still pounding violently. Xuelan stared at the sleeping Bai Shixuan for a moment before hurriedly leaving the room. The instant Bai Shixuan heard her leave, his eyes opened.

‘Whew. What the hell did I do?’

Bai Shixuan scratched his head and slowly sat up. Without even realizing it, he had hugged Xuelan while sleeping. The warmth had felt so pleasant that he had unconsciously pulled her tightly against him. And now he felt strange. His heart was pounding and his face felt hot. For some reason, Xuelan’s face kept appearing in his mind.

“Was it nice?”

“What was?”

The moment Bai Shixuan sat up, Choryeong’s voice sounded. He turned toward her and saw her watching him with narrowed eyes and a smile.

“Our Xuelan was warm, wasn’t she? Soft too.”

“She was.”

“Ahh, to think you were Xuelan’s first man. I suppose you’ll have to take responsibility for her now?”

Choryeong’s eyes curved like crescent moons. Bai Shixuan stared at her smile for a moment, then turned away and began tidying the bed.

“Take responsibility? Why would I?”

“Tch.”

Bai Shixuan looked at Choryeong as though he genuinely could not understand what she meant, then turned back and continued making the bed as he spoke. Choryeong sighed at his reaction. After roughly tidying the bed, Bai Shixuan realized he had nothing else to do and simply sat down on its edge.

“Still, our Xuelan is cute, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Then make her yours before some other man takes her away.”

There seemed to be nothing she would hesitate to say to an eight-year-old. Bai Shixuan, however, did not fully understand what she meant. Unlike Xuelan, who had grown up in a pleasure house, Bai Shixuan had spent his life constantly wandering, and he was still far too young. He simply could not understand why Choryeong was saying such things.

“Don’t keep following that master of yours. Just live here. Xuelan and I will put in a good word with the madam.”

“I’m fine.”

“How long are you going to keep following that master?”

At Choryeong’s question, Bai Shixuan fell silent for a moment. How long was he going to keep following Cao Zhenshi? No, once Cao Zhenshi died, Bai Shixuan would probably seek out the wandering swordsman who killed him—or simply another wandering swordsman—and become a sword attendant again. Truthfully, that was not a very good way to live. If he spent his entire life like that, then one day he too would die. If that was the case, perhaps becoming a servant in a place like this would let him live longer. Besides, if he worked here, he could even earn money.

“I don’t know.”

“Hmm. Is that so? Well, if you don’t want to, I can’t force you.”

It was not because Bai Shixuan felt any loyalty toward Cao Zhenshi that he rejected Choryeong’s offer. There were probably many wealthy and capable martial artists who came to this pleasure house as guests. Even if Bai Shixuan said he wanted to remain here, Cao Zhenshi would not recklessly draw his sword. No, he could not. Choryeong would stand in his way, and then Cao Zhenshi would have to cut her down. Bai Shixuan did not know what kind of person the madam was, but judging by how much Choryeong and Xuelan liked her, she probably cared deeply for the courtesans. If Choryeong were killed, the madam would hire martial artists, and Cao Zhenshi would die on the spot. Cao Zhenshi valued his life, so naturally he would simply beat Bai Shixuan until his anger subsided and then leave alone. But that was not what Bai Shixuan wanted. It was not because he feared Cao Zhenshi’s fists. Nor was it out of loyalty or affection. He simply wanted to see a little more. Wandering swordsmen were still martial artists, after all. He wanted to watch them fight a little longer. The murim might be far removed from someone like him, but Bai Shixuan still thought that if he wanted to survive in this harsh world, he needed to know at least a little about how to fight. That was why he continued following wandering swordsmen.

“Later.”

“Later?”

“If my current master dies, I’ll come here then.”

At Bai Shixuan’s words, Choryeong’s smile disappeared as she stared at him. Bai Shixuan likewise met the eyes of Choryeong, who was lying down and looking back at him.

“When?”

“Who knows? That’s what wandering swordsmen are like. It might take years, or he might die tomorrow. How would I know what Heaven has decided?”

Choryeong stared at Bai Shixuan in disbelief. Were those really words that should come from the mouth of an eight-year-old child? He sounded like an old man who had already lived through everything the world had to offer. Feeling that way, Choryeong turned her gaze away from Bai Shixuan, whose eyes somehow did not look like those of a child.

“Go play with Xuelan. Your big sister is tired.”