2024-04-25 08:56:50
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Cold Wind in Spring
Maple Forest stood roughly ten li from Jinhung City, its spring foliage shifting softly beneath an otherwise mild night wind.Ning Ju moved between trees with controlled steps, following the route toward the meeting point where her companions should already be waiting.The ground changed from open grass to leaf litter and scattered roots, forcing her lightness skill into shorter, more careful movements.She had traveled only partway into the forest when a sudden cold wind passed across her back and neck.The temperature change was too sharp for spring, and Ning Ju slowed immediately instead of dismissing it as ordinary weather.She whispered, “This cold does not belong here, especially after the warm wind outside the trees.”Her body recognized danger before her eyes found anything, tightening along the shoulders while one hand moved closer to the
Across the Rooftops
After Wang Ding died inside the VVIP room, Ning Ju left Autumn Memory Pavilion without repeating the killing or disturbing the hall.The Zi period had begun, and most ordinary Jinhung residents were already asleep behind doors made cautious by recent rumors.Ning Ju reached a quiet service exit, waited for two attendants to pass, then slipped into darkness beyond the Pavilion walls.Her posture changed as soon as no observer remained nearby, shedding the careful uncertainty of a village woman entering elite rooms.She placed one foot against a low wall, pushed lightly, and reached the nearest roof ridge without disturbing loose tiles.The movement was controlled rather than spectacular, using exact pressure through the toes and ankle before transferring weight forward.A night breeze moved across the rooftops, and Ning Ju timed her next leap while cloth rustl
A Talent Too Natural
Ning Ju’s training began immediately, because Autumn Memory Pavilion treated wealthy patrons as customers who noticed every failure of etiquette.An attendant first taught her how to enter private rooms, where to stop, how deeply to bow, and when to raise her eyes.Ning Ju repeated each movement correctly after one demonstration, adjusting posture without the awkward overcorrection common among true beginners.The attendant frowned with surprise and said, “You learn quickly for someone who claimed she had never served wealthy households.”Ning Ju smiled lightly and replied, “When poor people make mistakes, they usually pay more dearly, so I learned to watch carefully.”That explanation sounded reasonable enough to end the question, especially inside a business where desperation often sharpened attention.Training continued with w
Madam Lily’s Appraisal
Madam Lily studied Ning Ju without speaking, beginning with her face before lowering her gaze toward posture, hands, clothing, and restrained manners.The examination felt commercial rather than intimate, because every detail represented possible value inside an establishment built around wealthy preferences.Ning Ju remained composed under that scrutiny, allowing a trace of uncertainty to appear whenever Madam Lily’s attention lingered too long.“You came here alone asking for work, yet your speech is cleaner than many women raised inside merchant households.”Ning Ju lowered her eyes and answered, “My family was poor, but they still believed a daughter should learn proper manners.”Madam Lily tapped one painted nail against the table and asked, “Have you ever been with a man before?”The question arrived directly, and Ning Ju answered with carefully performed embarrassment rather than offended hesitation.“I have lived mostly around my family and village, Madam, so I have never had
The Village Girl
Earlier that same day, long before Wang Ding entered Autumn Memory Pavilion, Ning Ju approached the famous establishment beneath the midday sun.She wore simple Hanfu without expensive ornament, allowing natural beauty and careful manners to carry more weight than clothing ever could.From the street, she studied the Pavilion’s layered roofs, guarded entrance, and polished grounds with a stillness that suggested nervous determination.For a moment, an older memory surfaced of another disguise on another continent, where she had once entered a similar world under false pretenses.Ning Ju lowered her gaze before that thought revealed too much through her expression and continued toward the entrance at an unhurried pace.Two broad-shouldered guards noticed her immediately, both standing beside the gate with hands close enough to their sabers for quick use.
The First Customer
Wang Ding waited inside the VVIP room while warm lamp light reflected across polished furniture and silk screens.The space had been arranged for privacy, with expensive bedding, a low table, and restrained incense that softened the smell of wine.Half an hour of waiting had already irritated him enough that Ning Ju’s arrival felt less like service than something owed.She stood just inside the doorway with lowered eyes and said, “Please forgive the delay, Young Master Wang, because I am still unfamiliar with the Pavilion’s schedule.”Wang Ding studied her face and decided Madam Lily had not exaggerated the value of the newcomer’s appearance.He stepped closer and replied, “You can apologize by not wasting another moment now that you are finally here.”Ning Ju lowered her head slightly. “I will follow the arrang
You may also like
Harem Ethics 101
Z.R. Wake61.1K viewsThe Least Common Denominator
MokouFriedChicken29.8K viewsThe God of War Calen Storm
Cindy Chen35.0K viewsVINCENT MILES: AND THE FIST OF FIRE
Kurt Dp.18.8K viewsBetrayed Son-in-Law: System Awakening
Florish Kay120 viewsLORD OF THE MYRIAD DOMINION
LumenNova113 viewsReborn Three Days Before the Apocalypse
Audacity152 viewsOgre-devouring Wizard
David Ogiriki 148 views