“This wasn’t taught to you by them, was it?”
The "them" here naturally referred to the other male courtesans in the establishment.
Xie Jing quickly understood and nodded in agreement with Qin Jiujiu.
Qin Jiujiu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. In just a few days, this brothel had molded him into this state, and she truly admired it.
The thought that she had even paid for him to learn more here made her unsure if it had been the right decision.
“I told you, men and women cannot be this intimate!”
She said with a blush, earnestly teaching him. Xie Jing clearly wasn’t listening, insisting, “But they all can.”
For some reason, Qin Jiujiu could discern Xie Jing’s meaning from his ambiguous words. He must have been influenced by what he had seen here, witnessing many inappropriate things, and thus assumed such contact was normal.
Qin Jiujiu worried that if she didn't correct his mindset now, he might do something more extreme in the future. So, she patiently explained, “This is something only done between people who like each other!”
In truth, most people who came to this brothel were just seeking amusement, with no genuine affection involved. However, she simply didn’t know how else to explain it to this blockhead in front of her.
Xie Jing seemed to understand something and deliberately leaned closer to her.
The distance between them instantly closed, so much so that their breaths intertwined, and they could feel each other’s exhales.
He bent down to meet her gaze and said seriously, “But I like you!”
His eyes were alluring, with flowing ripples of light entering his pupils, as warm as spring. The usually indifferent youth could also be as passionate as peach blossoms.
Her heart pounded like a drum, and she immediately felt shy, lowering her head. Her cheeks grew warmer.
Even though she knew the person in front of her might not truly understand what liking someone meant, she couldn't help but be moved…
Ever since she fell into the lake from the cliff that day, the icy water had been enough to make her see her own heart clearly. She hadn't realized when she had fallen for the great villain!
And now, it was unclear who, because of this seemingly joking confession, was flustered and unsettled.
Qin Jiujiu could only coldly ask, “Do you know what liking someone is?”
The person in front of her clearly liked Bai Qianluo. When she fell into the water that day, he had chosen Bai Qianluo without hesitation, not even glancing at her…
She was a timid person, afraid to take a step in matters of the heart, yet she had unknowingly fallen for him at some point. But liking someone didn’t mean they would end up together. A relationship between two people who loved each other was love. This was her one-sided affection, and in the end, she would be the one hurt.
Moreover, she still wanted to complete her mission and return to modern times!
Qin Jiujiu dispelled the unrealistic thoughts in her mind, leaving only the completion of her mission and the desire to go home soon. She calmed down.
Xie Jing could naturally sense the shift in her demeanor. He didn't understand, and he couldn't find an answer to her question.
What exactly was liking someone?
“You can go now. I want to sleep.”
Qin Jiujiu lost the mood to tease him. She looked at Xie Jing, her eyes now calm.
“Alright, you rest well then, I…”
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Jiujiu had already walked to the bedside and made a move to take off her shoes and get into bed.
The shock on Xie Jing’s face hadn't faded when he heard her say, “Aren't you leaving?”
His face flushed and paled, and he quickly walked out of the room.
The door was gently closed. Qin Jiujiu glanced at the door, all her emotions vanishing at that moment, replaced by an endless calm and a hint of unconcealable loneliness.
Not long after Xie Jing left, the candlelight in Qin Jiujiu's room was extinguished.
The next morning.
Qin Jiujiu was still groggily asleep when she heard a knock on the door.
She burrowed deeper into her quilt, unwilling to open the door. But the knocking persisted, as if the person wouldn't leave unless she came out.
The quilt was suddenly flung open, and Qin Jiujiu sat up and got out of bed. A chill swept over her, seeping into her skin. Qin Jiujiu couldn't help but shiver.
Waking up on a winter morning was torture!
Her complexion was not good, and her eyes carried a weariness.
The person standing at the door had a tall and elegant figure. His clothes were ice blue, trimmed with elegant bamboo patterns, complementing his jet-black, lustrous long hair. This skillfully set off the extraordinary presence of a radiant young nobleman.
Seeing Qin Jiujiu, he suddenly recalled what the men had said last night. A smile appeared on his previously expressionless face.
The smile was full of the roguish charm of a dashing young man. His chin was slightly raised, and his peach blossom eyes sparkled like stars, as if they would drown one in their depths, filled with endless affection.
Qin Jiujiu looked up at him blankly, only able to see those affectionate peach blossom eyes, twinkling with subtle smiles.
What was Xie Jing acting up about so early in the morning?
The chill continued to assail her. Qin Jiujiu suddenly recoiled. Without a word, she directly closed the door, the sound cutting off what Xie Jing was about to say.
He stood at the door, his smile frozen on his face.
His lips moved, as if to say something, but in the end, he just twitched the corner of his mouth, a hint of embarrassment coloring his expression. Finally, he just adjusted his clothes and left.
Qin Jiujiu slept until noon. Her first priority upon waking was to find something to eat, having already forgotten the little interlude that morning.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw a familiar figure.
She was about to go downstairs when she realized he was standing below, looking at her. The doting smile on his face made Qin Jiujiu retract the foot she had already started to move. She stood back, pretending not to see Xie Jing, and turned to walk back.
The moment she saw Xie Jing, the scene from this morning flashed in her mind. She had rejected Xie Jing because she was grumpy from waking up!
After all, he was the villain who killed without batting an eye!
Xie Jing watched the person who was practically fleeing. The expression on his face froze once more. Why were the methods they spoke of, which were always effective, failing him?
Xie Jing returned to his room. He didn't have a private room; there was someone else living in this one who had arrived long before him and was currently entertaining a guest.
The so-called "honey trap" tactics were taught by this very person.
“Xie Jing, how did it go?”
As soon as the man saw him return, he excitedly rushed forward to inquire, his expression clearly one of pride, as if he were certain Xie Jing had successfully captivated Qin Jiujiu.
But seeing the look on Xie Jing’s face, he suddenly became doubtful.
“It didn’t go well.”
Xie Jing sat in front of the mirror, gazing at his own face.
The man stood behind him, leaning his head closer, his voice coming from behind Xie Jing, “Are you sure you used the honey trap I taught you?”
He had never had any issues when he used it himself. While Xie Jing’s face might not be as handsome as his own, he was still considered exceptionally attractive here. Just what kind of woman had managed to make him suffer defeat?