"Innkeeper, the tea money!"
Having fed the infant in her arms, the woman tidied her clothes, placed the copper coins on the table, and got up to leave.
Instead of entering the city, she walked towards the dilapidated temple outside the city. Seeing this, the restless crowd got up and followed her.
The tea stall vendor and those with greedy hearts but no courage cast envious glances at them.
There was a young man dressed as a scholar, his youthful face displaying indignation. He stood rooted to the spot, watching the retreating figures of those few people. His lowered hands were clenched into fists, his trembling lips seemingly murmuring something. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be psyching himself up.
Only when the figures were about to disappear from sight did the scholar begin to move, chasing after them.
"Pfft~"
Upon seeing this, the crowd burst into laughter. Looking at the fair and clean appearance of the scholar, they thought he was also a lustful person, but one lacking courage. They wondered if he would even get a taste of the action after needing to prepare himself psychologically.
It was truly a disgrace to scholars.
The winter days grew dark very early. Before the woman could reach the dilapidated temple, the sky had gradually darkened. The sun set, the moon hung from the branches, and dark clouds obscured the little remaining light, all before she entered the temple.
There was firewood left by previous occupants in the dilapidated temple. The woman, holding her child, started a fire. The flames had just illuminated the dark main hall when several men who had followed the woman stepped into the light.
The firelight cast a rosy glow on the woman's face, making her appear like a flower waiting to be plucked, exuding a rich fragrance and a seductive posture.
When the woman saw the men following her, her face showed no sign of panic. Instead, she adjusted her posture, leaning lazily against a pillar of the dilapidated temple. She unhurriedly untied her sash and reached into her collar, pulling it open.
Smelling the milk, the infant craned its head and found its sustenance, suckling with gulping sounds.
The fire crackled, and the scattering sparks seemed to ignite the lust in the hearts of the men. The men exchanged glances and walked towards the woman.
The woman raised her eyes to look at them, smiling seductively, her voice like a hook, making them restless. "What's the hurry? Feed the child first."
Hearing the woman's words, the men exchanged glances and let out lewd laughter.
"Damn, she's so slutty."
One of them cursed, his eagerness making him want to act immediately. His throat bobbed violently as he swallowed saliva, feeling as though the dilapidated temple, with its drafty gaps, was now a steaming cauldron, making him wish to strip off his clothes.
The infant was small, and the woman had ample milk. Soon, it was full and had fallen into a deep sleep. The woman looked at the men and said, "Why aren't you taking off your clothes to cushion the ground, so my child can sleep more comfortably?"
Upon hearing this, the men busied themselves removing their clothes.
They gathered their outer garments and made a makeshift mattress, placing it under the offering platform of the dilapidated temple, likely belonging to some Daoist. The woman stood up and laid the child down.
No sooner had she placed the child down than she felt her waist tighten, and she was lifted into the air.
The woman let out a surprised cry, which turned into giggles afterward. She didn't struggle but rather nestled semi-prone on the man's shoulder, her fingertips gently stroking his reasonably sturdy back.
Seeing the woman's proactive behavior, the men could no longer hold back. They reached for the woman, and at that moment, another figure burst through the door. The newcomer ran in, panting, and was now leaning against the doorframe, gasping for breath.
The men paused, unsure whether to continue or stop. While they hesitated, one of them suddenly laughed, "Oh, isn't this that preachy scholar from East Street? You always seemed like a gentleman, and I thought you were a great talent who only read the classics, untouched by worldly pleasures. Now it seems you're one of us."
"Come, I'll give you a spot. I doubt this young lady would mind more company."
As he spoke, he grabbed one of the woman's mounds, which rose and fell like peaks and ridges, squeezing it hard. The woman in his embrace let out a pained cry and, with a wicked smile, gestured invitingly towards the scholar.
The scholar's brow furrowed, sweat beading on his face as he spoke indignantly, "What you are doing is wrong."
Hearing the scholar's denunciation, the men looked at each other and then burst into laughter, choking with mirth.
The man who clearly recognized the scholar pointed at his nose and then, as a display of dominance, moved his hand towards more unspeakable parts of the woman. Breaking through the feeble resistance, he directly aimed at the scholar, pushing his finger in.
The woman's lips parted slightly, and a moan escaped her, sounding like both unbearable pleasure and rapture.
From this angle, the scholar could even see the rhythm of the movement. His face immediately flushed crimson. The intensely impactful scene caused a brief buzzing in his brain.