"Did you see that young man who went into the Mistress's chamber?'
"Yeah… I did, Wasn't he handsome?"
"He definitely was."
"But still, what is someone like that doing in the Mistress's chamber?'
Four young ladies around their early twenties, each dressed in deep purple requn adorned with red patterns shaped like eagle claws, stood gathered at a distant corner of the chamber where Xue Lian and Yi Fie were meeting.
Their attire different from that of the other courtesans, yet closely resembled what Yi Fei had worn the first time she met Xue Lian.
This was because those dressed in purple requn were the highest-ranking courtesans above those who wore red and white.
The ladies lingered quietly in the corridor, trying to catch whatever bits of conversation they could. It was nothing unusual for men to visit the brothel in search of pleasure, but for a man to enter the Mistress's personal chamber, that was unheard of.
The beautiful young ladies knew well that Yi Fei had never entertained a single customer before, so the fact that this was happening left them puzzled.
"Maybe he's her boyfriend?" the first of the four ladies muttered, laced with sarcasm.
"As if. You know that's impossible, Mistress Yi Fei has never shown interest in any man."
"Then… maybe her brother?"
As the third lady's words slipped out, the others turned sharply, their gazes heavy and unyielding.
"What?" she asked, shrinking under the weight of their stares.
"You know the Mistress has no family," one of them replied coldly. "Have you forgotten how she clawed her way up here alone?"
All three ladies fixed their eye on the one who had suggested Xue Lian might be Yi Fei's brother. The weight of their silence spoke volumes, each of them knew well that the Yi Fei had no family.
And from the tone of the first lady's voice, it was clear she hadn't just known Yi Fei as the Mistress, she had stood beside her long from the beginning of the brothel creation.
"Of course I know that, it was only a joke. We've have been here since the start" The lady who joked about Xue Lian being Yi Fei's brother muttered under her voice, trembling as if realizing she'd crossed a line.
After she finished speaking, the others turned their attention back towards the passage waty, a quiet understanding passing between them. They had all witness the rise, but none could claim the closeness to Yi Fei.
"Yeah." one of them murmured. "Even if we've been here from the beginning, we're still far from her level."
With a slight nudge of her jaw, the fourth lady gestured toward a figure approaching the passageway.
There she was, the very one they referred to as her.
Draped in a light violet requn, distinct from the deep purple worn by the others, her presence alone commanded silence.
Her attire bore an entirely different design from theirs, elegant, refined, and unmistakably marked with the seal of rank. It was clear, she was the right hand of Mistress Yi Fei.
"Of course it's her," the first lady muttered, eyes narrowing as they turned to watch the approaching beauty.
"Her. The real deal. The one who had been with the Mistress way before us. I even heard that they had known each other since childhood."
"What really…?"
As the ladies continued their hushed conversation, the so called her arrived at a door just before where the ladies pipped from. It was the entrance of Yi Fei's private chamber. With a calm yet assertive motion, she slid the door open, stepping inside.
•
•
•
Inside the chamber, the atmosphere was thick with silence, as if the very walls were holding their breath. Yi Fei and Xue Lian sat facing each other, the weight of the moment hanging heavily in the air.
Yi Fei gazed upon Xue Lian, her appearance a mixture of confusion and uncertainty. The question he had posed was far too overwhelming for her to grasp in a single breath
She sat still speechless, her gaze fixed with his. Although, whether she was truly lost in thought, or nearly trying to gather herself, Xue Lian couldn't tell.
Meanwhile, in Yi Fei mind, she already knew where this was headed. She had prepared herself for this moment long before it arrived.
After all, the transparent gown she wore was no mere coincidence, it was a clear sign of her readiness, a silent invitation to what was about to unfold.
Xue Lian, sitting across from her, couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. He could only imagine the thoughts racing through her head as he stared at her.
And yet, all of this thoughts were completely wrong.
The silence was soon broke by the soft, unmistakably sound of the wooden door sliding open.
At the entrance stood the right hand of Yi Fei. She walked in, her gaze fixed on Yi Fei. A single nod passed between them, and Yi Fei responded with on of her own.
Xue Lian, who had noticed the exchange, was left confused, unable to understand what was happening, when suddenly, Yi Fei stood from the cushion.
"W-What's wrong?" Xue Lian asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Yi Fei turned to him, a smile playing on her lips as she walked past him.
Behind him, in front front of her stood a wall, wooden, with intricate designs and various forms of art. But this wasn't just any wall.
Yi Fei's right hand lady approached the wall, her hand reaching for a hidden lever that blended seamlessly into the intricate designs of the room. Xue Lian, still puzzled, watching closely, unsure of what to expect.
To his amazement, within seconds, the wall transformed before his very eyes. What had seemed like a solid door, now revealed itself to be a cleverly concealed door.
It opened silently, revealing a hidden space beyond, and otherworldly chambers that excluded an air of mystery, as if it were a place holding ancient secrets.
Xue Lian stood frozen at a moment, his mind racing. He hadn't anticipated such a secretive entrance. But now, looking at the doorway, he realized the design was too intricate, too deliberate to be anything other than a concealed passage meant only for a select few.
..
Inside the room, the atmosphere was both awe inspiring and unsettling. The space was grandly furnished with an elaborate bed at the center, surrounded by vibrant flowers that seemed to glow with an otherworldly light.
The walls were painted in deep red and violet hues, an unusual but striking combination that gave the place the feel of an ancient ritual site, sacred, yet slightly foreboding.
Xue Lian breath caught, by the strange ambiance, mumbled in confusion, "What's this?"
His gaze swept across the room, trying to make sense of the scene.
He then turned, seeking Yi Fei's explanation, but as soon as he did, he was greeted by a sight that made his heart race.
Yi Fei stood behind him, her figure framed by the dim light that filtered through the room. The aura around her seemed to shift, her presence more intense and commanding than before. Her eyes held a glimmer of mischief, a silent invitation to the unknown
At this point, her right hand lady had disappeared, door closed, leaving both of them inside the mysterious room.
With the way she stood there, poised and elegant, with her transparent gown removed, her body shimmering like liquid silk, left him momentarily speechless. The room's strange decorations, coupled with her presence, made Xue Lian feel as though he had stepped into a world far beyond his understanding.
She began approaching him slowly, her voice soft like a cold wind as she spoke.
"What?… don't tell me you aren't ready to continue?"