CHAPTER 484: 0295 WHITE (2-IN-1)

Watching the commotion could bring trouble, which isn’t surprising.

But he was just listening the whole time without saying a word, much less joining the commotion, so how did the trouble come to him?

Staring at the Female Shopkeeper holding a stack of silver notes, Xu Chang’an was stunned.

A gift?

He could understand if Qinling was giving him a gift and was willing to accept it... But what was the reason for this Shopkeeper to give him a gift, and from what position?

Xu Chang’an was bewildered, but Zhu Pingniang discerned something and her lips twitched.

It was unclear if it was an illusion, but the scene of the Female Shopkeeper giving Xu Chang’an money felt a bit like when a mother sees her daughter bringing a man home, giving a gift to the son-in-law.

Except... who is whose mother?

She raised the little girl from childhood to adulthood, perhaps she raised herself a mother?

"You brat, no manners." Taking advantage of Xu Chang’an’s delay in reacting, Zhu Pingniang reached over, pinched the Female Shopkeeper’s slender waist, and snatched the silver notes, chiding, "What’s this got to do with you?"

The Female Shopkeeper gave Xu Chang’an an apologetic glance, then turned to Zhu Pingniang and said softly, "The Young Master helped the girls in the store; as the elder sister, can’t I give some silver notes as thanks?"

As she spoke, she squinted, lowered her voice to a whisper only the two of them could hear, "Sister... The Young Master has no objections, you don’t need to be jealous."

Zhu Pingniang: "..."

Xu Chang’an: "..."

*Cough.*

Xu Chang’an suddenly felt a chill down his spine and wisely looked out the window, his gaze falling on the adorable Li Hua cat in the garden.

"Sister?" The Female Shopkeeper, sensing the awkward atmosphere, blinked.

"Girl." Zhu Pingniang pointed at herself, then at Xu Chang’an, finally resting her finger on the Female Shopkeeper’s forehead, calmly saying, "Here... you are the only ordinary person."

The Female Shopkeeper was briefly stunned and said, "You mean the Young Master can hear?"

"Of course, what do you think?" Zhu Pingniang just wanted to rip her girl’s mouth off right now.

"I was wrong, but with that little flower on your head, it’s not entirely my fault." The Female Shopkeeper regained her composure, but without the slightest tone of apology, rather speaking freely, "Sister, I was just joking just now... But I still hope the Young Master can accept this silver."

Zhu Pingniang glanced back at Xu Chang’an and found him still staring at the cat, satisfied, she turned around and said, "He’s also from the Immortal Sect, what does he want with your silver."

"What I give to the Young Master is not based on what he wants, but on what I have," the Female Shopkeeper said.

Expressing gratitude is important.

And to her, silver is already something very important.

"If the Young Master doesn’t like silver, I could also offer a song," the Female Shopkeeper said.

"Cool off on the side." Zhu Pingniang clicked her tongue, helpless toward this girl who was oblivious to the cheeky opportunism.

Xu Chang’an would occasionally help the girls with small tasks in his free time... Most of which he did on her behalf.

Yet they kept it in mind.

"Alright, Chang’an, what’s given to you, just take it." Zhu Pingniang picked up the silver notes and gently tossed them in front of Xu Chang’an.

Xu Chang’an nodded, put away the silver notes, and expressed his gratitude to the Female Shopkeeper.

"That’s that then."

Zhu Pingniang grasped the Female Shopkeeper’s collar in one hand.

The long skirt was instantly lifted, exposing the silhouette of the Female Shopkeeper’s body, and amid her cries of surprise, a Soft Whip and a shiny Ruler appeared in Zhu Pingniang’s palm.

Zhu Pingniang said to Xu Chang’an gently, "Chang’an, you should go to the small pavilion in the southern garden and wait for a moment, I’ll teach this girl a lesson and then come."

Xu Chang’an’s eyes secretly twitched twice, but he still stood up, cupped his hands, bowed slightly, and prepared to leave.

What Xu Chang’an did not expect was, even in such a situation, the Female Shopkeeper could maintain her elegance. Despite having a red mark from the collar on her neck, she calmly bid farewell to Xu Chang’an.

"Young Master Xu, have a good walk, forgive us for making you laugh."

"..."

----

Xu Chang’an walked out of the teahouse.

He, who had always been steady as the Spirit Platform, couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed upon re-entering daylight.

Bending down to pick up a Li Hua cat basking in the sun in the garden, he finally indulged in burying his head in the cat’s neck, taking a deep breath and feeling the little guy kick against his chest, then cradled it into a comfortable position.

As the cat gradually settled down, Xu Chang’an sighed.

What on earth had he just witnessed and heard?

Xu Chang’an was utterly certain he was currently within a brothel filled with rouge and powder, for even the cat in his arms carried a faint scent of rouge, likely left by the girls here.

He glanced back at the direction of the teahouse.

What exactly is happening in there...?

The anger on Senior Zhu’s face just now was certainly not fake.

The person in charge of Muyu Peak was so enraged by the girls in the brothel that they were short of breath; if not seen in person, who would believe it when told such a story...?

Is this how the girls in the brothel interact with each other?

Honestly, even though Zhu Pingniang was about to hit someone and was angry, he didn’t feel the slightest bit of impropriety; instead...

From the beginning, the room was filled with an almost overflowing sense of "happiness."