The red-clothed woman descending the stairs raised her hand and responded, "I know."
Shi Chun chuckled to himself, realizing that this woman really wasn't modest at all.
But then again, he didn't see anything proper from this woman; what proper woman would be reeking of alcohol behind the library counter? No wonder her uncle wanted her to indulge in more books.
He then went down to the third floor, just as the red-clothed woman left, Dong Liangyu, who was lighting the lamps, ca up from downstairs, coughing repeatedly even while just climbing the stairs.
Seeing Shi Chun had returned to his true appearance, Dong Liangyu was a bit surprised, but even more worried, as he ca closer and asked, "Did she know who you are?"
Shi Chun nodded slightly, "She said she's not interested in ddling, so she shouldn't be a problem for now. By the way, did the eldest and third miss ntion anything at the dinner table?"
Dong Liangyu was stunned, suspicious, not knowing what the other ant by this question.
Shi Chun explained, "She ntioned it casually earlier but didn't make it clear, so she asked to ask you."
Dong Liangyu was puzzled, "Why are you two talking about this?"
Shi Chun: "I also want to know what she ans by saying half and not finishing. Second Miss, there shouldn't be any issue in discussing this, right?"
Dong Liangyu thought for a mont, then slowly revealed, "Eldest Miss expressed a desire to beco the apprentice of the top Artifact Refining Master in the cultivation world, Situ Gu..."
Before he could finish, Shi Chun exclaid "Ah," purely in surprise, his eyes turned bewildered.
Dong Liangyu continued, "Third Miss wants to apprentice under Li Hongjiu."
With this statent, Shi Chun reacted as if his jaw dropped, "Who?"
Dong Liangyu supplented, "A disciple of Yanbao Sect, Li Hongjiu."
"..." Shi Chun was shocked, his face growing increasingly suspicious, and he asked, "What do you an? Why do the eldest and third miss want to apprentice under the two of them?"
Dong Liangyu: "It might be their own choice."
Shi Chun still didn't understand. He couldn't help but continue questioning, "Two won, of all the choices, why go for Artifact Refining Sects? Is it related to that Ruo Jun?"
Dong Liangyu: "No, Sister Jun also feels it's inappropriate for the two young won to join Artifact Refining Sects and has advised them against it. There's so connection, but not entirely. When Sister Jun first ca to the library, maybe seeing we were not well-off, she ntioned speaking to her uncle, using his influence to help us connect with so renowned masters, leaving to us the decision of which master to apprentice under.
I know why Eldest Miss and Third Miss chose two Artifact Refining Sects, likely related to the recent intervention by Extre Fire Sect. If the fourth-ranked sect in the Artifact Refining World can exert such influence here, imagine those ranked higher. They probably aim to protect the family's long-standing legacy."
Shi Chun remained puzzled, "That said, I can understand Eldest Miss choosing Situ Gu, but Third Miss choosing that Li Hongjiu seems blatantly unreasonable. Why not choose the top-ranked Refining Heaven Sect? Choosing the third rank is understandable, but going for a lower-ranked disciple as a master? Any elder taken as a ntor would offer more face than Li Hongjiu, right?"
"Third Miss has her own ideas..." Dong Liangyu then roughly recapped the reasoning Dongliang Ying ntioned at the dinner table and shared his understanding, "Third Miss is not yet twenty, knowing her cultivation foundation is lacking, she's unwilling to accept it, still driven by ambition, looking for possibilities to try. The Eldest Miss, however, has resigned herself. She seeks the strongest sect in the Artifact Refining World, the strongest Artifact Refining Master as her master, just to find a backing. As for whether she can achieve anything in cultivation, she might not even harbor any hope. Who would dare recklessly provoke the disciple of Situ Gu?"
At this point, so sadness erged on her face.
Hearing this, Shi Chun's vigilance lessened slightly, realizing this had all been planned before he arrived.
However, his wariness was not entirely dispelled. Why did that woman want him to help with this?
He happened to know Situ Gu and Li Hongjiu personally. It can't be anything but a sheer coincidence that makes him not suspect that woman knows his true identity.
With this thought, he further probed, "Then, which master did you and the fourth young master choose?"
If the masters chosen by these two had no relation to him, and the red-clothed woman only linked the related ones to him, it would surely an she knew his true identity.
Dong Liangyu shook his head slightly, "I didn't choose. You know my health, any arrangent would do. The fourth young master seems to favor Sword Saint Fu Que."
Shi Chun was taken aback, "That cultured scholar in a blue shirt downstairs?"
"Yes." Dong Liangyu nodded slightly.
Shi Chun was at a loss for words; from what he heard, it indeed didn't seem like the red-clothed woman's deliberate arrangent, appearing more like coincidence.
Nonetheless, the fact that he has associations with Situ Gu and Li Hongjiu is undeniable, and coincidentally being tasked with this is beyond his ability to dismiss all doubts, considering his character.
He then engaged in so pleasantries with Dong Liangyu, confird that the red-clothed woman is a relative of the Demon Queen's confidant, inquired a bit about Bai's Rice Shop, and sent him off.
He isn't Wu Jinliang; just because she's a beauty doesn't an he'll take a liking to her. He truly has no interest in Dong Liangyu or the three sisters for that matter.
He has soone he likes, and those he can pretend with are won who have utility, or those dubious won like the red-clothed woman, whom you can tell aren't proper at a glance. With well-bred won like the three sisters, no matter how beautiful, he doesn't want to cause trouble. If it weren't for being forced into the situation, he wouldn't have given the eldest miss that hairpin.
After pondering for a while on the third floor, he ultimately decided not to worry about whether she knew his true identity.
At this point, whether she knows or not is no longer important; being used by her might not necessarily be a bad thing.
As long as an exchange of benefits is possible, being utilized once is no big deal. In exchange for true friendship, one must endure minor grievances and cannot afford to be overly suspicious.
After making a decision in his heart, he imdiately took out the Mother-child Talisman to send a ssage to the Red-clothed Woman.
However, just as he was about to cast the spell, he raised his hand but then lowered it, put away the Mother-child Talisman, and quietly went downstairs...
In the room, the Red-clothed Woman was lying on her side on the couch, one hand propping up her head while the other manipulated the other half of the Mother-child Talisman, playing with it with great interest. The mischievous smile at the corner of her mouth was hard to suppress—it had been years since she'd seen anyone directly shove their contact details into her hand.
She was waiting for Shi Chun's response; she wouldn't be in this room if it weren't for that, she would have already left.
Suddenly, the mischievous smile froze on her lips, and as her delicate body sprawled, she lifted her eyes to the door.
With a click, the latch jumped open on its own, and then the door was gently pushed open. Shi Chun stuck his head inside for a glance at her, then quickly stepped in sideways, closing the door behind him.
He was too familiar with the bookstore, and with the assistance of his Right Eye superpower, it was very easy to find the Red-clothed Woman's room.
The Red-clothed Woman's eyes flashed with a hint of hostility as she slightly raised her brows, staring at him.
Shi Chun quickly glanced around the room and grumbled, "Dong Wenshu is not very considerate. When I was working at the bookstore, he only let pull two tables in the main hall as a makeshift arrangent."
After speaking, he moved and sat down next to the couch, right beside the Red-clothed Woman's sprawled figure.
The Red-clothed Woman finally spoke, "So you read quite a few books in the bookstore, huh? At least show so basic decency; is a woman's room sowhere you can enter at will?"
Shi Chun almost laughed aloud, not even considering his deanor, she was feigning seriousness, so he also feigned seriousness, with a solemn tone he said, "Don't overthink it. I'm here to talk business with you. I've already heard about what you ntioned from the Second Young Lady, and I've co to give you a response."
The Red-clothed Woman shook the Mother-child Talisman in her hand and asked, "You ca all this way; is this fake?"
Shi Chun slapped his forehead, pretending he had forgotten, but spoke differently, "Afraid it won't be clear, so discussing it in person is more convenient. Here's the deal: I've thought it over. For you, I am willing to give it a try, because I like you."
The Red-clothed Woman genuinely wanted to roll her eyes at him but felt a sense of amusent inside; after a long ti of dullness, encountering this situation was quite entertaining, so she simply replied, "Since you have this intention, go give it a try. I'll wait for your good news."
Shi Chun asked in return, "Then between us, there has to be so sort of explanation, right? What happens after the task is accomplished?"
The Red-clothed Woman laughed lightly, "You actually want to talk conditions with ? I've already promised the sisters beforehand. Do you think it will be hard for to handle this? Do you really think my uncle finds it difficult to greet the Sect Leader of Refining Heaven Sect Luo Yan, or the Yanbao Sect Leader Qu Wuming?"
That kind of statent was a bit bullying, taking advantage of ignorance.
However, Shi Chun was indeed pretty clueless in that regard, believing that as a confidant of the Demon Queen, the leaders of those major sects would have to show so respect, and granting a disciple's status might truly be just a matter of a word.
Even though he was treated like a fool, Shi Chun still had sothing to say, "Well, I can't just work for nothing, can I?"
The Red-clothed Woman scornfully remarked, "Afraid of working for nothing? Is this what you call liking ? It's too insincere, isn't it?"
Shi Chun widened his eyes and said, "At least I need to know your attitude, right? At least I need to know whether you are insincere?"
The Red-clothed Woman responded indifferently, "We just t, so it can hardly be called love at first sight, but you could say insincere. However, there's no lack of good intentions towards you; otherwise, this matter would just be a greeting from , no need to get entangled with you. To put it simply, I don't associate with useless people. If you accomplish this task, then you'll be qualified to talk about love with ."
In essence, she didn't even wish to make any promise, only wanting to have him work for nothing. When the task is done, there would be no need to feign affection anymore; any noise can be extinguished with a flick of the finger.
Upon hearing her say there were good intentions towards him, Shi Chun subconsciously puffed out his chest, sowhat believing her words as he was confident in his looks.
Of course, he only believed them by thirty percent, with the remaining seventy percent in disbelief.
But it didn't really matter; just seeing her deadpan refusal to make a promise was a bit regrettable. If she dared to promise, he would dare to place his hand on her thigh, so close yet distant, with a smooth-talking prelude for getting a taste of sweetness.
First setting conditions, if not agreed to, naturally taking second best, his tone imdiately shifted, "Alright, settle it with this, but this matter needs you to do a small favor first."
The Red-clothed Woman calmly said, "Tell , let's hear it."
Shi Chun: "Mrs. Bai, the owner of Bai's Rice Shop Bai Qiru, still seems to be held at the City Guard's side. Can you have your uncle greet them and get her released?"
The Red-clothed Woman: "What does this have to do with her?"
Shi Chun calmly replied, "Li Hongjiu likes her."
He didn't care whether she knew his true identity; pulling this kind of trick, he wouldn't be courteous. After all, putting a green hat on Huang Yingying, Li Hongjiu didn't care about reputation anyway.
The Red-clothed Woman was stunned, staring at him for a while, slowly conceding, "Alright, but I have a request."
Shi Chun imdiately turned around, half-laying on the couch, his face close to hers, revealing a listening posture, close enough for them to feel each other's breath, and smiled saying, "Go ahead."
The Red-clothed Woman felt a bit uncomfortable talking this way, pointed her finger at his forehead, pushing him back a bit, "I promised their siblings not to separate their family, all the ntors I found for them must co to their house to teach."
Shi Chun also pointed at her nose, "So playful, always causing trouble, but who asked to like you, fine, I'll agree."
The Red-clothed Woman's gaze suddenly grew sharp, focusing on his departing finger, her lips pursed, yet she ultimately kept silent.
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