The air seed to freeze between them, thick with an unspoken tension that neither Hua Jing nor the noble lady could quite comprehend.
Their faces were re inches apart, their breaths mingling in the narrow space that separated them.
Hua Jing’s arms, strong and steady, held the woman securely, her body pressed against his chest.
The noble lady’s wide, startled eyes locked onto Hua Jing’s, and for a mont, it felt as though the entire world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
Hua Jing’s face, in the woman’s eyes was devilishly handso even in disguise, was a sight to behold. His sharp jawline, frad by the faint shadow of his carefully drawn mustache, seed almost sculpted by the gods themselves.
His eyes, dark and wicked, glimred with a playful mischief that made the noble lady’s heart skip a beat.
His lips, curved into that infuriatingly charming smirk, seed to promise both danger and delight. She couldn’t look away, even if she wanted to.
The noble lady’s face burned, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson that spread to the tips of her ears.
She felt as though she had been wrapped in a warm, invisible cocoon, one that made her limbs feel heavy and her thoughts scatter like leaves in the wind.
Her heart pounded in her chest, a wild, unfamiliar rhythm that left her breathless.
She had never felt anything like this before—this strange, overwhelming sensation that made her want to both pull away and lean closer at the sa ti.
"So handso..." she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if the words had escaped her lips without her permission.
Hua Jing blinked, caught off guard by the woman’s reaction. She had expected her to stamr out a thank you, perhaps even scold him for his boldness, but this?
This was sothing entirely unexpected. Her wide, innocent eyes, her flushed cheeks, the way she seed to be completely captivated by him—it was both amusing and endearing.
Before Hua Jing could say anything, the maid, who had been hovering anxiously nearby, quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for saving our madam!" she exclaid, her voice trembling with urgency. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the noble lady’s arm and began pulling her away.
The noble lady stumbled slightly, her eyes still locked on Hua Jing’s face as if she couldn’t bear to look away.
She turned her head one last ti, her lips parting as if she wanted to say sothing, but the maid was already dragging her through the crowd.
In a matter of seconds, she was gone, leaving Hua Jing standing there, her arms still slightly outstretched as if she hadn’t quite processed what had just happened.
The brothel, which had montarily fallen silent during the commotion, erupted into a flurry of whispers and giggles.
The flower ladies, who had been watching the scene unfold with rapt attention, began to chatter excitedly among themselves.
"Did you see that? The young master caught her so gracefully!" one of them exclaid, fanning herself dramatically.
"I’ve never seen such a romantic scene in my life!" another sighed, clutching her chest as if her heart might burst. "The way he held her... it was like sothing out of a painting!"
"I’m so jealous," a third woman pouted, her eyes following Hua Jing as she stood there, still looking slightly dazed. "Why doesn’t anyone hold like that?"
"Do you think he’s fallen in love at first sight?" another whispered, her voice tinged with both curiosity and envy.
Hua Jing, "..."
Hua Jing, overhearing their comnts, felt a strange mix of amusent and exasperation.
Love at first sight? Hardly.
She hadn’t even gotten a proper look at the woman’s face before she was whisked away.
And yet, there was sothing about her—sothing about the way she had looked at him, the way her cheeks had flushed, the way she had whispered those words—that lingered in his mind.
Now that she was thinking about it, that woman...that gaze of hers,
Had she fallen in love with her?
This was dangerous, very dangerous!
She shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and turned back toward the private room where the flower ladies were waiting.
When Hua Jing returned to the private room, the flower ladies imdiately surrounded him, their playful smiles and teasing words doing little to distract him from his thoughts.
One of them, a particularly bold woman, leaned in close, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Young master, you seem distracted. Is there sothing on your mind?"
Hua Jing forced a smile, though her heart wasn’t in it. "Just tired," she said, gently extricating herself from the woman’s grasp. "I think I’ll leave for the night. You ladies enjoy yourselves—I’ve already paid for everything."
The flower ladies pouted, their disappointnt evident. "Young master, are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?" one of them asked, her voice dripping with sweetness. "I know a few tricks that might help you relax..."
Hua Jing chuckled, though her mind was already elsewhere. "Next ti, my beautiful," she said, winking at the woman. "Next ti, I’ll co looking for you. But for now, there are so matters I need to attend to."
Before the woman could protest, Hua Jing was already out the door, her steps quick and purposeful.
The cool night air hit her face, a welco relief after the stifling atmosphere of the brothel.
She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head, but the image of the noble lady’s flushed face kept creeping back into her thoughts.
As she walked, Hua Jing began to hum softly, a lancholic tune that matched her mood.
"I once lived a good life," she sang under her breath, her voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. "But now I’m lost in a strange place, far from everything I know..."
Her steps were unsteady, her body still feeling the effects of the alcohol she had consud earlier.
She didn’t want to return to the palace, not yet. The thought of facing her responsibilities, of slipping back into the role of the seventh consort, felt suffocating.
For now, she just wanted to be Hua Jing, the devilishly handso young master who could charm anyone with a wink and a smile.
But as she wandered through the dimly lit streets, her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden scream.
Hua Jing’s body reacted instinctively, her senses sharpening as she turned toward the source of the noise.
Without hesitation, she broke into a run...
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