She was having a nosebleed! A nosebleed!
In all her years, she had never been so humiliated. Blood trickled from her nose, dripping onto her collar and the back of her hand. In a panic, she wiped at it with the back of her hand, but it only smeared. She tried rubbing it with her sleeve, only to leave bloody streaks all over her face.
She circulated her spiritual energy to suppress the sudden agitation in her chest. The flush on her face faded slightly, but her ears remained bright red, looking as though they might bleed.
This is so embarrassing, she thought. I've completely humiliated myself. But she couldn't entirely blame herself. Out of nowhere, this incredibly stunning woman had appeared—slender yet surprisingly curvaceous, with an unbelievable waist-to-hip ratio, wearing a tattered, battle-damaged outfit that left far too much of her beauty exposed. And those glass-like eyes looking at her like a puppy begging to be adopted... it was practically tap-dancing on her exact aesthetic preferences.
It wasn't that she had never seen a beautiful woman before, but she had never seen one like this. This kind of... she couldn't even find the words to describe it.
“Proprietress Hua, do you know them?” the gate disciple asked, leaning forward with a knowing grin. Hua Er, still wiping away her nosebleed, quickly spoke up, her voice tinged with urgency. “Yes, yes! Of course I know them.”
Jiang Ci had initially worried that this petite, girl-like woman would be unwilling to take them in. Hearing her words, her heart finally settled. Her gamble had paid off.
She had no idea why Hua Er was having a nosebleed, never once imagining that she was the cause. After all, in her mind, why would a woman get a nosebleed over another woman? Maybe she's just in poor health, Jiang Ci rationalized to herself. She didn't know what was churning in Hua Er's mind; she only knew they were allowed to enter.
“Since you know them, that will be two hundred spirit stones. You know the rules for bringing people in, Proprietress Hua.” The gate disciple smiled, adopting a strictly professional demeanor, completely masking the fact that he had just extorted four flasks of fine wine from her.
Hua Er gritted her teeth in frustration, though her voice softened. “Immortal Masters, mine is just a small business. I just took in two others a few days ago, and business has been slow lately. I can barely get a decent price for my wine. Could you please show some mercy? Otherwise, I won't even have the money to buy ingredients for next month's brew.”
As she spoke, the blood on her face was still smeared, her collar was stained, and her sleeves were red, making her look genuinely pitiful.
In reality, she had the money. But if she could get a discount, why wouldn't she? Only an idiot wouldn't take advantage of a deal. What she hated most in life was being ripped off, and she hated it even more when she had to smile through it. Suppressing her disgust, she put on such a pitiful act that she almost believed it herself.
The blue-robed disciple pretended to contemplate, tapping his chin a couple of times. In truth, they were also a bit nervous. According to the sect rules, if the elders found out about their extortion earlier, they would be in serious trouble. However, their post at the gate rarely offered any extra perks. It wasn't every day they could run an errand in exchange for several flasks of spiritual wine, so they weren't about to pass it up. The two exchanged a glance and were about to speak.
But Jiang Ci spoke first. Her voice was urgent, her usual cold composure completely gone, replaced by a heartfelt plea. “If you cannot afford both, it is fine to only pay for him. Please, Proprietress Hua, just give him a bite to eat.” Her voice trembled, and her eyes welled with tears. She had long known that kindness never came without a price. She was terrified that the high cost would make the woman in front of her give up on them. She didn't matter—she could survive outside. But Lu Yan was on the verge of death. She had traveled so far; she could not let him die at the city gates.
Hua Er was utterly dumbfounded. She never expected Jiang Ci to say something like that. Is this girl too honest for her own good?! Can't she see I'm bargaining?! She was completely ruining her play; how was she supposed to keep driving the price down now?
With a dark expression, she pulled two thousand-tael silver banknotes from her storage bag and slapped them into the smiling disciple's hand with a swift, sharp motion, as if delivering a backhand. Grabbing Jiang Ci, she pulled her along, her grip so strong that Jiang Ci stumbled and nearly fell.
“Proprietress Hua, you forgot the passes!” the disciple shouted from behind, but Hua Er completely ignored him. Now that they were in the city, who cared about passes? Those damn parasites, I'm spitting in their wine next time.
She dragged Jiang Ci down the street at a brisk pace. Carrying Lu Yan on her back, Jiang Ci struggled to keep up, but she didn't stop. Hua Er's nosebleed had stopped, but her collar was stained with blood and her sleeves were filthy, making her look as though she had just been in a brawl. She didn't look back; she was furious, but so what? She only knew she wanted to bring them home. Everything else could wait until they got home.
Dragged along by Hua Er, Jiang Ci stumbled, struggled, and limped her way into the city, carrying Lu Yan on her back. Yet, the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward. She knew she had won her gamble. She had won their lives, and she had won their future. She had promised him, out there in the snow:
“You'll be fine. I'm taking you home.”
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