An Jiu lowered her head to adjust the trigger mechanism on her crossbow, then raised it and fired an arrow without hesitation.
With a thud, the arrow grazed Hua Rongjian’s right hand and embedded itself deep into the nanmu wood of the carriage wall.
"You—!" Hua Rongjian glared at her furiously before turning his attention to the damaged carriage wall with a pained expression. "What a waste of fine craftsmanship."
An Jiu observed his concern for the carriage rather than himself. "The Hua Clan isn’t short on money, is it?"
"The Hua Clan isn’t, but I am." Hua Rongjian didn’t shy away from admitting his shortcomings. His notorious reputation for reckless behavior had long led the Hua Chief Councillor to restrict his spending.
He paused briefly before grinning. "But don’t worry—I secretly run a few gambling dens. Plenty to cover expenses."
This revelation surprised An Jiu. Shouldn’t this be a secret? Yet he had casually shared it with her.
"I want to get off," An Jiu said abruptly.
"Wait, we’re almost there," Hua Rongjian reassured her. "You can’t just wander the streets like this. The tavern we’re going to is run by a friend of mine. We can sit by the window, enjoy the view, and there are plenty of interesting things to see—definitely not boring."
The phrase "interesting things" successfully caught An Jiu’s attention. She lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside. The streets were indeed sparsely populated by women—only the occasional maidservant from wealthy households or a few married women passed by.
After roughly the time it took to drink two cups of tea, the carriage stopped in front of a shabby, out-of-the-way tavern.
Hua Rongjian handed An Jiu a bamboo hat before stepping out first and offering her his hand.
Under the brilliant spring sunlight, the handsome man in his blue satin robes smiled warmly. An Jiu glanced at his slender, pale hand—the calloused webbing between his thumb and forefinger suggested frequent sword use.
Seeing her frosty demeanor, Hua Rongjian expected her to ignore his gesture. But after a brief hesitation, she took his hand.
Her soft, smooth fingers were as cold as ice. Hua Rongjian instinctively tightened his grip, as if trying to warm them.
As their palms touched, An Jiu felt a surge of warmth flow into her, like a gentle early summer breeze—along with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
The surrounding buildings were dilapidated, and poorly dressed onlookers peeked out curiously. Hua Rongjian led An Jiu quickly inside.
The interior was a mess—tables and chairs were strewn about, covered in thick dust, and cobwebs stretched across the room like they could be woven into a quilt. An Jiu grew wary and gently withdrew her hand. She looked up at the second floor.
The upper level was pitch-black, its broken railings equally coated in dust. Strangely, one section appeared polished clean.
Squinting, An Jiu faintly discerned a shadowy figure in the darkness. Her grip tightened around her crossbow.
Hua Rongjian clenched his hand, a trace of disappointment flashing across his face.
"Well, well, bringing the little missus along, eh?" A voice rang out before its owner appeared.
A scruffy, bearded man leaned over the second-floor railing, sending dust fluttering down. He was clearly drunk, resting his chin on the railing as his beady eyes roamed over An Jiu.
Hua Rongjian stepped forward, shielding her slightly, and grinned up at the man. "Don’t talk nonsense. This is Mei Shi’s Fourteen Lady—not my wife."
He added with a chuckle, "I’d like to marry her, but she won’t have me."
The man nodded sagely. "Naturally. What decent young lady would agree to marry you?"
Hua Rongjian laughed and scolded, "Nonsense! Get down here and entertain your guests properly!""Don't wait, there's wine and meat in the back garden—go entertain yourself!" The man was about to withdraw his head when he suddenly remembered something and laughed with an especially lewd tone, "I've already heard about what happened on the main street, heh heh."
What happened on the main street?
Hua Rongjian was utterly confused. From the man's tone, it clearly wasn't anything good. But with so many troubles already, one more wouldn't make a difference. Even if tomorrow brought rumors that Hua Rongjian had gotten a man pregnant, it wouldn't surprise him in the least. So he didn't bother pursuing the matter and simply led An Jiu into the back garden.
From the outside, the residence appeared dilapidated, but upon entering the garden, one discovered a hidden paradise—lush greenery, blooming flowers veiling the scenery, and pavilions arranged in picturesque disorder.
Hua Rongjian navigated the winding paths with ease and entered a room.
An Jiu paused at the doorway, her eyes immediately catching sight of the walls covered in human faces! Men and women, young and old, their eyes hollow and eerie.
She halted at the threshold.
"What is this?" An Jiu used her small crossbow to nudge the nearest face, which fell—revealing itself to be just a skin.
Hua Rongjian explained, "Over the past two years, I've searched far and wide for renowned physicians for my elder brother. By chance, I met someone who called himself the 'Divine Physician,' though his skills were worse than a back-alley quack. But he's a master craftsman, specializing in making these Human Skin Masks."
"That old man from earlier?" An Jiu was intrigued by the thin material and took a couple of steps inside.
Hua Rongjian burst into laughter, "Though his face is covered in a wild beard, he's actually not even thirty-five yet."
An Jiu was silent for a moment before remarking, "Then he really looks like he's wearing a Human Skin Mask."
"Talking behind someone's back invites retribution," the man's voice suddenly echoed from the rafters.
An Jiu was startled. Had she been careless, or was his Martial Arts truly peerless?
Hua Rongjian seemed to guess her thoughts, "It's just a voice-transmitting bowl he rigged up."
He picked a rather delicate-looking mask from the wall and held it up to An Jiu's face. "The women of your Mei Clan are unique, but it's inconvenient to walk the streets openly during the day. That's why I brought you here to find a couple of suitable masks."
"Hey! Are you two treating me like I'm dead?!" Another shout came from the rafters.
Seeing Hua Rongjian ignore it completely, An Jiu followed suit.
"Hmm, this one suits you." Hua Rongjian was pleased with his selection and pointed to a stool by the window. "Sit. Let me try it on you."
An Jiu quietly extended her Mental Strength, confirming no one was nearby, then obediently sat down.
Her unexpected compliance surprised Hua Rongjian, stirring a faint sense of delight within him.
Hua Rongjian gazed at her intently. "Tsk tsk." He touched his own face. "I can see myself reflected in your eyes."
An Jiu stared at his face, so close it seemed to glow with an ancient radiance. Just as she was about to speak, Hua Rongjian pressed a finger to her lips.
He hurriedly said, "Don't speak. I understand, truly!"
The words that might come from her mouth—he didn't dare hear them. In such a beautiful moment, he feared he might erupt in anger.
"I wanted to ask why you're so kind to me," An Jiu fixed her unblinking gaze on his eyes.
Her soft lips brushed against his finger as she spoke, sending a slight tremble through Hua Rongjian. He withdrew his hand. "To propose marriage, as I've made clear."
His cheeks flushed, so he quickly turned away to search for the adhesive to attach the mask.An Jiu stared at his retreating figure, pondering the familiar feeling she had when shaking hands earlier. She rarely interacted with others, and usually felt repulsed when Mei Jiu held someone's hand in the past. Yet this time, she had actually enjoyed it?
Why?
An Jiu was certain it wasn't due to some strange emotional reason, because she clearly knew she disliked Hua Rongjian in her heart. (To be continued...)
PS: Damn, didn't finish yesterday's part Feeling all kinds of chaotic.
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