Chapter 22

Heng Xīnyán's back felt cold. The light smile on her face froze and she almost stumbled from her long tunic skirt. Her heart pounded in her chest heavily.

Bàolì Hua was calmer than the flustered female in pink. With her natural cold emotionless face. Her lips just twitched a few times before she composed herself.

Heng Xīnyán turned to look at Xu Chang. Her lips struggled on which direction to go. Down or up… yet a smile failed to form on her face.

Xu Chang did not notice the two females' unnatural expressions. Hence, Heng Xīnyán smiled after the cold sweat on her back disappeared.

She then opened her lips to utter, "So… this Cheng's teashop… is it popular?"

Xu Chang nodded, turning towards the female next to her, she stated seriously, "Yes… Cheng Fu's family had that teashop for generations! I think it was even here right at the start of Ghost Cult." Removing her sleeves that blocked her lips after she finished eating.

"Oh…" Heng Xīnyán's lips opened and closed with no other sound. However, Xu Chang nodded and continued, "I heard that the teashop has a deity protecting it!"

Heng Xīnyán's eyes twitched fiercely, "How scary and formidable."

Xu Chang nodded in agreement. "Scary indeed."

Her head turned robotically toward Bàolì Hua who sneered in her direction before looking away. Heng Xīnyán humphed lightly.

"Ladies." The cold voice of Shǒuwèi Yī's sounded in front of them.

Startled, they looked towards the male in brown. His brows were furrowed looking displeased at their slow movements. His lips twitched, watching their little feet walk at even steps.

"Young Miss is awaiting your arrival," he stated plainly after watching them arrive in front of him. The fierce glint in his dark eyes faded and it was replaced by annoyance upon waiting on the females.

Heng Xīnyán stepped forward. Her lips curled into a small polite smile. She lifted her chin to utter, "Please lead the way, Gentleman Shǒuwèi Yī."

Shǒuwèi Yī paused before turning his back and walking down the glossy floor. The three maidens of different colours followed him. One in dark pink, another in light pink and the last one in green. Instead of their colours clashing and being displeasing to the eyes.

The colors seemed to be spiritual energy which merged with the other colours and their owner's aura which was unique.

However, to Shǒuwèi Yī. His eyes glanced at the female in dark pink. This female gave him a bad feeling. Her smiling black eyes were supposed to be friendly but in Shǒuwèi Yī's eyes, they were sinister and endless. Like the dark abyss in Lí [1] Continent. Shǒuwèi Yī decided to keep an eye on this strange female in pink.

'She isn't simple,' His mind concluded and he arrived at the room that his Young Miss spent her time leisurely in. Knocking on the faint foggy see-through yellow door, Shǒuwèi Yī waited for his Young Miss to gain his request to enter.

"Shǒuwèi Yī, enter." Her voice was low and husky. Instead of it sounding strange, the low volume just added a layer of complexity and allure. Making many want to see the owner of the voice.

Hoping to see an attractive female that owned the voice. The two females dressed in dark pink and green entered the opened door that Shǒuwèi Yī slid to the side.

Entering the room. A light fresh breeze brushed passed their faces. Heng Xīnyán smelt the aroma in the air. The sweet scent of incense burners hit Heng Xīnyán's face strongly. The jasmine-scented incense made Heng Xīnyán breathe deeply, enjoying the air.

"So… these are the females, my concubinus [2] is rebelling for?" Her voice was still low but now it rose lightly as contempt laced her words. Heng Xīnyán's black willow brows rose lightly, her eyes circled the room. The room was a normal square room but it was very large. Large rectangular windows on the eastern wall exposed the bright green hill with swaying cherry blossom trees.

With dark curtains hung up by a golden hook. A small dark cushion-like couch was braced to the wooden wall. A large brown carpet covered the entire floor and Heng Xīnyán continuously admired the room, and its unique designs. She ignored the snort that came from the drawn dark gold certain from the western corner of the room.

She was aware that the female they had to get rid of going by the name Yīnchén Ài was behind it but Heng Xīnyán considered the heavy backing that Yīnchén Ài had. She suddenly wondered if she was too greedy. It was just ten gold coins.

Yet, here she stood risking her life for a black-bellied [3] man. That obviously hated her guts.

The dark curtain was drawn. The three females stood before the curtain. Awaiting the beauty who owned that lovely alluring voice.

Behind the curtains, a large brown sofa spread endlessly across the wall with many pillows on it. The star of the show, sat up from her lying position. Her pale arms were white as snow. No blemishes nor spots could be seen on her smooth skin. Her every movement was graceful and her back was straight. A maid in brown passed them and helped the female up.

Her smooth black tunic fell to her pale feet. The maid bent to put on the floral Manchu shoes. The female did not speak as she allowed her feet to enter the shoe. Waving the maid off, she walked to sit on the couch by the window. Her clear black eyes watched them like a hawk.

From her nose down, it was covered by a black veil just exposing her clear eyes and smooth forehead. Heng Xīnyán watched the female with interest and she bowed lightly, "Young Miss… This maiden's name is Heng Xīnyán."

Yīnchén Ài scoffed, her clear eyes showing disdain. "I don't remember asking." Her tone was blunt and was filled with arrogance.

Heng Xīnyán looked at her with no embarrassment on her face. She merely stood to say, "You don't remember a lot of things then, Young Miss."

Yīnchén Ài narrowed her clear eyes. "What do you suggest by that?" She asked sternly.

Heng Xīnyán merely laughed, "One must keep an eye on the one they chose… isn't that correct?"

Yīnchén Ài's face darkened. Understanding what the female in dark pink was implying. Heng Xīnyán was mocking her, trying to tell her even if she declared Jiǎndān Yìzé as hers. He may not necessarily agree and may do all kinds of things to resist her.

Unlike her noble background, which gave her everything she wanted since she was born. Jiǎndān Yìzé was born into a poor family in Hu Village. It was his pretty white face that attracted her. Hence, she declared the male as her property but this property she chose was resisting her fiercely. Even hiring two women with unknown origins to get rid of her.

Yīnchén Ài sneered behind the veil. Her eyes were like a sharp knife that wanted to cut Heng Xīnyán into pieces.

Heng Xīnyán covered her lips with her wide sleeves to mutter. However, everyone in the room heard her voice which was laced with sinister intent.

"It seems like the backstory of this task is quite deep."

"Not simple at all," Bàolì Hua continued and Yīnchén Ài glared at them.

~~~~~~~~~~

1. Lí: means dark.

2. Concubinus: what a male concubine is called.

3. Black-bellied: someone who is secretly quite evil/sly/manipulative