Zhihao smiled, maintaining his demeanor. "Yes, I am Lin Zhihao," he answered and bowed. "We sell the finest elixir at a friendlier price than others!"
However, the woman was silent and still watching with an expression Zhihao could not understand. She scrutinized from bottom to top with those beautiful azure eyes until linked with Zhihao's emerald ones.
"I have heard," she replied, turning her head towards the house, "that you offer more than concoctions."
The man was astonished and furrowed his brows. "I don't think I understand that," Zhihao responded, almost in a whisper.
"A massage," her attention shifted to the man. "I know from Wu Xinran that you can heal her strains in a short time. Is it true?"
Silent, the man hesitated to admit. It was a hidden talent for him but this woman before him might have a close relationship with Xinran. "Well, it can be said so. Are you her friend?"
She then smiled and outstretched her hand forward. "I'm Chen Jia, her caretaker," she uttered, not releasing her stare toward Zhihao.
Zhihao disoriented, accepted her hand. The touch of her milk-white skin sent a shiver down his spine. "Caretaker?"
"Perhaps you still don't understand anything about her," she said, still with the smile that made her look beautiful. "It doesn't matter, I wanted to know if you can be trusted or not."
"She told me everything," Jia averted her face to her side. "Yet, I'm not convinced."
"I can't be careless for her," she turned back to Zhihao. "To confirm that, could you do it to me as well?"
"For almost one year now, I have suffered from this backache," Jia continued. "But I keep it a secret from her and I'm not here for one intention."
Zhihao opted for silence, absorbing her words. In the stillness, Jia sighed, breaking it with a question, "Is your proposition to stay here, is it mere conversation or a genuine offer?"
The man then turned to the house, flustered. "Well, it's my sister's idea but I think she is serious about that," he then put down his lawn mower. "She's out at the moment."
"Come inside," Zhihao stepped from the lawn and was followed by Jia. "We can discuss more of it."
The blonde woman looked stunned when she entered Zhihao's house. Although the room was simple with wooden furniture everywhere, there was some kind of magic to transform it into captivating aesthetics.
"Please, have a seat while I make you some drinks," in an amicable manner, Zhihao headed to the kitchen. "It won't take so much time."
Jia made no sound, her eyes exploring every corner of the room. A sense of calm enveloped her, an unfamiliar tranquility. As she settled onto the sofa, a brief, sharp pain shot through her back, eliciting an immediate whimper.
"Argh!" The sound of her shriek prompted Zhihao to turn, witnessing Jia's grimacing expression as she rubbed the affected area. "This hurts!" she exclaimed.
Zhihao poured his favorite drink into the cup, hastily approaching the woman with straight blonde hair cascading to her shoulders. "Are you alright?" he inquired, placing the drink on the table with concern.
"What is that?" she inquired, not sure what he brought in front of her.
Zhihao thought of the right sentence to explain. "Uh... it is an elixir to improve our metabolism," the man then turned with a smile. "It will make you feel better and relaxed."
Jia fell into silence for a while before saying, "How long have you known Xinran?"
Seated on the chair, Zhihao chuckled, "Ah, we met for like two days from now. I don't know much about her."
"That's a relief," she sighed. "I don't want her to be too well known here."
"Why is that?" The man in the simple brown tunic replied.
Jia fixed her gaze on Zhihao, her eyes seemingly piercing into the man across from her. "Because she is a princess from the north kingdom. As caretakers, I have to keep her safe."
Zhihao's eyes widened in disbelief upon learning that Xinran, the woman he had interacted with, held royal status. The realization of such a significant throne made Zhihao feel nervous tension. It explained why she mentioned riding the carriage every day she went to school.
He should have realized when she handed him four gold coins, a wealth uncommon among regular folks. "Ah, I see it now," Zhihao mused, looking down and leaning forward. "But why choose to come all this way? Aren't there numerous schools closer there?"
Jia's eyes filled with hesitation. "The Moonlight Blossom sect isn't widespread in various regions, particularly in our area," she explained, picking up the cup with a saucer underneath. "Since we found one of them in this village, our options are limited."
She blows the white fluid, dissipating some of its heat. "You know so well about the school right, it is not like the other martial arts. Her father wants her to learn about that aspect since none of her siblings want to delve into it."
Zhihao nodded in comprehension. "Everyone seems to underestimate their method," he whispered, remembering what one of the masters had said. "Yet, their education is crucial for our awareness."
"Then," Jia placed the cup back on the table, "do we have an agreement?"
"What agreement?" Zhihao inquired.
"Don't tell this information to anyone else," the delicate eyes looked back at Zhihao. "And I compensate the massage much higher."
The man was stunned, not anticipating that this opportunity could be so lucrative for Zhihao. As an experienced therapist, he couldn't afford to pass it up. "Alright, you can trust me on this," he affirmed and arose. "Do you want to do it here or..."
"Here is fine, doesn't matter," she unexpectedly slid her hanfu sleeves and exposed her large cleavage. "This ache cannot wait."
Zhihao who had seen her, swallowed hard and turned his head. "W-Wait! Let me take a towel first," he stammered and stepped from there.
It didn't take long before Zhihao returned with a thick, blue towel, and set it on the sofa. "Now, lie down while I'm preparing the rest."
Jia opened her hanfu, exposing her ample bosom, still covered by white, semi-transparent clothes adorned with floral patterns. Zhihao who was beside her, refrained from getting carried away as she removed the fabric, concealing those two mounds with her hand.
Whimpering in distress, she lay down, feeling the sensation of her back as if being stabbed. Her chest pressed against the towel as she faced to one side. "I hope this will work."