He really wanted to howl at the brothel.
But the corner of his mouth twitched, and he dared not make a sound, simply cautiously knocking on the grand door.
Based on his observations from the past few days, he found that Ethereal Violet Pavilion actually conducted its flesh trade quite formally, regardless of selecting girls or having shifts by day and night, and he even secretly peeked inside, where it seemed to be divided into two areas.
Half was plain.
Half was fancy.
Though he appeared calm, he was still somewhat nervous on the inside. In his past life, he wasn't some eternal virgin, but he had never been to such a place, and moreover, he had no clue how that little tyrant would get angry with him for spending the night in a brothel.
The solid door was slowly pushed open.
And the madam in charge of receiving and sending off customers was not the flamboyant one he had seen welcoming Mr. Xue last time, but instead...
An elegant-looking woman.
Not yet thirty, her conduct proper, when guests exited Ethereal Violet Pavilion, her ink-colored long dress was somewhat conservative, able to cover most of the skin. If there was anything left to see, it might be that sensuous collarbone and pale neck.
And the brothel's interior was not shrouded in darkness but quite lively instead, with some playing music, dancing, some flirting and drinking with women, and some guests feeling poetic, actually asking the women to lift their skirts and write poetry with a brush on their thighs.
"Indeed, indeed, indeed."
The corner of his mouth twitched a few times.
"So it's Young Master Jiang. I've seen you enjoying music in the Xiyuan garden opposite us these past few days. What brings you to grace our Ethereal Violet Pavilion today?"
That sentence pulled Jiang Feng's soul back in an instant.
He leaned forward slightly, whether intentionally or not, the patch of whiteness at her chest inadvertently exposed in front of the young man, inciting an endless desire to explore, a stark contrast to the revealing attire and demonic makeup of the women at the entrances of other brothels.
Yes, that's what Mr. Jiang once mentioned, seemingly plain on the outside, but rich to the palate.
"…The rain is too heavy; I can't make it back."
After struggling for some time, he just managed to squeeze out a few words.
But his expression remained light as clouds and soft as breeze; before coming, he had mentally prepared how to respond, yet seeing the sensual scene still left his heart a bit in chaos.
Because in this life, he truly was a novice.
"May I ask how Sister should be addressed?"
"Too polite, Young Master Jiang. Just call me Su Yi."
She lifted a round fan to cover her mouth and smiled subtly, naturally reaching under the counter to take a towel, knowing by looking at Jiang Feng's drenched-chicken appearance that he must have had no choice but to stay overnight.
She proactively started to wipe the rainwater from his body, and the young man subconsciously stepped back, but this merely made Su Yi's smile grow even wider.
Seeing this reaction, she could tell he was a novice.
"Young Master Jiang, it's rather chilly at the entrance, why not come inside for a cup of warm tea? Your clothes are soaked; don't ruin your health."
Without uttering any explicit words, her expression and tone were very natural, making one uncontrollably follow her inside, yet Jiang Feng was somewhat curious to ask.
"Sister knows me?"
Standing in front of the counter, she paused for a moment, her face wearing a smile.
"Of course, you are Yan Mansion's future son-in-law, Lady Yan's fiancé, and the future scholar. You are quite a celebrity in Qingshui County."
Yet it was this simple sentence that left Jiang Feng frozen in place, his brows fretted once again, which had just unwound from his triumph in revenge.
Yes, he had a big reputation in Qingshui County, but rather than saying it was his own reputation, it was better to say it was that little domestic tyrant's reputation.
Everyone in Qingshui County knows my name, but few have actually seen me in person.
And Jiang Feng is no fool; he wouldn't go around shouting his own name. The number of times he's visited Firework Alley can be counted on one's fingers, and he certainly never reveals his identity during those visits.
So why did this brothel madam named Su Yi dare to call me Young Master Jiang upon meeting?
But Su Yi did not give Jiang Feng much time to ponder. She was very polite as she entertained him: "May I ask if Young Master Jiang is acquainted with any of the ladies here at Ethereal Violet Pavilion? If so, Su Yi can summon her to spend the beautiful night with the Young Master."
"If it is your first visit, perhaps you might enjoy the ladies' talents to pass the time. Look, the rain is pouring down so heavily outside, even if you wanted to return home, you would have to wait for the rain to stop before you can rest."
"Before that, why not let the ladies take good care of the Young Master, how does that sound?"
Mr. Jiang was silent.
This speech was flawless. Even he couldn't help but be momentarily tempted, struggling to resist. Such sophisticated customer-luring techniques are incomparable to any other brothel, as most who visit but dare not stay overnight are caught by their moral reservations.
So, they need a proper excuse.
No wonder it is reputed to be the richest brothel in the entire Qingshui County.
Glancing over the counter, he saw the same old madam who had arranged for Xue Wuwei's departure, still made up in heavy, striking makeup. Although she appeared young and beautiful and likely deliberately dressed to look more mature, she wasn't very appealing to him, at least he didn't like this kind of direct approach... Wait a minute.
A flash of realization crossed his eyes, he understood!
Newcomers to the brothel are often hesitant and indecisive. Many come under the pretense of just listening to music, but in their hearts, they truly desire more; the problem lies in how to bring in customers.
If invited by that flashy and frivolous old madam, probably many new visitors would refuse, why? Because overly enthusiastic advances make people flustered. But consider another perspective.
What if they were approached by someone like Su Yi, who is elegantly simple, refined, and well-mannered?
She wouldn't put any psychological pressure on you, but would gently coax you, finding reasons and making excuses for you to stay overnight, and even if you were unwilling, she would make you comfortable to settle in and listen to music...
And so, naturally, the customer would stay.
On the contrary, if a regular customer visits the brothel, they are mostly concerned with efficiency, and regulars often like to get handsy and take liberties. That's when the heavily made-up madam becomes the best choice.
Observing Su Yi's somewhat teasing yet expectant gaze, after a series of internal struggles.
"I will stay for just one night."
Resist the temptation!
Without drawing any attention, he glanced around and noticed that no one was paying attention to him. As if knowing what Jiang Feng was thinking, the lady named Su Yi just gave a faint smile and naturally pushed the steaming cup of tea towards him.
Picking up her long dress, she sat beside the young man with her legs slightly pointing inward, one hand covering her chest, then leaned a little closer, a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils, and finally she parted her lips slightly.
"Young Master, tonight, nobody will know that you were here."
"Damn it!"
His mind was in turmoil.
Originally, he only wanted to come here to avoid trouble, fearing that if he went home in the middle of the night he'd be killed by assassins, but he didn't expect the brothel's temptation to be so fearsome.
Terrifying as such.
Now he could understand why Mr. Xue, even though he was barely able to walk, still insisted on coming to Ethereal Violet Pavilion. Such temptation is not something that a teenager full of youthful vigor could withstand.
"There's no need, I, I will just stay temporarily for one night by myself, and would trouble Miss Su Yi to prepare a room for me..."
"Young Master, but our Ethereal Violet Pavilion is not an inn."
The woman just looked at Jiang Feng with an innocent face.
"It's a brothel."