Can You Kiss Me?

After leaving, Zhao Xun asked quite a few people about the witch.

Most of the townspeople were friendly and told him whatever they knew, allowing him to gather a good deal of information.

Ruby, the witch, had lost her parents in an accident when she was five.

After her parents died, the young Ruby had no source of income. Her family had been poor, and with no other relatives to turn to, she had no choice but to look for work wherever she could, only to be turned away everywhere because of her age.

Fortunately, just when she had nowhere left to turn, the town's only duke suddenly announced that he wanted to hire a maid.

Ruby got the job.

In the townspeople's words, "The duke is such a kindhearted man. He must have heard about Ruby and hired a maid specifically to give her a home. After all, what work could a five-year-old child possibly do?"

From then until she was discovered to be a witch, Ruby had lived in the servants' quarters at the Duke's Manor.

As she grew up, Ruby became cheerful and optimistic, always greeting everyone with a smile. The other maids and the townspeople all liked her.

Ruby worked diligently and had even earned the duke's praise. Later, she was promoted to Head Maid-information provided by a woman who still worked as a maid at the Duke's Manor.

At the time, Zhao Xun had been asking a butcher about Ruby's past when this maid, named Lisa, happened to come by to buy meat and chimed in.

Zhao Xun followed Lisa and asked a few more questions.

The maid was clearly a chatterbox. He barely had to ask before she spilled everything she knew.

After becoming Head Maid, Ruby had more opportunities to interact with the duke. She no longer had to personally handle chores such as sweeping and dusting, and instead spent more of her time attending to him directly.

Her duties included tidying the duke's bedroom, laying out his clothes for the next day, and having the cook prepare his three daily meals according to his wishes.

However, Ruby loved the lifelike sculptures in the Duke's Manor. Even after becoming Head Maid, she insisted on wiping down every sculpture herself each day and never considered it a bother.

"Are there a lot of sculptures in the Duke's Manor?" Zhao Xun waited patiently for Lisa to finish before asking.

Lisa nodded. "Quite a few. The Duke's Manor is huge, and the duke loves sculptures, so there are some everywhere."

"Then could I visit the Duke's Manor?" Zhao Xun asked with a smile. "I'm very interested in sculptures."

The Duke's Manor had sculptures, and the witch had wiped them down every day. That immediately caught his interest.

Besides, if he wanted to learn more about the witch's past, he would have to visit the Duke's Manor.

No matter how he looked at it, he needed to go there.

"Huh?" Lisa looked troubled. "That might be a little difficult."

Had anyone else asked, she might have simply rolled her eyes and refused.

But the man before her was so handsome, with such refined features, that she really wanted to help. Still, she did not dare offend the duke.

Just as she was feeling deeply disappointed, a sudden thought struck her.

"Oh, right!" She grabbed Zhao Xun's arm excitedly. "The duke is very hospitable. He holds a banquet every week, and the townspeople all have a chance to attend."

Zhao Xun immediately understood what Lisa meant. "When does the banquet start?" he asked.

"You're in luck. Tonight happens to be the duke's weekly open banquet." Lisa winked at Zhao Xun.

"That's wonderful." Zhao Xun looked pleased for a moment, then asked with some concern, "But I'm not a resident here. Can I still attend?"

"Of course." Lisa patted the back of his hand. "How could the duke possibly know every person in town? Besides, not everyone can attend each open banquet, so it's first come, first served. Once enough people have arrived, the gates of the Duke's Manor close. No one can say for sure who'll get to attend."

"Then what time should I start lining up outside the Duke's Manor?" Zhao Xun asked.

"With me around, you won't need to line up!" Lisa said with a broad smile. "I'll open the little side gate for you, and you can go right in. There'll be so many people at the Duke's Manor tonight that no one will suspect you came in through there."

"Thank you so much." Zhao Xun smiled too, his expression warm and gentle. "Would that cause any trouble for you?"

"No, not at all." Lisa shook her head repeatedly. "Every banquet has a few people who use their connections to get in through the side gate. Other maids have opened it for people too."

"That's good." Zhao Xun asked another question. "When should I come over?"

"Let's meet here at five this evening, and I'll take you there." Lisa pointed to a little alley nearby. "Not on the main road. That would be too obvious."

"All right," Zhao Xun agreed.

"Um..." Lisa fluttered her eyelashes and looked at Zhao Xun expectantly. "Since I'm doing you such a big favor, can you kiss me?"

Zhao Xun: "..."

She really was an enthusiastic, bold young woman.

When Zhao Xun did not respond, Lisa refused to give up and asked again, "Can you?"

Zhao Xun looked at Lisa with a smile, saying nothing just yet.

He knew perfectly well that refusing her outright might make her unwilling to take him into the Duke's Manor.

Although lining up would give him a chance to get in, he needed to be absolutely certain he could enter.

But using my looks...?

Zhao Xun braced one hand against the wall behind Lisa and lowered his head slightly, his warm breath almost mingling with hers.

Lisa's heart instantly began pounding, and her breathing quickened.

She tilted her head up to look at Zhao Xun, her eyes full of anticipation.

"How about..." Zhao Xun's voice dropped a little. "After we get into the Duke's Manor? How about two kisses?"

Lisa was initially a little disappointed, but the last sentence immediately cheered her up. "You said it, so you'd better mean it!"

"Yes, I said it." Zhao Xun chuckled softly.

"Then I'll see you this evening." Lisa waved and left, excitement written all over her face.

She could hardly wait and only wished evening would come sooner.

Zhao Xun stood there watching for a while. Only after he was certain Lisa had disappeared from view did he walk to a small fountain nearby and thoroughly wash the back of his hand several times.

Using his looks cost him nothing. However, as a man of principle, he would not casually engage in any intimate contact with a woman who did not interest him.

Of course, he had only said that to placate Lisa and keep her willing to take him to the Duke's Manor.

Once they reached the Duke's Manor, Lisa would no longer be of any use to him.

Then...

Zhao Xun narrowed his eyes slightly.

I'll deal with that when the time comes.