Chapter 47

The young woman stepped lightly forward, her slender waist swaying slightly as her loose robes fluttered in the wind.

She blinked eyes tinged red at the corners, watery ripples flowing through them. "Dear sister, I truly only want that bolt of cloth."

Zhong Suihua felt a soft presence and could not help feeling her mind sway. She shook her head, then said helplessly, "Since you insist, honored guest-"

Before she could finish, a tall woman entered from outside, with a youth whose hair and beard were both white at her side. The youth only came up to the woman's chest. The tall woman cut in, calling out, "Wait!"

A vicious look flashed across the loose-haired woman's face, hidden behind her sleeve.

"Shopkeeper, we've taken a liking to that bolt of cloth too."

Zhong Suihua froze. What's going on today? How could a shabby piece of cloth used to keep the dust off be so sought after? She stared blankly at the gray cloth again, but still could not see anything special about it.

Zhong Suihua looked up at the tall woman. "Honored guest, are you sure you need it?"

The youth beside the tall woman answered with a warm smile, "Shopkeeper, the cloth may not be much to look at, but we really do want it."

Zhong Suihua glanced back at the loose-haired woman and said, "But this guest came first."

The loose-haired woman lowered her hand and rested it in front of her waist. She gave the youth a soft chuckle and leaned toward him. "Handsome sir, I did indeed come first."

The youth showed no reaction to the loose-haired woman's seductive manner. Getting straight to the point, he said with a chuckle, "This bolt of cloth means a great deal to me. To you, it would be nothing more than another material. I hope you can give way. You will certainly be rewarded."

The loose-haired woman went limp and leaned forward in a coquettish manner, about to fall into the youth's arms. But the tall woman beside him caught her by the shoulder and said coldly, "Miss, if you're ill, you should get it treated sooner rather than later."

The loose-haired woman gave a coquettish huff and rolled her eyes.

The youth spoke again. "I know a place where there's something well suited to you. In return, I hope you'll give way."

"Oh?" The loose-haired woman smiled seductively. "Does this handsome sir know what I want?" She narrowed her eyes, her seductive gaze silky.

The youth smiled and answered, "The Pearl of Departing Yang, the Flower of Shattering."

The loose-haired woman's gaze, like a clear spring, was suddenly cut off. Her expression turned cold at once, and she looked at the youth without a word.

The youth's smile remained, his expression unchanged. "Are you willing?"

"Go on. I'll let you have the cloth."

"There's a brothel on the next street. Its leading courtesan is named Ruyan. The hairpin Miss Ruyan wears is what you need."

The loose-haired woman paused, then swept her sleeves and strode away.

The youth watched her leave with a smile, but the tall woman beside him could not help asking suspiciously, "How do you know it so well?"

The youth's face reddened slightly. He shook his head and said quietly, "I went there a few days ago."

"Oh."

The youth waved his hand. "I only went to take a look. I didn't do anything else!"

"Anything else?" the tall woman asked.

The youth froze and pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

Zhong Suihua stood to the side, turning things over in her mind. Today was very strange, very strange. Not only were there many unfamiliar outsiders on the streets, but the conversation between the youth and the loose-haired woman had also sounded very strange.

They seemed, seemed to be looking for something in Black Stone City.

As she thought about it, Zhong Suihua could not help forming a few guesses, though they felt far-fetched. She absently took out the red handkerchief Ye Fu had made for her and dabbed at the corner of her eye.

At that very moment, the youth in front of her suddenly froze, then began to tremble, as though struck by lightning. He staggered forward a few steps and grabbed Zhong Suihua's hand. "Shopkeeper, that handkerchief of yours-" His voice shook. He froze again, unable to speak for a long while.

Zhong Suihua frowned. The young man looked clean-cut, but she had not expected him to act so offensively.

Realizing he had lost his composure, the youth hurriedly apologized.

Then he hastily said, "Shopkeeper, will you sell that handkerchief? I'll pay any price!"

The tall woman tugged at his shoulder and looked at him suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?"

The youth ignored her, clenching his teeth as he watched Zhong Suihua tensely.

Seeing the youth's gaze, as though it were about to catch fire, Zhong Suihua tucked the handkerchief back inside her robes. "I'm truly sorry, honored guest. This handkerchief is very important to me. I can't sell it."

Zhong Suihua was clever. From the youth's behavior alone, she knew that the handkerchief, or the skill used to sew it, was very precious. She could not help thinking of Ye Fu, who had made it for her.

"You can name any price you want!" the youth said anxiously.

Zhong Suihua shook her head firmly. "It's not a question of money. I'm not fond of money, and once something I like is in my hands, there's no way I'll let it go."

"Not just money! Appearance-Preserving Pills! Lifespan Pills! Even culti-"

Before the youth could finish, the tall woman behind him hurriedly covered his mouth and whispered urgently, "Do you know what you're doing? Do you want to be killed by the Forest Guardians?"

The youth was struck as if by lightning. A moment later, clarity returned to his eyes, but he looked at Zhong Suihua's chest and, after a long while, let out a deep sigh.

"Honored guest, do you still want the gray cloth?"

The youth turned away in dejection, shook his head, and left. The tall woman hurried after him.

Zhong Suihua was attentive to detail. After storing away the day's events in her heart, she told the shop assistants they would close early, then shut the shop to avoid attracting trouble.

At the street corner.

The tall woman caught hold of the dispirited youth and frowned. "What exactly happened? Why don't you want the gray cloth anymore?"

The youth gave a bitter laugh and sat down against the wall in a puddle. "Having seen an object of such heavenly craftsmanship, how could I still think anything of that gray cloth?" he said dejectedly.

"Is there something special about that handkerchief?"