Chapter 245: Where to Find a Kindred Spirit in the World

Inside her private room, Pei Mianman couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Beneath this woman's enchanting exterior, she possesses such a tender heart. I truly wouldn't want to be an enemy of someone like her."

In a private room on the other side, Xie Daoyun quietly wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes. Gazing at the slender figure beyond the pearl curtain in the distance, she couldn't help but sigh softly: "Purely in terms of zither technique, perhaps I am still slightly superior to her; but in imbuing emotion into the music, in moving people through sound, I am far inferior."

Xie Xiu also couldn't help but exclaim: "I've heard many famous courtesans play the zither over the years, and I used to think they were quite good. But now I realize that compared to her, those people aren't even fit to carry her shoes."

He then changed his tone: "However, older sister, you needn't worry about this. You grew up in luxury, in a warm and happy environment, and your emotional experiences are like a blank slate. It's no shame to be inferior to her in this aspect. She has experienced far too much in such a place of entertainment. On the surface, she still looks like a fresh, young maiden, but in truth, her heart is already riddled with holes."

His tone carried no hint of disdain; instead, it was full of admiration: "Only someone like her can play such emotion into a piece."

Xie Daoyun looked at her younger brother in surprise, not expecting him to possess such insight. Their father often scolded him for neglecting his proper pursuits; it seemed he had been wrong.

When the song ended, everyone in the hall was lost in thought, completely unaware that their faces were already wet with tears.

"Bravo!"

Someone stood up first and clapped, then a group of people also began to cheer, as if a softer voice would diminish their standing in the eyes of their goddess.

Qiu Honglei also rose from the zither table and gracefully walked towards the railing. Two pretty maids had already pulled aside the pearl curtain. A captivating beauty that could charm the world appeared before everyone. She bowed slightly and smiled, her lips curving gently: "This humble maiden, Qiu Honglei, greets everyone."

As she stood by the railing, everyone noticed that her arms were covered by a gossamer-thin, snow-white gauze, making her fair, delicate arms faintly visible.

"This woman is indeed skilled at leveraging her physical advantages," Pei Mianman thought with just one glance, seeing through her stratagem.

Unfortunately, the men below weren't as discerning as her. Witnessing this scene, their breathing quickened, and they felt intensely parched, wishing they could pull Qiu Honglei into their arms, tear off her gauze dress, then pin her beneath them and brutally ravage her. Alas, these were mere thoughts. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, who would dare incur public wrath, and who had the power to do so?

Zu An pursed his lips. Indeed, as Mr. Lu Xun once said, people's imaginations are truly too rich; seeing an arm makes them think of nudity. He hadn't expected it to be the same in this foreign world.

Just then, Chen Xuan stood up assertively: "I am Xuan Cheng. Greetings, Miss Qiu." He lived a dangerous life, so his courage naturally far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he had fewer inhibitions. As he spoke, he brazenly scrutinized her. *This face, this chest, this waist, this behind—all the women I've ever taken combined can't compare to her little toe.* *I must have this woman!* A voice incessantly echoed in his mind.

Sensing his aggressive gaze, Qiu Honglei was unfazed. She had seen too many similar looks over the years and was long accustomed to them. A faint, gentle smile appeared on her face as she bowed slightly: "Greetings, Young Master Xuan."

Xuan Cheng laughed heartily: "I never thought someone would call me Young Master one day. I detest such effeminate titles; if anyone else called me that, I'd guarantee to twist off their head. But when you, Miss Qiu, call me that, I find it extremely pleasant."

The others glared at him angrily, feeling offended. However, at this crucial moment, no one had the time or energy to bother with him. Everyone vied with each other to step forward and strike up a conversation, attempting to leave a good impression on Qiu Honglei:

"I am Du Chunfeng, my family runs a fur business. Greetings, esteemed Miss Qiu."

"I am Zhao Dezhu, my father is from the city..."

He hadn't finished speaking before he was drowned out by the voices of others:

"I am Yuan Junhui. Greetings, Miss Qiu."

"Hello, Miss Qiu, my name is Wu Yun, and my father is Wu Gang."

...

Introductions rose one after another; many were pulled back by those beside them before they could even finish a sentence. Thus, everyone strove to leave the deepest impression in the shortest time. Someone even deliberately smashed a teacup, hoping to attract Qiu Honglei's attention. Unfortunately, having been a courtesan queen for so many years, she had seen every kind of attention-grabbing trick and remained completely unmoved. Moreover, the scene was too noisy, and the sound of the smashing teacup was quickly covered by the continuous self-introductions.

Even young masters from prominent families like Wang Yuanlong and Chu Hongcai could not escape the common custom, their faces flushed as they jostled to introduce themselves. Chu Yucheng even shoved aside his stout companion, with whom he had just been passionately entwined, and pushed relentlessly forward with his bulky frame, shouting his introduction as he squeezed through.

Zu An watched with silent disdain. *Who was it just now who said they liked full-figured, strong women and disliked slender ones?* Although Qiu Honglei was certainly well-endowed, she was not at all fat; adding a bit would be too plump, and subtracting a bit too thin—a perfect figure. Yet, such a figure would normally be considered "stick-thin" in Chu Yucheng's eyes. Who would have thought he'd be acting like a madman now? *It's all about looks, isn't it?* Zu An scoffed inwardly.

"Why doesn't Young Master introduce himself?" Leng Shuangyue asked, blinking her eyes with some curiosity. Having just reseated themselves, the other women naturally returned to their respective patrons.

"This isn't an introduction, it's a monkey show," Zu An said, pursing his lips in disdain. "Look at that Qiu Honglei; on the surface, she smiles sweetly and nods frequently at these men, but in reality, she doesn't actually care about them at all."

"They claim to come to brothels to pick girls to play with, but this scene looks more like the girl picking them to play with!" Zu An's voice was full of contempt. It wasn't that he had any issue with Qiu Honglei; he simply looked down on this group of men who seemed to have never seen a woman before. *What a disgrace to us men! No matter how beautiful she is, you don't need to grovel like that, do you? Even if I had to live off a woman, I'd still do it on my own terms! Everyone should learn from me!*

Leng Shuangyue didn't know his internal thoughts and merely assumed he was displeased with Qiu Honglei. She glanced at the second floor and quietly explained: "Actually, it's not easy for Miss Qiu. While she might not truly care for these people, she generally tries to remember everyone's name. Other girls here find that very difficult."

Zu An was startled and couldn't help but exclaim, "It seems being a courtesan queen isn't just about beauty!"

Leng Shuangyue nodded empathetically: "That's right. We never lack pretty girls in this line of work, but becoming a courtesan queen isn't easy, let alone like Miss Qiu."

Zu An looked at her curiously: "You seem quite familiar with this Qiu Honglei."

"Not very familiar," Leng Shuangyue hastily explained. "It's just that we're all in the same establishment; we often see each other and hear things."

"Oh," Zu An said, not thinking much of it. "By the way, since you're in the same place, you must know a lot about her, right? Tell me about it."

"I don't actually know much... What would Young Master like to ask?" Seeing that he was no longer pestering her about "body structure," Leng Shuangyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But she was also afraid he might remember later, so if she could distract him by answering questions, that would be ideal. As for questions she couldn't answer, she could simply say she didn't know.

"I'm sure you know what I'm asking," Zu An said with a smile. "Did she ever have a boyfriend before?"

"Boyfriend?" Leng Shuangyue blinked, not immediately understanding.

"I mean, a lover," Zu An explained.

"Of course not! Miss Qiu is a well-known virgin courtesan; how could she have a lover?" Leng Shuangyue gasped, quickly waving her hands in denial.

"Don't be scared; it's just the two of us here. We won't affect her reputation," Zu An said, still somewhat unconvinced.

Leng Shuangyue quickly asserted: "Truly no, I can stake my life on it. Miss Qiu has never had a lover, and she has always been a virgin..."

"Is that so?" Zu An couldn't help but glance at the graceful figure on the second floor. That was a bit strange.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, Pei Mianman was observing the scene below. When she noticed the undignified spectacle of the men scrambling to flatter, she scoffed inwardly. *Men are good for nothing; they only deserve to be toyed with by women.* Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she turned to look for another figure. Seeing Zu An casually sitting there, not embarrassing himself like the others, she nodded with satisfaction. "He didn't disgrace Chu Yan. Not like those uncultured, vulgar men."

However, her smile had barely formed when she suddenly noticed Leng Shuangyue peeling grapes and feeding them to him, one by one. Zu An ate with juice dripping from his mouth, not forgetting to tease her, making her shake with laughter. Pei Mianman's smile turned cold, and she let out a huff: "Men are indeed good for nothing!"

At this moment, Qiu Honglei's crimson lips parted slightly: "Thank you for your kindness, everyone. However, I feel my zither skills have recently reached a bottleneck, so I need your guidance to see where the problem lies."

Hearing her speak, the previously noisy hall instantly quieted down; no one wanted to displease her. After hearing her words, everyone's spirits lifted: *It's here!* Everyone had guessed that Qiu Honglei would subtly test them through her music to choose a favored person, and now it had indeed begun.

"Miss Qiu jests. Just now, my humble self, Zhao, heard your song, and truly its echoes lingered for three days. Such zither skill has reached a supreme level; how could there be any problem?" one man named Zhao Dezhu eagerly said. He had been interrupted earlier while introducing himself and was looking for an opportunity to save face.

"Idiot!"

Everyone shared the same thought. *Miss Qiu is clearly trying to test everyone; what's the use of mere flattery?* As expected, Qiu Honglei smiled slightly: "Young Master exaggerates. I'd rather hear specific suggestions to improve." After speaking, she turned to the others, her eyes full of encouragement and expectation. At the same time, out of the corner of her eye, she secretly surveyed the private rooms upstairs, a cold sneer forming in her heart.