Chapter 631: Shura Field

"My sister is completely wrapped around that guy's finger, having to come find him first thing in the morning." The young man complained endlessly, never understanding why his usually aloof sister would act this way towards a man.

This brother and sister pair was, naturally, Chu Chuyan and Chu Youzhao. No, wait, it should be sisters.

"You didn't get the address wrong, did you? Why is it taking so long to get there?" Chu Chuyan said, a hint of displeasure in her voice.

Seeing her sister with the aggrieved look of a lovesick woman, Chu Youzhao felt extremely uncomfortable. "I've already sent someone to check. His current baronial estate is Lord Ding's former residence, so it should be over there."

Chu Chuyan hummed in acknowledgment, her steps unconsciously quickening. Chu Youzhao pouted but eventually trotted after her.

They finally arrived in front of a courtyard. Chu Chuyan looked at the large characters "Phoenix Baron's Estate" written on the plaque above the main gate and felt a momentary daze. Back in Brightmoon City, everyone had said he was merely a live-in son-in-law relying on the Chu family. She never expected him to become a baron now.

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron—although a baron is the lowest rank in the peerage, it represents a threshold. He was now officially a noble, entitled to many benefits and a social status that commoners could not enjoy.

She wondered how her father and mother would react when they learned he had become a baron.

A slight smile played on Chu Chuyan's lips, as if she had thought of something amusing.

Chu Youzhao, who had been observing her from the side, couldn't help but curl her lip. It's just a baron, is there really a need to be this happy about it?

At this point, Chu Chuyan, who had been so eager moments before, stopped moving at the entrance. She straightened her dress and hair, regaining her usual cool, icy beauty. "Go knock on the door," she instructed.

Chu Youzhao rolled her eyes. Just a moment ago, she looked so impatient, and now she was playing the demure lady. 'You want to save face, but what about me?' she thought.

However, remembering the fear of being dominated by her sister when they were young, she puffed out her cheeks and went to knock on the door. "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, are you there? My sister and I have come to see you. Huh, it seems the door isn't closed."

Hearing her voice from a distance, the man and woman inside, who were playing a game of intimacy, instantly panicked.

Zu An instantly sat upright. The sudden jolt made him unable to restrain himself any longer; his veins throbbed, and his entire body felt like a volcanic eruption.

Qiu Honglei, who had been teasing him with a seductive smile, couldn't dodge in time and was completely stunned.

Zu An was also stunned. Brightmoon City, a top-tier bustling metropolis where merchants and magnates gathered, had people accustomed to grand spectacles. Yet, even there, Qiu Honglei had captivated them for over a year at the Immortal's Abode, making other renowned courtesans fade into obscurity.

Although Qiu Honglei exuded femininity in every gesture and moved with captivating grace, she was never truly close to anyone, which paradoxically made people feel she possessed a unique purity.

This perfect blend of two styles was what drew so many dignitaries and nobles in Brightmoon City to flock to her, with some even believing she was a celestial fairy descended to the mortal realm.

Her already charming and beautiful face held a fatal attraction for men. Now, with these embellishments, the sight was truly striking—far more than a fairy descending to the mortal world; she was a fairy utterly lost in the worldly desires.

He instinctively pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to her. "Wipe yourself," he said.

Qiu Honglei took the handkerchief with a hint of resentment and wiped her cheeks. She couldn't understand why she had been so foolish as to help him with this. Logically, although she had a good impression of him, things shouldn't have progressed so quickly.

Was it because he had saved her when she was on the brink of death yesterday, and then he had risked his family's ruin to help save her master? Was she so moved that she wanted to repay him?

But that wasn't right. If it had been any other man, at most she would have said, 'This humble woman will repay you in the next life,' never actually fulfilling it in this one.

It was all that man's thick skin! She had only been joking casually. After all, having spent over a year in a place like the Immortal's Abode, she had grown accustomed to making such remarks idly. Who knew he would take it seriously?

She didn't know how it happened, but she had foolishly allowed him to guide her hand. At first, she felt incredibly shy and awkward, but gradually, she too became aroused, thinking only of how to please the man of her heart...

Just moments before, the room had been filled with an ambiguous, rosy atmosphere, and she hadn't felt anything amiss. But now, suddenly startled by outsiders, she was so ashamed she wished she could disappear into a crack in the floor. It wasn't regret she felt, but rather concern that she might leave a cheap or vulgar impression on him.

"What do we do now?" Qiu Honglei asked, a trace of resentment in her voice. This stuff wouldn't wipe clean no matter what she did.

"Quick, hide behind the screen inside," Zu An urged, pointing to the partition in the inner room.

Qiu Honglei certainly didn't want outsiders to see her in this state. She hummed in agreement and quickly hid.

Zu An, meanwhile, hurriedly straightened his clothes and went out to greet them.

"So you were here! Why didn't you come out to see us for so long?" Chu Youzhao immediately felt annoyed upon seeing him. Having seen no one as they entered, she had thought they had come to the wrong place this time, and her sister would have surely strangled her if that were the case.

"Haha, I was just lost in thought," Zu An said, feeling guilty. He then looked at Chu Chuyan, who was standing beside him. "Chuyan, you're here too."

"Yes, I came to see your new residence. I haven't been here before," Chu Chuyan replied with a slight smile. She then suddenly focused on his face. "Oh, why is your face so red?"

"Maybe it's just too hot, haha," Zu An said, fanning himself casually to deflect the question.

"Is it really hot today?" Chu Youzhao asked, looking confused.

Zu An ignored her, thinking it best not to let them inside, lest they discover Qiu Honglei later.

But how could he stop them? Not inviting guests who had come all the way to his home to sit inside would immediately raise suspicions.

In the end, the two sisters entered the house. The moment Chu Chuyan stepped inside, her delicate brows furrowed. Chu Youzhao, less observant, directly voiced her confusion: "Huh, what's that smell?"

Zu An's face stiffened. He gave an awkward laugh. "I just moved into this house, and I haven't had time to clean it yet. Maybe there's a bit of a smell."

Chu Youzhao said "Oh" and accepted the explanation.

Chu Chuyan, however, had a strange expression. Her younger sister, an innocent maiden, naturally wouldn't recognize that particular smell, but how could she not?

No wonder his face was so red just now, and his clothes were a bit disheveled. So he had been... 'doing that' by himself.

Could this guy really not hold back? He had just been with me...

Her jade-like cheeks flushed slightly as she recalled how her sister's sudden appearance had interrupted them before. He probably hadn't been fully satisfied then, which was why he was so pent up.

Remembering that day's scene, her face also grew very hot.

"Huh, Sister, why is your face red too? Is it really that hot today?" Chu Youzhao asked, looking utterly bewildered. She felt around and confirmed it wasn't hot at all. Besides, her sister cultivated the Divine Snowfall Sword art, how could she be afraid of heat?

Chu Chuyan glared at her sister. The culprit still looked oblivious, truly deserving a good beating. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "When we came in just now, I noticed you don't have any maids or servants here. Why is that?"

Zu An pointed in the direction of the imperial palace. "I was afraid of spies being planted, so I simply dismissed all the original servants. Anyway, I'm used to living alone."

Chu Chuyan shook her head slightly. "How can you live alone in such a large house? If word gets out, the prominent families in the capital will laugh at you, thinking you've fallen so low you can't even afford servants."

Zu An chuckled. "People can say what they want. Their mouths are their own."

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, rolled her eyes and said disdainfully, "Putting everything else aside, you still need someone to manage and clean the house on a daily basis, don't you? Otherwise, the rooms will end up with that strange smell again."

Zu An was speechless.

Seeing his expression, Chu Chuyan suppressed a laugh. "How about this: I'll help you find some servants. If you don't trust people from the capital, I can arrange for a few trustworthy ones from Brightmoon City to come over."

"That would be a great help," Zu An agreed, realizing that this house was nothing like the ones in his previous life; he'd be exhausted if he tried to manage it all himself.

Chu Chuyan glanced at him, a little displeased, evidently finding his words too formal. "By the way, I heard there was an assassin incident at the East Palace yesterday. You didn't encounter any danger, did you?"

"I'm fine, no danger," Zu An replied, holding her soft hand. He hadn't had a chance to tell her about his identity as a Brocade-Clad Guard. Chu Youzhao, that baggage, was always there. While he trusted Chu Chuyan, he couldn't trust that girl; Chu Youzhao clearly couldn't keep a secret.

Moreover, the Qin family was a backbone of the Prince Qi faction. Telling Chuyan would only put her in a difficult position between two sides, adding to her troubles.

Just then, Chu Youzhao interjected, "Who knows where those damned assassins came from? They just had to frame Prince Qi, claiming he instigated it. How outrageous!"

Zu An cast a sidelong glance at her. "How do you know it wasn't Prince Qi who sent them?"

Chu Youzhao scoffed. "Of course not! Prince Qi is a famously virtuous ruler. How could he do such a thing? It's clearly a setup, a frame-up! Those assassins are truly despicable!"

Behind the screen, Qiu Honglei was rubbing her aching wrist. Hearing this, she couldn't help but frown. To be cursed like that, right to her face—it was quite annoying.

At that moment, Chu Chuyan suddenly turned around. "Who's there?"