Chapter 646: You Better Not Touch Me

Leng Shuangyue bowed to the pair. "Miss, young master, I need to step out for a moment."

Qiu Honglei waved her hand. "Go on, and deal with those fellows properly."

Leng Shuangyue hummed in acknowledgement, slowly walked out, and thoughtfully closed the door behind her.

Qiu Honglei, standing nearby, pursed her lips and smiled. "You're staring intently. If you've taken a fancy to her, I'll arrange for her to attend to you tonight, and I'm not joking."

Zu An's face flushed. "I wasn't looking at her; I was just lost in thought."

Qiu Honglei twisted her body and sat directly on his lap, hooking her arms around his neck. "I don't mind anyway. Since I can't truly attend to you myself right now, it's just the same if my personal maid does."

Given what had transpired between them earlier, the last barrier of formality had completely dissolved. Thus, she held nothing back in front of her lover, sitting passionately and intimately in his lap.

Feeling the firm, rounded curve of her body, Zu An found himself aroused. Qiu Honglei's cheeks instantly flushed, and her eyes, looking up at him, seemed to well up with emotion. "You scoundrel~"

Zu An swallowed hard. "Don't play with fire. You know you can't be with me intimately right now, yet you insist on doing this."

Qiu Honglei giggled. "What does it matter if the fire ignites? Have you forgotten this is the Entertainment Bureau? We can easily find plenty of girls to help you quench your urges."

That temptress!

Zu An cursed silently, recalling the purpose of his visit. With immense willpower, he gently pushed her away. "I'll go see who Cheng Xiong has invited this time."

"Such a timid man," Qiu Honglei murmured, though her own heart was racing. If it was playing with fire for Zu An, it was no less so for her.

Zu An could rely on other women for help, but what about her?

She playfully stuck out her tongue, secretly vowing to herself not to do that again.

Zu An went to the window, opened it slightly, and observed the scene below.

The first person he saw was a young man, short and stocky with a thick neck. He wore a blue gown, fashionable among young gentlemen in the capital, seemingly to project an air of refinement and elegance. However, his bulging muscles made the clothing appear ill-fitting and out of place, completely undermining his intended sophisticated look.

"That's Cheng Gang," Qiu Honglei whispered as she joined him, an unmistakable disdain in her voice. "He's clearly a crude martial artist, yet he insists on pretending to be a refined scholar."

Zu An's expression was peculiar. It wasn't that women disliked muscular men; they just disliked ugly ones. In his previous life, he remembered some women online had a derogatory term for men like Cheng Gang: "shrimp men," implying that they were only palatable if you metaphorically 'pinched off their heads,' much like preparing a shrimp.

"Oh, so he's invited young masters from the Qin family," Qiu Honglei exclaimed with some surprise, looking at the people behind Cheng Gang. "The two men behind him are Qin Guangyuan, the grandson of Duke Chengguo, who has thick eyebrows and large eyes, and Qin Yongde, the grandson of Duke Weiguo, who has refined features."

Duke Chengguo is Qin Zheng, Chu Chuyan's maternal grandfather, and Duke Weiguo is Qin Se, Chu Chuyan's maternal great-uncle.

It must be said, the Qin family's genes were truly excellent; each member was quite handsome. Standing next to them, Cheng Gang looked almost like a servant.

It was understandable, really. Qin Zheng and Qin Se themselves were handsome men, and being in high positions, they had married beautiful women. Their sons were equally attractive, so it was a low probability for them to produce an unsightly descendant.

"Oh, a familiar face!" Qiu Honglei exclaimed, a strange expression on her face as she nudged Zu An with her elbow. "Your brother-in-law is here too. Should I arrange for some of the girls from the establishment to serve him well?"

Zu An's eyes widened too as he looked at the last slender, delicate figure. With her rosy lips and pearly white teeth, she truly looked like a dashing young gentleman. Qin Yongde was handsome, but compared to her, he paled significantly.

"How did that girl end up in a place like this?" Zu An felt exasperated. 'You're a woman disguised as a man, coming to a brothel? Are you out of your mind?' Hearing Qiu Honglei's teasing, he quickly said, "No need. Just treat her normally to avoid drawing any suspicion."

"Young Master Qin, Young Master Chu, please come this way," Cheng Gang's gruff voice boomed. He seemed to be the host of the establishment, warmly welcoming the entourage.

Leng Shuangyue also skillfully greeted the guests. She was about to invite them indoors when Qin Guangyuan, with his thick eyebrows and large eyes, interjected, "Just set everything up in the courtyard."

Leng Shuangyue paused, then quickly responded, "Very well!" She then promptly instructed the maids to set out drinks, fruits, and snacks in the courtyard.

Qiu Honglei commented, "They must want to discuss something confidential and fear eavesdropping, so they're deliberately choosing an open area."

Zu An nodded, having reached the same conclusion.

At that moment, Cheng Gang let out a hearty laugh. "Shuangyue, these young masters are all remarkable, but today's guest of honor is Young Master Chu. It's his first time in a place like this, so just ensure he's well attended to."

A fleeting blush crossed Chu Youzhao's face before she quickly regained her composure. "No need," she said, "I'm perfectly fine on my own."

The handsome Qin Yongde standing nearby chuckled, patting her shoulder. "Youzhao is still too innocent. Men just get used to these things after a few visits. This Miss Shuangyue is exceptional in both beauty and skill; it would be perfect for her to attend to you for your first time."

Chu Youzhao subtly avoided his hand, feeling utterly mortified. She regretted following them to this place; it was exhausting pretending to be a man and dealing with all these awkward social obligations.

Leng Shuangyue smiled sweetly. "This Young Master Chu is truly handsome."

She naturally knew Chu Youzhao's connection to the Chu family of Bright Moon City. Thinking, 'Ah, so it's Young Master Zu's brother-in-law,' she concluded that she certainly had to entertain him well.

The others nearby teased, "Shuangyue, you're quite smitten, seeing how handsome our Youzhao brother is."

Qin Yongde also chuckled. "Even the eldest daughter of the Murong family was utterly infatuated with him, let alone a courtesan."

Qin Guangyuan frowned slightly. "Second brother, mind your words."

Qin Yongde also realized his mistake. Comparing Miss Murong to a courtesan in a pleasure quarter was indeed inappropriate. "You're right, I deserve a penalty. I'll drink three cups as self-punishment."

Soon, the group began drinking and reveling. Each man had two girls assigned to pour drinks, while Chu Youzhao was personally accompanied by Leng Shuangyue, the chief courtesan.

Watching the Qin brothers and Cheng Gang openly embracing and fondling the girls, Zu An felt as if he were back in a familiar scene from certain clubs in his previous life.

Of course, as a seasoned internet lurker, he had never personally visited such places, only learned about them online.

In stark contrast to the others, who were clearly in their element, Chu Youzhao was restless. She kept subtly shifting away, looking warily at the beautiful chief courtesan. "Don't come near me," she stated.

Leng Shuangyue chuckled. "Young Master Chu, why are you so wary? I won't bite."

Chu Youzhao secretly frowned, thinking these women of the pleasure quarter truly lacked shame. However, she couldn't reveal her thoughts, so she merely said, "I'm not accustomed to physical contact."

"Alright, I'll simply sit further away then," Leng Shuangyue replied, showing no suspicion. She had seen all sorts of men in the brothel, even those with far more unusual quirks. "Since it's your first time, Young Master, I'd like to offer you a toast."

Chu Youzhao bit her lip. Seeing the seductive scenes unfolding around her, she felt a mix of shame and annoyance. She didn't refuse the wine, needing something to distract herself.

Seeing her willingness to drink, Leng Shuangyue's eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled. She then began urging Chu Youzhao to drink cup after cup. As the chief courtesan of the Entertainment Bureau, she had a myriad of reasons to encourage drinking, and the inexperienced Chu Youzhao was no match for her. Despite intending to refuse, she unknowingly consumed a significant amount of alcohol.

From the upper floor in the distance, Qiu Honglei pursed her lips and smiled. "Your brother-in-law is quite an intriguing character, though he seems a little effeminate."

Zu An rolled his eyes. 'Is that girl an idiot? Coming to a brothel is one thing, but daring to drink so much? Isn't she afraid of getting drunk and passing out here, exposing her disguise as a man?'

After a short while, Cheng Gang cleared his throat. "Miss Shuangyue, we brothers need to have a private conversation."

Leng Shuangyue rose and bowed. "Gentlemen, please feel free to call if you need anything else." She then slowly departed with the other girls.

Zu An's expression brightened. "They're getting to it!"

It was quite agonizing for him to watch others embrace lovely women while he could only stand by.

Qiu Honglei looked worried. "Given their deliberate secrecy, I'm afraid we won't be able to hear what they're saying from here."