Zi Dai approached, curtsied and saluted, "My lady saw you, sir, from upstairs in Yanlai Tower. She sent me to ask if you would like to join her in Yanlai Tower, since you haven't made any reservations."

  Mu Shu thought that this lady might not be very bright. Among all the women he had seen trying to approach his lord, this was the most inexplicable.

  "Reservations? Our lord..."

  Mu Shu's face suddenly changed with pain. He closed his eyes, held his breath, and took a long time to recover. He looked at Ning Yan in confusion. What had he said wrong to deserve an elbow to the chest? So wronged!

  Ning Yan raised his head. He was able to pinpoint one of the windows in the huge Yanlai Tower, where a light purple figure quickly disappeared as if startled.

  He chuckled softly, "Since it's your lady's kind invitation, I'd be happy to accept."

  Mu Shu was shocked!

  His mind raced. Could it be that his lord had noticed something wrong in Yanlai Tower? Was this lady a spy sent from somewhere, and his lord was going to meet her?

  As his subordinate, how could he let his lord be in danger?

  Mu Shu followed a few steps forward with high morale, only to see Ning Yan turn back with an impatient look. "Did she invite you? What are you following for?"

  Mu Shu: "?"

  "Do what you're supposed to do."

  After speaking, Ning Yan turned around and followed Zi Dai into Yanlai Tower leisurely, leaving Mu Shu standing outside the building, unconsciously rubbing his chest. That elbow from his lord really hurt.

  He quickly came to his senses, his round eyes scanning Yanlai Tower in disbelief. The little flame of gossip in his heart was burning fiercely. He couldn't wait to share his feelings with someone. Which lady was it that could actually invite his lord?

  Was it going to rain red?

  Bai Qingqing's heart was beating a little fast when she hid from the window. She shouldn't... have been seen, right?

  They were so far apart. Besides, he didn't know which private room she was in. Yes, he definitely didn't see her.

  She took a cup of tea in her hand and drank it slowly, her expression blank, already regretting it.

  Why did she invite Ning Yan up? Was she out of her mind? Even if she might have misunderstood Ning Yan's nature, she had already given up the idea of getting close to him. Life was short, don't make it too difficult for yourself!

  The quiet room was silent. Bai Qingqing's eyes glanced at the door from time to time, feeling more and more depressed. Ning Yan, with his personality, shouldn't have agreed. Was he out of his mind too?

  Footsteps came from outside the door. Bai Qingqing immediately sat up straight, put down the cup, and after thinking for a moment, took a round fan in her hand and fiddled with it, trying to look nonchalant.

  What Ning Yan saw after opening the door was Bai Qingqing leaning lightly against the railing, her face turned to the side, the broken hair beside her ears lively, the purple skirt spread out under her, delicate and exquisite, making people reluctant to disturb her.

  "Miss, Lord Ning is here."

  Bai Qingqing turned her head to look over, nodding calmly to Ning Yan as a greeting. "Lord Ning, please sit down. Yanlai Tower has picturesque scenery and peaceful singing and dancing. You can enjoy it at your leisure."

  Ning Yan smiled inwardly. She was putting on a good act of indifference. If he hadn't caught the hint of annoyance between her eyebrows, he might have believed her.

  He sat down next to Bai Qingqing, causing her to jump in surprise. She quickly straightened up, her tongue stumbling, "That... that seat over there is better. You can see the singing and dancing below."

  "Is that so? But I think this spot is quite good."

  Bai Qingqing immediately stood up, saying as she walked, "In that case, I won't block your view, sir. It seems another dancer is coming on stage. I'll go take a look."

  Sure enough, another performer had taken the stage below. A group of women in brightly colored costumes danced gracefully, the sparkling accessories at their waists shining as they moved. Bai Qingqing, who had initially sought an excuse to distance herself from Ning Yan, found herself captivated.

  "Those are women from the Jiyue tribe of the Northern Regions. They are naturally flexible and skilled in dance. Some wealthy families keep them specifically for entertainment. The Jiyue tribe was once on the verge of extinction, but their lineage was preserved after they submitted to the Xuan Dynasty."

  Bai Qingqing looked at the dancing women below, beautiful as colorful butterflies, and felt a pang of pity. Just because they were skilled in dance, they had to become playthings for others. How unfair the world was.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  A chorus of cheers erupted from below, especially for the lead dancer, whose face was covered with a red veil, but it did not diminish her brilliance in the slightest. She received the most praise.

  "She's so beautiful..."

  Bai Qingqing sincerely admired her. Even as a fellow woman, she was captivated by her dance. No wonder she was so popular.

  "Her name is Qiyue. Everyone in Xuancheng who loves dance knows her. Most of the people below came to see her. However, there's no fixed time for her to perform, so Yanlai Tower is always packed. Everyone hopes they might get lucky and catch a glimpse of her grace."

  Bai Qingqing wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she noticed Qiyue seemed to glance in their direction a few times. She felt a little pleased and turned to ask Zi Dai to send a reward, but she froze as she moved.

  Ning Yan had somehow moved closer to her side, so close that it seemed he had trapped her between himself and the railing. Bai Qingqing didn't dare to move. Seeing that he didn't move away, she finally reached out and pushed him. "Move over."

  Ning Yan raised an eyebrow. "There's only so much space. Where do you want me to go?"

  "Weren't you not interested in the singing and dancing?"

  "Seeing you so engrossed, I've become a little interested myself."

  Bai Qingqing didn't want to talk to him at such close range. She gritted her teeth, pushed him away, and slipped out. A faint, ethereal sweet scent wafted from her bosom, and Ning Yan felt a little regretful.

  After asking Zi Dai to give a reward, Bai Qingqing came back to her senses. "Lord Ning, you seem to know a lot about the dancers at Yanlai Tower?"

  Did he come here often?

  Ning Yan also moved away from the railing and sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea as if it were his own right, and said casually, "I know a little about everything that happens in Xuancheng."

  Bai Qingqing understood. Right, he was a Jinyiwei, after all.

  "But that Qiyue really dances beautifully. No wonder so many people come to support her. If it weren't so troublesome to come to Yanlai Tower, I might come to see her often."

  Bai Qingqing couldn't help but savor the memory. "Those clothes are also beautiful, making her dance even more captivating."

  Ning Yan looked up at her, his eyes slowly narrowing. "If you like them, you can have a set made to your measurements. However... those clothes on you would probably have a different kind of charm."

  He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm looking forward to it."

  Bai Qingqing's fingers curled up, her face changing colors rapidly, flushing crimson as the blood rushed to her face. However, Ning Yan remained unmoved by her embarrassment, not thinking he had said anything wrong.

  He even imagined it for a moment, thinking it might actually be quite interesting.

  "Why do you always say such things?"

  Bai Qingqing asked softly, picking at her fingertips, not daring to look up at Ning Yan. "Lord Ning, you shouldn't be this kind of person. Why do you always talk nonsense, saying things that are completely off the mark? This... this is not good..."

  The private room fell silent for a moment, then Bai Qingqing heard Ning Yan's voice, tinged with a casual curiosity. "Isn't this what you hoped for?"

  She looked up, her round eyes filled with confusion. "What?"

  Ning Yan chuckled lightly, a hint of teasing in his eyes. "You went to great lengths to approach me, wasn't it all for this? Shouldn't you be happy?"

  The color drained from Bai Qingqing's delicate face, her mind a blank. She could only stare blankly at Ning Yan's beautiful but cold phoenix eyes.

  "You don't need to feel frustrated. I've seen a lot of this, it's nothing special. However, compared to others, you're a bit more interesting, not enough to make me dislike you, which is already rare. But too much of a good thing is bad. If you play hard to get too much, I'll get tired of it."

  Bai Qingqing's heart pounded loudly, so loud she felt the entire Yanlai Tower could hear it.

  If shame and regret had substance, they would have consumed Bai Qingqing completely, leaving no trace.

  In Ning Yan's eyes, she was probably as clumsy and ridiculous as a clown. He had seen through her long ago but didn't say anything, just found her amusing...

  In the warm private room of Yanlai Tower, Bai Qingqing's hands and feet were ice-cold. She pinched her palms tightly, forcing herself not to lose composure, not to lose her last shred of dignity.

  Bai Qingqing stood up and bowed to Ning Yan. Her clear voice trembled slightly, but she couldn't care less. "Lord, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean anything by it. If my previous actions caused you to have other thoughts, it was my fault. I apologize to you."

  Her face was pale, but her tone was unusually firm. "In the future, I will avoid places where you might be, to prevent any misunderstandings."

  After speaking, Bai Qingqing turned to leave, but stopped, placing a small incense box on the table, not looking at Ning Yan. "This box of incense is a thank-you gift for your help in the mansion last time. Whether you keep it or throw it away is none of my concern. From now on, we are even."

  As soon as she stepped out of the private room, Bai Qingqing couldn't hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. She quickened her pace, pulling Zi Dai, who had just finished giving the reward, out of the building.

  Zi Dai, confused, asked, "Miss, what's wrong? Are we going back already?"

  Seeing her lady silent, her eyes slightly red, Zi Dai's eyes widened. "Miss, did you get wronged? Was it that Lord Ning?"

  "No, let's go back first."

  It was her fault, nothing to do with Ning Yan. She was foolish, deciding to approach Ning Yan on her own. She should have expected this. She should be grateful that Ning Yan didn't say anything harsher.

  Upstairs in Yanlai Tower, Ning Yan leaned by the window, watching Bai Qingqing get into the Bai family's carriage. The door of the private room behind him was knocked.

  "My lord, I am Qiyue."

  Ning Yan responded, and the door of the private room opened and closed. Qiyue, who was sought after by countless people in Xuancheng, now stood before Ning Yan.

  She slowly lifted the veil from her face, revealing a peerless beauty, and bowed gracefully with her soft waist. "Why did my lord come to Yanlai Tower today? Is there anything I can do for you?"

  Ning Yan turned around, his eyes gently sweeping over her. "Nothing, you danced well."

  "Qiyue thanks you for your praise, my lord."

  She lowered her eyes, a little surprised. When did her lord start praising people for no reason? Did he come here specifically to reward her?

  She noticed a small incense box on the table. The box was elegant and simple. Although she hadn't smelled the fragrance inside, she could guess a thing or two. Could it be for her?

  Ning Yan noticed Qiyue's gaze. It was just a box of incense. He had given away things a hundred times more valuable without a second thought. But the image of Bai Qingqing leaving just now flashed before Ning Yan's eyes—her trembling eyelashes, her pale face, the resolute look in her eyes as she placed the incense and told him they were even...

  Someone knocked on the door outside. "Miss Qiyue, Lord Xiao would like to see you."

  Ning Yan waved her away and sat in the private room for a while. When he left, the table was empty.