"No—I don't know any A-Yun."
After giving a brief two-word response, Lingyan couldn't help but add softly.
"No! You must have seen my Ayun! Where is she! Give her back to me!"
The woman outside the door, as if provoked by something, suddenly lunged at Ling Yan.
She waved her arms and scratched at the person in front of her; her red nails, which hadn't been properly groomed for days, were now covered in a layer of grayish-black grime.
Lingyan was momentarily stunned by the intense emotions displayed by the woman.
For some reason, seeing this person was like seeing herself.
A touch of sympathy rose in her heart.
"careful!"
Gu Zhong stepped out from the side, put his arm around Ling Yan's waist, and led her away from the crazy woman.
"Ayan, are you alright?"
Gu Zhong looked Ling Yan up and down a few times, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that she was alright. Then he frowned slightly, with a hint of reproach in his eyes.
After the crazy woman missed her target, she turned around and looked at the two of them.
It should be, looking at Gu Zhong.
"Ah Yun... Ah Yun..."
She stared blankly at Gu Zhong, then rushed towards him with infatuated eyes, her gaze pleading.
"Quick! Tie her up!"
This little commotion attracted the madam of the building, who rushed in with several strong men, tied the crazed woman up, gagged her with a rag, and roughly dragged her out.
"I am truly sorry to have disturbed the two young ladies tonight—"
She then turned to the two of them and smiled apologetically.
After all, although the two of them agreed to only sell traditional folk arts, their presence in the building has made business much better during this period, which was already difficult.
A madam always greets a useful money-making opportunity with a smile.
"It's alright, I just hope this won't happen again next time."
Gu Zhong responded coldly.
The madam bowed to them and was about to leave when Lingyan called her back.
"Wait! That girl... what happened to her? How did she end up like this?"
"This...it's nothing serious. It's just that one of her good friends recently got her freedom and left, and she couldn't think straight, which is why she looks like this. You two should get some rest..."
The madam gave an awkward smile, hurriedly offered a perfunctory explanation, and then quickly left.
Tonight, however, is destined to be anything but peaceful.
The door, which had just been closed a second ago, was knocked on again the next second.
Having learned from his previous experience, Gu Zhong stopped Ling Yan and stepped forward to cautiously open the door.
"I heard that Miss Rain has gone mad again tonight?"
A woman bent down and bypassed Gu Zhong's outstretched arms, slipped into their room, and sat down at the table as if she knew them well. She poured herself a cup of tea, her movements so fluid and graceful that she must have done it many times before.
After thinking it over carefully, Gu Zhong concluded that this must be their next-door neighbor, Miss Lin.
This is a neighbor who loves to gossip and chat. Once she catches you, she can talk to you for three days and three nights without repeating herself.
"You know her?"
Lingyan was genuinely curious about what had happened tonight, and disregarding her rudeness, she eagerly pressed for more information.
"You don't know her? I thought everyone in this building knew that Miss Yun and Miss Yu are a couple. To say that Miss Yun abandoned Miss Yu and ran away is absolutely impossible!"
Miss Lin asked in surprise, and then launched into a long, indignant rant against the madam's nonsense.
"Wait—what did you say?! One...right?"
Ling Yan's gaze suddenly turned to shock. She glanced at Gu Zhong, and a string in her mind snapped.
--------------------
Author's Note:
The Imperial Advisor's Office's disciplinary team was cracking down on prostitution and illegal publications, and someone actually dared to drive a car right there! (Just kidding!)
A new world is about to open for straight women who smoke zero cigarettes.
Chapter 133 Swordsman and Exorcist (19)
==============================
"Huh? What's wrong? Aren't you guys..."
Miss Lin paused in her hand holding the water, her gaze shifting suspiciously back and forth between the two of them.
Gu Zhong, who was leaning against the door, straightened his back involuntarily, and a strange tension rose in his heart.
Lingyan stared blankly at Miss Lin, unable to react for a long time.
"Hey, I thought you were one of them—"
Miss Lin reached out and touched her nose, then gave a dry laugh.
"Women... same sex...?"
Although it was only a few short sentences, the amount of information she received exceeded her comprehension. Lingyan's mind was in chaos, and she could hardly organize her thoughts into coherent sentences, only managing to utter a few words intermittently.
"In this red-light district, people no longer care about worldly opinions. What's wrong with same-sex love? Having someone to protect and support you is already a rare thing. Miss Yan, you're limiting yourself—"
Miss Lin chuckled softly, scoffing at the prescribed social norms and showing great envy for this same-sex friendship.
"I see. I heard today that Miss Yun seems to have gone missing? Is that why Miss Yu developed hysteria?"
Thinking of the casual conversation he overheard outside earlier that day, Gu Zhong interrupted.
"Indeed, Miss Yun has been missing for over ten days. They are truly pitiful..."
At this point, Miss Lin took a sip of tea and began to tell the stories she knew.
"--The women in this building already have it tough. Before, they encountered a perverted customer. Miss Yu's body has always been delicate, and it's hard to say whether she could even stay up all night. Miss Yun was willing to take the job for her and almost couldn't save her."
Last year during the Qixi Festival, the Rain Maiden sewed a purse for her herself, and the Cloud Maiden was overjoyed, keeping it close to her body at all times.
When they had nothing to do, they were inseparable, going in and out together, eating at the same table and sleeping in the same bed. The other women in the building were very envious of them.
Miss Yun also said that once they had saved enough money to redeem themselves, they would leave together and head south along the river. She had heard that the scenery there was beautiful and there were fewer demons, so they might be able to live out the rest of their lives peacefully and quietly.
But the madam actually thought Miss Yun had run away? How ridiculous!
Such feelings—how could Miss Yun do such a thing?
Moreover, with the capital city now sealed off, where could they possibly go? Those who cannot be found have likely already met with some misfortune.
Rain Girl then went mad, knocking on doors everywhere in the middle of the night, looking for her Ah Yun…
—They were so close to succeeding.
Sigh... how did things turn out like this?
This poor couple, struggling to survive in a chaotic world, ultimately failed to obtain the good outcome they desired.
Miss Lin sighed softly and wiped away the glistening moisture from the corners of her eyes.
"It's getting late, ladies, you should get some rest."
Perhaps the outcome was too painful, as she became depressed and didn't want to say anything more.
She stood up, said goodbye in a low voice, and left the room.
Gu Zhong and Ling Yan remained in their original postures and movements, gazing at each other, the silence growing ever thicker.
"They are so pitiful..."
Lingyan finally broke the silence.
"Um…"
Gu Zhong responded with a low voice.
In this chaotic world of demons, instability is everywhere, and no one knows what will happen next.
The person before you is still smiling sweetly, but in the blink of an eye they will be gone without a trace. Perhaps many years later you will find only a skeleton, or perhaps it will be too weathered to recognize you.
Demons, demons—if this chaotic world could end, perhaps far fewer tragedies like this would occur…
"You know what happened with Miss Yun's disappearance, right?"
Sensing Gu Zhong's unease, Ling Yan pressed him for clarification.
"...I overheard a few words, and it seems to be the work of demons. And indeed, Miss Yu carries the aura of demons."
Stared at by Ling Yan, Gu Zhong could no longer hide the truth and revealed all the information he knew.
"So, it's highly likely that Miss Yun can't be saved..."
Upon hearing this, Lingyan sighed softly with regret, a hint of melancholy creeping over her, before speaking with a pleading tone.
"If there really are demons lurking here, shouldn't we do something?"
"Ayan, it's best if we don't do anything unnecessary right now."
Gu Zhong wasn't cold-blooded; it was just that Ling Yan was more important to her.
Besides—if we just wait a little longer, everything will be completely over.
She must at least see the dawn.
"I just thought, if you were missing—I might search for you just as desperately. If I were missing, what would you do?"
Qiu Shui gazed intently at Gu Zhong, her eyes brimming with countless emotions.
Gu Zhong's heart skipped a beat. He took two steps forward and called out uncertainly.