Chapter 228: Frozen in Place

Less than two days remained before the start of the Luo City Ice and Snow Festival.

As early as two months ago, the number of tea and wine shops in the suburbs of Luo City had grown exponentially, with owners planning to earn half a year’s worth of money in these two months to support their families.

In addition, shop attendants from some stores in Luo City were also distributing various flyers in the suburbs.

There were flyers for jewelry shops, pawnshops, tea houses, and restaurants; there were even girls from the seafood market shaking flyers in their hands with flirtatious eyes.

The Luo City government couldn’t possibly ban these, as it was one of their marketing methods after all.

However, truth be told, with these wine and tea shops and the attendants distributing flyers, the originally desolate outskirts of Luo City suddenly became lively, even in the winter with snow falling.

Today, in a small tea shop outside Luo City, the arrival of a young girl caused all the men and women in the shop to turn their heads, and the originally noisy discussions came to an abrupt halt.

The girl wore a plain ruqun, her fair skin whiter than the snow, though it was excessively white, giving off an unhealthy, sickly pallor instead.

Yet it was precisely this touch of sickly paleness, combined with the girl’s gentle temperament, that couldn’t help but evoke a sense of pity in others.

They worried whether she would be cold, or if she would be dissolved by the wind and snow the moment she stepped into it.

The girl lightly smoothed her skirt and sat at a tea table. Beside her lay a small stack of papers—all of them promotional flyers. She was thinking about whether she could visit all these places in Luo City.

“Would the guest like wine or tea?”

After staring at this sickly beautiful girl for who knows how long, the waiter finally snapped out of it and hurried forward to attend to her.

However, as he approached her, he began to feel nervous, not daring to look her directly in the eye, and even stuttering a little.

“Tea, please. And is there anything to eat?”

The girl spoke slowly, her voice like wind chimes swaying in the breeze, making one want to hear it again and again.

“Guest, you… you’ve asked the right person. Our tea shop’s main branch is the Quan Family Beef Shop in Luo City; our Braised Beef is top-notch!”

“Then I’ll have a plate of Braised Beef, please.”

“No trouble at all, no trouble! Please wait a moment, guest. The tea and beef will be here shortly.”

The waiter turned to prepare, his steps feeling light as air.

Although he didn’t know what the girl meant by “a plate of Braised Beef”—since beef wasn’t sold by the plate—

he figured her appetite couldn’t be large, so slicing half a catty would surely be right.

The girl sat straight and dignified in the tea shop, looking at the woods and roads covered in white snow.

Her eyes held a hint of loneliness and desolation, yet also a kind of strength within her fragility.

The girl watching the snow was a picture in herself.

Just as some sons of wealthy families or romantic scholars were gathering the courage to approach her, they suddenly saw a flash of light in her eyes.

Her willow-like brows seemed to relax, like winter flowers touched by snow.

“Sister Wang Xing!”

A voice full of energy called out. Everyone looked over and gasped, contributing their share to global warming.

Why were they able to encounter so many city-toppling beauties today!

The girl waving at the sickly girl seemed to be her complete opposite.

One was quiet and elegant, the other lively and energetic, but both were extremely beautiful in their own ways.

“When did you arrive, Sister Wang Xing?”

Entering the tea shop and sitting beside Wang Xing, Zhu Ling was full of joy.

“Just a moment ago.” Sikong Wangxing gently brushed the snow from the girl’s shoulders and hair.

Back in the Heiwu Secret Realm, when Nong Qin said the Luo City Ice and Snow Festival was very famous and fun every year, Sikong Wangxing and Zhu Ling had agreed to meet two days before the winter snow in Luo City, then go find Jiang Nongqin together to attend the festival.

This road was the only path to Luo City, which was why Sikong Wangxing had stopped at this shop to wait for Zhu Ling.

Madam Sikong had finally allowed her daughter to come. Although Sikong Wangxing appeared to be alone, there were actually ten Death Warriors from Tianji City protecting her in the shadows.

Medicine King Valley didn’t have any Death Warriors. Zhu Ling had refused to let a Senior Sister accompany her. In the end, having no choice, the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley issued a notice to both the righteous and demonic paths:

“My granddaughter is going to Luo City in the Qian Kingdom for a few days. If anything happens to her, it will mean irreconcilable enmity with my Medicine King Valley!”

Finally, after stuffing many Magic Treasures into his granddaughter’s Storage Pouch and having a female Disciple follow her in secret, the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley felt at ease letting her go out.

“I ordered some food. We’ll head into the city after we eat.”

Seeing the energetic Zhu Ling, Sikong Wangxing’s mood improved significantly.

Sikong Wangxing had indeed come just to clear her mind. Knowing she could no longer be with Lin Xun, she wanted to try “living well for herself.”

But while eating the century-old Braised Beef, Sikong Wangxing inexplicably found herself thinking, “If I made this for him, would he like it?”

Realizing her thoughts, the girl smiled and shook her head.

As expected, habits formed over a decade weren’t so easy to change.

Oh well, she would take it slow.

After finishing, Sikong Wangxing took a silver ingot from her Storage Pouch to pay. Seeing the waiter’s shocked expression, she thought it wasn’t enough.

The waiter quickly said it was more than enough.

Hearing him say it was enough, Sikong Wangxing and Zhu Ling turned to leave.

The waiter thought it was a tip for him and hurriedly bowed in gratitude.

In the eyes of these two wealthy girls, they simply never had the concept of getting change.

“Sister Wang Xing, I heard many men talking, saying that one must visit the Spring Breeze Tower in Luo City. Let’s go check it out first, and then we’ll go find Sister Nongqin.”

“Spring Breeze Tower?” Sikong Wangxing asked curiously. “Is it a tea house?”

“I’m not sure,” Zhu Ling shook her head. “But I heard it’s very fun.”

“Mm, then let’s go have a look.” Sikong Wangxing opened a map of Luo City, and the two headed toward the location of the Spring Breeze Tower.

But when the two saw various scantily clad girls dressed flamboyantly and greeting customers, they realized that the so-called Spring Breeze Tower was what books referred to as a brothel.

Zhu Ling was both embarrassed and angry.

How hateful!

If it’s a brothel, then call it a brothel. Why name it “Spring Breeze”?

“Brother Lin! Are you still just here to listen to music today?”

“No, I’m also watching the dancing.”

“Brother Lin, you can’t go on like this. Being afraid of your wife isn’t like this.”

“Who said I’m afraid of my wife? What’s wrong with watching a dance! I paid for it!”

“Alright, alright, Brother Lin is right. Come, let’s drink, let’s listen to music.”

Just as the two eye-catching, peerless beauties were about to leave, lively conversation came from the other side of the street corner.

At this moment, Lin Xun was walking toward the Spring Breeze Tower, arm-in-arm with his colleagues.

The two girls just happened to turn around, and Lin Xun just happened to look up.

Suddenly, all three of them froze in place.