"Tsk tsk, Lady Su's figure is getting more and more irresistible…"
"Are you trying to die? Every man who's had an affair with Su Meiniang hasn't lasted three months. I heard she drains them dry…"
"They say thirty is like a wolf, forty like a tiger—but Su Meiniang? She's a thousand-year-old demon queen. If she bites, she won't let go!"
"You've got a death wish. If Lady Su hears this, she'll have you all castrated!"
"Still, Ye Fan's got guts—causing trouble in Wanbao Tower like that."
"Exactly. If Su Meiniang's angry, the Ye family might be in for a world of trouble…"
A crowd had gathered outside Wanbao Tower, eager to watch the drama unfold. The men whispered among themselves, but their eyes remained glued to Su Meiniang.
"Ask him yourself!"
Ye Fan remained composed, pointing to the trembling shopkeeper beside him. "He tried to seize my two ninth-rank Spirit Gathering Pills for just twenty low-grade spirit stones. Is this how Wanbao Tower does business?"
"Ninth-rank Spirit Gathering Pills?"
Su Meiniang's eyes sparkled with intrigue. She turned and beckoned the shopkeeper with a curl of her finger. The man, pale and shaking, quickly presented the pills.
Su Meiniang lifted one delicately with her orchid-like fingers and examined it. "It really is a ninth-rank pill… Little brother, where did you get these?"
Ye Fan smiled but said nothing, his gaze sweeping the room.
Su Meiniang understood. She glanced at the shopkeeper, then turned to the guards. "He's no longer the shopkeeper of Wanbao Tower. Handle him according to the rules."
"Please, Lady Su! Spare me! I was wrong—it was a moment of foolishness!"
The shopkeeper dropped to his knees with a loud thud, kowtowing repeatedly like pounding garlic. He knew Wanbao Tower's rules were ruthless. Even if he survived, he'd be lucky to escape with his skin intact.
But Su Meiniang didn't even glance at him.
"Little brother, take these 100 low-grade spirit stones as Wanbao Tower's apology."
She slid the pouch toward Ye Fan, her voice silky. "As for the pills… they're priceless in the imperial city. Why don't we go upstairs and discuss things more comfortably?"
"Are you sure we're just going to talk business upstairs? Nothing… special?"
Ye Fan raised an eyebrow, feigning nervousness and stepping back slightly. He'd heard all about Su Meiniang's "reputation."
"Oh my, what are you suggesting?"
Su Meiniang giggled behind her hand. "It's broad daylight. Are you afraid your sister will eat you alive? Come now, let's go upstairs."
Before he could respond, her slender jade hand had already grabbed his collar and pulled him along.
"He's doomed… Going alone to the attic with Su Meiniang?"
"With that skinny frame, he won't survive the night. She'll drain him dry—there won't be a drop left."
"Young people don't know their limits. Did you see his face? Looked like his soul had already left his body…"
Outside Wanbao Tower, the onlookers whispered with pity. Everyone knew Su Meiniang's beauty was matched only by her ruthlessness. Even the heads of noble families gave her a wide berth. How else could Wanbao Tower thrive in the imperial city?
—
Ye Fan followed Su Meiniang into a room filled with a faint, intoxicating fragrance. A curtain hung half-closed, revealing a messy bed—the sheets still rumpled from a recent "battle."
Su Meiniang sat gracefully on the edge of the bed, patted the space beside her, and smiled seductively. "Don't be so shy, little brother. Come sit with your sister."
Ye Fan's eye twitched. Spotting a stool nearby, he awkwardly walked over. "I think I'll sit here…"
"So far away? How are we supposed to talk business?"
Su Meiniang pouted and waved him closer.
"Ahem…"
Ye Fan dragged the stool forward a few steps and sat down. "This distance is perfect."
"Fine, sister won't force you."
She smiled and took out the two ninth-rank pills. "So, little brother, where did these come from?"
"A gift from my master."
Ye Fan had already prepared his answer.
"Oh? And who might that be?"
Su Meiniang leaned in, eyes twinkling.
"Is that really important?"
Ye Fan countered.
"Of course it is."
She fluttered her lashes. "Anyone who can produce pills of this quality must be extraordinary. If the source is unclear, I'll be in a tough spot… What if accepting them causes trouble?"
"Tai Chu Dao Sect."
Ye Fan calmly uttered four words.
Su Meiniang's eyes lit up. "Ah, a master from Tai Chu Dao Sect. That explains it. You're quite lucky, little brother…"
Ye Fan seized the moment. "So, in your opinion, how much are these pills worth?"
"Ten thousand low-grade spirit stones."
She raised a slender finger.
"Only that much?"
Ye Fan looked disappointed.
"That's already a lot."
Su Meiniang explained, "Though the pills are excellent, they're still fourth-tier. Ten thousand is the highest price for that level."
Ye Fan's eyes gleamed with calculation. "Can ten thousand spirit stones get me a top-grade Xuan-rank spirit weapon here?"
"What are you thinking?"
Su Meiniang playfully glared at him. "That amount might get you the lowest-grade Xuan-rank weapon. For a top-grade one, you'd need at least sixty to seventy thousand."
"Hmm…"
Ye Fan frowned. That kind of money was out of reach. The Ye family could afford it, but it would strain their resources and disrupt business.
"Why not ask your father to pitch in?"
Su Meiniang suggested with a smile.
"We'll see…"
Ye Fan shrugged, then grinned. "By the way, do you have to keep calling me 'little brother'? It sounds awkward. You don't look much older than me."
"Oh my, sister's not that much older than you."
She laughed. "Guess how old I am?"
Ye Fan pretended to study her carefully. "I'd say… not even eighteen?"
"Pfft…"
Su Meiniang burst out laughing. "You're quite the charmer. I'm thirty-nine!"
"Impossible!"
Ye Fan feigned shock. "Your skin's smoother than any eighteen-year-old I've seen. You don't look a day over twenty!"
"Stop flattering me…"
She sighed. "I'll be forty next year. My beauty fades more each day…"
"That's not true at all!"
Ye Fan said earnestly. "Time may pass, but it can't wash away your beauty. It's not that you're aging fast—time is just moving too quickly."
He'd read enough college job guides in his past life to know how to sweet-talk when needed.
"You really think I'm beautiful?"
Su Meiniang's gaze softened, her voice like silk.
"It's normal for a beauty not to realize how stunning she is."
Ye Fan nodded seriously, as if stating a simple fact.
"You sweet talker…"
She giggled, her laughter like blooming flowers. "Alright then. Today, sister will sell you a top-grade Xuan-rank sword for just ten thousand spirit stones. What kind of sword do you want?"
"A sword."
Ye Fan chuckled inwardly, keeping an innocent expression. Older women were easier to charm.
"A sword, hmm?"
Su Meiniang murmured, pressing a hidden switch near the bed.
Click…
A wall slid open, revealing a dark room.
Su Meiniang stood, her skirt swaying to reveal her long, fair legs. She beckoned Ye Fan with a finger. "Come, let sister help you pick the perfect sword. I'm sure you'll be satisfied."
"Thank you, Lady Su."
Ye Fan bowed politely and followed her.
"Oh…"
Su Meiniang glanced back with a teasing smile. "Don't call me 'Lady Su'—makes me sound ancient. Just call me sister."
"Thank you… sister."
Ye Fan quickly corrected himself, though the word felt awkward. Then he added with a grin, "But when you call me 'little brother,' could you drop the 'little'? I'm not that small, you know."