to see what all the fuss was about long ago.He didn't care much about the so-called 'demoness,' but he did want to see what Zi Yin could come up with in response.Picking up a nearby cup of tea, he dr...Chapter 9: Peony's Tears (Part 2)

"Xue, can you sit with me for a while" At this moment, Peony had put aside all her status and was just looking for someone to talk to.

Although she was seeking Qi Lin’s opinion, she had already found a place to sit down and was waiting for Qi Lin to join her. However, Qi Lin didn’t seem to have any intention of coming over. Peony thought Qi Lin might be restrained by their status differences and dared not approach, so she patted the grass beside her, signaling Qi Lin to take a seat.

Qi Lin sat down quietly; it wasn't because of status issues but simply because she didn’t like associating with high-ranking individuals.

Recalling those days when she had to accompany clients in drinking until they bled from the stomach for a contract, Qi Lin shuddered and never wanted to return to such days again. Moreover, she often had to endure unwelcome advances.

Once Qi Lin sat down, Peony started speaking: "Xue, what do you think of me"

Huh Confused, Qi Lin looked at Peony. She knew the love story between Fairy Peony and Lu Dongbin when she watched ‘The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea’. Yet, seeing mortal Peony today was no less impressive. Qi Lin stood up slightly bowed and said, "Miss Peony is naturally beautiful; among all the beauties I've seen, you are the most stunning, graceful and charming, just like a celestial fairy."

This is not flattery at all; it's Qí Lín's genuine praise.

"So what if she's a beauty Isn't she still abandoned here" Peony spoke with immense感慨, tears sliding down silently onto her dress. When she lifted her gaze again, her eyes were filled with sorrow as she continued, "Now that I've fallen to this state, even though my skills are inferior to hers, I am not willing to accept it."

Not willing to accept it Indeed, she was kicked off the throne. She is unwilling. Qí Lín guessed correctly; where there are women, there will always be battles. When will it ever be easy for women

"What do you mean by that, Miss Peony" After asking this question, Qí Lín realized how abrupt her question was. However, without asking, she wouldn't know what to talk about next. She intended to change the subject quickly but instead heard Peony sobbing. Turning around, Peony was wiping tears from her face. Qí Lín rolled her eyes and pursed her lips in frustration; now what

Peony wiped away her tears, only for a handkerchief to be blown by the wind into the water. She didn't seem to mind, nor did Qí Lín pry further.

Once she had steadied herself somewhat, Peony began speaking again: "When she first arrived at Drunken Flower House, no one liked her. Seeing that she was alone and without support, I secretly helped her. She used her natural charm and many talents to win over the guests."

Qí Lín listened quietly to Peony's words. The 'she' Peony referred to must be the current queen of flowers.

"I was sincere with her, yet she turned against me with venom. That day marked our Drunken Flower Pavilion's annual Hundred Flowers Conference, where the pavilion's queen is elected."

Magnolia gazed at the full moon in the sky, her eyes flickering as if transported back to those days. "The night before that, she came to see me and said it was out of gratitude, but before I could finish a cup of wine, I fainted. When I woke up the next day, she had already taken my place."

Turns out it's an unwritten rule; something like this is commonplace in modern times.

"From that day on, her status soared while she treated me with utmost indifference. Even my regular customers were poached from me. Being inside the Drunken Flower Pavilion felt worse than death. I never thought she would treat me colder than a mere servant."

Magnolia shivered at the memories and let out another sob.

Qi Lin blinked, not sure what to make of this. At least her face wasn't disfigured; receiving less severe treatment was already quite generous.

But she still needed to say something, so Qi Lin handed over a handkerchief and softened her tone: "As long as you stay true to yourself and don't let others' harsh words affect you, do you really need to worry about your position"

Hearing Qi Lin's words, Magnolia looked up, meeting the glint in Qi Lin’s eyes. She grabbed Qi Lin's hand excitedly: "I've heard that Miss Xuě is exceptionally wise and quick-witted. If she could guide me, I would be eternally grateful. In return, I will take care of Miss Xuě."

Qi Lin was even more bewildered after hearing this. She hadn't said anything specific, merely voicing her own thoughts.

sighing helplessly, how could she compete with a courtesan And how could she possibly help

"Miss Peony, you flatter me," Qi Lin不敢再多言，生怕說了什麼誤會了去。撓撓頭，卻看見牡丹淚眼汪汪，又於心不忍“其實牡丹小姐不用特意去引人注意的，隻需要做好自己的分內之事就可以了。”" she thought to herself and scratched her head. Seeing Miss Peony's teary eyes, however, she felt reluctant to hurt her feelings. "Actually, you don't need to deliberately seek attention. Just do your job well."

"Do my job" Miss Peony looked at Qi Lin in confusion. "What does that mean"

Qi Lin smiled slightly and picked up a fallen leaf before speaking. "Miss Peony, as the queen of flowers, you are already admired by everyone. Why add unnecessary embellishments Just let your natural beauty shine through. If it's gold, it will always glitter."

Hearing Qi Lin’s words, Miss Peony suddenly recalled that recently she had spent a fortune on headpieces and jewelry in order to re-establish her position, only to be mocked for it. Today, hearing Qi Lin speak, it dawned on her how silly that was. She took Qi Lin's hand and laughed excitedly.

"Miss Asuker is indeed wise; your words have enlightened me." Miss Peony then removed a pearl hairpin from her head and placed it in Qi Lin’s palm. "For the kindness you’ve shown today, I will surely repay you one day. This phoenix stone hairpin is of superior quality even though it may look ordinary. Please accept it."

Qi Lin was left speechless, still trying to process what had happened when Miss Peony had already departed. In her hand was a glimmering pearl hairpin that seemed valuable, but she didn't know what use she could possibly have for it.ed her gently with his long fingers and said with a smile, "Do you know me"Qi Lin clenched her lips tightly together, not giving him any chance to tease her. But she couldn’t resist him completely as...