As everyone wraps up their day and heads to bed…
Gugugugu! Gugugut!
“Everyone’s trying to sleep. Be quiet.”
Gugugut…
Im Ha-yeon warned Gugu, who had come in through her window at night.
The Nine Black Qi Hands can only be properly mastered with Im Ha-yeon’s guidance. Today, she finished all her tasks at the inn and patrolled two branches run by Jeon Gil-san for a night walk.
Of course, it wasn’t because she enjoyed moving around late at night.
The Hao Sect could discover her at any moment.
Although it seemed like the Hao Sect’s information control was working well, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down.
She only wandered around the inn or trading post where her safety was relatively guaranteed, and even then, she walked around in broad daylight wearing a large straw hat and a facial cloth.
Whether she liked it or not, she was using the Hidden Body Technique and Light Body Movement she’d learned for her entire life, even working overtime against her will.
“Gugu. Time for a bath.”
Gugut!
At Im Ha-yeon’s instruction, Gugu flapped its wings happily and flew to the washbasin.
While pigeons are commonly thought to be dirty animals, that’s quite a misunderstanding. Wild pigeons enjoy bathing at the water’s edge three to four times a day.
Of course, their instinct to bathe is to prevent predators from detecting their scent. In cities where predators are scarce, the importance of bathing diminishes, leading to them appearing unclean. But that doesn’t mean they suddenly become animals that dislike water.
Gugu, Gugugut!
After a tender washing session, making Gugu happy, Im Ha-yeon placed it back in its cage before washing up herself and finally lying down to sleep.
“…”
A tiring day. Yet, Im Ha-yeon found it hard to fall asleep right away.
Recently, every time she closed her eyes, strange scenes kept surfacing.
“Zhege Hyang…”
Im Ha-yeon muttered the name of Kang Yoon-ho’s matchmaker. Lately, whenever she closed her eyes, she envisioned the two of them standing in front of a carriage.
“Why is she so pretty?”
She muttered incredulously, as if speaking to someone far away.
In her lifetime, Im Ha-yeon had never once thought her appearance was lacking compared to others.
And who could blame her? Im Ha-yeon’s beauty stood out even among the many stunning women gathered in the gisaeng house, where she’d spent her entire life.
The masters of the gisaengs from Yichang and even those from Wuhan would often commend her beauty.
With looks so captivating, she was often told that she wouldn’t find a prettier woman anywhere in Hubei Province.
Yet, that same Im Ha-yeon couldn’t help but feel anxious about the appearance of someone she found so unsettling.
Zhege Hyang had that kind of beauty.
“Why on earth is that kind of woman going on a match with that guy?”
Zhege House was a prominent martial family, the best in Hubei Province.
Im Ha-yeon could not comprehend why someone who would have left men starstruck in awe was being presented to that man.
“It’s probably just her face. Her figure surely must not be great.”
Im Ha-yeon eventually got up from her sleepless state to stand in front of a mirror.
Wearing a translucent nightgown that clung to her body, a woman who could easily send a man into confusion stood before her.
From her calves to her thighs, her legs showcased a healthy, muscular beauty refined through Light Body Movement training. Her shapely waist flared astonishingly into her hips, and her chest undeniably caught any man’s eye.
Of course, Kang Yoon-ho treated such attributes as if they were nothing special, unlike other men who could barely keep their composure around her. She assumed that was merely him being considerate.
Occasionally, when her body swayed, she could feel his gaze on her. Unlike other men, she didn’t particularly mind his attention.
Im Ha-yeon struck a pose that she presumed would look attractive to men in the gisaeng house.
What man would look away from such a woman? She convinced herself and returned to bed.
But the unease didn’t dissipate.
“There’s no way a lady of the Zhege family could like that man.”
It made even less sense if someone claimed her beauty was on par with his. Why would the precious daughter of a noble family ever like him?
Of course, he was considerate, thoughtful, and…
While walking together, other women would occasionally spare him a glance.
He was endlessly mature yet had a childish charm as well.
Trustworthy, witty, and able to shoulder the seemingly impossible burdens.
“Ugh.”
Im Ha-yeon covered her flushed face with her hands.
A daughter from the Zhege family couldn’t possibly have feelings for Kang Yoon-ho. As she muttered to herself in hopes of falling asleep, she recalled something one of the attendants had said.
“Isn’t it okay to marry, even if the other party is from the Zhege family, even if his face is ruined?”
But what if his face was handsome?
“…He likes me. There’s no way he’d cheat on me.”
Surely their meeting was devoid of any heartfelt intentions. Im Ha-yeon tried to convince herself.
But, unlike her experiences in Yichang, her voice felt shaky and uncertain.
At the mansion of Man Geum-jeon…
Ugh…
A silver-haired beauty with wall-eyed gaze waved her arms in a bizarre dance while holding a fan.
“Is the lady performing a fan dance?”
“What? That’s considered a dance?”
Had Zhege Hyang been her usual self, the maids entering for routine matters would have been shocked into silence and gone into hiding, but lately, that wasn’t the case.
No, Zhege Hyang simply didn’t care anymore.
“Why is the lady acting like that lately?”
“Don’t you know? Ever since she went out with Kang Yoon-ho, she’s been ecstatic.”
“Right? Miss, Zhege Hyang! This is I, Zhege Hyang!”
Zhege Hyang couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as she listened to the distant bickering voices.
“Hehe, who am I?”
The girl who went out with her romantic interest to a restaurant! Zhege Hyang!
Just the two of them!
Zhege Hyang swung her fan and danced joyously, covering her face with it, grinning ear to ear.
“I feel like I’ve climbed another step on the ladder of womanhood! Hehe!”
She was just moving a step up the human ladder, but to her, it felt like a monumental leap.
Not one for conversation, the woman who would never have imagined going to a restaurant alone with a man found her meeting with Kang Yoon-ho incredibly vivid.
“What about you? What happened with that guy you met again?”
Envisioning her nonexistent childhood friend Kang Yoon-ho, Zhege Hyang resumed her dance when she overheard the maids talking outside.
“I don’t know. I think I might have to break up with him.”
“Why?”
“Well, he showed up in dusty work clothes after saying he wanted to meet.”
“So? If he came out after working, isn’t that understandable?”
“If we’ve been dating for a while, it shouldn’t matter. But how long has it been? It means he thought he could meet me in dust-covered clothes!”
“Now that you say so, it does sound like that.”
“Eh?!”
Zhege Hyang suddenly recalled something from the maids’ conversation.
“I also met him covered in ink…”
This was when Kang Yoon-ho visited her out of the blue. She had dashed out in excitement, still stained with ink from her painting session.
And that it was impolite.
That it implied she was being taken lightly.
Zhege Hyang was left aghast.
“Could it be that Kang Yoon-ho thinks…?”
Suddenly, a slew of thoughts about Kang Yoon-ho infiltrated her mind.
— Maybe he doesn’t see me as a woman.
— All his remarks seemed utterly absurd. He probably just humor me until the end.
— I brought him to a fancy restaurant? Isn’t he supposed to show at least a shred of decent courtesy?
“Ahhh! No! That’s not how it is. Kang Yoon-ho!”
Zhege Hyang, age 18.
Her first encounter that could be her last romantic affair was crumbling before her eyes.
It was over.
The only future she had left…
— How old am I again? Oh my! 24?! Why? Oh no! Is there something wrong with my body?
— Aunt! Why aren’t you married?! Why is that aunt who is older not married either?
— How could I be unmarried at this age? So pathetic!
— I’m a headache for this family! I can’t have that! I might as well send myself off as a concubine!
“Ahhh!”
Her first love, the one she’d never have again, ended just like that.
Zhege Hyang writhed in agony.
“How can I possibly apologize to Kang Yoon-ho?”
With trembling hands, she clutched her brush, desperate.
She had to put her feelings into it—her sincere feelings towards Kang Yoon-ho.
I was startled when I rushed out. Next time, I’ll be dressed neatly! I’ll be looking forward to our next meeting.
Zhege Hyang began writing down her true feelings on paper.
[During this early summer season, I pray for your health and happiness!]
[Respectfully wishing you peace and wellness during this mid-summer season!]
“Ugh! My feelings are too heavy!”
She promptly scrapped it.
“Uhhhh!”
Zhege Hyang pressed her head against the desk in despair.
What’s a light message? What type of letter should I send to Kang Yoon-ho?
Even if we’re dating, wouldn’t he think it rude if the woman sent the first letter and get offended?
And if I don’t get a response…
What if he thought the ink-stained outfit from our meeting was utterly repulsive?
If he sees me as nothing more than an impudent woman, that he won’t dream of a second meeting…
“I… I can’t ever get back up from this!”
Zhege Hyang, age 18.
The girl who had been dancing joyously just moments ago now found herself crawling under the desk, huddled.
“Let’s put off the letter for today, and just collect myself…”
I’ll sleep on it.
The letter can wait until tomorrow. Or now? No, maybe I’ll wait until Kang Yoon-ho sends a letter; perhaps I can even wait for a week. Is a week too short?
He might be busy too, so it’s okay to wait a little longer.
Had it been the old Zhege Hyang, she would have given up without a second thought.
She would have thought her poor conversation skills would only lead to friction with others and would hide away in a corner.
But this time was different.
“I want to see Kang Yoon-ho again…”
It was such an intense experience. She had felt a taste of romance.
Zhege Hyang confessed her innermost feelings with a blush on her face.
But what can she do? Writing the letter felt terrifying, yet she longed to meet Kang Yoon-ho. Zhege Hyang was at an impasse in her heart.
“Miss Zhege Hyang. A letter has come from Kang Yoon-ho. Would you like it now, or shall I wait until you’re free?”
In the end, one letter pulled her heart together.
“What?! … Ack!”
Zhege Hyang tried to stand in surprise, only to bump her head under the desk.
“Miss?”
The maid, startled by the scream, opened the door.
She found Zhege Hyang, holding her head as tears welled up, crawling toward her.
“G…”
Desperate, Zhege Hyang scrambled in front of the maid.
The maid couldn’t help but think that she resembled a lucky earth dragon emerging in the rain.
“Y… yes?”
“Please give me the letter!”
Under her tearful, pleading gaze.
A smile appeared on Zhege Hyang’s face, one that would leave any man spellbound.
