Chapter 1007 - 554: Competing with Miss Lu for the Job (Double-Length) (Part 2)

"I suppose what you say makes sense." Huang’Er chuckled softly, "Ms. Qing, are you asking... how to get close to Miss Yun without annoying Young Master?"

"Mm." Ah Qing nodded.

The question was important.

"First, it’s quite strange." Huang’Er furrowed her brows, "Why would you think... getting close to Miss Yun would make Young Master dislike it? Where does that logic come from?"

If it’s because they’re courtesans they’d be disliked by Young Master, that would be underestimating the hearts of these girls and their beloveds.

Young Master Xu wouldn’t care about such trivial matters.

Before Ah Qing could explain, Huang’Er already seemed to have a realization.

"Oh, it’s because you are a Half-Demon, sister."

A Half-Demon is different from a courtesan.

The latter can still live well in the mundane world, while a Half-Demon is different, so it’s normal for Ah Qing to be worried as a Half-Demon.

"Young Master isn’t from a typical Immortal Sect, and you haven’t done anything wrong, so you need not worry," Huang’Er comforted Ah Qing, "If you want to be friends with Miss Yun, just go ahead."

Ah Qing: "..."

She listened quietly, lowering her head, without saying a word.

Huang’Er: "...?"

She froze for a moment, then widened her eyes, "Ms. Qing, you haven’t done something bad, have you?"

Ah Qing slightly raised her head, gave a faint smile, "In the past... I did, does that count?"

Huang’Er stared at Ah Qing’s charming smile, just feeling her heart race faster, but soon snapped out of her admiration, "Sister, what’s with the smile? Have you done something bad and now fear Young Master won’t forgive you?"

"..." Ah Qing stayed silent.

How could she explain her identity?

Even if there are women in Flower Moon Building who have been cared for by Demon Sect Female Cultivators and still respectfully call her ’Madam’.

Even if it’s said that only Evil Cultivators in the Demon Sect should be loathed by the world.

But after all, Evil Cultivators are part of the Demon Sect, and as she enjoys their veneration, she must shelter them... Thus, whether good or bad fruits, they all fall upon Ah Qing.

She wouldn’t extricate herself just for herself.

After all... the upper echelons of the Demon Sect are a mess.

Demon Sect... pfft.

Holy Sect.

She’s been at Flower Moon Building for so long that nowhere would the Demon Sect call themselves as such.

The upper echelons of the Holy Sect, when thought over carefully now, are almost devoid of normal people. Take those Elders from her own sect, for example, there are distorted individuals with irreconcilable vendettas against the Chaoyun Sect, insane people with malfunctioning brains, and betrayers from Major Sects.

Who among them hasn’t committed grievous sins?

For these people, destroying a city is but a whim, none are good people.

As for her, the Sect Leader.

Yes, she hasn’t destroyed cities, but in her past view, let alone a city, even the lives of a state’s people were as insignificant as ants.

Many times, perhaps an indifferent disregard can be even more chilling than supposed evil cruelty.

In this regard, she and Shi Qingjun aloof in Frosty Heaven were much the same.

"But now I can rest in the brothel, which means... I’m ahead of her by quite a bit." Ah Qing mumbled to herself.

"...Ms. Qing, come back to your senses, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing." Ah Qing sighed, "In any case, I’m a villain. A woman like me... going near the innocent Miss Yun isn’t appropriate, is it?"

"Innocent..." Huang’Er tilted her head, asking, "How do you know Miss Yun is innocent?"

"?" Ah Qing was baffled, "What else could she be?"

Could it be that someone like Yun Qian could ever be a villain?

She very much enjoyed being gazed upon by Yun Qian’s eyes.

"I think it’s hard to say. Perhaps Miss Yun isn’t as virtuous as you think." Huang’Er waved her hand, "We’re all women, who doesn’t have those little thoughts in their hearts?"

"Miss Yun is different." Ah Qing said with certainty.

"..." Huang’Er’s tone got stuck.

Her sister Qing wasn’t like this in the past.

The old Ah Qing was elegant, mysterious, cold, independent, a girl that provoked admiration.

Now...

How had she turned into a silly person, infatuated only with Yun Qian?

Huang’Er reminded, "Ms. Qing, have you forgotten about Young Master Xu?"

"What’s with Young Master... Young Master?" Ah Qing didn’t understand.

Huang’Er sighed.

"How old is Young Master this year? But... how many years have Miss Yun and Young Master been husband and wife? Haven’t you thought about this at all?" Huang’Er blinked, "I heard from Pingniang that Young Master used to be Miss Yun’s steward."

Ah Qing still seemed a bit puzzled, "What are you trying to say?"

"Sister, how come you’re so slow now? Do you really want me to say bad things about Miss Yun?" Huang’Er was helpless but continued, "Elder... pfft, an older wife and younger husband, what does that represent? Sister, can’t you understand?"

Given that Yun Qian could secure Xu Chang’an when he was still young, it speaks volumes that she might not be as pure and kind as she appears.

At least...

At least she would also be someone with a strong affection for beauty.

Although, having a fondness for beauty is not necessarily a flaw, but isn’t she whom Ah Qing thought unattainable?

Ah Qing: "..."

She understood Huang’Er’s point, murmuring to herself, "But, liking Young Master, isn’t that okay... doesn’t that affect Miss Yun’s innocence?"

If it were her, watching Xu Chang’an mature from youth over the years, she would also be unable to resist.

Therefore, one cannot speak ill of Yun Qian.

"...Ms. Qing, you’ve got Miss Yun on your mind." Huang’Er covered her face with one hand, grimacing at the pain, but still said, "Hopeless."

"Is that so?" Ah Qing came back to her senses, "In any case, Miss Yun hasn’t done anything wrong."

"Ms. Qing, why do you naively believe Miss Yun is above you?" Huang’Er thought, shouldn’t Half-Demons naturally look down on others?

What happened to the haughty gaze Ah Qing used to have?

Perk up.

"Miss Yun isn’t an ordinary person, you wouldn’t understand."

She isn’t ordinary.

Ah Qing never viewed Yun Qian as an ordinary woman. How could an ordinary woman be Xu Chang’an’s Missus?

So, in Ah Qing’s heart, compared to ordinary women, Ah Qing considered her a higher existence, even more so than herself or Shi Qingjun.

Perhaps there’s a hidden agenda, for example, this way, Ah Qing can comfortably place Yun Qian above without feeling like she’s fallen short.

Given Yun Qian’s greatness, it’s only fitting for her to be a bit humble.

"I don’t understand you." Huang’Er still couldn’t fathom how Ah Qing became infatuated with Yun Qian, could it... really have started from just holding hands?

"Ms. Qing, are Miss Yun’s hands... really that soft?"

"Mm, very soft." Ah Qing earnestly replied, "And warm, when walking hand in hand with her, you have to mind the pace, can’t stride too wide, or she’ll fall behind, out of breath."

The sight of Yun Qian, panting, while beautiful, does pull at the heartstrings.

"...That’s not love, that seems more like a maid fitting the bill." Huang’Er covered her face and then took a deep breath, "Ms. Qing, I’ve got a solution, I know how you won’t make Young Master dislike you and still get close to Miss Yun."

"Oh? It wasn’t in vain that I told you so much." Ah Qing looked at her, "What’s the solution?"

"Go be Miss Yun’s maid." Huang’Er said matter-of-factly.

A maid, nicely put, a maid.

Not so nicely put, a handmaiden.

"Maid... me?" Ah Qing pointed at her own face.

"Mm, Young Master is so busy, surely can’t tend to every matter for the lady, right? So I reckon Miss Yun lacks a maid by her side, am I wrong?" Huang’Er said, "Earlier I saw Steward Lu leading Miss to the West Pavilion."

Moreover, because of Zhu Pingniang, the girls from Flower Moon Building naturally earn Xu Chang’an’s trust.

Thus, having girls like them as Yun Qian’s maids would be ideal.

And the role of a maid, surely Young Master Xu wouldn’t dislike, right?

Being able to serve Yun Qian, that’s exactly what Ah Qing wants, isn’t it?

"But if sister wants to be Miss’s maid, you better start preparing now." Huang’Er advised, "Although I don’t know, surely there are plenty who want to be the Miss’s maid."