Chapter 158: The Imprisoned Egret

Chapter 158: The Captive Egret

Xiaoxiang Prefecture was a lively city. After Si Lu left the Fengwu River, he headed east. Around midday, he spotted a noodle stand and had just sat down when a figure plopped down across from him.

Si Lu figured it was just someone sharing his table and didn't think much of it, until a cold chuckle full of amusement rang out: "Little Egret, gotcha."

"Crack—!"

The chopsticks slipped from Si Lu's hand and clattered to the ground. He looked up, unable to believe his eyes, his gaze locking onto the man's lake-green ones.

What the hell is he doing here?!

Without a second thought, Si Lu shot up and bolted!

But the man behind him was quicker—"Ugh..." Si Lu felt a sharp strike to the back of his neck, then everything went black and he crumpled limply into the man's arms.

A slender hand brushed over the reddened corner of the man's forehead. The man smirked. "Little Egret, you really made me hunt for you..."

---

The pipa's notes wove a mellow melody while women chatted and giggled, and the gaudily opulent "Linxiang Tower" had a big-spending foreign guest today. The madam had pocketed a hefty tip and was now eagerly setting up the finest private suite for her honored guest.

"This way, honored guest!"

The madam fanned herself and introduced with great enthusiasm: "Sir, this is the finest room we've got at Linxiang Tower! So, does it suit your taste?"

The man scanned the room's decor—poetic charm laced with a hint of sensuality. "Fine. Leave. Don't bother me unless it's important."

"You got it! Make yourself at home—just holler if you need anything!"

The madam, sharp as a tack, didn't ask if the man wanted a girl. In her line of work, she'd become a real people-reader, and the guy hauling someone over his shoulder had clearly set his sights on that person. The madam, well-versed in the world of pleasure, had a keen eye and knew better than to poke her nose in.

The man entered the room and laid the person he'd been carrying onto the bed. "Still playing possum?"

He traced Si Lu's face, his voice icy and menacing.

The person on the bed didn't stir. The man didn't get mad. His cold hand slowly came to rest on Si Lu's lips, then traced and teased them, as if stroking his most prized possession.

"If you don't wake up soon, I'm going to kiss you."

That line worked like a spell. The next second, Si Lu's eyes snapped open and he shoved the man hard, shouting angrily, "Wu Tuyin, what the hell do you want?!"

Si Lu's pretty face flushed with anger. He was already stunningly good-looking, and now with lips red as blossoms and gray-blue eyes glistening, he looked even more breathtakingly seductive.

Wu Tuyin curled his lips at him with an unreadable smile. "What do you think?"

"You—you're sick!" Si Lu cursed.

A dark glint flashed through the man's lake-green eyes. "Nice cursing."

With that, the man grabbed Si Lu's jaw and forced a brutal kiss on him. Si Lu froze—he hadn't expected the man to just go for it. He tried to shove him off but his hands were wrenched back and he was slammed onto the bed.

"Mmph... Wu Tuyin!"

The two wrestled together, and the small golden bells in Wu Tuyin's hair fell against Si Lu's neck, jingling with their movements.

"Let go, mmph!"

Finding an opening, Si Lu bit the man hard.

"Hiss...!"

Wu Tuyin's tongue stung, and his grip loosened slightly. Si Lu seized the chance to roll over and bolt, but was quickly dragged back. Wu Tuyin grabbed his waist and leaned in for another kiss. Furious, Si Lu swung his hand and slapped him across the face!

"Slap—!"

The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the room.

"Wu Tuyin, are you insane?" Si Lu's voice trembled with anger. "Do you really think I'm a male prostitute from the Guanhua Troupe?!"

"Aren't you?" Wu Tuyin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "That's why I chose this place."

"You bastard!" Si Lu hurled things at him in a rage. "You forced me into this! You trapped me in the Guanhua Troupe before, and now you want to lock me up in Linxiang Tower?!"

Si Lu's body shook uncontrollably as he spoke. He didn't know how things had come to this.

He had grown up in Mengqin, and the foster mother who raised him had been kind to him. But later, she fell gravely ill, and he had to seek a shaman healer to save her.

That was when he met Wu Tuyin.

At first, he thought Wu Tuyin was just a handsome man with unique lake-green eyes. It wasn't until Wu Tuyin offered to trade his body for the shaman's treatment that Si Lu realized he was the foreign Chieftain revered and feared across the grasslands.

Though the terms Wu Tuyin proposed were outrageous, those at the bottom had no choice. He couldn't watch his foster mother die, so he struck a five-year deal with Wu Tuyin.

Then, three years ago, Wu Tuyin suddenly sent him to a Guanhua Troupe in Lingbei. Wu Tuyin gave no reason—he simply forbade Si Lu from leaving.

For three years, Si Lu met Qing Yi at the troupe and became the "top courtesan." Though called that, he never received clients—Wu Tuyin had bought all his time at a heavy price.

He felt like a bird caged by Wu Tuyin—unable to leave Lingbei, unable to visit his foster mother. Wu Tuyin would occasionally come to "tease him," but Si Lu loathed his domineering ways, so their encounters always ended with both of them wounded.

"Wu Tuyin, the five years are up. You can't keep me trapped any longer!"

Si Lu backed away warily.

They had agreed: five years of his life in exchange for his foster mother's survival. When Qin Jiao had helped buy his freedom earlier, the five years had just expired. Now Wu Tuyin's renewed harassment was nothing but ill intent.

"So, in your heart, I'm someone who keeps his promises?"

Every step Si Lu retreated, Wu Tuyin advanced. The man's gaze burned, an invisible pressure looming over Si Lu. "Don't come any closer!"

Si Lu yanked the jade hairpin from his hair, his voice trembling with fear and fury. "Or I won't be polite!"

"Threatening me with a weapon I gave you?"

Wu Tuyin paused, then in the next instant snatched the jade hairpin from Si Lu's hand.

"Let go of me!" Si Lu, now disarmed, was pinned completely, his voice shaking with rage.

Wu Tuyin didn't release him, casually twirling the hairpin in his hand.

He remembered—this hairpin was a birthday gift he'd given Si Lu one year. Though it looked simple on the outside, it concealed several poison-tipped silver needles within. He'd intended it for self-defense back then, but now it was being used against him.

Wu Tuyin let out a self-deprecating laugh, then handed the hairpin back. "Keep it. That thing can't kill me."

"..."

Si Lu was silent for a moment, but ultimately took the hairpin and tied up his disheveled hair.

After all, the hairpin was quite handy as a hidden weapon for self-defense.

"Come sit down, let's talk."

Seeing that Si Lu had calmed down, Wu Tuyin walked over to the table, sat down, and poured two cups of tea.

"Talk about what?" Si Lu didn't move closer but stood his ground and asked warily.

He expected Wu Tuyin to bring up their five-year pact, but instead, Wu Tuyin asked about Qin Jiao.

"When did you and Qin Jiao meet?" Wu Tuyin swirled his teacup, the strange emotion in his green eyes carefully hidden.

"We ran into each other."

Si Lu answered cautiously.

"Are you friends?" Wu Tuyin pressed further.

Earlier, after Qin Jiao had helped Si Lu buy his freedom, Si Lu had gone into hiding. If he hadn't run into Qin Jiao this time, Wu Tuyin probably wouldn't have found him so quickly.

"That's none of your business." Si Lu's tone was stiff. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm out of here."

Si Lu didn't want to give away too much about Qin Jiao, so he got up to leave.

"In a few days, I'll take you back to the royal court." Wu Tuyin said calmly, as if it were no big deal.

"Wu Tuyin, we're over!" Si Lu snapped. "I don't want to go back to Mengqin now."

Wu Tuyin stood up, his tall, straight figure gradually closing in on Si Lu. The man's predatory gaze fell unapologetically on his Little Egret: "It's not your call when this ends."

The man paused briefly, then added, "But the position... that's up to you."

"..."

The danger was long in the making yet came all of a sudden!

Si Lu turned to run, and unsurprisingly, he was caught again.

It was just past noon, and they still had a long day ahead of them...

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