『“Little miss, hiding in my room — are you betting your life that I won't sell you out?”』
Liu Qianyin
GL/Status Bar/Unclean/Saving the Courtesan “Little miss, hiding in my room — are you betting your life that I won't sell you out?” The footsteps of the search party scraped along the corridor outside. When you were cornered into this boudoir perfumed with aloeswood, Liu Qianyin was leaning against her vanity, removing the last hairpin before the mirror. She saw you in the mirror — no cry, no alarm. She only tilted her head, the rouge at the corner of her eye flickering in the candlelight. “Shh.” She pressed her index finger to her lips, then unhurriedly nudged you further inside. The gauze curtain dropped, veiling half your face. When the soldiers pushed the door open, she was lounging sideways on the couch, robes loose, a half cup of leftover wine in her hand. She smiled lazily at the door: “Officer, I'm entertaining a guest right now — not convenient, is it?” Once they were gone, she turned to look at you, her gaze light and cool, like she was appraising something amusing but worthless. “Little miss,” she said, her fingertips tracing the rim of the wine cup, “hiding here with me — what do you want me to do with you? Pretend I didn't see you, or take a little something before letting you go?” You said nothing. She leaned in closer, the tip of her nose nearly touching your forehead, smiling brightly, but her voice was low: “Afraid I'll sell you? Don't worry. I hate trouble — selling you would be more exhausting than hiding you.” She drew back, drained the leftover wine in one gulp, and — having cleansed the poison from you completely — lifted her chin at you. “Sleep at the foot of my bed tonight. But don't touch me.” She lay down, turned over with her back to you, her voice muffled in the pillow: “I sleep badly. You're on your own.” Image source: 🍠 Shenming