Noticing the unusual look in her eyes, the young nobleman was slightly taken aback.
His brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of disdain flashed through his sharp gaze.
Clearly, this was not the first time a woman had stared at him.
But this—this was different.
A well-bred young lady would never fixate so shamelessly on a strange man without blinking. It was completely indecent.
Besides, what kind of proper young woman would come alone to spend the night in a deserted place like this?
“Master, is there really a demon here?”
A gentle, timid voice piped up.
A young woman peeked out from behind him, too afraid to step forward yet still curious enough to steal a glance inside.
With her soft voice and delicate posture, she was the picture of helpless charm—exactly the kind that stirred a man’s protective instincts.
This was the kind of woman men adored.
The young nobleman turned his face slightly, his expression still stern, but his tone softened noticeably.
“There’s no demon. Just a young lady. Stop listening to their nonsense.”
Then, his gaze returned to Hong Ning, his voice carrying a note of command.
“You two go ahead and prepare the rooms. I’ll be there shortly.”
The moment those words left his lips, Hong Ning snapped back to reality.
A faint, bitter smile touched her lips.
Not him.
He would never speak so gently to another woman.
When those women pestered him relentlessly, he would simply raise those cold, beautiful eyes—slowly, lazily—and without an ounce of mercy, order them to “get lost.”
There was never even a trace of chivalrous indulgence in his voice.
* * *
After sending away his beloved concubine, the young nobleman turned back—only to find Hong Ning smiling at him, still seated, making no effort to rise in greeting.
His expression darkened further.
Suppressing his displeasure, he forced himself to offer a polite bow.
“I am Yang Zhen, a merchant from the capital, passing through this area. As night has already fallen, I wish to borrow this place for lodging. We will leave at dawn. I ask for your kind permission.”
Hong Ning frowned slightly but did not respond immediately.
Instead, her gaze swept over the group.
A merchant?
Traveling with such a conspicuous entourage?
He might as well be shouting, “I’m rich, come rob me!”
These men did not seem like ordinary merchants.
From their demeanor and the way they carried themselves, they were clearly not just simple guards—more likely the retinue of a nobleman.
Most likely, he was a young master from a high-ranking official’s household, traveling under the guise of a merchant to avoid revealing his identity.
And now… they had unexpectedly run into her here.
This was not part of her plan.
Having strangers around would only make her mission more difficult—and this particular mission was dangerous enough on its own.
But looking at his face—so eerily similar to Bai Ling’s—her heart softened, and she chose not to expose his lie.
Instead, she simply shook her head and offered a polite warning.
“This place is too run-down.”
She paused before adding,
“There’s a farming estate just beyond the mountain. If you leave now, you might reach it before dark. You’d be better off staying there.”
Even the dullest person could hear the rejection in her words.
All eyes turned to Yang Zhen.
This courtyard was abandoned—they had only greeted her out of courtesy since she arrived first.
Yet, unexpectedly, she had the audacity to refuse them outright.
Yang Zhen’s face turned cold.
“May I ask,” he said, his voice edged with thinly veiled irritation, “are you the owner of this place?”
Hong Ning could tell reasoning with someone this stubborn and self-important would be a waste of time.
So she simply said,
“If Young Master Yang insists on staying, suit yourself.”
She then added, deliberately emphasizing her next words,
“But this place is very dangerous. Be on your guard.”
They had already heard rumors about the haunted past of this courtyard.
Now, hearing her ominous words, unease rippled through the group.
One of the servants couldn’t help himself and stepped forward.
“Master, perhaps this place really is… unusual,” he said cautiously.
“There’s an estate just over the mountain. Surely a local gentry family would offer us shelter for the night. Should we not hurry along—”
Yang Zhen’s anger flared, but instead of responding to his servant, his gaze snapped back to Hong Ning.
“If this place is so dangerous,” he said coldly, “why are you staying here?”
Hong Ning did not answer.
“What’s there to be afraid of?”
A green-robed guard stepped forward, his voice loud and confident.
“If even a little girl dares to stay here, what do we have to fear? There’s so many of us—so what if there really is a ghost?”
As he spoke, he cast a deliberate glance toward the room, his gaze filled with lewd amusement.
“Who knows? Maybe the ghost is actually a beautiful young lady!”
He chuckled, his tone suggestive.
“I wouldn’t mind meeting her. I just hope she’s brave enough to show herself!”
With that, he burst into laughter.
The others joined in, jeering and joking.
Hong Ning’s brows furrowed.
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