Outside the brothel.

　　Sun Dalin squatted on the steps, waiting for the young master to emerge. He was slightly surprised; nearly fifteen minutes had passed, yet the young master hadn't come out, unlike what he said would be "soon."

　　Bored, he leaned against the wall, hands resting on the back of his head, taking a nap.

　　Suddenly, a fragrant breeze blew by. Sun Dalin opened his eyes. Before him, a woman in white robes looked down at him from above.

　　The woman's skin was fair as snow, her features stunningly beautiful, her figure tall and slender. Without a doubt, her legs hidden beneath her long skirt were incredibly long.

　　Yet Sun Dalin couldn't appreciate the beauty of this woman. Seeing her, he shuddered, springing up from the ground, his voice trembling. "Second Miss, w-why are you here!"

　　The woman glanced at him indifferently and asked, "What are you doing here? Where's Lin Xiu?"

　　Sun Dalin glanced nervously into the brothel and said, "I don't know..."

　　His furtive movements didn't escape the keen eyes of the woman in white. Her brows furrowed slightly as she asked again, "Where's Lin Xiu?"

　　Sun Dalin shook his head. "I really don't know."

　　The woman in white looked at him coldly and said, "You are his personal guard. Where he is, you should be. How could you not know?"

　　Noticing Sun Dalin's evasive gaze, occasionally glancing aside, seemingly nervous, the woman in white's gaze shifted toward the brothel. Her voice was icy and bone-chilling, as if coming from the depths of hell. "Don't tell me, Lin Xiu is inside..."

　　In the Fragrant Pavilion,

　　In an elegant private room on the second floor, Lin Xiu was consoling Haitang.

　　Through their conversation, he had learned of her tragic past. She was born into a humble farming family in Jiangning Prefecture, Daxia, as the eldest daughter. Her family lived in poverty, barely scraping by. When her parents had a son, the burden became too great, and to secure a few silver taels, they sold her to a wealthy household in the city.

　　This, in itself, was not a misfortune. Though she would no longer control her own fate, at least she would survive, and her family's life would improve. However, the master of the household lusted after her, and were it not for his jealous wife, he might have already taken her. Sensing her husband's intentions, the mistress treated Haintang with cruelty, often beating and scolding her, and eventually sold her to a brothel.

　　Initially, she resisted the clients, but after several beatings, she gave up. Thus began the life of an ordinary courtesan.

　　Lin Xiu gently held her hand and sighed, "The past is gone; we must look to the future. You still have a future ahead."

　　While he was stalling for time, his feelings were genuine. Initially, he had looked down upon these women, but his perspective had changed. People like Haintang had no control over their fates from birth, unable to change anything.

　　Tears welled up in Haintang's eyes as she shook her head, "It's easy for you to say, but what future could someone like me have?"

　　Lin Xiu patted her hand and said, "I understand your pain. My parents divorced and remarried, and I never understood why they abandoned me, their child..."

　　In another life, Lin Xiu's parents had divorced and formed new families, leaving him largely forgotten, except in financial matters. They never knew that money was not what he lacked. Money did bring companionship, though, which perhaps explained why he always woke up with a different face beside him, yet many still sought his company.

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　　After a long silence, Lin Xiu took a deep breath, sealing away those memories. After all, that was a past life.

　　Haintang looked at him in disbelief, "You've had such experiences too?"

　　Lin Xiu smiled, "That's all in the past. We should focus on the future. The past cannot be changed, but the future holds endless possibilities..."

　　Haintang trembled, pondering his words, and the room fell silent. A glint appeared in Lin Xiu's eyes. He needed just a little more time to fully replicate her abilities.

　　Suddenly, a commotion outside the door broke the silence, followed by the madam's shouts.

　　"Hey, you can't go in there!"

　　"Miss, miss..."

　　Bang!

　　The door to the room collapsed, not opened, but fallen. A tall woman in white stood in the doorway, her eyes fixed on Lin Xiu, teeth gritted, "Lin Xiu, how dare you visit a brothel!"

　　Her presence seemed to lower the room's temperature. Lin Xiu, confused, asked, "Who are you?"

　　She strode to him, grabbed his wrist, and coldly said, "Come with me!"

　　Lin Xiu, without any memory of this body, didn't recognize her, but he needed just a bit more time to gain Haintang's abilities. As she dragged him, he pleaded, "Wait, just a moment..."

　　But a powerful force pulled him out, breaking his grip on Haintang. His nearly complete replication of her ability shattered.

　　"No!" Lin Xiu's angry shout was futile.

　　He wrenched his hand free, furious, "What are you doing?"

　　Surprised by his strength, the woman retorted, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

　　Lin Xiu demanded, "Who are you? Why are you questioning me?"

　　The woman, her chest heaving, stared at him. How could such a man be her future brother-in-law, worthy of her sister, a true gem?

　　Though he hadn't awakened any special abilities or practiced martial arts, he had no significant flaws. The engagement, arranged decades ago, left her only with indignation for her sister. But today, seeing him in a brothel, brazen and unapologetic, even pretending not to know her, was too much.

　　"You're still pretending!"

　　She kicked him, but he dodged, noting her fondness for white. "Where are you looking?" she shouted, blushing and furious, striking him with a palm. This time, he couldn't avoid it, feeling a sharp pain in his neck before collapsing.

　　As she watched him, her anger subsided, and she ordered, "Sun Dalì, take him back!"

　　No response. Sun Dalì had vanished. Frustrated, she stomped and kicked Lin Xiu, then hoisted him over her shoulder and left.

　　Haintang, stunned, sat motionless. The madam, recovering first, cried, "He hasn't paid!"

　　...

　　When Lin Xiu awoke, he saw Sun Dalì's square face. He remembered being knocked out by the woman in white.

　　Thinking of her, he sat up, then fell back, grimacing in pain. Sun Dalì reassured him, "Don't worry, she's gone."

　　Lin Xiu, holding his sore buttocks, asked, "What happened after I passed out?"

　　Sun Dalì explained, "She carried you back, and your buttocks were swollen. I saw her kick you..."

　　Lin Xiu, relieved, then angrily asked, "You're my guard, and you let her kick me?"

　　Sun Dalì, cowering, said, "I'm no match for her. At least I could call for help..."

　　Lin Xiu, suppressing his urge to slap him, asked, "Who is she?"

　　Sun Dalì, incredulous, replied, "You don't recognize Second Miss Zhao? You're engaged to her elder sister, making her your future sister-in-law..."

　　Lin Xiu, stunned, asked, "What engagement?"

　　Sun Dalì explained, "Decades ago, our grandfathers arranged the marriage. Eighteen years ago, when Zhao and Lin families each had a child, the engagement was formalized. But now, the Lin family has declined, while the Zhao family has risen. The engagement is awkward, especially since your fiancée, the Zhao family's pride, has powerful abilities, and you are just an ordinary man."

　　Lin Xiu, shocked, thought, "Marriage? Impossible. I'll never marry, not after my parents' failed marriage. I fear it, but a wise doctor once told me, I just haven't met the right person."

　　He envied happy marriages but convinced himself that marriage meant responsibility, incompatible with his desire for freedom. This engagement must be canceled. Yet, if it were real, the beating he received made sense.

　　Lin Xiu realized something, "Wait, you said Second Miss Zhao carried me back?"

　　Sun Dalì corrected, "She carried you, walking a long distance. Did she awaken her ice abilities?"

　　"Yes," Sun Dalì confirmed, "She has powerful ice abilities."

　　Lin Xiu, taking a deep breath, dismissed him, "I need rest."

　　As Sun Dalì left, Lin Xiu extended his hand, and ice formed. He was elated. Though the crucial moment was ruined, he gained her abilities. But he realized the limitations: he needed prolonged physical contact, and interruptions would ruin the process.

　　He needed someone close and trusting, like a girlfriend. No one else would comply. Reincarnated, he felt fate was pushing him toward love. But the image of Zhao Lingyin's stern face made him shudder. The engagement must be broken; she was terrifying.