Love's Debt Comes Knocking - Chapter 2

Fengcheng has always been a strategic military stronghold and a bustling transportation hub of the Zhou Dynasty, its beautiful mountains and waters nurturing countless people.

As she stated her name and hometown, the temple’s doors and windows suddenly rattled, and the fierce sounds of wind and rain poured in. Lu Yang was momentarily stunned, then uncomfortably averted her gaze.

She rarely felt uneasy, but after some thought, she realized it was likely because the woman before her had captivating features yet carried an air of indifference.

What status did Lu Yang hold? Since birth, she had been the treasured legitimate granddaughter of the Lu family matriarch, cradled in her hands. Everyone in Fengcheng said she was a golden phoenix soaring from a nest of wealth, destined to enjoy endless prosperity for generations.

When the man in the dark green robe at the inn spoke disrespectfully, she hadn’t paid it any mind—not entirely because of her good temperament. First, the situation was urgent, and seeking refuge was the priority. Second, Lu Yang had always looked down on such matters, unwilling to waste her energy on irrelevant strangers.

Now, stranded on Peach Mountain and temporarily sheltering in this dilapidated temple, the interior was lit by lanterns and a bonfire, while outside, the rain poured fiercely and eerie winds howled.

Apart from herself, the only other living person in the temple was this woman.

Being ignored by a fellow woman of such icy elegance was far more unbearable than being provoked by a repulsive man.

After stewing in her discomfort for a while, Lu Yang felt her nose itch, tilted her head, and sneezed.

The stifling heat of the rainy season, combined with the wind, rain, and thunder, made her feel like a fish that had rolled in mud and was only half-washed in water—utterly uncomfortable.

Catching a glimpse of the woman’s slightly furrowed brow, Lu Yang felt as if she were being looked down upon. She took two steps back, only to hear a restrained voice behind her.

“Warm yourself by the fire.”

Lu Yang stopped, inexplicably pleased, and politely thanked her before moving closer to the fire.

The warm, bright orange flames not only illuminated her grimy face but also revealed the woman’s flawless features.

Deep in the mountains, a dilapidated temple, an elderly woman with wrinkled skin and white hair struggling helplessly, a rainy night, a gloomy sky, and a mysterious beauty appearing in the temple—Lu Yang lifted her eyelids, discreetly observing whether the woman across from her was human or a powerful mountain spirit.

After all, she was also a woman, and it was hard to believe that such an ethereal beauty existed in the world. It seemed more plausible that she was a spirit who had cultivated her form.

However, Lu Yang soon realized: this was a person, a living, breathing beauty who, like her, had fallen into misfortune.

Because the beauty was trembling.

The crackling of the bonfire blended with the clamor of wind and rain outside, and Lu Yang could even hear the faint chattering of her teeth.

What spirit would be more afraid of the cold than a human?

Glancing around, she made another startling discovery—in the corner, someone had piled a tall stack of dry branches in advance. Behind the broken stone statue, a soft-looking quilt was neatly arranged, complete with a pillow.

Just as she was about to voice her suspicions, Lu Yang instinctively swallowed her words and deftly picked up some branches to toss into the fire.

Little did she know that Tao Yuan’s trembling was not due to the cold but because she had been poisoned with a potent aphrodisiac capable of corrupting even immortals. She had desperately suppressed it earlier, but now the effects were taking hold.

Biting the tip of her tongue to regain a sliver of clarity, Tao Yuan’s eyes took on a faint crimson hue.

The dry branches had been prepared by the elderly woman, as had the quilt and pillow.

She had thought that the mastermind behind this scheme would go to great lengths to trap her, ultimately sending a hideous-looking man her way. Instead, the one who entered the temple was a woman.

But even if it was a woman, she couldn’t let her guard down.

Though she appeared to be lowering her gaze and hugging her knees, Tao Yuan remained vigilant, observing Lu Yang’s every move even as she fought the effects of the poison.

Lu Yang inwardly clicked her tongue: Why is she secretly watching me like that?

Yet when she boldly looked over, she met eyes that were utterly transparent.

Those eyes were so captivating they could drown a person, coldly alluring yet filled with a murderous aura, and within that aura lay extreme caution. A single glance could effortlessly pull one into a frozen, snowy landscape, where every drifting snowflake clearly spelled out “do not overstep.”

Lu Yang was no libertine.

She was the well-behaved heir of the Lu family, striving to uphold the family’s reputation.

But she clearly knew that the woman before her was precisely the kind of enchanting beauty that a libertine would willingly die for, just to have a taste.

After a few encounters, her perception of Tao Yuan quickly shifted from a cold-faced, kind-hearted beauty to a strangely cold and distant one.

Holding a wooden stick to poke at the bonfire, she made no mention of going to fetch the bedding from the stone statue.

There was only one bed, and she hoped the woman would get up soon to rest on the straw mat, rather than the two of them sitting in awkward silence.

The bonfire burned brightly as Lu Yang pondered how to escape this predicament.

A torrential rainstorm had struck the city, the Xiang River had overflowed, and the area below the mountain was submerged in chaos. From the old woman’s words, she would guard the mountain pass to prevent anyone from entering. Lu Yang thought: If the mountain is a place of refuge, why not let people in?

A sudden intuition told her she was overlooking something.

She raised her head, her gaze flickering for a moment.

Tao Yuan was struggling fiercely against the potent effects of the drug, unaware that her thin clothing was gradually dampened with sweat, clinging to her delicate and graceful figure under the firelight.

Her hair was as dark as ink, her skin as white as snow, and as the snow melted, it dripped with clear, crystalline sweat.

Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead and hung from her chin, the sharp curve of her jaw unable to hold the round droplets, which eventually fell, disappearing into unseen, mysterious depths.

It was unbearably alluring.

Lu Yang’s throat felt dry, and she awkwardly averted her gaze, her mind filled with the ceaseless, flashing thought of “so beautiful.”

The woman’s face was flushed red, her knuckles clenched tightly, revealing faint blue veins on the back of her hands. After a moment, her lowered eyes lifted, as if holding back tears, yet her chest seemed to harbor boundless passion.

“Don’t look at me.”

The cold, husky tone made Lu Yang’s heart tremble, and she meekly hummed in response.

Caught peeping, she felt too embarrassed to know what to do, silently chiding herself for having seen too few people in her travels.

She rubbed her face, as if trying to erase the thought “as beautiful as a peony, stunning yet aloof,” and lowered her head without a word.

A barely suppressed moan escaped, and Lu Yang’s hand trembled. She resisted the urge to look up, unaware that Tao Yuan had bitten her lower lip until it bled, her face flushed as if about to catch fire.

Or perhaps it already had.

A fire raged in Tao Yuan’s heart, her eyes filled with rising anger, intertwined with a seductive allure she couldn’t escape, trapped in a web of resentment and helplessness.

“Were you captured too?”

Lu Yang had always maintained her purity, and though she had met many men while managing the family business, she had never encountered a woman as beautiful as this. She was merely making conversation, asking without expecting a response, but to her surprise, Tao Yuan replied.

“What did that old woman tell you?”

Hearing her speak, Lu Yang’s heart softened. “A destitute, lowly, mud-covered little girl. Perfect, fitting every description.”

Tao Yuan scoffed lightly. “Do you understand what that means?”

She hadn’t before, but now, suppressing her pity, Lu Yang said, “You’ve been drugged. Someone wants to ruin your innocence. They probably saw me as a woman, and a ragged, destitute ‘little beggar’ at that, intending to use me to humiliate you.”

Not entirely foolish.

Tao Yuan scrutinized her.

Mingming was already at the end of her strength, her gaze chillingly cold.

Under her unsparing stare, Lu Yang spoke earnestly, “Rest assured, miss, I won’t harm you.”

A flash of cold light.

Tao Yuan held a dagger inlaid with various gemstones in her hand.

Lu Yang sighed helplessly, retreating three paces and keeping her distance.

Though she had stepped away, the fragmented sounds still tormented her. In her eighteen years, the young mistress Lu had never dared to even hold a girl’s hand—how could she bear to witness the scene behind her?

A surge of restless heat rose within her. She considered rushing out into the heavy rain to cool off, only to find the wooden door locked from the outside. Her heart sank.

What deep-seated grudge could drive someone to torment a woman so cruelly?

“Lu Yang.”

Lu Yang trembled, not turning around. “Hmm?”

Tao Yuan’s consciousness wavered, her face flushed like spring peach blossoms. “How… how old are you?”

The storm raged on, and the night was thick enough to imagine without seeing. Lu Yang stammered, “I… I just turned eighteen half a month ago.”

Eighteen…

Such a youthful and beautiful age.

Tao Yuan endured the flames of desire, her mind briefly clearing.

This person was eighteen, while she was already twenty-six.

A full eight years younger.

She was too embarrassed to ask for help, thinking that if she truly couldn’t bear it, she might as well end her life with the dagger.

But such a death would be too humiliating—she couldn’t accept it.

Intense emotions churned within her. Tao Yuan endured for another half-hour, reaching her limit as her gaze grew increasingly dazed and intoxicated.

Lu Yang fidgeted nervously, scraping the ground with the tip of her foot.

Outside, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

“Go wash your face.”

The hoarse, faint voice reached her ears. Lu Yang, as if bewitched, took a step forward, only to realize her legs felt weak. She stomped her foot in frustration and shame, eventually finding a jug of water near the stone statue.

As the clear water flowed, her dirty face was washed clean, revealing the initial charm of the young mistress Lu.

The bonfire burned brightly, casting flickering shadows. Tao Yuan examined her carefully and suddenly smiled.

Lu Yang’s heart pounded like a drum. Summoning her courage, she looked over and saw the disheveled beauty, her demeanor utterly captivating.

“I have no strength left. Carry me behind the stone statue.”

Behind the statue was a straw bed barely large enough for one person, covered with soft bedding. After discovering the beauty had been ensnared, Lu Yang slowly understood the purpose of this straw bed and bedding.

She hesitated slightly. Tao Yuan waited quietly, not pressing her.

Footsteps drew closer. Lu Yang trembled as she bent down and lifted Tao Yuan into her arms. An intoxicating fragrance enveloped her, dizzying her mind. Her gaze burned as she stared at the beauty whose breathing grew erratic. Struggling to suppress the rising panic in her heart, she strode toward the back of the stone statue.

It was unclear which deity the temple enshrined, but it had clearly stood for many years.

Lu Yang laid Tao Yuan down on the clean bedding, her neck encircled by a pair of jade-like arms.

The beauty’s sleeves slipped down, revealing a section of fair, lovely forearm—and on it, the cinnabar dot that noble families particularly valued in marriage alliances.

Tao Yuan closed her eyes, her breath trembling. “Help me.”