Su Baiyi stepped onto the Golden Wind, and was amazed by the sight before him. The ship had three decks adorned with red lanterns, and along the pathways were shops, taverns, and even gambling dens… It was like a miniature city built upon a ship.
“Young master, please follow me.” A girl in white clothes, holding a red lantern, suddenly appeared in front of Su Baiyi. She looked no older than fifteen, and her eyes were clear as water.
“Who are you, little girl?” Su Baiyi asked.
“My name is Nailuo, and I am your servant for this trip.” The girl bowed slightly, “I will take you to your room now.”
“So each room comes with a servant? That makes the money worth it.” Su Baiyi realized.
The young girl named Nailuo smiled and shook her head, turning to lead them forward. “Of course, only esteemed guests of the Heaven Floor receive such treatment.”
“By the way, how much is the cheapest room? Ten taels of silver? Then the heavenly rooms must be at least thirty taels?” Su Baiyi asked casually.
Nailuo covered her mouth and laughed. “You guessed the number right.”
“Then what did I guess wrong?” Su Baiyi asked again.
“Not silver, but gold. Thirty taels of gold, to stay in a heavenly room.” Nailuo said as she walked ahead. Suddenly, a burly man with a red face and a drunken breath rushed out from the side. He was cursing at someone, “This damn ship has taverns and gambling dens, but no brothels! How can I survive for more than a month!”
Nailuo frowned and stepped back. Su Baiyi also stopped.
The drunk man turned his head and saw Nangong Xi’er in Su Baiyi’s arms. His eyes lit up. “There’s such a beauty on board? Come on, come on! Keep me company! I’ll reward you well.”
“Enough already!” Su Baiyi shouted.
“Young master, please calm down.” Nailuo apologized to Su Baiyi, then walked forward a few steps and blocked the man’s way.
The man glanced at her and was impatient. “You’re too young, little girl. Come back to me in a few years.”
Nailuo suddenly looked up, and a fierce light flashed in her clear eyes. The man felt a chill on his back, and a fear rose in his heart. He had been roaming the rivers and lakes for more than ten years, and had killed at least twenty people. How could he be afraid of a little girl who had not grown up yet? He was annoyed and threw a punch at Nailuo.
“Watch out!” Su Baiyi shouted.
Nailuo suddenly extended both palms, seizing the burly man’s fists, and with a sharp cry, she exclaimed, “Break!”
The man felt his strength drain away like a mud ox sinking into the sea, disappearing in an instant. Before he could even process what was happening, Nailuo twisted his fist around, turned her back, and slammed him to the ground with a bang. There was also a crisp sound, as if a bone had broken. The man howled in pain for a few moments, then quieted down, leaving only a low breathing sound to prove that he was still alive.
Nailuo bent down slightly, picked up the lantern on the ground, and then smiled innocently at Su Baiyi and Nangong Xi’er, “I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
Su Baiyi opened his mouth in surprise, “No… no problem.”
“Then let’s continue.” Nailuo turned around and stepped over the man’s body.
Su Baiyi also walked over, shook his head sympathetically at the man, and then leaped over him.
As if nothing had happened, Nailuo continued in her somewhat childish and innocent voice to explain the rules of the Golden Wind to Su Baiyi and Nangong Xi’er. “There are four rooms on the Heaven Deck, named after a verse from my Mu family ancestor’s poem ‘Spring Snow Falls, Colorful Butterflies Flutter’: Spring Snow, Falling Snow, Colorful Butterfly, and Flying Cloud. The guests of the other three rooms have already settled in.”
“They must be big shots to stay in these heavenly rooms.” Su Baiyi asked tentatively.
“I suppose so. Thirty taels of gold is not cheap, but a normal merchant can afford it. But it’s not enough to have money to stay in the heavenly rooms, you also need fate.” Nailuo replied.
“Fate?” Su Baiyi frowned slightly. “Then our fate with this ship is…”
“I heard from Manager Yan that your good fortune lies in the fact that the Earth Floor is full, but he felt guilty about you staying in the Human Floor with the amount you paid. Luckily, there was one room left in the heavenly section. That’s fate.” Nailuo suddenly stopped. In front of her stood two swordsmen. “This is it. I can only take you here. If you need me, just tell Xiao Ding and Xiao Yi.”
“Okay.” Su Baiyi looked at the two swordsmen and found that they were expressionless and motionless, like two statues.
“The innermost one is Falling Snow. Here is the key.” Nailuo took out the key from her chest and put it in Su Baiyi’s hand. She suddenly whispered, “Don’t talk to the guests in the heavenly rooms.”
Su Baiyi was stunned, and Nailuo had already walked past him. He took the key and walked in nervously. The door of the Flying Cloud room was open, and Su Baiyi couldn’t help but look inside as he passed by. He saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting there, trimming his nails. When he noticed Su Baiyi’s gaze, the old man looked up and smiled at him.
It felt like a thorn in his back.
Su Baiyi shivered and hurried forward. At this moment, the door of the Colorful Butterfly room also opened, and a middle-aged man dressed like a rich man came out, bumping into Su Baiyi.
“Who are you?” The rich man asked rudely.
Su Baiyi looked awkwardly at the Falling Snow room and said, “I’m staying in that one.”
“No wonder the Mu family’s kid only gave me one room. It turns out that he gave this one to you.” The rich man looked meaningfully at Nangong Xi’er in Su Baiyi’s arms, then walked outside. He stopped by the Flying Cloud room and said, “Old Xu, want to bet?”
“Get lost.” The old man put down his nail cutter and slammed the door shut.
“Boring.” The rich man sighed and walked away.
The Spring Snow room was silent all along. Su Baiyi opened the Falling Snow room, carried Nangong Xi’er inside, and closed the door. He couldn’t help but say, “Sister, I feel like something is wrong with this ship… We didn’t get on a pirate ship, did we?”
Nangong Xi’er didn’t answer him. Su Baiyi suddenly realized that she hadn’t said a word to him since they boarded the ship. He found that Nangong Xi’er in his arms was breathing evenly, and had fallen asleep long ago.
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