Human Stool, Tea Circle

The spring breeze lifted the beaded curtains of the courtyard, causing them to chime with a lingering melody, like the tremors of a plucked heartstring.

There were thirteen guests in total, though the usual number was ten.

But who could argue with Li Mo’s wealth? Rules like these hardly mattered, and one couldn’t expect strict discipline in a place of pleasure anyway...

Yet the moment Li Mo was led in by the maidservant, he froze.

It wasn’t because of anything else—but the furnishings inside the room.

The courtyard had no stools. Or rather, no normal stools. The guests were seated upon...

...women with flawless figures, their limbs braced against the floor, their backs arched like bridges, as if trained in some martial art like the "Iron Bridge" technique.

Their faces were painted with ink, yet their delicate features remained visible—beautiful enough to turn heads on the street. But their expressions were numb, as though their skin were not flesh but masks.

They were human stools.

And it wasn’t just stools. Many other furnishings were the same.

"This..."

Li Mo’s brows furrowed deeply.

"Hehehe... Young Master Li, you’ve never been to the Imperial Capital before, so you wouldn’t know."

The madam waved her handkerchief and beckoned one of the human stools over.

"Try it for yourself. They’re warm and soft, and you can even play with them as you please. The nobles in the capital keep many of these at home."

"But... they’re people!"

An overwhelming sense of absurdity rose in Li Mo’s heart.

Everything before him clashed violently with the worldview he’d grown up with under the red banner.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Many lowborn wretches would kill for this kind of opportunity."

The madam couldn’t comprehend Li Mo’s shock and indignation. She continued,

"After serving as stools, chamber pots, or spittoons for the nobles for a few years, they earn enough to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Then they can marry into a good family."

"Houses in the Imperial Capital are expensive. Isn’t this better than dying without even a grave?"

"......"

A surge of anger flared in Li Mo’s chest, but it was quickly smothered by helplessness.

This was wrong. But they were doing it willingly—for a better life.

Still...

Just then, a guest draped in fine silk laughed. "Young Master, if you can’t even handle this, you might as well hold your bladder later. I’d hate to scare you when you visit the privy!"

"Wouldn’t want you to develop some condition from holding it in all night!"

"Hahaha..."

The moment those words were spoken, the other guests joined in with mocking laughter, filling the courtyard with a suddenly jovial atmosphere.

Li Mo realized that the people of the Imperial Capital seemed entirely accustomed to this.

Those who sat on human stools, and those who were human stools—none of them saw anything wrong with the way things had always been.

Xie Xuan opened his mouth, only to feel as though something invisible had sealed it shut. He didn’t know what to say.

"Shut up."

A cold voice, brief and sharp, came from beside him.

The courtyard fell silent in an instant.

The icy gaze of the "frozen block" turned toward the madam, who shrank back, her entire body chilled. This young master’s noble aura was overwhelming—his background must be extraordinary.

A few normal stools were brought out.

No sooner had they sat down than a graceful figure emerged from behind the courtyard’s folding screen. Her voice arrived before she did:

"Who dares slight me by troubling my guests in my establishment?"

The guests who had been cowed by the "Young Master Han" earlier immediately straightened their backs. They were regular patrons here.

Even if they hadn’t gotten what they wanted, there was no reason to burn bridges.

As the mistress of this place, Hua Nongying would surely take their side...

"Oh! If I’d known Young Master Li was gracing us with his presence, I would have welcomed you myself..."

Hua Nongying’s dewy eyes fixed on Li Mo, her delicate face the perfect mix of surprise and bashfulness.

The guests: "?"

They’d never seen this man before. Sure, he was handsome, but what the hell? Why him?

Xie Xuan: "????"

The moment he saw those expressive, enchanting eyes, his gaze beneath the straw hat grew momentarily infatuated—but soon turned complicated.

After all, those flirtatious glances weren’t meant for him.

Wait, no. Something’s off.

Did Nongying already know Li Mo? Could it be that Li Mo had come here of his own accord?

His thoughts spiraled briefly. Fortunately, though he was a lovestruck fool, he wasn’t a complete idiot. Li Mo had only just arrived in the Imperial Capital, and today he’d even brought the "Cold Fairy" along. There was no way he and Hua Nongying could have met before.

"?"

The "frozen block" narrowed her serene eyes, her smile faintly... pleasant.

Beneath the table, her booted foot pressed lightly onto a certain Young Master Li’s toes.

"I’m a little hungry."

"What would you like to eat?"

Li Mo sat rigidly upright.

Let’s be honest—was Hua Nongying beautiful? Undoubtedly. With her seductive charm, she could melt steel into silk. Her ranking as the fourth among the Hundred Flowers of Beauty was well-deserved.

But let’s also be honest—this was not the type of woman that the upright and principled Li Mo favored!

Having endured the trials of the information age in his past life, Young Master Li could proudly declare, "I can tell at a glance you’re a bad woman..."

"Steamed buns. Extra seasoning." The "frozen block" murmured softly.

"Don’t overdo it. Too much vinegar is bad for your stomach."

Li Mo silently retrieved a vinegar dish from his system space.

"?"

Hua Nongying blinked.

In all her life, she had never met a man—or any male creature, for that matter—who didn’t so much as glance her way.

And here he was, his attention entirely fixed on the other man at the table.

Excuse me?

But those with that particular inclination wouldn’t visit brothels. Besides, Li Mo was known as the "Prosperous Wife’s Battle Soul"...

Could it simply be that he... had no interest in her?

Her eyelid twitched, but she swiftly regained her soft, alluring demeanor and smiled at the group.

"Shall we begin today’s tea gathering?"

The "tea gathering" was a game of poetry, drinking, and revelry.

Whoever pleased Hua Nongying the most would be allowed to stay the night.

With other courtesans—even top-tier flowers or "pure" entertainers—staying overnight usually meant... deeper interactions.

But Hua Nongying was different. She had no price, and she truly did not sell her body.

Or rather... her body wasn’t for sale for money.

And precisely because of this, Hua Nongying’s allure only grew stronger.