Escape (Part 1)

When Qu Linghan woke up again, she was in a cold, damp, and dark little house.

"Cough cough cough..."

A familiar cough came from beside me.

A few rays of light slanted in from the southwest.

Qu Linghan gently shielded her eyes from the sunlight with her hand.

Where is this?

Qu Linghan was still in a dazed state when a violent coughing sound came from beside her.

She was about to turn around to see who it was when she found her whole body going limp.

"Oh, what's going on..."

Qu Linghan pounded his thigh and then tried to stand up while leaning against the wall.

"You're awake?"

"Don't waste your energy."

It sounds like someone who just coughed is speaking.

It sounds... a lot like Fang Ya'er.

"Ya'er? Is that you?"

"It's me."

Qu Linghan seemed to have grasped at a straw.

"Do you know where this is? Why am I here?!"

Fang Ya'er, however, seemed unsurprised.

“That old hag Hu Qing’er lured you in here.”

Qu Linghan frowned.

"Hu Qing'er? You lured me in here?"

ah? !

I was very careful, but I still got scammed.

OK…

"Why would she try to trick me? Wasn't she hoping I'd make clothes for you?"

As soon as Qu Linghan finished speaking, he heard Fang Ya'er chuckle softly.

"Make me clothes, huh."

Fang Ya'er then burst into laughter as if she had gone mad.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha.

“My father was originally the prefect of Xuzhou. My mother, my elder sister, my younger brother, and I were a family of five, and we lived a happy and fulfilling life.”

"Who would have thought that one day Wang Ziping came to Xuzhou for sightseeing and took a fancy to my older sister. Hu Qing'er was unhappy and secretly reported us, which led to the destruction of my family."

"I was originally demoted to a government slave, but I was further tormented by Wang Zhengchu, day and night..."

Fang Ya'er couldn't stop crying.

"I was about to assassinate him, but Hu Qing'er unexpectedly arrived and we ran into each other..."

"And you, I heard that Hu Qing'er has found a secret to immortality from somewhere, and you are the key ingredient."

Qu Linghan's heart skipped a beat.

She knew the truth behind Fang Ya'er's talk of immortality.

No wonder Hu Qing'er kept asking Qu Linghan to come here; it turns out that the way back was to sacrifice her.

I can only blame myself for being too naive and unaware of the wickedness of people's hearts.

But what can we do?

In this situation, who can save her?

Dark clouds drifted slowly across the sky, obscuring the sun. The cicadas chirped incessantly outside the window, their incessant chirping adding to the annoyance. The few rays of light that had just illuminated the room now felt like a luxury.

Although it was already summer, the house was too remote and damp, and a chill swept over Qu Linghan. She curled up and thought about how to get out.

......

Qu Linghan's body went limp after an unknown amount of time.

As drowsiness crept in, there was a sudden "creak".

It's Hu Qing'er.

Qu Linghan was in a daze.

But I still heard Hu Qing'er's triumphant laugh.

"Why is it that you became an internationally renowned designer at such a young age, shining on the stage, while I have to work myself to the bone in a small workplace for ten years, being bossed around by others?"

"Just because you were born well? But why is it that even here, you're still better than me?!"

Hu Qing'er stepped forward and grabbed Qu Linghan by the neck. To avoid further harm from the crazed Hu Qing'er, Qu Linghan had to pretend that he was still unconscious.

"Hahahahahahahahahaha."

She really has gone mad.

"You'll see in three days."

"The magic array is about to be completed, and I will definitely go back."

"Then, I'll replace you!"

After speaking, Hu Qing'er lifted Qu Linghan's chin with her index finger, making a flirtatious gesture.

Is this the face?

"I used to only see you on TV and in newspapers, you genius who is more than ten years younger than me and suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

She suddenly turned Qu Linghan's head to the side.

"It will cease to exist soon."

After saying that, she stepped onto Qu Linghan's skirt with both feet.

He crouched down and looked at Fang Ya'er beside Qu Linghan.

“The daughter of a disgraced official dares to be so disrespectful to my son.”

"You won't live either."

Then, she stood up and looked up.

"My son, you will understand your mother's good intentions sooner or later. In three days, you will understand your mother's arrangements."

Immediately, Hu Qing'er turned around, slammed the door, and left.

......

"Fang Ya'er, wake up, wake up."

After Hu Qing'er had been gone for a while, Qu Linghan slowly opened his eyes.

He gently shook Fang Ya'er.

"Stop shaking, I heard you."

Qu Linghan stopped shaking her hand.

What are your plans?

Perhaps amused by Qu Linghan's idea, Fang Ya'er forcefully flung away Qu Linghan's hand that was on her arm.

"Do you want to escape? It's so cramped and dark, how do you think you can escape?"

Her voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

"ah!!!"

Qu Linghan's arm was almost dislocated, but as it rotated, it seemed to have touched some button.

Suddenly, there was a "crack" sound.

Both of them were stunned.

in unison.

"This is?!"

After he finished speaking, they heard the sound of the door slowly opening.

The two of them looked diagonally forward at the same time.

"I'll go."

Qu Linghan couldn't help but let out a sigh.

He then put his arm around Fang Ya'er's shoulder again.

"What's wrong? There's always a way out, isn't there?"

Fang Ya'er was keeping it a secret from Huanxi, so she didn't have a chance to talk to Qu Linghan.

About a minute later, the door with the mechanism finally opened completely.

Qu Linghan held Fang Ya'er's hand,

"Let's go down and take a look."

Despite her deep fear, Fang Ya'er was determined to survive.

She had no choice but to follow Qu Linghan down to try.

......

There are steps at the entrance; you go down the steps...

What appeared to Qu Linghan and Fang Ya'er was like another secret room.

Although it was dark, you could still tell from the details that a lot of effort had been put into the renovation.

Qu Linghan moved forward in the dark and suddenly felt his way to a soft bed.

What? The escape room is decorated so luxuriously, it even has a bed?

"Keeping a mistress in a golden house."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qu Linghan heard Fang Ya'er laugh maliciously.

"If I'm not mistaken, this room should be where Wang Ziping had his affair back then."

The two continued walking forward and suddenly touched a door.

Opening the door revealed a secret passage that appeared to be even longer.

Qu Linghan picked up where Fang Ya'er left off.

Therefore, this road should lead to...

The two spoke in unison, showing remarkable tacit understanding.

Say those two words.

"Brothel".

Suddenly, there was a "snap" sound at the door.

It looks like someone has come in...

"Someone's there!"

Sound travels very fast.

Qu Linghan and Fang Ya'er exchanged a glance.

"Walk!"

…

"Oh...isn't this Miss Fang?"

"And you, aren't you the big boss of Lanxu Pavilion?"

A servant, who appeared out of nowhere, threw two steamed buns at Qu Linghan and Fang Ya'er.

“When I was a servant in the Fang family, I secretly delivered a letter to you. Not long after, I found it in a dilapidated carriage on my way out of the mansion.”

Fang Ya'er pretended to have just woken up, her eyes still sleepy.

He cleared his throat.

"I have never seen the letter you mentioned."

After he finished speaking, the servant in front of him seemed stunned for a second.

Immediately, he raised his head.

Whether you've seen it or not is no longer important.

Then, he slammed the door and left.

Qu Linghan lowered his head and sighed inwardly.

It seems that praising the weak and belittling the strong is indeed the norm in human society.

She picked up the two steamed buns from the ground.

I patted off the dust.

Just about to eat it.

But Fang Ya'er slapped it away.

"You'd eat something given to you by a slut?"

Qu Linghan glared at her helplessly.

Then I picked up the steamed bun; thankfully, it wasn't very dirty.

"Man is made of iron, food is made of steel; you'll get hungry if you skip a meal."

"Besides, we don't even know when we'll be able to escape. We can't just starve to death first, can we?"

After saying that, Qu Linghan took a bite of the steamed bun in his hand.

Fang Ya'er remained unmoved.

Qu Linghan decided to take care of himself first.

…

Another day has passed.

Qu Linghan estimated that a dozen or so people had come to humiliate them today.

They were all Hu Qing'er's cronies.

To satirize Fang Ya'er's alluring charm.

Of course, there were also those who took the opportunity to curse Qu Linghan.

We are at their mercy, like fish on a chopping board.

Qu Linghan didn't dare to say anything more.

Finally, evening arrived, based on yesterday's situation.

Hu Qing'er probably won't come tonight.

It should come at dawn... a few sarcastic remarks.

Therefore, the two of them had to quickly find their way through the secret room after dark and locate the brothel.

This is another problem.

Qu Linghan has never been to a brothel.

Well, we can only deal with things as they come.

The bright moonlight slanted in through the southwest window, illuminating the two "filthy" figures.

They remained silent.

Yet they were of one mind.

Fang Ya'er stood up and reached out her hand to Qu Linghan.

"good."

The two quickly opened the door to the secret room, which was completely dark.

Fang Ya'er, like a snake, pulled Qu Linghan forward.

Until they saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Their eyes were full of hope.

But then I heard something behind me…

"Help! Help!"

"The offerings have escaped..."