Little Pink Starfish

Wei Wu had been the gatekeeper at this inn for many years, during which he had received countless distinguished guests and, of course, seen many beauties.

But anyone with such an enchanting voice was bound to possess an extraordinary, world-class beauty. Even if their looks weren’t that perfect, their aura would definitely be top-notch.

So, he instinctively stretched his neck, waiting for the person who had spoken to step down from the carriage.

That’s right—since this was a high-class inn backed by a wu huang, anyone below that rank had to dismount.

No matter how luxurious the carriage, it could not simply be driven into the courtyard.

Then, the two silent black-clad men driving the carriage jumped down first.

The carriage door opened.

Wei Wu kept watching.

Then, two more black-clad men jumped down…

Wei Wu’s face twisted into a 囧 expression.

The next moment, a few slender, snow-white fingers—so delicate they seemed boneless—gently grasped the door frame.

A fragrant breeze swept past, and in an instant, a stunning beauty dressed in white stood before them.

Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes brimming with autumn water, her cheeks as fair as snow, and her lips as red as vermilion. She was a masterpiece of nature, breathtakingly beautiful.

Not only was she extraordinarily gorgeous, but her aura was also uniquely remarkable. While she carried the softness inherent to women, there was also an indescribable heroism within her—refreshing and bold, completely different from ordinary ladies.

Wei Wu silently praised her in his heart—just as he had expected.

But he was a little puzzled. Was this beauty the main guest today?

Although her presence was truly exceptional, something felt… off.

And soon, he understood why.

Because more people started getting out of the carriage.

One, two, three… Before he knew it, three more young women had stepped down.

Each one was no less beautiful than the first, each an absolute gem of the highest caliber.

Their allure wasn’t just in their appearances but also in their elegance and charm.

But at the same time, it became clear that all of these women were wearing identical outfits.

At that moment, the gathered crowd erupted into murmurs.

Now, let’s clarify something—ever since the first beauty stepped down, passersby and guests of the inn had already begun gathering.

And another important note—though the carriage was blocking this entrance, a first-class inn like this obviously had more than one door.

—In fact, it had eight.

At every entrance, the guests coming and going were all either rich, noble, or people who served the rich and noble.

These people had initially stopped out of curiosity over the first young woman’s beauty. But now, with four peerless beauties before them, their curiosity only intensified.

Because, with their discerning eyes, they could tell—these women were merely maids.

But if the maids were this stunning… then just who was their master?

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

A young nobleman fanned himself and mused, “The master of that carriage must be a lady—only a woman would be cared for this closely.”

But his friend disagreed. “Anyone of status would never allow their maids to outshine them. If their master is a lady, then just how beautiful must she be? But if it’s a young lord, then having maids like these makes perfect sense.”

Many people shared their reasoning. Logically, it was more likely that these maids served a man. But some hoped their master was a woman—because that would mean an even more dazzling beauty was about to appear.

And then—

Someone else appeared at the carriage door.

The man was tall and straight, with a gentle smile. His features were soft yet strikingly handsome, instantly evoking a deep sense of fondness in those who saw him.

…A man.

Sigh.

The crowd collectively expressed their disappointment.

The nobleman sighed, “Well, if their master has such grace, at least he’s worthy of these fine ladies.”

But his friend rebuked him again, “Idiot! Didn’t you notice how simply he’s dressed?”

So, was this charming young man also just a servant?

As the crowd refocused their gazes, they saw that the four death warriors stood in a protective formation on the outer perimeter, while the four maids each held a long white silk ribbon.

That exceptionally good-looking young man walked up to the carriage, extended a hand slightly, and spoke in a soft voice, “City Lord, we have arrived.”

The carriage door suddenly swung wide open.

A young man in a brocade robe stepped out. He placed his hand on the good-looking youth’s and slightly lowered his head, revealing his face.

And then—

Dead. Silence.

Every single person mentally shouted the same thing: Holy shit!

Brocade robe, silver gauze, white clothes, high crown—not a single flaw in his appearance, and his entire body was immaculately clean.

His expression was like eternal frost, noble and untouchable.

But instead of stepping down, he lightly pressed against the good-looking youth’s hand—

And the next instant, he floated into the air like a weightless white cloud.

At the same time, the four maids instantly unfurled their white silk, seamlessly catching a luxurious chair tossed over by a black-clad guard.

And in the split-second it took for their movements to shift, the brocade-robed youth had already gracefully landed in the chair.

If the crowd had been stunned before, then now—

They felt as if a herd of grass mud horses was stampeding through their minds.

This… This was way too fucking pretentious!

Amid the pure silence, Gu Bai maintained his icy, noble expression and spoke slowly, “I wish to stay at the inn.”

Immediately, the four maids moved and entered the inn.

Wei Wu, still standing there with his mouth agape, felt someone tap his shoulder.

He turned around and saw that same gentle-smiling young man. “Innkeeper, our City Lord would like to stay here. Please make the necessary arrangements.”

Wei Wu snapped back to reality and hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, yes! This humble one will lead the way at once!”

Saying so, he quickly rushed forward.

Qi Guan Rui also followed with a smile—but in a moment unseen by anyone, he lightly patted his hands.

Between his fingers, fine black ash drifted down.

Just now, when he had attempted to plant a serpent gu on Wei Wu, the parasite had instantly been incinerated by some unknown force.

Qi Guan Rui’s gaze darkened slightly.

Could it be… that Wei Wu had some special identity?

It seemed that in this inn, he would need to be extra careful and avoid making any unnecessary moves.

Meanwhile, Gu Bai sat in his luxurious chair, expression unreadable—but internally, he was freaking out.

Ahhh, it was fine when I was just showing off in Tiandu City, but now that I’m in a big city, I feel extra nervous!

Were my clothes in place? Did my hair get messed up? Was my floating movement graceful enough? Was my pose elegant enough?!

I nearly lost control of my wu qi and fell from midair, damn it! Was that close or what?!

But after this experience, Gu Bai felt that his pretentiousness skill could be leveled up by at least two more points.

If he kept practicing, one day, he would max it out!

Qi Guan Rui had already caught up and was now walking beside Gu Bai.

His gaze remained fixed on Gu Bai at all times. Naturally, he also noticed the dazed look in Gu Bai’s eyes.

Qi Guan Rui smiled slightly.

…Lost in thought again?

Well, that’s fine. As long as I know everything, it doesn’t matter.

Ziche Shubai only needs to look at me—that’s enough.

By the time Gu Bai snapped back to reality, the group had already stopped in front of a large garden.

Inside, there were many strong auras—clearly, several powerful figures were residing within, making them not easily provoked.

The estate was vast, and at a glance, it exuded luxury.

Yes, as a writer of harem novels with the vocabulary of an elementary schooler, after spending twenty years in a warrior’s life, all of his words had been returned to his old elementary school teacher, okay?! So when he saw this grand, majestic, and meticulously elegant garden, the only words that popped into his head were—luxurious.

Completely useless at description.

But his internal shortcomings were completely masked by his outwardly noble and majestic demeanor, making him appear even more refined and aloof.

He showed not a single trace of surprise, as if such an estate was an everyday occurrence to him.

So, in the eyes of everyone else, his status was instantly elevated.

Wei Wu didn’t dare to breathe too loudly in front of Gu Bai and cautiously asked, “Since the City Lord wishes to stay, may I ask what kind of arrangements you require?”

He couldn’t explain it, but in the presence of this City Lord, he felt insignificant—so much so that even speaking too loudly seemed like a form of blasphemy. What should he do?!

Gu Bai remained expressionless and turned to look at Qi Guan Rui.

Ever since this guy had taken over the maids’ duties, anything that required speaking up had been left to him, okay?! If Gu Bai ever forgot and spoke for himself, Qi Guan Rui would just stare at him with sorrowful eyes for an entire day, okay?!

Did he even get a little brother at this point? No—this guy had completely evolved from a butler into a nanny!

Sometimes, Gu Bai really wanted to grab his own collar and scream:

“Ahhhhhh, I’m suffocating!”

Am I not?!

Qi Guan Rui gave Gu Bai a soft glance, then warmly told Wei Wu, “We require the best accommodations. The cost is not an issue.”

Wei Wu let out a breath of relief and gratefully looked at Qi Guan Rui. “Please, allow me to lead the way.”

Qi Guan Rui nodded, then turned back and gently said, “Gege, please be patient. You will be settled in very soon.”

After his internal meltdown, Gu Bai was now quite calm—though slightly guilty.

Alright, fine. Every time I complain about Gu Xiaoshan, I end up feeling guilty afterward.

This kid is just insecure and always wants to be useful. Even if he’s a little overzealous, it’s just his way of being thorough, right?

Even if his attentiveness occasionally makes me feel pressured… it’s not a big deal… right?

After some self-reflection, Gu Bai placed his hand on Qi Guan Rui’s and gracefully descended from his chair.

Since he was now on someone else’s territory, it was only polite to show some respect and not act too arrogant.

But… Gu Xiaoshan always held onto him like this, and it honestly gave him a very, very strange feeling.