Simply Trading

Qin Feng was a little upset once he heard that. He didn"t need a reminder that the Winter season was almost upon them. Of course, he had some reserves that no one else knew about, but he certainly was going to be a little short, come Spring.

The problem was, how was he going to do that? He didn"t wish to make things too obvious, which might make some of the girls curious, and start digging about. Like that Xuan Mei girl. She had a rather direct manner, and he didn"t doubt that she would be visiting him regularly, if he refused the payment without some reasonable excuse.

Especially since he had already made a name for himself, as someone who was all about making a profit from the situation.

But what other sort of profit could he hope to get out of this deal with the girls of the Rear Garden?

That was something that he would have to think about. Taking the coin was the last thing that he wanted to do. Not with the amount of attention, and the problems that it would bring.

Then, to his surprise, something presented itself before him at once!

"A pity I cannot pay you in the ... usual fashion. Some of my sisters back at the Rear Gardens were complaining about that as well. They would be more than willing to come over and ... keep you warm over the chilly Winter, they said."

Lingxi teased as she bent over and started to count the coins on his bed, although the look on her face seemed a little forced. She knew about his little problem, after all. So she was certainly not expecting him to make a play for her.

Qin Feng grinned as soon as he heard that. That seemed like a perfect opening for him! So he quickly stepped up beside her, reaching out to catch her right hand, still occupied with counting the coins, with his injured left. And pulling her upright once again.

And he shifted his body to cradle hers, the moment that she was standing upright. Even as he whispered his reply in her ear:

"Your suggestion is ... something that I have been considering too. I think I would enjoy that very much. So much so that I would be willing to ... let you all hold onto the coin for the cold season. In exchange for other favors, later on."

Lingxi gasped as Qin Feng"s other hand clutched at her b.u.t.t cheeks, squeezing them with a fervor that she knew only too well. And there was a certain hunger that gleamed in his eyes, as he continued to stare at her.

"And I think you have been ... missing the point. It"s not that I ... don"t feel the desire for you. I am merely holding myself back because I have yet to achieve the Foundation Realm. And you should know ... what that means."

Lingxi"s mouth hung open once she heard that. "Then you are ... willing to accept ... that mode of payment? Only not straightaway?" she asked softly, as she slowly laid her body against his. In a manner that he had only read about!

Which was enough to trigger a reaction in his groin!

"From only me? Or do you have another pretty senior in mind? I doubt that there will be any in my group who would refuse you."

Qin Feng groaned quietly as he relinquished her hand, and reached down with his injured limb to adjust his trousers. It was starting to get a little uncomfortable down there. Something that Lingxi must have realized as well, from the way that she was grinning at him.

"Don"t do that to me! You can probably guess how difficult it is for me already, without your teasing. Don"t forget that we are supposed to be making a deal here, and this is not a seduction."

"Well, in that case, shouldn"t you take your hand off my b.u.t.tocks? Or am I only allowed to endure your groping without a word of protest?"

She laughed at him again, as he reluctantly drew his hand away. And stepped beside the coin-laden bed, patting the covers with one hand. "Here. Why don"t we sit down and talk about this? I promise you I will do my best to fight you off, if you try anything stupid. Well, for today at least. I think you will want me to go to the other extreme once you have succeeded in building your Foundation, hmmm?"

Qin Feng laughed along with her, shaking his head as he did so. "Hey, I am only sixteen years old, you know. So you shouldn"t expect too much from me. Besides, I am considered slow already, seeing how I haven"t reached Foundation yet. Most of my group had already gotten there by the Festival of Swords, remember?"

"It has only been about a year, since you started cultivating, so that"s not as bad as you think. I took two years myself. Of course, that was because I ... Well, indulging in that sort of thing before you achieve Foundation tends to slow down your cultivation, as all the books tell you. I am a good example of that."

The young man grinned at her mildly indignant tone of voice. He knew, naturally, that she had been brought into the School as a plaything of one of the more l.u.s.tful Inner Court disciples, and had been thoroughly ravaged before she even began to cultivate. So it stood to reason that she was upset about that.

Still, she had admitted that she had come to accept her lot. Not to mention, the fellow who had dragged her into the Heaven Sword School had already graduated and left. Which left her to muddle her way through herself.

Little wonder then, that she had been so enthusiastic when he had agreed to supply her group with the medicinal herbs that they required, in return for their favors. As for the coin, he had been content to let Lingxi hold on to that.

But now, it looked like they would have to make other arrangements for the future!

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