With Ma Ran's decision made, Zhong Shenxiu decided against heading out that very night. It was already quite late, and considering they had just emerged from the "Damp Forest," and the others must be exhausted. He decided they would first stay the night at the village named "" and then proceed to the "City of Dream Twilight" tomorrow!

As the last vestige of the sunset vanished, Zhong Shenxiu and his company finally arrived at "." This place was even more prosperous than the small village he first encountered when he crossed over to this world. This truly affirmed the saying: to get rich, first build the roads! Oh.

Upon entering the small town, the first priority for Zhong Shenxiu and his group was securing food and lodging.

Although the small town boasted quite a few inns, the number of guests was even higher. Travelers from all directions preferred to stay here before nightfall.

Because of this, Zhong Shenxiu and his party searched for a long time before finally finding a place with available rooms!

It was evident the innkeeper possessed a keen business sense: the dining halls and taverns faced the main street, while the actual accommodations were located in the rear courtyard. Though not opulent, the rooms were spacious and clean, conducive to relaxation.

Zhong Shenxiu booked three adjoining rooms, paid the rent, and then headed to the dining hall upfront for their meal.

The tavern was bustling. Zhong Shenxiu’s group arrived just as one party was settling their bill, otherwise, securing a table wouldn't have been guaranteed.

“What will you be ordering, esteemed guests?” A young man dressed as a waiter immediately approached, handed a menu to Xia Luo, and swiftly cleared away the remnants from the table.

However, upon accepting the menu, Xia Luo quickly passed it over to Zhong Shenxiu. Here, she was merely an attendant and held no authority to make decisions.

The young man glanced over curiously but didn't press the matter.

Zhong Shenxiu briefly scanned the menu, casually ordered two dishes, and passed it to Robin. Robin ordered two hearty dishes before forwarding the menu to Angelia. In this manner, everyone ordered two dishes apiece.

“Please wait a moment, the food will be right out!” The young man noted the orders and departed.

The group, having time to spare, began observing their surroundings. While the space wasn't vast, the tables were arranged with remarkable order; despite so many people eating together, it didn't feel chaotic or cramped. The most distinctive feature was the large entrance—about three meters wide—shielded by a thick, padded curtain, preventing passersby on the street from seeing the diners inside.

Just then, the padded curtain was pulled aside, and a person walked in.

The dining patrons instantly brightened, their eyes drawn to the newcomer.

They hadn't expected the entrant to be a woman. A woman of striking maturity and allure. She appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, standing at nearly 1.7 meters tall. Her raven hair cascaded over her shoulders, lending her an air of nobility. Her bright eyes were mesmerizing, framed by long lashes, shining like brilliant stars against the night. Her sensual, crimson lips curved in a subtle, almost-smile. Beneath the left corner of her lip, a beauty mark enhanced her mature, captivating charm!

What truly captured the patrons’ gaze, however, were the woman’s full, proud breasts, held high as if refusing to yield to anything.

And then there were her long legs; every step she took seemed to test the patience of every man present!

If one word were needed to summarize this woman, she was unequivocally a “Yujie” (Domineering Older Sister/Mature Woman)!

This woman did not appear flustered by the sudden attention she garnered; instead, she calmly surveyed the room, seemingly searching for a seat.

Seeing this, several men shifted aside, gesturing for her to take their spots. The woman offered a grateful smile but did not approach them.

It was at this moment that her gaze swept over Zhong Shenxiu’s group, and her eyes lit up. She walked directly toward them.

involuntarily swallowed. The approaching woman gave him a suffocating sensation. He couldn't articulate why, but his heart rate spiked!

Xia Luo and Angelia stared blankly as the woman drew nearer. Her mature, intoxicating beauty stirred their own senses, let alone the men present!

“Excuse me, may I sit here?” To their surprise, the woman’s voice was even more enchanting than her appearance—like a spring breeze blowing directly into the heart, prompting vivid imagination!

What kind of woman was this?

How could such a stunning creature be in such a humble place? And why was she alone?

Xia Luo and Angelia stared foolishly at the approaching “Yujie.” While they were powerful in strength, in terms of feminine allure, they were several degrees behind this woman!

Note: Perhaps some readers are unfamiliar with the term “Yujie.” In fact, "" only recently learned of it and searched Baidu for better understanding. He particularly liked one translated description, excerpted here: If a “Loli” evokes the desire to protect, a “Yujie” should evoke the opposite—a sense of reliance and the desire to be protected. Only one who can command the hearts of many fish scales qualifies as a proper “Yujie.”

“There are no other empty seats, may I join you?” the woman inquired again.

Only then did Xia Luo and Angelia snap back to awareness and look towards Zhong Shenxiu, recognizing him as the leader!

Zhong Shenxiu looked up and met the “Yujie’s” gaze. After a long moment, he replied flatly, “You may!”

The woman seemed slightly surprised but didn't sit down. Instead, she looked toward Xia Luo. Clearly, she had made the same mistake as the waiter, assuming Xia Luo was the leader among them.

Xia Luo understood the misunderstanding but offered no correction, simply smiling and saying, “Please, sit!” She even shifted her body slightly.

“Thank you!” Only then did the woman reveal a genuine smile.

However, to Xia Luo and the others' growing unease, the woman didn't just sit anywhere—she deliberately wedged herself between Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.

Xia Luo had intended to intervene, but the words caught in her throat for some inexplicable reason. Now, the three women watched Zhong Shenxiu and Robin with tense expressions, wondering what fate awaited them under this woman's proximity.

The woman clearly misinterpreted their tension as possessiveness, so she offered a sweet smile and spoke softly, “You don’t need to be nervous. I’m not a bad person. My name is Keni Claudie! You can just call me Keni!”

“Hello,” Xia Luo replied verbally, but her eyes kept darting toward Zhong Shenxiu.

Keni followed Xia Luo’s gaze to Zhong Shenxiu, smiled again, and said, “What a cute little one! Tell big sister, how old are you?” As she spoke, she leaned her face close to Zhong Shenxiu.

Seeing this, the hearts of the three women nearly stopped beating. They genuinely hadn't expected this woman to address Zhong Shenxiu as "little one"! Heavens, this woman was audacious!

The three now began speculating whether Zhong Shenxiu would swiftly “snip” this woman down.

To everyone’s surprise, however, Zhong Shenxiu merely remained silent, not even looking back at Keni.

“Are you too shy to tell big sister?” Keni chuckled again, then made another bold move that completely stunned Xia Luo and the others into a state of blank idiocy.

With one swift motion, Keni pulled Zhong Shenxiu toward her.

In that instant, Xia Luo and the others felt an urge to slam their heads against a wall; their expressions were more idiotic than ever before, as if they had never been so foolish in their lives!

She... she... she actually—

Angelia’s eyes nearly popped out. This was perhaps the most unbelievable thing she had ever witnessed.

“Oh? What’s wrong with you all?” Keni looked confusedly at Xia Luo and the others, truly not understanding their strange reactions.

Seeing their silence, Keni didn’t press further, redirecting her focus entirely onto Zhong Shenxiu.

“Tell big sister, what’s your name?” Keni asked again in a soft, gentle voice, her expression suggesting she had known Zhong Shenxiu for a long time.

Zhong Shenxiu offered no reply, nor did he move. He stared directly into Keni’s eyes.

Meanwhile, the three women were screaming internally: Great heavens, just strike me down with lightning; I can’t endure this shock anymore!

Zhong Shenxiu’s gaze, sharp as if physically tangible, caused a subtle, fleeting shift in Keni’s expression—a change so quick it was almost missed!

“How about this? Big sister will give you a reward first, and then you tell big sister!”

With that, an event occurred that nearly caused Xia Luo’s trio to faint: Keni leaned in and pressed her sensual lips lightly against Zhong Shenxiu’s cheek in a fleeting peck.

“Alright, can you tell big sister now?” Keni smiled again.

But at that very moment, a loud clatter echoed as lost his balance and tumbled to the floor.

“I... I’m fine!” quickly righted himself back onto the chair.

However, his expression was not so easily recovered. Keni’s audacious action had hit him like a tidal wave, instantly drowning all his rationality!

What truly shocked him was that Zhong Shenxiu hadn't moved an inch—allowing this seductive woman to treat him as she pleased. Was this still the same master they knew? Even if he had changed since before, this transformation was far too drastic!

Or perhaps, beneath this calm surface, an unprecedented storm was brewing??

couldn't comprehend it; the scene before him was even more stunning than the time he witnessed a murder!

It was at this point that Zhong Shenxiu, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, his voice still devoid of emotion: “Woman, put me down.”

Keni, whose attention had been diverted by’s noise, visibly stiffened upon hearing Zhong Shenxiu’s voice.

Woman???

She pondered this as she looked toward Zhong Shenxiu.