But she did not touch the item Ilso gave her.
If she used his money, then Ilso’s debt of gratitude would vanish—he indirectly acknowledged that he owed her a favor, right?
She was almost certain he would never want to owe a plebeian any favor, even if that favor was unsolicited.
She needed to keep this favor. Without it, she could not approach Ilso again.
Kai had long noticed Dichi’s abnormality: she always drank and smoked alone, gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought, and often mysteriously disappeared. She felt uneasy and tried to understand what Dichi was thinking, but Dichi always smiled and reassured her, leaving her unable to speak.
Although they both grew up in the slums, Dichi seemed different from others.
Dichi always had an air of mystery, with amber eyes hiding something—both dangerous and alluring, making one want to explore. But Kai thought Dichi must have her own secrets, so she never forced Dichi to do anything.
At night, Dichi’s nightmares became more frequent.
In the cold night, she would wake up with her limbs convulsing, breathing heavily. Kai would sit up, gently embracing her, comforting her: “My dear, it’s okay, I’m here. I will always protect you, always be with you.”
Kai’er could not eliminate her nightmares, but she was touched. She turned and hugged Kai’er, gently kissing her hair: “Thank you, Kai’er, it’s so good to have you by my side.”
They often fell asleep embracing each other in the deep of night, unable to close their eyes without one another.
Over the years, they had depended on each other, surviving stubbornly and independently in the hopeless slums, without having to rely on or please men.
Kai’er was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman in the slums, her beauty praised even among civilians and some lower nobility. People said her hair was blacker than the deep night, her eyes brighter than stars, and her lips softer than flower petals. Men would say that her alluring figure could suffocate a person to death.
All men desired her, but no one could have their wish, because she belonged to Di Qi, and the men in the slums were no match for Di Qi.
