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"This way," I crossed the pathway to where Lienna was opening the same door Zian entered with the older man. "My husband and I own this shop together. I come from a long family line of stylist talents and didn't want to waste them once I was married. So my father, such a soft heart for his girls, gifted me this place as a wedding gift. Since then, business has always been up and my name has been in everyone's mouths. I'm even thinking about opening another shop south of Guangzou."

I was taken aback by the beautiful gowns and stylish hanfu's and tunics that were dressed on wooden bodies. My fingers couldn't be helped, reaching for the rich colored fabrics folded across the table to my right, anxious to feel it's softness between my fingertips. The store was spacious compared to any place I had ever seen before — which wasn't many — and the interior designs were just as beautiful and bright and filled with colors my eyes never laid on. It was a woman's dream for a beautiful place above their heads.

"Beautiful is it not?" Lienna came to inspect what I had got myself into. "This fabric was imported from India. So rich and soft, even half of the noblewomen here find it a struggle to come up with enough money to buy it from me."

"Is that so?"

Lienna nodded. "If you like, I can make you a dress out of this fabric on the house."

I yanked my hand from the fabric, stunned at her offer. "You are too generous to someone you just met, but I can't accept your offer. This fabric is simply too...much for me, and I don't hold any proper titles or rights to wear something as expensive as this. Especially if the women here can't afford it." Lienna didn't intervene so I continued. "And where is your home?"

"Right," she pulled away and continued to lead the way. "Well, where we are standing is my home, this whole building is, but where your husband is at is upstairs."

There were soft voices coming from a closed room as we were walking up the wooden stairs. The closer we came to the distinct voices, the more I was able to recognize Zian's voice. His tone was low and soft-spoken compared to the other voices that were straight-forward and demanding.

"Do you think that is a smart move?" Said an older voice within the room. "I have always respected your choices as your loyal subject — " Lienna turned her head slightly in my direction, a sense of alarm colored her eyes, and kept straight. " — but I will not sit here and let you expose yourself over some foolish mess as the — " Out of nowhere, Lienna picked up her speed with grace. She reached for the door before the person who was speaking could finish and slid open the door, a smile edging her lips.

There was movement within the room, startled by Lienna's sudden appearance.

"Lienna?" It was Zian's voice, recognizing the woman at the door. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here. Why are you not with — "

Lienna turned back to my slow figure still making my way to her since I was too lazy to catch up with her speedy feet, and clutched her arm around mines. With a tug, she pulled me into the room without warning and almost caused me to trip over my clumsy feet but I caught myself and stood straight. "Look who I befriended? And coincidentally, it turns out she is the wife of a dear friend of mines." She turned to me in a whisper, "That is your husband, am I not mistaken?"

I found Zian's brooding gaze, probably confused or a bit worried of why I was here so I tore away my eyes and nodded, shyly. "Yes."

I was unfamiliar with the two other men within the room. They were both sitting around the table covered with scrolls and odd map drawings before jumping to their feet at the sight of me being shoved into the room. I was positive one of them had to be Lienna's husband, Kai Heng, who was a young-looking man who appeared in his early 30's. He wore a simple tunic, but it was elaborated enough to express his high status of nobility. He wore his jet black hair on top of his head, knotted with a clip to keep his hair in a bun, which enhanced his manly features.

Zian, on the other hand, was a bit tensed. He averted his gaze to both of the men who immediately hid their weapons and rolled back up the scrolls that were scattered on the table. Though I already noticed their weapons and saw a speck of one of the scrolls. It was an outline of a building, I think.

"I see you've met my dear friend, Lienna? She is undoubtfully skillful when she tells such stories that can make a woman's heart flutter or a grown man cry. I'm sure you might even take in interest seeing that books might not be your thing at the moment. And might help bring your imagination to life with the type of stories you grow fond of." His comment made my cheeks flush a light color of red, embarrassed he had called me out once more because of the erotic book I couldn't read. But that twisted feeling was long gone once Zian had reached me and his light expression suddenly faltered. "What happened to your face?"

"What — " I had almost forgotten about the Soldier slapping me to keep me obedient. I didn't think it would be as bad or at least as noticeable because of my dark skin, but I also haven't seen my face in the mirror and the thought simply surpassed my mind. "...I..."

His black gaze averted to Lienna when I failed to give him a proper answer. And for the first time ever, just by the threatening look in his eyes, I was genuinely afraid of Zian or what he might do to me or Lienna once figuring out the truth behind my bruised cheek.

A nervous chuckle left Lienna's red lips, though worry filled her eyes as she spoke. "She would've been ran over by a chariot if it wasn't for me pulling her out of harm's way. She is lucky it was just her face and not a missing limb or much worse."

"Is that what happened?" Zian was now looking at me.

Nervousness covered my body in shame once remembering how upset Zian was when I lied to him, and I could feel Lienna's pressing gaze burning through my soul, telling me with her eyes to 'play along' and 'don't mess up'. If Zian ever found out the truth, I was afraid he'd never trust me as his wife. But if I ended up telling him the truth, I was afraid he'd never let me go outside in the city.

Woman to woman, this should be our little secret, don't you agree?

Coming to my decision, I could see Lienna's shoulders drop in relief when I nodded to confirm her story. "It was a bit crowded so I was shoved in the pathway of a chariot, but I lucky to be saved by Lienna. You have such a kind friend."

As Zian did the first time I lied to him, he watched me silently before deciding to believe me once more. He smiled to Lienna who smiled back graciously with a bow to acknowledge her own braveness of saving my life. "Indeed, I do." His gaze lingered before touching my back lightly, leading me over to the two men in the room.

He introduced me proudly as his wife to his friends, so he said they were. Kai Heng, Lienna's husband, and Gui, the older man who met with Zian and was the one who showed up at our house. I was unsure if he was married or anything else about him since Zian added nothing more but his name and Gui added nothing less but a proper greeting.

"Lienna, why don't you give my wife a tour of your beautiful home? Or show her where you use your talented hands while I finish up here?"

Lienna bowed in response. "Of course. Peizhi, let me show you where the magic happens!"

I was a bit taken off guard when Lienna decided to lock her arms into mines and led me out the room. I barely had a chance to see Zian's face before I was already in the hallway. My face fell.

I followed along Lienna as we walked down the hallway and into a room that was much spacious than my bedroom itself. The room was sort of messy but still kept organized in their own sections. There were many fabrics laid out, unfolded, sprawled across the table, or hanging off the edge to the floor. There were many beautiful, elaborate dresses and tunics laid out across three tables in the center, and many of them were folded and ready to be worn.

"Wow! Is this where you make clothes?" I went over to one of the tables, inspecting the small designs embroidered into the sleeve of the hanfu. "You are so talented, I envy you." I looked through the stack papers of sketched dresses simply amazed by her talents.

When glancing up, I noticed something being held in Lienna's hands — a hanfu. It was a dark color of red along the skirt area and the tunic was black with red designs along the sleeves, down the chest area and around the waist. It was almost the same resemblance as Zian's uniform but with switched colors and for women.

"Here, try this on." Lienna promoted, offering me the beautiful hanfu.

It was so beautiful that even I dared to not touch it, or felt as if it was worthy enough to be worn. "I-I can't. I appreciate it, but — "

"Oh, come on! Besides, you can't show your husband the tear on your shoulder now can you?" She placed the hanfu in my hand without warning. "Change into this, and I will stitch and hand this one back when I can." She paused. "And you should not envy me; I am no one better to envy. And if there was something to envy, it should be you."

I was hesitant to take the dress — saying nothing towards her recent words since I couldn't understand the meaning — but I had no other choice or Zian would know of my lie once he sees the tore — if he didn't know already. And since Lienna was talented I knew she would be able to snitch my hanfu as if it was brand new.

I went behind the tall bamboo panel in the corner of the room to change. The bamboo sticks were tied tightly together that I was unable to see through, but I could still hear Lienna's movements.

"I'm curious," I trailed, untying my hanfu and letting it fall to the floor. My naked body shivered from the coolness of the room, my nipples hardening. As I peeked around the panel while keeping myself warm by hugging myself, I saw Lienna placing her sword inside a crate, placing the fabrics on top to keep the sword invisible. I shot back behind the panel once her head spun in my direction and continued to get dress. "How did you learn such...erotic stories? Are you not afraid of what others might say about feeding your sins to the women in the city?"

"Women come to me for stories they never heard of. Some are even willing to pay me more than enough to entertain their lives while their husbands or fathers are away from home, so there is no shame. I love what I do and what it does to women. And you become good at anything once you've experienced it yourself."

I was now tying the hanfu around my waist that fits perfectly around my frame. Only a tad tight but I could live with it. "You mean, with your husband?"

"Who else would I share my body with?" Lienna was amazed at how well the dress fit and claimed it went well with my small frame. She beckoned me over to sit with her and asked, "Have you and Zian...."

"No," I replied instantly, already knowing what she was indicating. "Not yet." I said more calmly.

Lienna smirked. "Why not? He is your husband? Are you scared?"

"Maybe. But also because I've never done anything like that before, so I don't know where to start exactly." I was fidgeting with my fingers nervously, ashamed that I was probably the only married woman who hasn't had sex with her husband. I wasn't in any rush, but I hear a woman who hasn't slept with her husband would bring bad luck within their marriage and it wasn't something I would risk.

I glanced up at Lienna's soft laughter. Her hand reached to touch a loose strand. "There are no rules when it comes to making love. As long as you know how to keep your husband aroused, then you can do anything. Shall I teach you a thing or two as your big sister?" Her finger pushed back my hair behind my ear with a tender touch.

Without hesitation, I agreed.

A soft gasped had left my lips when Lienna pulled my chair closer, mixing her aroma with mines. She was so close to my face that I was able to smell her perfume and if I was to move any closer, my lips would touch hers. "You should look him in the eyes," Lienna advised, a slow paint of excitement lit her eyes, seeing the reflection of myself doing as told despite my nervousness. "with passion and with desire. Eye contact is one of the most important elements that should never be broken. The look in his eyes should match yours."

"Why?" I breathed.

"Because it builds intimacy between lovers, and it shows that you know what you want. A man can be in control of his household and do as he pleases, but when night falls is when the man is most valuable to anything, which allows the man to obey and to respect anything the woman says." I snatched away my gaze when I felt Lienna's hand at my thigh with a gasp. I was quick to catch her hand and jumped up in response, but I was pushed back down with force, my head lifted to connect our contact. "Don't break my contact or you break our connection."

I don't look away this time, but I was nervous at her hand back at my thigh, but it doesn't move. It rests there using her other hand to brush up my arm, causing a warm sensation through my body that felt good. Was it natural to feel this way? To feel this way to a woman's touch?

"You are too cute. You remind me of someone I know; cute, innocent, but always curious and very humbled, and bold. But she isn't here now at the moment." Said Lienna. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes,"

"Good then listen to the rest."

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