My family has been wielding knives for generations, but now it's my turn to wield a pen!

It was evening.

Outside the courtyard where Jiang Xiaobai of the Marquis's mansion was located, many servants were busy at work.

The aroma of wine permeated the air.

Inside the room, Jiang Xiaobai sat there, grinding ink, and glanced curiously at Tang Ningshuang, saying, "Tell me, what do you want to see?"

"The Three Kingdoms..."

Tang Ningshuang paused before speaking, then said, "Never mind, let's just say... that 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' story you mentioned when you came back!"

"I'd like to see how this story... can keep me up at night!"

Indeed, Jiang Xiaobai spoke with great certainty at the time, which aroused her strong interest.

"OK!"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled and responded.

But just as Jiang Xiaobai finished grinding the ink and picked up the brush, a knock sounded at the door.

Ok?

Jiang Xiaobai looked up and put down his pen: "Go in!"

As Jiang Xiaobai's voice faded, the door was pushed open, and Zhang Xinnian walked in from outside.

"How is the situation?"

Jiang Xiaobai glanced at Zhang Xinnian and asked.

"Hey, Your Highness, everything went very smoothly!"

Upon hearing Jiang Xiaobai's question, Zhang Xinnian beamed and said, "Our wine has practically spread throughout half of the capital!"

"Moreover, all the shops cooperated with us obediently; not one dared to disobey!"

"not bad!"

Jiang Xiaobai nodded, but didn't seem too surprised.

That's right. With the soldiers of the Marquis's mansion standing at the entrance, who in an ordinary restaurant would dare not cooperate?

As he envisioned, the day would go smoothly.

As it turned out... Zhang Xinnian, of all people, chose Qingshan Zuilou as his first choice.

Behind the Green Mountain Drunken Pavilion is the current Fourth Prince.

The shop assistants naturally had to be more assertive.

That's why the vandalism and looting occurred.

"Let's continue stocking up starting tomorrow!"

Jiang Xiaobai said, "Within half a month, you should ideally take over all the restaurants, big and small, in the entire capital!"

That's right, using multiple devices together makes the alcohol output quite efficient.

If that's not enough, we'll continue to draw resources from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion and increase production even further.

Once you expand the market, the money will naturally follow!

Moreover, it's a continuous stream.

"yes!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xinnian immediately nodded respectfully, then chuckled twice and said, "Your Highness, my brothers and I have all worked hard today, you see..."

"Um!"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled and said, "Get a few jars of wine over there, let's all try them!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhang Xinnian's eyes lit up immediately, and he turned and left with a face full of excitement.

As the door closed again, Jiang Xiaobai finally looked away.

"Come on, let's keep writing!"

After picking up his pen again, Jiang Xiaobai had only written one word when his gaze fell on Tang Ningshuang, saying, "However..."

"Don't blame me for not warning you, the aftereffects of 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' are quite powerful!"

"Bigger than the Three Kingdoms period?"

Tang Ningshuang asked curiously.

"How should I put it? It's just different!"

Jiang Xiaobai said with a serious expression, "Reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms will get your blood pumping, but this... it'll really keep you up at night!"

"It might take several nights!"

"Oh, then you write it down and see!!"

Tang Ningshuang responded calmly, "I'm the kind of person who doesn't believe in superstitions!"

"Don't blame me if you regret it!"

"Definitely not!"

Tang Ningshuang responded again.

Yes, she was curious to know what story could keep her up at night.

"good!"

Jiang Xiaobai chuckled twice: "Then I'll write one for you!"

As he spoke, Jiang Xiaobai sat up straight again and began to write.

Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Chapter One: Painted Skin!

That's right, the content of the first chapter of the original work is actually not scary.

But Painted Skin is different; at least it was a childhood trauma for him.

Since we're here, let's start with something really exciting!

Tang Ningshuang watched intently.

At first... I didn't think much of it, and even thought the story was somewhat ordinary.

That's right, it was just a scholar who met a beautiful woman on the road.

Then the woman said that she had a pitiful background and was taken home by the scholar.

This... isn't it just a very ordinary love story?

Tang Ningshuang still had some doubts about this.

So what's there to keep me up at night?

But gradually, as Jiang Xiaobai continued writing, Tang Ningshuang's expression began to change little by little.

Jiang Xiaobai wrote in particular that the woman was weak and pitiful during the day, but at night she would peel off a human skin in her room and draw eyebrows and eyes on it with a brush.

Tang Ningshuang's hands clenched tightly as she stared at the words on the paper, her face turning noticeably pale.

When Jiang Xiaobai wrote about the scholar peeking through the window and seeing the painted skin being draped over the woman's body...

When she returned to her beautiful appearance in the daytime, Tang Ningshuang's breathing visibly paused.

"this……"

Tang Ningshuang opened her mouth, her expression slightly flustered.

Jiang Xiaobai kept writing without stopping.

At this moment, the candlelight in the room flickered gently, and the words on the paper swayed incessantly, making them appear even more sinister in Tang Ningshuang's eyes.

As she watched, Tang Ningshuang felt a chill run down her spine.

In particular, when the wind blew outside and the window rattled slightly, Tang Ningshuang's body stiffened instantly.

"Um... um... me..."

Tang Ningshuang's voice sounded somewhat unnatural: "I suddenly remembered, I think I have something to do!"

"I'm leaving now!"

After saying that, Tang Ningshuang quickly walked out.

"Ha ha!"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled as he watched Tang Ningshuang's retreating figure.

This woman was clearly afraid.

However, Jiang Xiaobai didn't think too much about it. He looked down at the story before him, his expression becoming serious again.

Now that we've started, we should finish writing it.

With that thought in mind, Jiang Xiaobai picked up his pen again and continued writing.

By the time he finished writing the story, it was already very late at night.

Jiang Xiaobai stretched, put the paper he had written on aside, and went to bed.

And soon, he fell asleep.

But after some time, Jiang Xiaobai suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

Yes, in the darkness, it seemed like... a pair of eyes were staring at him.

Jiang Xiaobai frowned, groggily opened his eyes, and glanced at the bedside in the dim moonlight.

The next moment, Jiang Xiaobai regained full consciousness.

Tang Ningshuang was leaning against his bedside, staring at him without moving.

He looked somewhat gritted-teeth.

"hiss!"

Jiang Xiaobai gasped, jumping up to his feet and glaring at Tang Ningshuang: "Hey, what are you doing here so late at night instead of sleeping at your own place?!"

Tang Ningshuang watched as Jiang Xiaobai clenched her jade-like hand, bit her red lips, and then leaned against the bedside and closed her eyes.

Yes, she doesn't want to pay any attention to that bastard Jiang Xiaobai right now!

She went out first and came back later.

Then I saw Jiang Xiaobai's manuscript, and I couldn't resist reading it all.

But after reading it, she became even more frightened, and then she understood Jiang Xiaobai's words.

What does it mean to be unable to sleep at night?

She felt something was wrong as soon as she closed her eyes, so she ran to Jiang Xiaobai's place.

Seeing Jiang Xiaobai sleeping soundly, he naturally felt furious.

That's why... I couldn't help but keep glaring at this annoying guy!