The male supporting character was actually myself.

She hated! She resented! She was filled with resentment!

Why treat me, a delicate and kind woman as pure as crystal, like this? Has the world changed so much that good people are no longer allowed to live?

"Get out of here! Don't block the way!" The doorman of the Paramount Ballroom impatiently shooed them away. "Get out, get out! People like you are only fit to do striptease. You're all talk and no action. Do you think you're goddesses? Take a good look at yourselves!"

Ruan Xiangyun glared at them, wanting to retort, but her sister stopped her, saying, "Forget it, don't argue with them."

She looked helplessly at her siblings, who were covered in dust and dirt after walking more than ten miles of mountain road. She could guess what she looked like now and couldn't help but smile bitterly. "We are naturally no match for those heavily made-up women of the night without makeup. They just don't know the value of a gem. Why argue with such people? Let's go look elsewhere and find a place where we can wash and dress up. With our looks, we sisters will surely find a place to stay."

"Oh, aren't these the daughters of the Ruan family?" Just as they were about to leave, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats on the street, followed by familiar voices that made the Ruan siblings pause in surprise.

Sitting atop his horse, Jiang Chen adjusted his military cap with his right hand, gloved in black leather, leaned forward slightly, and laughed loudly, "What are you unmarried young ladies doing at the Paramount? This is a place for old men to philander and drink, you must be..."

Just as Ruan Xiangqin was about to retort coldly, she saw the doormen who had been bossing her around earlier now smiling obsequiously and fawningly saying, "What wind blew Second Master here so early? Please come in!"

Seeing this, she didn't say anything, lest she offend Li Yexiao and give these scoundrels a way to please the bastard and disgust her and her brother.

It's better to avoid trouble; just bear with it if you can!

"What are they doing here?" Jiang Chen didn't answer, but pointed at the four siblings with his riding crop, asking a question he already knew the answer to.

The doorman spat and laughed, "A bunch of bumpkins are an eyesore. They... ha, come to the Paramount to sing folk songs and talk about selling their art but not their bodies. Where do all these pretentious rules come from? Which girl inside doesn't go out with clients? If a guy takes a liking to her and takes her out, that's her good fortune! The girls are all eager for that. How can they be like this? They look so shabby and think they're as beautiful as angels."

"So you want to be a singer? Ruan Xiangqin, don't be in such a hurry to leave." Jiang Chen laughed arrogantly and waved his hand, saying, "Go and call your manager out and have him bring me two bottles of good wine."

The doorman, unsure of what the second master was planning to do today, hurriedly ran back to deliver a message; the rest surrounded the Ruan siblings, preventing them from leaving.

"Li Yexiao, what are you going to do?"

"You...you won't humiliate us! We'd rather die than be insulted by you again!"

"Waaaaah... Sister, I'm scared!"

Just as the four siblings were chattering away, the manager of the Paramount Ballroom came running over with two bottles of foreign liquor. "Second Master, here's your liquor!"

"Bang! Bang!"

Jiang Chen gestured for him to open it, and the other person immediately pulled off the stopper without hesitation.

"Manager Lin, let me introduce you—these are the four Ruan siblings: the eldest, Ruan Xiangqin; the second, Ruan Xiangyun; and Ruan Xiaomei and Ruan Yunfei. The story of the debt collection at Qinya Manor last night has already spread throughout the city, so I won't repeat it."

Ruan Fannan owed money and refused to pay it back; Ruan Xiangyun stole the IOU and ate it to try and renege on the debt; my eldest brother accidentally burned down the manor; look, Ruan Xiaomei ran into the fire looking for the rag doll in her arms; Ruan Fannan ignored my brothers' attempts to stop him and ran in too, and ended up being burned to death.

Originally, it was all an accident and had nothing to do with our Shuaifu Money House, but my eldest brother is getting married in a few days, so we should do good deeds, right? They are orphans, without support, and have never worked to support themselves. Fortunately, they have a father who can play instruments and a mother who can sing. The sisters have inherited their talents; their singing of folk songs is exceptional! As for their looks…”

He casually poured two bottles of wine over the heads of the two sisters standing nearby, eliciting screams and curses.

When the Ruan Xiangqin and her sister, soaked from the alcohol, wiped the liquid from their faces and glared angrily at Li Yexiao, the doormen who were watching were all struck by the heroine's beauty and exclaimed, "Wow! She's so beautiful!"

"Indeed, she looks absolutely stunning after being washed!"

"What a beautiful girl! She's even prettier than the star performers at our Paramount Ballroom!"

…………

Amidst the praise, Manager Lin also saw through their hidden true colors.

Her soaked cheeks showed no sign of dishevelment, but rather resembled a lotus emerging from the water, delicate and charming with a hint of grievance and stubbornness. She was truly a rare beauty.

"They're not bad looking, are they?" Jiang Chen casually tossed aside the wine bottle, clapped his hands, and laughed. "Manager Lin, please give me face and take them in. If they don't sing well, you can scold them, beat them, or deduct their wages. Look, it's already dark, and they have nowhere to go. They're pitiful. They'll perform, not sell their bodies. Let them try singing some songs at the Paramount first. If they really don't get any customers, then we'll get rid of them."

Since the second master has spoken, and these two girls are indeed beautiful, whether they sell themselves or not is ultimately up to the dance hall to decide after the contract is signed. Keeping them around will also earn the second master's favor, so this is a worthwhile deal!

Manager Lin hurriedly nodded and bowed in agreement, then scolded Ruan Xiangqin and the others, "Aren't you going to thank Second Master? If it weren't for Second Master's words, people like you wouldn't even be qualified to enter the Paramount. You're truly a family of ungrateful bastards..."

Chapter Nineteen: Has He Fallen in Love with You?

"Thank you, Second Master!"

"Thank you, Second Master!"

Feeling both frustrated and aggrieved, Ruan Xiangqin and the others still thanked him insincerely under the manager's coercion.

She thought to herself, "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Now, my brother and I are in a desperate situation because of Li Yexiao. He used this humiliating way to get a job from the Paramount. Once we've earned enough money to rebuild Qinya Manor, we'll leave. I'll let my little brother practice martial arts so he can kill Li Yexiao and avenge our father!"

As the four siblings followed Manager Lin into the side entrance of the Paramount, Jiang Chen didn't hear the little dumpling's excited report. Turning around, she saw the little guy pouting and frowning, looking worried.

“Host, you’ve changed. You’ve started to do tasks half-heartedly.”

Jiang Chen: ? ? ?

"Wasn't I quite proactive? And I successfully got the female lead to work as a singer at the Paramount Ballroom, selling her art but not her body? How is that perfunctory?"

"But the main system's judgment is basically passed. You didn't humiliate the female lead and her group as required at all!" The little white cat waved its paws and explained, "At the very least, you should have teased her a bit, torn a piece of clothing, or embarrassed her in public, right? Your behavior just now didn't fit your character. It was too obvious that you went easy on the female lead!"

The fluffy little dumpling looked at him with concern, "Host, I was careful not to let the female lead's halo affect you, but you still only pretended. Tell me honestly, have you taken a liking to her? Are you reluctant to make a move on her?!"

Jiang Chen: ...

"I'd never be interested in her!" He rolled his eyes and pulled on the reins, turning his horse around. He said coldly, "Stop daydreaming all the time. If you're really bored, go and organize the supplies in our system space. There's too much stuff, and it's hard to find anything."

"Meow~ I know!" The fluffy ball was still up to its old tricks, afraid that its host would be bewitched by that vixen. It found an excuse to sneak out and keep a close eye on Ruan Xiangqin, determined not to give her the chance to seduce its host.

"Sigh... this house really can't function without me!" It rolled over on the red leather sofa and yawned, its sleepy eyes watching the twin sisters wolf down their meal, wash up, and start getting ready for their stage performance. It lazily sharpened its claws, revealing gleaming, cold blades, and licked them. "Hmph! You little slut, don't even think about seducing my host, or I'll cripple you sooner or later!"

Ruan Xiangqin suddenly shivered, feeling a chill run down her spine.

She glanced back at the waiting area, where those heavily made-up women, dressed like a bunch of vixens, were all staring at her with hostile eyes. Ruan Xiangqin was very familiar with that look—it was the look of jealousy and hatred, as if they wanted to devour her alive!

Indeed, a kind person is often bullied, and a good horse is often ridden.

My father was too kind, which is why he was rejected by the world; I was too kind, which is why I was deceived and humiliated. From now on, I, Ruan Xiangqin, will become a glamorous and wicked woman! Only then can I survive in this world, only then can I earn enough money to rebuild the manor! Only then can I avenge my father and kill Li Yexiao!

The Paramount Ballroom was brightly lit and bustling with guests. The Ruan Xiangqin sisters became an instant sensation thanks to their unique leading lady aura. Their stunning looks and gentle voices, combined with their self-accompanied singing, made them natural-born singing beauties.

Manager Lin was very impressed and personally gave them the stage names Bai Moli and Bai Huaxiang, and gave them the highest treatment. He also refused the requests of many customers who wanted to take them out, trying to make a good deal out of the hype and sell the sisters' virginity for a good price.

"Oh, isn't this the daughter of the Ruan family?"

The singer, known by her stage name Red Rose, had long, curly hair and wore a well-tailored cheongsam. With her alluring figure, she was originally the most popular performer. However, her limelight was stolen overnight by two new, promiscuous women.

Holding a white feather fan, she fanned herself while sneering, "Is an IOU tasty? I have to remind the manager to sign a few extra contracts as backups, so you don't end up eating them and then we'll have no proof."

Ruan Xiangyun glared at the woman and spat on her. "Pah! A prostitute like you shouldn't be hanging around in front of us sisters. You're just an eyesore. Get out of here. Don't think you can bully us just because we're new here. Who can you blame if your performance isn't sexy enough and you don't sell anything?"

Want to be as popular as us sisters? I have a suggestion for you—go striptease!

"So what if we accepted the IOU from the Marshal's Mansion Bank? That was Master Li's choice. He didn't even pursue it, so who are you to criticize? Oh, by the way, you don't know, do you? My sister and I were brought in by Master Li. We're purely performing, not selling our bodies."

"You..." Red Rose was about to explode when she suddenly remembered something and chuckled, "So the reason you sisters are so popular is because you're sexy enough! The Second Master of the Li family personally vouched for you, what a grand display! I'm so scared!"

After saying that, she glanced disdainfully at the two sisters dressed in a flamboyant manner and said coldly, "We've all fallen into the same brothel, so who can be more noble than the other? Let me give you a piece of advice—don't be too arrogant, or you'll easily be taken advantage of when you're down in the future."

"Pah! We're not like you, don't try to climb the social ladder here." Ruan Xiangyun immediately retorted, "You're a prostitute, but we aren't! With Second Master Li protecting us, I want to see who in Yucheng dares to lay a finger on us sisters!"

Red Rose glanced at them without saying a word, then turned to go back to her room.

Unexpectedly, Manager Lin, with a beaming smile, strode over and, seeing the Bai sisters standing in the corridor, exclaimed with a smile, "Oh my, you two sisters are really something! Even though the Paramount is closed, there's still a huge crowd outside begging to see you."

I turned them all away. From now on, you don't need to deal with these ordinary customers personally. You just need to put in your best effort and wait to appease my big customers!

Hey? What are you all standing here for?

"We've been busy most of the night, it's almost dawn, let's go back to our rooms and rest. Hey you, Red Rose, hurry up and finish packing up your things and move them out of the room. From now on, that big private room is for the Bai sisters!"

"What?" Red Rose was stunned and felt embarrassed. After all, she was the undisputed star of the Paramount Ballroom before last night. How could she be completely replaced and have her room taken back in just a few hours?

She stood out from many beautiful singers with her outstanding looks and singing skills, and had been a mainstay for nearly two years. How could she bear such grievances? "Manager Lin, you can't do this to them, can you?"

"It's only been one night. Those old men who are used to gourmet food want a change of pace and some simple porridge and side dishes. There have been singers who became wildly popular and then faded away before. Isn't it unfair of you to kick me out so quickly?"

Manager Lin waved his hand impatiently, "This is the order from above, not my decision! Red Rose, you've been red for years, and the gentlemen are getting a bit tired of it. Why don't you take this time to reflect and try to innovate again? Move it out first, everyone is tired after working all night and needs to rest."

Although Ruan Xiangqin did not participate in the previous verbal battle, she still looked down on the Red Rose who sold her body and art from the bottom of her heart. She felt that the Red Rose was too dirty and did not deserve to be compared with her own identity of selling her art but not her body, which was pure and untainted by the mud.

Seeing her suffer a setback, he couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. He stood with his sister Ruan Xiangyun, arms crossed, waiting for her to pack her things.

“I’ve lived here for almost three years. I have so many clothes, shoes, bags, gold and silver jewelry, cosmetics, and gifts from the old men. It’s not something I can just pack up in a few days.” Red Rose pouted and said coquettishly, “Manager Lin, please give me two more days. Maybe… those two sisters will run out of ideas soon, and the old men will get tired of it and I’ll have to save the day. Moving things around is such a hassle!”

Ruan Xiangyun spat again and sneered, "No need for you to worry, sister. Since we sisters are so popular, we will naturally do everything we can to make more money for Paramount. Instead of wasting your time grinding your teeth, you should hurry up and clean up."

"I'm already very tired after singing for so long." Ruan Xiangqin didn't urge Red Rose directly, but looked at Manager Lin with a wronged expression and said softly, "I want to wash up and go to sleep as soon as possible. Not getting enough rest will affect my voice."

With the female lead's halo kicking in, Manager Lin immediately lost her last bit of patience and impatiently urged the errand girls, "Hurry up and help pack these things out. You have five minutes to move them all, or you'll have to throw them away!"

Soon, the luxurious items that Red Rose cherished were thrown out like trash, and the four Ruan sisters walked into the house with their heads held high, stepping on the rouge and powder scattered on the ground.

"Sister, I've never seen such a luxurious room before, it's amazing!" As soon as they stepped into the lavishly decorated suite, Ruan Xiaomei and Ruan Yunfei went crazy with excitement, running around, jumping, and shouting.

Ruan Xiangyun sat on the soft, comfortable bed and bounced a few times excitedly, saying, "No wonder it's the richest dance hall! The treatment at the Paramount is amazing! Sister, we have to work hard to earn more money so we can decorate our house this luxuriously in the future, and use all these imported goods!"

"Why did you bring up Li Yexiao just now?" Ruan Xiangqin carefully closed the door, turned around and said coquettishly, "The Li family is our enemy, you must not forget that!"

Ruan Yunfei fiddled with the Western clock on the table and casually replied, "That has nothing to do with Li Yexiao. I saw Li Dongchen set the fire!"

Upon suddenly hearing his name, Ruan Xiangqin's face turned pale, and she pursed her lips without saying a word.

Ruan Xiangyun noticed her sister's unusual behavior and said with dissatisfaction, "Are you still thinking about that young master of the Li family? When did you two get engaged? I didn't know! Did you see the wedding invitation today? He has a fiancée and is getting married. He's really not a good person to flirt with you!"

And what my brother said is true, it was Li Dongchen who started the fire!

If he truly cared for you, he wouldn't have brought so many people to our house to collect a debt. We only owe them a pittance!

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and pointed angrily at the bruises on her body, neck, and face, saying, "Before you even came out of the house, Li Dongchen personally took action and called so many people to beat us up! Sister, is this the man you fell for? He beats women and children and is so unreasonable that he burned down our Qinya Manor!"

Ruan Xiangyun grew angrier and angrier, sobbing, "Back then, even after Father had passed away, he didn't even offer a word of comfort. Li Yexiao at least felt ashamed and threw down a bag of money, but your lover didn't give you a single penny and just turned away!"

Why did I bring up Li Yexiao just now?

"Sister, are you really that naive or just plain stupid? Can't you see the way those slutty vixens outside are eyeing us? We're truly desperate, forced to come here and sing for money. Without Li Yexiao backing us up, we'd be bullied even worse!"

When the topic of her painful memories came up, Ruan Xiangqin couldn't stop crying.

Ruan Xiangyun also hugged her younger siblings and cried together. After a while, Ruan Xiaomei wiped away her tears and asked softly, "Big sister, has Li Yexiao fallen in love with you?"

"Little sister, don't talk nonsense! That kind of bully could never..." Ruan Xiangqin stopped her little sister from talking nonsense with a face full of anger.

The other person raised their voice and said more confidently, "I'm not lying, it's true! Li Yexiao has a notorious reputation, who doesn't know he's ruthless and kills without blinking an eye? But last night he didn't say anything harsh, and he even gave us money to spend... Although you didn't accept it, he really did give it to us!"

Moreover, when you didn't want it, I saw that Li Yexiao looked very angry.

And when we were rejected and had nowhere to go in the evening, how did he manage to arrive so quickly? Was he following us the whole time, worried that we'd go hungry, have nowhere to stay, and end up sleeping on the streets?

Ruan Yunfei immediately retorted, "But he splashed wine on my eldest and second eldest sisters!"

"After the fire, my eldest and second eldest sisters finally revealed their angelic beauty and were kept at the Paramount. That's why we have such nice rooms to stay in now." Ruan Xiaomei analyzed seriously while holding the burned rag doll. "That Li Dongchen is such a scoundrel! He was about to get married and he still tried to fool my eldest sister. He even set fire to our father and killed him."