At the same time, without realizing it, she gently brushed a strand of her flowing, snowy hair from her temple, her long, waterfall-like tresses swirling in the steam rising from the warm bath. Panshenglian’s entire figure, radiant and pure as a saint, seemed like a fairy from the Jade Platform, leaving Gao Liang utterly enchanted. As Gao Liang found himself instinctively reaching for the door, he suddenly heard Panshenglian cry out, "Oh! Someone!" Turning to see, he discovered an elderly merchant-like man gazing at her with a dreamy, admiring smile, saying, "Hehe! Didn't I miss you? It's been a long time since we last saw each other..." "Zhang Shouchu! You! Get out!" Panshenglian deeply resented this man who had taken her virginity—back when she was a maid in his household, he had seized her maidenhood during a bath. Yet even after marrying several wives, he remained unsatisfied. This time, taking advantage of his wine-induced giddiness, he had quietly climbed over the back wall to come in and make his move. He knew that Pan Jinlian was now living alone in the room, and that Sima Qing, the official, had recently contracted a sexually transmitted illness from his frequent outings and romantic pursuits, so he hadn't returned home for several days. This was precisely the perfect opportunity to make a move. "I insist on coming over! Are you finally getting restless? Oh, really! How beautiful you are! More beautiful than when you were serving as a maid in my household!" Zhang Shouchu's hands, glowing with admiration, reached out. Pan Jinlian, her body half-submerged in the large bath, dared not rise—she was completely bare. While her body could be seen by someone she admired, it was utterly unbearable to be exposed to someone she deeply disliked. Thus, Pan Jinlian trembled, her hands tightly covering her ample bosom, her face pale, her entire body shaking. Zhang Shouchu is a true wolf in love—wealthy enough to be a robber of young maidens. How many maids has he ruined? How many virtuous women has he trampled upon, forcing them into prostitution? The Pan family has suffered greatly. Thinking back to when she was just seven, during a year of drought when no rain fell and their village lost all harvest, many villagers had to leave their homes. Her father died while fetching tiles for the wealthy landowner, and her mother was forced to remarry. To get rid of her as a burden, her mother had even resolutely sold her to Zhang Shouchu, this very wealthy and lustful landowner—for merely two taels of silver! What a tragic fate! The years spent as a maid in Zhang Shouchu’s household were nothing short of painful. From a young age, Pan Jinlian had to endure heavy labor—washing clothes, cooking, washing vegetables, sweeping floors—tasks that were both tedious and exhausting, accompanying her day and night. Yet Pan Jinlian remained resilient, persevering through hardship for survival. By the time she reached her early to mid-teens, a delicate and blossoming age, she had grown from an unremarkable young girl into a graceful, poised young woman. Yet, at this very age of beauty and promise, Zhang Shouchu, after a particularly tiring bath, rudely claimed her first sexual experience—taking her body by force and even intending to make her his concubine. Refusing to yield, she was determined to die rather than accept this. Meanwhile, Zhang Shouchu’s mother-in-law, who had long been a strict and observant woman, discovered her husband’s infidelity and immediately erupted in anger at home. Zhang Shouchu, always a man who feared his wife—due to her family’s greater wealth and influence—had no choice but to yield. As a result, he secretly arranged for Pan Jinlian to marry Wu Dalang, a baker. However, the marriage proved to be more of a formality than a genuine union; Pan Jinlian and Wu Dalang had no real affection for one another. Pan Jinlian was a woman of strong emotions and clear convictions. One day, while helping Wu Dalang sell bread at his stall, Pan Jinlian happened to be unexpectedly encountered by West Men Qing Simón Qiang immediately took a strong liking to the fresh and vibrant Pan Jinlian, yet Pan Jinlian herself had little affection for the well-born, leisurely young men. However, Simón Qiang had numerous strategies at his disposal. After all, during her years working with Wu Dalang to sell pancakes, Pan Jinlian had endured great hardship—often exhausted by the end of each day and barely earning enough to make ends meet. Though Wu Dalang, though short and unattractive, made exceptionally delicious pancakes, he lacked the boldness and physical strength of his brother Wu Song, and remained a humble, diligent man who frequently suffered at the hands of others. Moreover, Wu Dalang’s consistent patience and good-natured acceptance only reinforced the arrogance of the local thugs and riffraff. Simón Qiang’s gang of roughs often came to the stall without paying, and whenever Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian carefully prepared and arranged their pancakes, hoping to earn a decent profit, the very moment Simón Qiang’s men arrived, the entire effort was lost. Wu Dalang, with no courage, dared not approach them to demand payment. “You’re not a man!” he would cry. “You’re truly not a man!” Pan Jinlian held the most contempt for Wu Dajiang, who always appeared timid and weak, easily manipulated. Pan Jinlian directly demanded money from Xi Men Qing, who, in front of everyone, teased her, saying, "Oh! Little lady, you can have money—just come at night to collect it! But dare you?" With that, he smiled indulgently, tossed a note on the table, and walked off. Pan Jinlian picked it up and read the message: "Hai Tang Flower Lane, No. 36, Huayue Building!" Immediately, she tore the note into pieces in front of all the onlookers, leaving them astonished. Indeed, this woman had spirit. Pointing directly at Xi Men Qing, she declared, "You're not going to get away with it! I'm married—I won't fall for your tricks!" Yet Xi Men Qing merely shook his fan and, with a sly smile, leaned close to whisper, "Let's see how it unfolds! Hmph!" Then he called over a group of roughs and said, "Let's go!" "Wu Dalang is a man of weak resolve—still kneeling on the ground, refusing to rise, which draws murmurs of sympathy from the passersby who shake their heads and point at Pan Jinlian, muttering, 'A flower planted in manure!' 'How pitiful Pan Jinlian is! To stay with such a lackluster man—her days must be unbearable!' 'A woman of suffering!' ... 'Come on! Get up! Go home!' Pan Jinlian shouts at Wu Dalang, pouring out all her grievances onto him. Yet Wu Dalang remains as stiff as a board—he has no understanding of women's feelings. He offers no comfort to Pan Jinlian's wounded heart, only smiles foolishly, saying, 'They're leaving! They're leaving! Now we can go home!' But today, their income is zero." Wu Dalang had no idea about Pang Jinlian's small wish today—just to buy a silver hairpin. In fact, with the recent savings, she had only been short of 100 copper coins to purchase the very fine silver hairpin she considered absolutely excellent at the silverware shop. But today, that plan fell through. When leaving home, Wu Dalang had tried to please Pang Jinlian, making a firm promise on his chest: "No matter what, I'll definitely make up those 100 copper coins!" Yet, before West Menqing, he had chosen to yield and accept things as they came. Moreover, even though West Menqing wasn't exactly a good man—indeed, he was a well-to-do, influential, and elegant young man with great resources.