Zexiu sheathed his sword: "It's not that I don't like crowds, it's just that I'm too lazy to deal with those people. We're not on the same page."
The rabbit was roasted, and Xiaoman took out a dagger to cut the meat into pieces. She then said, "You receive bounties from the government, so you always have to deal with them. Otherwise, where would you get your information?"
He stuffed a piece of rabbit meat into his mouth. He said calmly, "Is there really no place in the world besides martial arts gangs where we can gather information?"
"Then how do we gather information?" She was very curious about what kind of life he had led before.
He paused for a moment, then gave a knowing smile: "Brothels, teahouses, inns, casinos, and a lot of other miscellaneous places."
"You went to a brothel!" Xiao Man was shocked. She looked him up and down as if she were seeing him for the first time.
"Isn't it normal for men to go to brothels?" he said without batting an eye. "It's strange for women to go to brothels."
Hmm, that seems to make sense, but... what kind of life did he live before?!
"What kind of look is that?" Zexiu glared at her, clearly annoyed.
Xiao Man lowered his head and continued cutting the rabbit meat: "No, I just think... well, it's amazing. I can't imagine what you'd be like as a customer of prostitutes." He didn't have that kind of worldly air about him.
“Only clients go to brothels, I’m not a client.” This time it was his turn to be surprised. “Where would you find clients?”
“Oh, there’s a little brothel in Wutong Town too. It’s not even a proper brothel, just a run-down alley where the men in town often go. My dad goes there often too, sometimes even staying for a few days. My stepmother would sometimes ask me to bring him food or money. The women there… well, how should I put it, are strange, but there are some really nice ones too. There was this old woman who liked to touch my face when she saw me, wanting me to work for her when I grew up. Every time, my dad would scold me and forbid me from bringing her anything.”
He chuckled and said, "These kinds of things happen everywhere, but most madams don't dare to force innocent women into prostitution. I was just joking with you."
Xiao Man chuckled: "Once, I went to that run-down alley to deliver money to my dad, and I saw how those women fawned over him: 'Sir, is the rouge on my face red enough? Sir, is my waist supple enough?' And then my dad looked so silly, it cracked me up. Later, my stepmother put on new clothes and tried to sit on my dad's lap like those prostitutes, speaking softly to him. But instead of making him happy, she threw a tantrum, saying she was indecent and corrupting the children."
Zexiu clicked his tongue: "Your old man really doesn't understand romance."
Xiao Man smiled and cut some rabbit meat for him, tilting her head and asking, "Grandpa, did I cut the rabbit meat well?"
Zexiu burst out laughing, then deliberately put on a stern face and said, "We're so far apart, let's get closer before we talk."
Xiao Man sidled up to him, plopped down on his lap, presented him with the rabbit meat, and asked solicitously, "Is this alright?"
He deliberately remained silent to see what she would do. Xiao Man rubbed her head against his neck, twisting like a pretzel: "Grandpa, eat meat! Am I not serving you well?" Ze Xiu coughed and deliberately pinched her waist: "Not bad, not serving you well, you're stiff as a rock, bring another girl over."
"It's a desolate place, there are no girls to choose from, so you'll have to make do." She picked up a piece of meat and brought it to his mouth. Zexiu opened his mouth to eat, but she threw it into her own mouth instead: "If you don't eat it, I will."
Zexiu was itching to pinch her cheeks, but then he heard a noise. He gently pushed Xiaoman away and whispered, "Someone's coming."
Xiao Man turned her head. Sure enough, she saw firelight flickering in the forest, as if many people were walking towards them.
Ze Xiu slung the three swords at his waist, stood up, and stared intently at the group. Their target was clearly here, and they were coming for the two of them. To avoid the enthusiastic martial arts sects, he had deliberately taken the mountain route, avoiding Lanzhou city, yet someone had still managed to find him. Was this out of kindness or covert surveillance?
The firelight drew closer, and soon a group of girls dressed in red and green came over, carrying lanterns and pushing a luxury car.
They were all women! Xiao Man was quite surprised. And each of them was quite good-looking, with their hair in a bun, long sleeves trailing on the ground, and gentle smiles.
The young woman at the head of the group stepped forward gracefully and bowed, saying softly, "The owner of Lanzhizhai has learned that Mr. Zexiu and Miss Xiaoman are passing through Lanzhou, and has specially sent two invitations. We hope that you two distinguished guests will not refuse."
Zexiu frowned slightly, but spoke very politely: "Thank you for your kindness, but we are in a hurry to get on our journey. We are covered in dust and we are afraid that we may have offended the elegant place of Lanzhizhai. Let's leave it at that for today. We will definitely visit you another day."
The young woman seemed to have anticipated his refusal and was not discouraged at all. She still said softly, "Although Lanzhizhai is mostly staffed by women, they are also aware of the meaning of chivalry. My master greatly admires your chivalrous spirit and longs to have a conversation with you two."
"No need." Zexiu was too lazy to exchange pleasantries and simply refused.
The young woman smiled slightly: "Mr. Zexiu is a great hero, and he probably doesn't want to associate with women."
Even provocation didn't work; Zexiu just stared at her coldly without saying a word.
Seeing that she couldn't move him, the girl could only look at Xiaoman and said softly, "Mr. Zexiu has superb skills and is naturally not afraid of the cold and heat, but Miss Xiaoman is delicate and may not be able to endure the harsh cold of the mountains. You should consider her situation."
Uh, you mentioned her? Is this related to her? She's never even heard of Lanzhizhai or Lanhualou! Xiaoman blinked, puzzled.
Zexiu's heart skipped a beat, and he looked down at Xiaoman. To avoid trouble, he had taken the mountain route, and he hadn't really considered whether a young girl like her could endure sleeping outdoors all day. Although Xiaoman never complained, she was, after all, just a sixteen-year-old girl with no martial arts skills. Her face was red from the cold, and her fingertips were bluish-white; she was indeed quite pitiful.
Seeing that he was somewhat interested, the girl said, "My master has already prepared a banquet and guest rooms. Knowing that you two have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer, it would be good if you could stay for one night and then leave. This would be our way of showing hospitality."
Zexiu was finally provoked into nodding: "Very well, I can't refuse your kindness, thank you, Master Lanzhi."
They were ushered into a luxurious BMW, which drove smoothly towards Lanzhou city. Xiao Man asked in a low voice, "What's Lanzhizhai? What kind of place is it?"
Zexiu said softly, "It's a group of women. Many of the brothels and teahouses in Lanzhou are businesses owned by Lanzhizhai. I don't quite remember if they were invited to Mount Bugui. Anyway, I'll go and take a look. If they have any ill intentions, I'm confident I can get out unscathed."
The carriage moved quickly, and in less than an hour, it stopped in front of Lanzhizhai. Xiaoman grabbed Zexiu's clothes and got out of the carriage. She saw a row of young women holding lanterns standing in front of the gate, bowing in unison. In the center stood a woman in fine clothes, about forty years old, who was not very pretty and even dressed somewhat tacky. The gold hairpin in her hair was hanging down like a fishbone, and Xiaoman was really worried that her hair would be pulled out.
"Madam Tang." Zexiu clasped his hands in greeting. This woman must be the owner of Lanzhizhai.
Madam Tang greeted her with a smile, first taking Xiaoman's hand and saying softly, "I was being presumptuous; I should have personally welcomed our honored guest. This must be Miss Xiaoman, right? She must be so frail; she must be very cold. Please, please come in."
Ever since Zexiu said that her family ran a brothel and teahouse, Xiaoman automatically categorized Madam Tang as a madam, and those pretty girls carrying lanterns were her prostitutes. Does entering this courtyard mean she's visiting a brothel?
Lanzhizhai was beautiful, not in a lavish or opulent way, but rather elegant and unique. With every turn, the scenery changed. It was quite an achievement for a brothel to reach this level; it was a world apart from the dilapidated alleys of Wutong Town. Even wealthy people made their brothels different.
Next came the meal. As expected of a madam, Madam Tang was a master at persuading people to drink, toasting them cup after cup. By the end, Xiaoman couldn't even remember her own name, and her face was burning hot. Zexiu below pinched her countless times, and she finally became alert. Seeing that Madam Tang was about to force her to drink more, she quickly covered the cup and said, "I can't drink anymore. If I get drunk and lose my composure, I'll disturb this elegant place."
Madam Tang had no choice but to offer Zexiu a toast, but he was much more difficult to deal with than Xiaoman. After only two cups, he stood up and said, "It's getting late. Thank you for your hospitality, Madam. Let's continue tomorrow."
Madam Tang immediately instructed the maids to take them to the guest room. Xiao Man, supported by Ze Xiu, felt everything before her eyes become blurry. The cold wind blowing on her face didn't feel cold at all; on the contrary, it felt quite comfortable. Her heart was pounding, and she couldn't help but press it with her hand, whispering, "This is the first time I've drunk so much wine."
Ze Xiu coldly replied, "So you know you've had too much to drink and feel like throwing up?"
She shook her head: "It's okay, it's just that my mind isn't quite on my own..."
"...You have quite a bit of potential." I was a little dizzy from drinking so much.
The maids led them to the guest room, and a girl in red said softly, "Miss, you've had too much to drink. Are you feeling unwell? I'll go and make you some hangover soup."
Zexiu took out a small bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill, and forced it into Xiaoman's mouth: "Hold it in your mouth, don't swallow or bite it."
The pill was terribly bitter, and Xiaoman's face immediately fell. She opened her mouth to spit it out, but he glared at her and scared her into shutting up. After a while, however, her dizziness gradually subsided. She took a breath and said softly, "Huh, much better. It's just that my heart is still pounding."
"Your heart is racing because you drank too much. The pills will only stop you from feeling dizzy."
As soon as he finished speaking, the maid in red brought over some hangover soup. Xiaoman spat out the pills and shook her head, saying, "No need, I'm not dizzy."
The maids then led the two of them to wash and dress separately.
The Crimson Butterfly Chronicles, Chapter Seven: Sea of Flowers (Part One)
Updated: 2008-10-18 21:28:17 Word Count: 3931
Second update.
When Xiaoman returned to her room, her face was still burning. She pushed open the door and went in, only to find that Zexiu was not in her room, but was sitting there drinking tea in a very casual manner.
"What are you doing here?" Xiaoman glared at him. "You lecher, go back home!"
Zexiu scoffed, "Save your breath, you're just a little girl. Staying here is not like staying at an inn; I can't let you stay alone."
Xiaoman poured herself a cup of tea: "Sigh, it really is strange. Why is she so enthusiastic? It's like she doesn't even know us."
"That's how things are in the martial arts world." He laughed, patting the bed: "Go to sleep, it's none of your business."
Xiaoman climbed into bed, pulled the covers over herself, and suddenly poked her head out: "How can I sleep with you sitting here? The light's still on."
"Stop talking nonsense, go to sleep." He blew out the candle.
Xiaoman rolled around on the bed, then suddenly said, "Hey, it's not like we haven't slept together before, why don't you come up and sleep here too?"
Zexiu was drinking tea when he suddenly spat it out and coughed for a long time.
"Is that how it's said? If you can't speak properly, then shut up." He was both amused and exasperated.
"I didn't say anything wrong." Xiaoman patted the blanket. "Okay, come on, come on, the bed is pretty big, I'll give you half the blanket."
Zexiu walked over and sat on the bed, but didn't get on top of it. Instead, he leaned against the headboard, hugged his arms, and pretended to doze off: "Don't talk anymore, go to sleep."
Xiaoman rolled over, still wrapped in the blanket, and after a while, suddenly said, "What is that thing poking my back?"
She touched it with her hand. There were three swords at his waist. She exclaimed, "You sleep with swords on?!"
Zexiu sighed: "Are you going to sleep or not?"
Xiao Man simply turned around and shrank inside: "A sword on the bedside table is too scary, I don't want to go near it."
The blanket was thick and scented. Her feet were sticking out from under the covers. She was half asleep when she suddenly felt someone touching her feet. Not immediately remembering that Zexiu was in the room, she jumped back in fright: "Who's there?"
There was a dark shadow at the head of the bed. It took her a while to realize it was Zexiu. She rolled over and muttered, "You scared me to death! Don't touch my feet."
He didn't speak. Xiaoman was drifting off to sleep again when he started touching her feet again, as if they were something fun. He even picked them up and placed them on her stomach, looking at them from side to side. Xiaoman tried to pull away but couldn't, so she had to let him do as he pleased. But his fingers tickled her feet, giving her a strange feeling. Her drowsiness vanished quickly, and she pulled her feet back forcefully, sitting up abruptly and saying, "Aren't you going to let me sleep?!"
Zexiu patted the person next to him: "Just turn around and sleep here."
"Then take off your sword."
"no."
"Then I won't go."
"Then give me your feet..." Xiaoman was practically going crazy. How could there be such a wicked man in the world! She pulled her feet back under the covers, covered her head, and lay back down. After a while, she felt his hand reaching under the covers, groping around, looking for her feet. Xiaoman propped her feet up against the wall, determined not to let him touch them.
In the darkness, he assumed she had tucked her feet up and continued to grope upwards. Xiaoman suddenly felt her thigh being grabbed, and couldn't help but laugh, quickly trying to dodge: "It tickles!"
The hand gripping her thigh seemed to realize it had made a mistake; it stiffened slightly but didn't pull away. Xiaoman laughed, tickled, and when he still didn't remove it after a long while, she finally realized something was wrong.
"Zexiu?" she called softly.
He grunted in agreement, finally letting go, then reached for the wall, grabbed her foot, and continued to play with it in his hand.
With no other choice, Xiaoman sat up and said, "Fine, I won't sleep anymore. Do whatever you want."
Zexiu nearly hit his head on the bedpost, and finally sighed, "Xiaoman, if you can't speak properly, then don't speak."
"You're not wrong! You've been playing with my body the whole time!" One minute it's my hands, the next my feet, she's not a toy!
He seemed frozen in place, not moving an inch. Xiaoman asked, "Aren't you going to play anymore? Can I go to sleep now?"
She lay back down, and sure enough, he stopped moving, but seemed to be secretly suppressing a laugh, almost to the point of internal injury. Just as Xiaoman was about to speak, she felt him slap the blanket and laugh, "Go to sleep." This time it was finally quiet. She slept soundly and deeply; if it weren't for the piercing screams outside that woke her, she would have had a wonderful dream. Zexiu immediately rushed to the door, pushed it open a crack, and looked out. The courtyard was dark, and she couldn't see anything, but the screams continued incessantly, all calling for help.
Xiaoman pushed back the covers and jumped out of bed, asking anxiously, "What happened?"
He didn't answer because he wasn't sure either. The noise outside grew louder and louder, and Madam Tang also rushed over. Zexiu immediately pushed open the door and went out, with Xiaoman following behind him. The moon peeked out from behind the dark clouds, and the dark courtyard was instantly brightened. The ground was covered with the corpses of women, with blood flowing everywhere. They had obviously been killed by a sharp weapon.