All right, if you pay, then we'll send her to a hospital-"
"But Mama, I don't have any money! "
"Neither do I!"
Wu Qiang chimed in, "Don't worry, Xiang Xiang. We'll ask our herbalist to treat her; it's much cheaper."
"What about-?"
Mama snorted. "If she dies, she dies, that's her fate, nobody can change that, not you, not me, not Guan Yin, not Buddha, not a Western doctor nor an expensive hospital." She waved vehemently to the guards. "Take her back, now!" Then she spat on Spring Moon. "Stinky stuff! Bringer of bad luck! "
After Spring Moon had been carried away, Fang Rong put on a big smile, announcing to the sisters and the guests while frantically waving her hands, "Nothing happened; everything's all right! Now go back to the party and enjoy yourselves! "
Immediately the group dispersed-some customers went to drink; others watched Mr. Wu demonstrate calligraphy; yet others listened to the sisters sing and swing their curvy bodies to the rhythm of the music ...
It both surprised and disgusted me that people were indeed having a good time as if nothing had happened.
Since no one was paying any attention to me, I went to sit on a bench to calm myself. Spring Moon's image kept spinning in my mind-her sad eyes, her pained face. Who was she? How did she end up in Peach Blossom? Was her family so poor that they had to sell her into the prostitution house? But she didn't look poor-she had a smooth face and nice skin. Was her father also a criminal like mine? Had she been kidnapped by a bandit?
I sat in a daze I didn't know how long until I flinched from a slap on my shoulder. I turned and saw Fang Rong's menacing face hovering above mine. And an old man's wrinkled one next to hers.
"Xiang Xiang, what's the matter with you? Don't you know that you're here to work, not to relax?"
I sprang up in no time.
Mama turned to Old Wrinkles. "Look, Big Master Fung, this is our famous Xiang Xiang, face beautiful enough to outshine the moon and shame the flowers. Don't you think?"
Old Wrinkles scrutinized me the same way my mother had examined a choice piece of pork in the market for our yuanxiao dinner. "Wonderful, wonderful! The fame has not been spread for nothing," he mumbled, while stroking his stubble with his bony, long-nailed fingers.
Mama nipped my chin and ordered, "Xiang Xiang, give Big Master Fung a big smile."
"Big Master Fung, see the dimples?" She shot Old Wrinkles a flirtatious look, causing goose bumps to creep on my skin. "Aren't they so charming that they'll suck you in and make you forget all your troubles?"
Old Wrinkles nodded appreciatively, while his eyes caressed me all over. "Yes indeed, indeed."
Mama went on excitedly, "Big Master Fung, there's one more precious thing about Xiang Xiang."
"Eh? What is it?"
Mama lowered her voice to create suspense. "Xiang Xiang has a natural body fragrance as if her diet were nothing but flowers."
Now, like a bulldog, Old Wrinkles leaned close to me and sniffed. "Yes, she does smell wonderful. But I think it's just perfume."
Mama chuckled. "Oh, of course not, Big Master Fung. You have my word, or your money back." She winked. "Xiang Xiang hasn't yet received any customers, so who'd buy her perfume?"
"All right, no need to explain," Old Wrinkles said, then he whispered something into Mama's ear to which she frantically nodded.
I could only catch tidbits of the conversation-"fresh dewy peach," "mighty emperor stretches the bow," "golden-gun-neverdrop pills"-but their manner made my skin creep and my cheeks burn. After more prurient glances directed from my head to toe and then back from toe to head, the two burst into guffaws.
When Old Wrinkles finally left, so did Mama's laughter. Now she turned to cast me a murderous look. "Xiang Xiang, what's the matter with you? Don't stand there like a fool; come and help!"
The party went on long past midnight. After most of the guests had gone, Pearl materialized out of nowhere and joined me to go back to Peach Blossom
"But Mama, I don't have any money! "
"Neither do I!"
Wu Qiang chimed in, "Don't worry, Xiang Xiang. We'll ask our herbalist to treat her; it's much cheaper."
"What about-?"
Mama snorted. "If she dies, she dies, that's her fate, nobody can change that, not you, not me, not Guan Yin, not Buddha, not a Western doctor nor an expensive hospital." She waved vehemently to the guards. "Take her back, now!" Then she spat on Spring Moon. "Stinky stuff! Bringer of bad luck! "
After Spring Moon had been carried away, Fang Rong put on a big smile, announcing to the sisters and the guests while frantically waving her hands, "Nothing happened; everything's all right! Now go back to the party and enjoy yourselves! "
Immediately the group dispersed-some customers went to drink; others watched Mr. Wu demonstrate calligraphy; yet others listened to the sisters sing and swing their curvy bodies to the rhythm of the music ...
It both surprised and disgusted me that people were indeed having a good time as if nothing had happened.
Since no one was paying any attention to me, I went to sit on a bench to calm myself. Spring Moon's image kept spinning in my mind-her sad eyes, her pained face. Who was she? How did she end up in Peach Blossom? Was her family so poor that they had to sell her into the prostitution house? But she didn't look poor-she had a smooth face and nice skin. Was her father also a criminal like mine? Had she been kidnapped by a bandit?
I sat in a daze I didn't know how long until I flinched from a slap on my shoulder. I turned and saw Fang Rong's menacing face hovering above mine. And an old man's wrinkled one next to hers.
"Xiang Xiang, what's the matter with you? Don't you know that you're here to work, not to relax?"
I sprang up in no time.
Mama turned to Old Wrinkles. "Look, Big Master Fung, this is our famous Xiang Xiang, face beautiful enough to outshine the moon and shame the flowers. Don't you think?"
Old Wrinkles scrutinized me the same way my mother had examined a choice piece of pork in the market for our yuanxiao dinner. "Wonderful, wonderful! The fame has not been spread for nothing," he mumbled, while stroking his stubble with his bony, long-nailed fingers.
Mama nipped my chin and ordered, "Xiang Xiang, give Big Master Fung a big smile."
"Big Master Fung, see the dimples?" She shot Old Wrinkles a flirtatious look, causing goose bumps to creep on my skin. "Aren't they so charming that they'll suck you in and make you forget all your troubles?"
Old Wrinkles nodded appreciatively, while his eyes caressed me all over. "Yes indeed, indeed."
Mama went on excitedly, "Big Master Fung, there's one more precious thing about Xiang Xiang."
"Eh? What is it?"
Mama lowered her voice to create suspense. "Xiang Xiang has a natural body fragrance as if her diet were nothing but flowers."
Now, like a bulldog, Old Wrinkles leaned close to me and sniffed. "Yes, she does smell wonderful. But I think it's just perfume."
Mama chuckled. "Oh, of course not, Big Master Fung. You have my word, or your money back." She winked. "Xiang Xiang hasn't yet received any customers, so who'd buy her perfume?"
"All right, no need to explain," Old Wrinkles said, then he whispered something into Mama's ear to which she frantically nodded.
I could only catch tidbits of the conversation-"fresh dewy peach," "mighty emperor stretches the bow," "golden-gun-neverdrop pills"-but their manner made my skin creep and my cheeks burn. After more prurient glances directed from my head to toe and then back from toe to head, the two burst into guffaws.
When Old Wrinkles finally left, so did Mama's laughter. Now she turned to cast me a murderous look. "Xiang Xiang, what's the matter with you? Don't stand there like a fool; come and help!"
The party went on long past midnight. After most of the guests had gone, Pearl materialized out of nowhere and joined me to go back to Peach Blossom
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