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"House of MeiHua is a brothel of no shame, that stands for a beautiful flower or something that is beautiful or grows to be beautiful. Here we please our guest more than as we're paid and treat them as kings — or a queens in such situations, giving them a place to forget their daily duties and a place where they can do whatever they want to whomever they want." We followed behind Lady Ting Yu as she gave us a tour of the brothel, a place I couldn't believe Zian suggested. Has he as well visited here to play around with many women before marrying me or during our marriage? Does he think so low of me to bring me here? Zhao Ji was no stranger to this place and didn't pay much attention to Lady Ting Yu's words. There were other matters on her brain they kept eating at her. "We have over four successful brothels throughout this nation, its history running little too over a hundred years. Each brothel has a headmistress who is all addressed as Madam Xuan...."

I pulled closer to Zhao Ji. "I didn't know you worked here as well." I kept my pace behind Lady Ting Yu as she continued the tour.

"You didn't ask."

She had me there but even if I did ask her, she probably would've brushed it off and changed the subject into something else like she'd normally do.

"And I'm not a prostitute if that's what you are thinking. Never was."

"So that means Lienna's — "

"Yes, she is." She answered. "But this isn't her brothel, as we call it, a school. She is on a short leave handling some business."

I felt proud of myself for confirming this piece of information which made a lot of sense as I thought more about it, but all I could think of was GeiFei. Since Lienna told me she works under her wing, there was a possibility GeiFei could currently be here in MeiHua or any other brothel. And I was going to find her. I was determined to.

"The rules here are simple; no fighting, never be late to your duties, never drink more than your guest, curfew for you is by nightfall — unless you are working— which shouldn't be a problem since I was told you are not permitted to leave the premises. No men should be in your bed at any hour of the day. And since you will be working in the kitchens — "

"The kitchen?" I interrupted.

"Yes, you will be working in the kitchen with the other cookers since we are running low, unless you'd like to clean or pay your dues like the others here?"

She was referring to prostituting. I hugged myself. "I'm good with being in the kitchen."

"I know you are." She smiles.

The rules weren't that hard to follow. I don't know anyone here to fight with. Being late shouldn't be a problem since I was shown where the kitchen was located and there's nothing special in the city for me to leave beside my sister. Also, Zian's long gone to wherever he's planned to be.

Lady Ting Yu hands me the folded uniform in her hands that was the same color as few others I've seen here besides a few and underneath was another pair of clothing to sleep in.

Lady Ting Yu gestured her head to the door we stood in front of. "This is where you will sleep. There are multiple sleeping quarters each distinguished by numbers — you are number 10, which is here.  If there is ever a problem or something you need, you will come to me as I am the resident advisor of this sleeping quarters and a few others. Do you have any questions now?"

"No,"

"Good, let's meet the girls you'll be sharing this room with."

Upon entering inside the well-decorated place, I was met with a room of brownish walls and three beds laying rest. Two were parallel from each other against the wall while the other rest behind the beds against the wall. They were basic beds with normal sheets and the room didn't look as extravagant as Madam Xuan's quarters, but it was more than enough and I'm happy to have a bed to finally sleep in for a long while.

"Yi Tong, where should you be?" I peered around lady Ting Yu where four girls resigned.

One was on her side asleep in bed with the sheets over her head while another stood at the dresser between the empty beds helping a girl with her hair, who were both startled by the door which forced them to their feet with their backs straighten. The girl still lies peacefully in bed.

Both the girls were pretty. The one who sat in the chair, Yi Tong, had a slightly bigger nose. Her breast much fuller and her hips wide. The other had round eyes, thin brows and a thicker bottom lip. She was also a bit heavier but still firm.

Yi Tong greets lady Ting Yu. "In my room, lady Ting. I will head there now." Sneaking a look at her friend she quickly scatters to leave, but my presence in her view scared her back. She looked to Lady Ting Yu then back to me and left with her back almost against the wall.

This was something I was going to expect a lot so I might as well learn to deal with it as I've always had.

"We have a new bed to fill," She moves to reveal me. The girl stared with her lips parted, letting her eyes drift down with a look of surprise on her face. "This is Huang Fei."

Huang Fei is a name I came up with after many exhausting suggestions. As Zian said, it would be smart for me to go by a different name and live my life as a different person with a different story. It'd be much harder for General Wang to search for me and it gave me a chance to finally start over as someone new and leave as much of my past behind.

The story of Huang Fei is a simple one. She's the first-born daughter of a wealthy family in a beautiful city near the mountains of Quying that is known for its handsome men and beautiful women and a kingdom that served its people the best they could. Her father's a scholar, while her mother's family owned a well-known pottery shop passed down from three generations. It was important that my story sounded authentic coming from my lips. I had even practiced repeating my story in my sleep until I remembered it as clear as water.

But how did a girl of such wealth end up working in a brothel? I mean, I was in no place to judge and I'm not, it's just wasn't what I was expecting.

I bowed to greet her. "Nice to meet you..."

"Bai Han Zhi," Still shocked at my appearance, she minds her manners in front of Lady Ting Yu and bows to greet me. "Likewise." She fixes her posture afterward.

I entered more into the room as Lady Ting Yu did heading over to the girl in bed. "What's wrong with her? Is this another one of Jingfei's tricks? I refuse to fall into another one of her playful traps." She inspects her but doesn't reach out to touch her.

"She's resting, Lady Ting. She ate too much this morning which has caused her stomach to be upset."

"Then I will bring her some ginger tea until she feels better." She turns to face me. "Now that you've all met, get yourself settled. Your bed is there, you know where the baths are since it's highly needed, and where you'll be first thing in the morning. Your first day starts tomorrow. Your roommates shall wake you if you don't."

Bai Han Zhi and I parted Lady Ting Yu with a small bow, but as she leaves, I noticed Zhao Ji's following behind her.

I grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving. "Where are you going?" I asked. I could see she was a bit surprised at the fact I cared about where she was going. I was just as much as her and oddly, it felt natural.

"I'm not here to work so this isn't where I will sleep."

"I see," forgetting my hand was on her, I dropped it. "Then I will see you tomorrow?"

She makes a hesitant expression that lowers her gaze while breathing in softly. Just by that, I knew the answer before she told me. "Look, Peizhi, there will be days maybe weeks that I won't be here to protect you as I should. However, you are in the safest place that will do more than I can for you, but when I'm not here, you will need to fend for yourself." She moves closer and spoke softer. "The girls here can be rough and a bit entitled. And since you are very weak-hearted, I feel you won't make it out alive."

I smacked my lips and glared. She leaves, satisfied she has teased me.

I turn around to Bai Han Zhi watching me quietly. Awkwardness filling the air between us both since neither of us dared to speak a word to each other. I knew she wasn't going to say anything but stare and there wasn't much for me to say back to her either, so I went to the empty bed and sat down. My nose scrunched in disgust as I smelled myself taking off my cloak. What I needed was a bath; I could smell the stench even if I chose to ignore it, and my hair was losing its volume though it's been braided for a while. I think it's grown another inch and a half.

"Is she gone?" The voice was coming from the girl lying in bed. I assumed she was asleep as we all did, but by the amount of energy in her tone, she's been wide awake this whole time.

Bai Han Zhi goes back to the dresser and inspects her face. "She is." She looks over her shoulder at the girl with her back still facing us. "How many times will I have to cover for you? All this lying is aging me faster and then my betrothed won't find me pretty enough to marry. It's already worst enough that I have to lie where I sleep so that his family never finds out."

The girl, Jingfei, pulls down the sheets to get out of bed and I couldn't help myself but stare. She was beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I've crossed paths with. She was the beauty women like myself wished to achieve and men loved — pure beauty. A natural, pale complexion with color in her cheeks, slanted brown eyes that curled upwards at the end; soft heart-shaped lips, a perfect fitting nose and long, wavy dark brown hair. I couldn't see her body since it was still covered, but I knew she was quite slim with a little muscle that fits her figure well. And oddly enough, her features reminded me of Zian just a tad. And the longer I stared, the more I could see a bit more of him in her face.

"You're still young, Han Zhi. You won't age for a long time now and I admire your help, please know I do very well. And I will give you my crepes for 1 month." When Jingfei stands, she goes over to mess with Bai Han Zhi not noticing me yet, who smacks her hand away and curses at her.

I don't know why I couldn't stop staring at her. Even knowing that staring was rude and that I didn't like being stared at either, I did it anyway. Feeling my gawk, Jingfei turns her head in my direction the same time I tried to look away but ended up turning too late that she knew I was staring. Bai Han Zhi stared as well. Both quiet as I was, pretending to fiddle with my uniform, then I play with my dirty hair — they still stared.

Bai Han Zhi was the first to speak. "She has us sleeping with her, even scared Yi Tong away. I guess Madam Xuan is accepting anyone now — she has lost the true meaning of this house."

"I see," Jingfei replied.

"I should go make sure Yi Tong is alright." She stood from the dresser to leave but turns back to her friend and whispers loudly, "You'll be alright by yourself? Might want to hide anything valuable."

"I think I will manage, thank you Han Zhi."

When Bai Han Zhi leaves, I could still feel Jingfei's stares. Even glancing up to only look away when I see she still hasn't given it a break. I guess I did bring this onto myself staring at her first, but the situation was a bit different because of our appearances. The old Peizhi would've ignored her stares and continued with my day worried about what she thought of me, but the new Peizhi — Huang Fei — is better than her. She has a voice that can be used. She's much braver and wealthy, and more than Peizhi could ever be.

"Is there something wrong?" Blood pounding in my ears, my voice almost breaking and my mouth running dry, I asked the curious girl.

A bit surprised but expected of my question, she shook her head. "No, not at all," she sizes me down, but she doesn't look afraid of me. Nor does she look disgusted, but curious and...amused maybe? "I'm just looking. Do you have a problem with that?"

"I do." The words came before I thought of my answer. And I don't regret it.

She smiles. "Well, then you must know how I feel about being stared at."

She's right. I started it first so why did I play the victim?

"Sorry."

"Yes well," My head lowered as she crossed me towards the door of our room. "Staring at girls here can mean many things; either you find them pretty enough to stare, or you're cursing them and planning many bad sins to demolish what little they have. Tip, new comer, don't stare too much if you don't want any trouble."

I said nothing. She didn't seem like a mean person but she didn't seem all that nice either, but I was thankful for the tip if it was genuine. Guessing she left, I went to place my uniform into the chest-shaped basket where I lie my clothes inside and leave out my night clothes to change into once I find the bathhouse to clean up myself.

"So which is it?"

I jumped at the voice behind me. Jingfei was still there at the door looking at me which meant she was still speaking. I thought she was gone but she was there the whole time probably staring at the back of my dirty head.

Cocking my head slightly, "Huh?"

"Do you find me pretty or are giving me a curse?"

"I..." Why was I being hesitant? "I—I...."

"No?"

"Yes?" Why did she want to know this? Does she not think she's pretty or something? Was she trying to rub her beauty in my face?

Raising her brows, "Yes? Is there something wrong with your speech?"

"No, there is nothing wrong with me. Why are you asking me this question?"

"Fine. I'll assume you find me pretty. Would've been interesting the other way around but we all don't get what we want. Until another time?"

I was definitely confused. "Okay..."

She leaves. I stayed how I was until I was sure she was gone before gathering my stuff to wash up, hardly shaking off that weird interaction but I couldn't complain. At least she didn't hate me by the looks of it, but she also wasn't a friend either. So I'll see how this plays out.

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This chapter was originally 5k chile 😭 like my mouth dropped so I had to cut it up