Chapter 20: First Steps into the Brothel

Evening had fallen.

After wiping down the tables and chairs in the pharmacy, Luo Zijun was about to leave.

Su Bie had not arrived yet.

It was clear that tonight's plan to visit the brothel was off.

“Are you going?” Su Qingling suddenly asked from behind the counter just as Luo Zijun was about to leave.

“Go... go where?” Luo Zijun’s heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that this girl somehow knew he was planning to visit the brothel?

Su Qingling’s face was expressionless. “To my place. Didn’t Grandpa say you should come over and spar with me?”

Luo Zijun was speechless.

“Senior sister, are you out of your mind?” He thought to himself. Did she really believe that?

Su Qingling pressed, “Well, just say yes or no.”

“No! I’m not crazy, and I don’t have any masochistic tendencies, so why would I go looking for a fight on your turf?” Luo Zijun rolled his eyes and waved his hand as he headed out the door.

Unexpectedly, Su Qingling said, “But I do have those tendencies. If you come to my place, you can hit me secretly. I won’t resist—even whipping is fine.”

Luo Zijun paused and turned to look at her.

The setting sun cast golden light through the window panes, spilling into the pharmacy and illuminating the counter and the tall young girl clad in a pale gray dress.

Her naturally beautiful face, without a trace of makeup, was tinted with a charming blush in the sunset’s glow—delicate and elegant, utterly captivating. Her dark eyes, reflecting the evening glow, seemed especially tender and enchanting at this moment.

On the counter, the proud swell of her dress remained poised as if deliberately enticing him.

“Senior sister, do you take me for a fool?” Luo Zijun snapped back to his senses and turned away immediately.

Experience was the best teacher.

After being tricked by her once today, he certainly wasn’t going to fall for it again.

“Luo, little brother!”

Just as he stepped onto the street, a voice called out beside him.

He turned to see Su Bie, Wang Dafu, and Zhang Yitian approaching together.

Wang Dafu laughed heartily from a distance, “Luo, little brother, you must be anxious! Come, I’ll take you to the Celestial Beauty Brothel for a good time! Tonight, I’ll find you the most alluring girl!”

Luo Zijun’s mouth twitched as he quickly looked back inside the shop.

Su Qingling stood behind the counter, her cold eyes silently watching him.

“Brother Wang, don’t joke around. I only like to listen to music,” Luo Zijun said.

Luo Zijun hurriedly led the three away.

His senior sister and master knew his older sister; he definitely didn’t want this getting back to her!

“Luo, little brother, you’re already a scholar now. Why are you still apprenticing at the pharmacy?” Wang Dafu asked curiously.

Luo Zijun replied, “To earn money. My family is poor.”

Wang Dafu scoffed, “How much can you make as an apprentice in a pharmacy? If you really want to earn, I can find you a better place.”

Zhang Yitian smiled, “Brother Wang’s family does big business. He can surely find a good job for Luo.”

Wang Dafu immediately said, “But it can’t be at my place. Luo and I are good friends. If he works at my place, how would we still call each other brothers?”

Luo Zijun glanced at him, thinking silently: This guy can’t keep a secret, but he’s actually quite smart.

Friends can’t remain friends if money gets involved.

At that moment, Su Bie, who had reluctantly withdrawn his gaze from the pharmacy, smiled wryly, “Brother Wang, don’t bother. If I were Zijun, I wouldn’t leave the pharmacy either. Even if I worked without pay, I’d be happy.”

“Oh? Why’s that?” Wang Dafu asked, puzzled.

Su Bie smiled but said nothing.

Luo Zijun explained, “Besides reading, I also like studying medicine.”

Su Bie glanced at him and nodded, “Yeah, besides reading, I like studying medicine too.”

“What are you two playing at with these riddles?” Wang Dafu was even more confused.

Su Bie laughed and waved the folding fan in his hand, “Enough of that. Let’s talk about the girls at the Celestial Beauty Brothel.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Dafu immediately got excited.

“Luo, little brother, it’s your first time, right? Let me tell you, the girls at Celestial Beauty Brothel are extraordinary; they can sing, play instruments, dance—everything.”

The four chatted as they soon arrived at the Celestial Beauty Brothel.

Yesterday’s literary gathering had evidently been a great success.

Even before nightfall, the brothel was bustling with activity.

Upon entering, they saw a girl dancing on stage.

But the crowd below wasn’t watching the dance; they were all shouting in unison, “The First Sight Girl! We want to see the First Sight Girl!”

It seemed the poem and that name had spread far and wide.

So many guests had come today specifically to catch a glimpse of this First Sight Girl.

What kind of girl was she to inspire such a brilliantly crafted poem?

Madam Liu was hoarsely soothing the crowd.

The First Sight Girl had clearly become the brothel’s biggest star and would not be revealed to guests so easily.

“I remember last night the First Sight Girl came out wearing a veil and hid behind the beaded curtain while playing the zither. We only saw that she had a great figure, nothing else.”

“Looks like she never came out to solicit votes.”

Su Bie and Wang Dafu chatted quietly.

At that moment, a maid approached to invite them to sit, pouring tea and serving melon seeds and dried fruits.

“Gentlemen, would you like to order a girl?” the maid asked.

Ordering girls here was expensive, and charges varied by rank. Private rooms on the second floor were even more costly.

Wang Dafu was about to speak when Su Bie waved him off. “Not now. Let’s just chat here.”

The maid bowed and withdrew without further comment.

“It’s not dark outside yet. Why rush? Let’s watch the show and chat a bit.”

“It’s not me who’s anxious. I’m worried Luo is. Didn’t we all want to rush upstairs with the girls the first time we came?”

Wang Dafu chuckled.

Luo Zijun quickly said, “I’m just here to join the fun. Sitting in the hall is enough; I won’t go upstairs.”

He truly had no interest.

More than that, he was afraid.

Though he and his master had never been to the Celestial Beauty Brothel, he had been to other brothels and seen many women.

Those women, like the ones here, were all dressed flamboyantly, fragrant all over. Then, once they stripped...

Ugh.

Just the thought was sickening.

Of course, some girls in brothels only sold their talents and were comparatively clean.

But no one could guarantee they only sold their talents.

“Hey, isn’t that Brother Su and Brother Wang?”

While enjoying the singing and dancing and chatting, a voice suddenly came from nearby.

Turning, they saw five young men approaching.

The leader wore a scholar’s robe, jade pendant, was slightly plump, held a folding fan, and smiled broadly.

The others appeared to be scholars as well.

One of them was Liu Songjin, who had attended yesterday’s literary gathering, stood up for Sun Yan’er, and whom Luo Zijun had thrown into the lake.

Meanwhile,

In a corner on the third floor railing, a young maid was hiding, her eyes wide as she secretly watched someone below.

“Hey, isn’t that the Frequent Urination Young Master?”

“Hmph, so he’s just another lecher! I’ll tell the miss right now!”