Xiao Shiyun tugged at Bai Yi, but the latter did not budge. “Why aren’t you walking?”
Bai Yi looked at him resentfully and said, “Do you really think this is a good idea?” People on the street were turning around one after another to look at them.
“You brought it up, and I am merely satisfying your demand. Is there a problem?”
Bai Yi was rendered speechless, saying resignedly, “Fine, let’s go, as long as you are happy.” He did not forget his mission, which was to accompany Xiao Shiyun well to make him happy and satisfied, and then get him to like him so that he would be willing to go find that old man to figure out how to travel back.
“Didn’t you want to visit a brothel?” Xiao Shiyun walked in front holding the chain, while Bai Yi was pulled forward with both hands bound.
Anyone who did not know better would think he had broken a heavenly law and was being paraded through the streets as a public warning. Fortunately, this criminal was dressed luxuriously enough to look respectable.
The girls on both sides of the entrance of Zuixiang House first exchanged glances upon seeing Xiao Shiyun and Bai Yi, then uniformly covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs to stifle their laughter.
The madam came out to receive the guests, her eyes crinkling into slits with laughter. “What is the arrangement for you two? Or is it just for one?”
“One, this is my pet.” Xiao Shiyun pulled Bai Yi inside. Bai Yi was indignant; he was clearly the one who had proposed coming to the brothel to have some fun.
“Hey! Am I not a human being?” Bai Yi took large strides to get in front of Xiao Shiyun, turning his body sideways with both hands to pull Xiao Shiyun inside.
Xiao Shiyun returned a smile and said to the madam, “You see, the domestic hound is a bit too untamed.”
“Ah, yes, yes, yes, please come inside.” The madam pushed two girls to follow them upstairs.
Once they entered the elegant private room and the door closed, Bai Yi threw his mission completely to the back of his mind, wanting only to curse.
“You are the domestic hound, you are the dog.”
Faced with Bai Yi’s accusations and complaints, Xiao Shiyun merely returned a smile to the two girls just like before, as if telling them to be more tolerant.
The two girls burst into laughter and nodded. “What kind of tune would you two young masters like to hear? I can also dance, it all depends on you, my lord.”
Bai Yi harbored a stomach full of anger and now only wanted to spend Xiao Shiyun’s money ruthlessly. Since he could not pay it back anyway, the one who owed money was the real boss.
“What is the most expensive tune you have here?” Bai Yi was a vulgar man and did not understand singing or dancing, except for the one performed at the imperial banquet which he had studied carefully.
“In response to the young master, it is the Feathered Raiment and Blue Silhouette.”
Kale? Bai Yi said, “Bring one.”
The two girls looked at Xiao Shiyun, who nodded. When the two girls went out to change their clothes, Bai Yi lost his patience.
“Xiao Shiyun, unlock this for me. If I had known, I wouldn’t have made such a blind suggestion, it is not fun at all.”
“But I find it interesting, what should be done?” Xiao Shiyun pulled the chain to reel him in, forcing Bai Yi to walk forward until he reluctantly reached the edge of the bed.
The two dancing courtesans changed their clothes and pushed the door open to enter. Xiao Shiyun tightened the chain, and Bai Yi fell onto Xiao Shiyun completely caught off guard. He could not support himself with his hands and fell onto the bed, with one knee braced between Xiao Shiyun’s legs. When the people entered, they saw Xiao Shiyun being pressed beneath him.
Bai Yi panicked at a speed visible to the naked eye, and he hurriedly turned his head to explain, “It is not what you see, I do not have a passion for men.”
The two dancing courtesans each saw gossip in the other’s eyes. One played the pipa while the other turned in circles wearing blue clothing; at least, that was what Bai Yi saw.
“Um, you guys can earn five taels of gold just by turning a couple of circles like this? No offense, just asking out of pure curiosity.” Bai Yi thought to himself that this money was far too easy to earn. If he turned in circles here for a whole night, wouldn’t he repay the money to Xiao Shiyun by tomorrow morning?
“I know what you are thinking. Are you thinking about turning a few circles to repay the money?” Xiao Shiyun leaned close to his ear to ask.
Bai Yi looked at him distrustfully and nodded. “Can this actually work?”
Xiao Shiyun smiled, released the chain in his hand, and said, “It can work, you can stop whenever I feel it is enough.”
Thus, the dance of the two people had a third party intruding. Bai Yi pinched the blue dress on his body, feeling uncomfortable all over. Just as he was about to follow and turn, the dancing courtesans on both sides suddenly shed an outer layer of clothing, revealing their fair arms. The dance dresses beneath outlined their curvaceous figures. Bai Yi was dumbfounded and hurriedly closed his eyes.
Xiao Shiyun called a halt, his face darkening as he said, “Get out.”
Instead of leaving, the two dancing courtesans continued to walk forward, showing every intention of entangling themselves with Xiao Shiyun, this venerable God of Wealth. One had already sat on the bed.
Things had gone too far, Bai Yi thought to himself. Were the brothels in ancient times this open? There was no gradual progression at all, truly fierce. Even bars knew how to warm up the venue first.
One of the dancing courtesans threw a flirtatious wink at Xiao Shiyun and said, “Young master, you may not know, but the value of this dance lies precisely in this aspect.”
Xiao Shiyun lowered his eyes, stood up, walked to Bai Yi’s side, looped his arm around his waist, and kissed him. “Unfortunately, this young master has a passion for men.”
The two girls screamed and ran out, not out of fear, but out of excitement. The room door was even considerately closed behind them. Bai Yi muttered in his heart that for the sake of the mission, everything was for the sake of the mission, he would endure it.
The temperature continued to rise, and Xiao Shiyun pushed him away, shifting his gaze uncomfortably. “Do not think too much, it was merely a tactic.”
Bai Yi felt this was an opportunity. He could take advantage of the situation to seduce Xiao Shiyun like the plays performed in storybooks, causing him to waver.
“Didn’t you say I am your person?” Bai Yi used his teeth to bite open the outer gauze dress on his body, revealing his lean biceps and strong waist, walking forward to press against Xiao Shiyun’s body.
Xiao Shiyun’s eyes turned dark. “Are you certain you want to do it here?”
“Since you have already kissed me, you must take responsibility for me, such as going home with me.” Bai Yi went on by himself according to the lines he had thought of.
“Where is your home?”
“It is quite far away. If you are willing, come with me to find that old man locked up in the cell next to mine, he will send the two of us back.”
“I am not willing,” Xiao Shiyun said.
Not willing, totally unexpected, Bai Yi could not figure it out.
“Why? Do you not want to go home with me?” Bai Yi was on the verge of shaking his shoulders earnestly. “My home is so great, there is air conditioning, washing machines, televisions, and cell phones. You can also order takeout and go clubbing. There are also so many handsome guys and beautiful women, you can date whoever you want without spending money, it is all mutual consent, and everyone is economically independent, so there is no need for you to open a harem to sustain them. It is so great, you should go back with me.”
“So you want me to go find other people?” Xiao Shiyun asked, his voice devoid of any ups and downs.
“Not exactly, I am just describing how great my home is. That place is quite mysterious, we need that old man to give us a hand before we can go back.”
“Then will you suddenly disappear one day?”
“It is also possible.”
Xiao Shiyun took a deep breath, unlocked the bounds on Bai Yi’s wrists, and threw him a set of clothes suitable for a normal man. “Get out, do not let me see you again.”
Bai Yi put on the clothes, unable to understand how things had turned out this way again. Everything was fine just now, could it be that he had said the wrong thing again? He quickly changed his clothes. “I am not leaving, if we leave we must leave together.”
Xiao Shiyun, completely devoid of interest, pushed open the elegant private room, threw a piece of gold currency toward the counter, cast a glance back at the foolish Bai Yi, and stepped out of Zuixiang House. His father had taught him that when encountering uncertain people and things, one must cut losses in a timely manner. Should he cut his losses,
Bai Yi did not lose track of Xiao Shiyun again, keeping up a tight pursuit to follow him through the crowd, passing by the neighborhoods and bustling marketplaces.
“Xiao Shiyun, I will not lose you again.”
The man in black turned his body sideways and said, “Then can you guarantee that you will never lose me in this lifetime?”
Bai Yi thought about it seriously and said, “A lifetime is too long, at least I will not lose you right now.”