Jin Se

Chapter 28

Just as Shi Wuduan was about to stride in like he owned the place, Bai Li yanked him by the shoulder and growled, "What do you intend to do?"　　

Shi Wuduan stood underneath the "Tender Paradise" plaque, deep in thought. He replied, "I brought you here to have fun, and also finish a task for eldest brother along the way.... Also, I heard that they make the most wonderful appetizers, so I thought we could have a taste. If it's good I'll have them send some back so we can have it for breakfast."

Bai Li felt a ball of rage stuck in his chest, his lips white from anger. But Shi Wuduan didn't know how to read the mood anymore, even if he saw anything, he'd pretend to be blind. He brooked no argument as he dragged him in.

Even though Tender Paradise's name was a bit obscene, their business was doing well. As soon as customers stepped through the door, the girls could more or less tell with a look where they stood on the social ladder. In this line of work, their colleagues were competitors. A girl here batted her eyes seductively, a girl there simpered flirtatiously; they swarmed the two the moment they entered, tugging them back and forth, afraid to lose out to the girls beside them.

Shi Wuduan suddenly let go of Bai Li, turned to the side, and let out a loud sneeze. Then, he smiled at the girl tugging on his sleeve, who was flushed with embarrassment. She instantly schooled her expression into one of cloying sweetness as she sidled closer. But the moment her flowery perfume wafted over, Shi Wuduan's nose twitched again. He leapt back and sneezed twice in a row, his eyes tearing up in reflex.

The poor girl's face was nearly green.

Shi Wuduan had interacted with many women before, but they were all either inhuman yao from Cangyun Valley, stony-faced shijie and shimei from Xuan Sect, or tomboys in the army. None of these people really used powdery makeup, especially not fourth sister, who was refreshingly informal; she didn't even apply hair oil unless they were meeting with some bigshot. So he hadn't known that meeting a beautiful lady would have him leaking tears out of his eyes and oozing snot out of his nose.

Bai Li looked glanced cooly at the hand that that woman had touched Shi Wuduan with. Then he took in Shi Wuduan's pitiful state and thought mercilessly: Hah, serves you right!

Too bad Shi Wuduan couldn't read those thoughts out of Bai Li's icy demeanor. He looked at Bai Li vexedly, then said to the lady, who very wisely backed away from him, "That's my friend over there, he gets shy easily. Get a few less-perfumed girls over to accompany him for a while."

He dug a jadeite ring out of his robes and, holding his breath, leaned over and teasingly kissed her cheek. He said in a deep voice, "I'll be heading upstairs first, call your boss over. I've got business to discuss."

Shi Wuduan waggled his eyebrows at Bai Li, then took a deep breath like was getting ready to dive and held it as he fled, leaving Bai Li all alone amongst the birds and flowers.

Shi Wuduan had remained on the second floor the whole time. When he came down again, Guji City was already blanketed by night. The tantalizing melody of woodwinds and pipas, accompanied by dance, had mostly died down already, leaving only a faint whisper of modest little tunes.

Tender Paradise was mostly empty now, and only especially sensitive ears would pick up the immodest sounds coming from private rooms.

Shi Wuduan stood by himself on the stairs, feeling like the scent of rogue hadn't fully dissipated yet. His nose was still a bit itchy. The winter night was getting cold; he began coughing. He suddenly thought that the whole of Guji was rather interesting in a base and unseemly way.