Chapter 5
The peaceful life continues for three months before the plot progresses, since a peaceful life is incapable of emphasising how amazing our protagonist is. It is certainly a truth that heroes are born in chaos and war. Here, the trigger goes thusly. Every sect has disciples disappearing here and there. As the number of disappearing disciples has increased so much, the elders in the sects have been notified and now people have to be sent to investigate. While normally Zhu Jue would have nothing to do with this, but as the head disciple of Icy Mountain Sect, I will certainly become part of the investigation, during which Zhu Jue will come to know that this is related to his mysterious mother, and he will beg to be included in the investigation team. Now the protagonist can be seen in the team running across the world. While the elders do request for me to follow along, they don't actually see it as that important, as the missing disciples are all the bottom rung without much presence. Although everyone knows this will be the trigger for everything to follow, n.o.body will say it out loud.
Zhu Jue is interested in every single thing, poking here and there and looking up and down. Since the 14-year-old still looks adorable and lovable, so in this appearance-based world, his poking is does not draw any ire. Up to now, Zhu Jue's face still looks fluffy, and hasn't started stretching yet. Perhaps it has to do with him being malnutritious before, and even though I've gradually fed him so that he's not so thin and his face is a bit softer to stretch, his ribs are still clearly visible, lacking in muscle. Though he might still look small, since his p.u.b.erty is..h.i.tting soon, he will grow quickly. I can't help but recall those years when I was ‘parenting' Qiu Yu. Who knows if kids will still listen to me when they grow up. Rebellious phases are scary.
Though I actually do know Zhu Jue is way more than 14. In his original world he's already 26, and I can almost call him uncle, so he probably won't have a rebellious phase. Now that I think about it, he's only pretending to be immature most of the time. It's not something I'd care about though, since no matter how the protagonist is, he is still my protagonist.
There's actually quite a lot of turnout for the investigation. Besides Qiu Yu, me and Zhu Jue, there's two others, both disciples of Icy Mountain. Calling them by pecking order, they should be Junior 77 and Junior 18. I think Zhu Jue should be 98. Icy Mountain is still kind of big, after all. Anyway, Zhu Jue is the little disciple for now, but many disciples that are not disciples of elders are not counted in the 98. While Qiu Yu is the daughter of the master of the sect, she does not belong to Icy Mountain Sect, with her master being a wandering master of Insect-keeping. 77 is named Bai Lian, he's a boy who is like his name, small in physique with a small face, and in his setting he is a very kind and very soft white-lotus kind of kid. Yep, he's nice, super nice, not a single bit violent, super good-tempered. 38 is named Bai Liquan. He's black-bellied, and tall. Yep, he really isn't a born airhead. He's just… slightly more feminine in temper, that's it.
Now, in accordance with the plot, we will have to go to a brothel.
Why a brothel? Because we need information, and there is someone with a lot of information in the brothel. Who is this person? It's the boss of the brothel. Though the author said so, but I know
So I bring Zhu Jue to the mysterious boss. I actually know the boss, and I am a frequent visitor of the brothel. Of course, it's not because of my excessive desire for woman, it's because of my master. Since my master is a fickle playboy who likes women, most of his life is spent inside a brothel. I was picked up by my master when I was 5, and he is no good with kids, basically just parenting me like rearing cattle. He even brings me along to brothels. In the end, I ended up remembering brothels as where a lot of ladies like to rub my face and give me stuff to eat. The ladies treat me well, and I often return here even after growing up, not for certain unspeakable acts, you know, but because my master knows the father of the current boss, so I know the current boss as well. He's 23, 4 years my senior. We are kind of acquaintances, and compared to me he is a tall, rich and handsome guy who fits the character trope more than me, because his family runs brothels. Not just any brothel, but a franchise of brothels countrywide. They also dabble in restaurants, gambling centres, auction houses and other sorts of establishments, and so are involved in a great amount of industries. You can probably say their family is in control of the fate of the national economy. He is named Hua Chongjin.
You can tell from the name, but he is not one of those strong aniki-type. This second young master is often covering himself in elegant red gowns with big flowers sewn on it. It looks desensitising, sure, but since Hua Chongjin here is beautiful, even wearing clothes like that makes him look pretty rather than unfas.h.i.+onable. Right now, we are looking for this exact person.
77, 38 and Qiu Yu all stayed inside the inn and did not follow. 77 said "girls are so troublesome I'm not going," 38 has a good relations.h.i.+p with him so he doesn't go either. And of course, as a girl, it is best for Qiu Yu to not go to brothels. In the end only Zhu Jue and I went.
The brothel of the second young master is named Vibrant Flowers. It is situated in the busiest and most visible spot in the city. It is a good walk from where we live, and Zhu Jue kept holding onto my clothes on the way. Seeing how tough it is for him, I just hold his hand in mine. The bear of a child, 14, still only has a soft hand, unlike mine full of calluses from sword practice. Even though I know there's the soul of an uncle inside him, it is quite visually unbelievable.
Inside Vibrant Flowers what I first see is the few girls standing by the door. The two who know me are waving pa.s.sionately; the other two look unfamiliar, probably new employees. Zhu Jue is also shocked momentarily by the two ladies' unexpected excitement and then looking at me out of reflex. I tidy my clothes a bit before moving forward. Fen Liu and Lu Ye then come and each give me a pa.s.sionate hug on one side, "Xiaofeng, long time no see!"
Zhu Jue, still holding my hand, is looking stunned. I could only tell the two ladies, "my junior disciple is here."
So Lu Ye happily released me before taking Zhu Jue and stuffing his head into her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, "my, a junior disciple. Then we will have to welcome you properly~"
I pull Zhu Jue back, "this junior disciple isn't used to teasing."
Zhu Jue lowers his head cooperatively, but I know he's definitely not embarra.s.sed given he's 26 inside. Lu Ye also stops teasing him, then pulls my hand leading me inside. While crossing the beam of the door I ask Fen Liu next to us, "is Chongjin here today?"
Fen Liu nods, "yes."
Before I continue, Zhu Jue sticks to me, furrowing his brows, "are we going to meet the prima donna of the place?"
"… Why prima donna?" I'm confused.
"Because many Wuxia novels write so." He looks at me.
"Don't read strange novels from now on."
It is then that screams erupt inside the place, and I thought perhaps prima donna Ying Mei has appeared. Then I lift my head up to see a bunch of red fabric more elegant than the clothes the ladies are wearing today slide down from the upper floor. Hua Chongjin descends the stairs, step by step, smiling at me in a seductive manner, "isn't this Mufeng? What's the occasion?"
… second young master Hua is as fickle as usual. He used to be another bear of a child when he was young.
Right now Zhu Jue is almost pasting himself over me. I'm sure he has not been to any places similar to this, and so it feels kind of like a boss showing his underling about for me. I kinda want to complain about how as a protagonist our Zhu Jue is reacting way too modestly, since this situation is a benefit given to the protagonist, yet he is sticking on me holding onto my clothes. While as an older brother character my younger brother being more obedient is very comforting for me, since it is better to be faithful to the one in love. Still, given this is that kind of novel, I'm starting to worry about the future harem of our protagonist. Now that I think about it, Zhu Jue is 26, so this is more tiring than lovely.
While thinking like this, second young master Hua is in front of me already. He puts his hands whiter than Zhu Jue's below my chin, lifting it up, saying, "Mufeng, a kiss?"
It's not the first time he's made this kind of joke, and I'm used to his teasing. Though I'm feeling a pulling force from Zhu Jue on my waist right now, but he's not strong enough to pull me away. I don't want to take care of Zhu Jue right now, and I knock second young master Hua's hand away, "there's too many people here."
"Ah~ Then does that mean I can kiss you where there isn't anybody else?"
"No."
"How can you do this to me Mufeng, we're such good friends, and you treat me like this."
"Knock it off, I'm here for something serious today."
Chongjin says in a sticky tone, "kiss me once~ just once~" While saying so, he starts walking towards the back. I know Chongjin is someone who knows what he is doing, so I follow along, yet I am feeling the pulling force from my waist again. When I lower my head to see, Zhu Jue is looking at me nervously, "you mustn't go."
"Why?"
"That person will hara.s.s you."
"Chongjin knows what he is doing." He also can't beat me.
"No means no!"
"Are you the senior disciple or me?"
"s.h.i.+xiong…" Zhu Jue's tearing up.
It's useless to act cute, I know you're an uncle inside. While you are worrying about me, but I don't need to be concerned right now. He probably realises I'm not reacting much to him squeezing his lips and acting cute, so he grows depressed, and follows behind me holding my clothes. We both walk towards the back.
Author's notes: I almost typed Houting instead of Houtang→_→
Walk together towards Houting… how gentlemanly it sounds…
TL's notes: Maybe I should try to avoid imperial Chinese settings too in future translation projects… all these t.i.tles like second young master Hua or third concubine of Fu will be awkward too.