WNOC 02

Chapter 02

Submerged in the billowing steam, Xia Qian sank to the bottom of the bath, counting bubbles.

When the seventh bubble popped, she finally confirmed she was in a brothel. After all, no ordinary bathhouse would have intricate carvings of intertwined yin-yang fish on its ornate blue bricks.

Furthermore, judging by the inverted gender roles in service, it wasn’t just a regular gigolo club.

It seemed to adhere to societal rules where women held the esteemed position, completely contrary to the patriarchal ancient times she envisioned.

—Splash!

The water’s surface suddenly erupted.

The blue-clad youths pushed her head down further into the water.

Xia Qian struggled, gripping the bronze beast-head on the edge of the pool. Her knuckles turned stark white, as if she meant to snap off its ferocious fangs.

“Oh, the new brother is so impatient. The cleansing fragrant dew hasn’t even been spread evenly yet.”

The youths chuckled as they poured a viscous liquid onto her back. The pungent scent of rose mixed with mint made her temples throb.

After a thorough scrubbing, when Xia Qian’s bound hands and feet were finally freed, she felt as if the skin had been peeled right off her back.

‘Damn it, if I had to transmigrate, why did it have to be to such an unlucky place?’

Xia Qian gritted her teeth, already plotting where to set a fire to burn down this den of iniquity once she escaped.

“Don’t bother. I advise you to abandon any thoughts of escape, newcomer.”

A voice, clear as spring water over stones, drifted from behind her.

Xia Qian turned her head toward the sound. Through the rising steam, she could vaguely discern a young man seated at the other end of the pool.

The man was meticulously combing his waist-length hair with a sandalwood comb, his profile in the hazy steam as refined as a brush painting.

She was puzzled. The internal monologue she’d just had lacked any background narration or subtitles, so how had this person read her thoughts?

Then, the young man scooped up a handful of water and poured it over his shoulder. Amidst the soothing sound of flowing water, he continued speaking to himself.

“There’s no need to be surprised. All newcomers who arrive here invariably think of two things: either escaping or surviving.”

Through the swirling mist, the young man’s appearance gradually became clearer.

His features were so delicate they resembled a character portrait from an otome game, inexplicably bringing to mind the popular ‘fresh meat’ members of Korean idol boy bands—specifically, the most popular ones who stood center stage.

However, a scar an inch long at the corner of his eye sharply transformed the idol’s ‘creamy’ charm into cold steel.

The young man suddenly looked up, his gaze beneath his wet lashes as serene as still water, completely unlike someone fallen into a life of pleasure.

He continued, “Unfortunately, many people fail to grasp one crucial point: escaping and surviving are contradictory.”

As droplets of water traced down his spine, Xia Qian suddenly felt the pool water turn bone-chilling.

The faint jingle of jade pendants drifted from beyond the carved window, like a silent warning.

“Like other common brothels, Willow Lane is government-run. Female cultivators dispatched by the officials serve as wardens, overseeing order.”

The young man gathered his long hair into a loose bun.

“And those cultivator sisters who act as wardens are most adept at hunting down runaways…”

He abruptly fell silent, drawing a finger lightly across his neck.

Xia Qian understood. His words, more than the patrolling warnings outside the window, were a benevolent reminder.

But all she could offer in response was a bitter smile. “I understand the logic, but being tied to a bed and crushed by a tank wouldn’t be much better, would it?”

“A tank?”

The young man finally looked directly at Xia Qian. Curiosity and surprise flickered in his grey-green eyes, quickly giving way to a dismissive, faint smile.

“While I don’t know what you refer to, if it’s about those unreasonable patrons, there are indeed ways to handle them.”

“Oh?”

Xia Qian unconsciously straightened her posture, her eyes blinking with curiosity, urging the young man to elaborate.

“Do you know cats? Stroke them against the fur, and they’ll scratch. But if you comb their fur smoothly, you can even scratch their chin.”

His slender finger traced the water’s surface, sending out a ripple.

“It’s the same with women. Avoid impulsive actions, don’t be rash or emotional. If you simply follow their inclinations, soothe and pacify them, there’s always room for maneuver. Then, adapt to the situation—this is the method for ‘surviving’ within the brothel.”

“Experience gained through blood and tears by your predecessors, I presume?”

“You could say that.”

Listening to the young man’s ‘senior’ wisdom, Xia Qian stroked her chin in thought. Just as she was about to ask another question, the crisp chime of a brass bell echoed from the corridor outside the door, and a team of attendants entered the bath chamber.

“Brother Yan, please exit the bath quickly. We mustn’t keep the esteemed official ladies waiting outside.”

The young man responded, rising and splashing water. His wet hair clung to his porcelain-white nape, and droplets slid down the small of his back.

As the attendants held a moon-white brocade robe for him to change into, Xia Qian noticed a half-open blue lotus tattooed on his nape.

“Oh, and you needn’t worry too much.”

Perhaps noticing Xia Qian’s lingering gaze, the young man suddenly turned as he tied his sash.

“Since you’re also a ‘performer’ allowed to bathe in this pool, Daddy Liu naturally won’t let you fall so easily… so rest assured.”

“What… do you mean?”

Before Xia Qian could fully grasp his words, the young man, now clad in a peacock-embroidered robe, was escorted by the attendants out of the bath chamber.

When it was Xia Qian’s turn, she stared at her reflection in the water, wearing the crimson gauze robe she had been forced into, looking exactly like a brocade pheasant awaiting slaughter.

There was no difference from when she first arrived, no room for Xia Qian to act independently. The earlier blue-clad youths were already rushing over with fragrant balms.

As she was draped in a gauze gown adorned with tassels, Xia Qian felt like a human tanghulu, the kind coated in ten layers of sugar.

Thus, she was led back to the previous floor. Just as they exited the stairwell, she could see Madam Li waiting by the railing, her room door wide open.

Her golden-threaded peony ruqun was stretched so tight it looked ready to burst at the seams. Her ten carrot-like fingers were rummaging for grapes in a jade bamboo basket beside her.

“Such good fortune, little brother.”

The blue-clad youth pushed Xia Qian forward with a false smile.

“Madam Li has booked you for the entire month.”

Xia Qian stared at the uncleaned bloodstain on the threshold and involuntarily swallowed.

“—You’re finally here!”

As Madam Li turned, her mountain of flesh quivered. The jade necklace around her neck jingled, and the golden peonies on her chest, stained with suspicious grease, reflected an eerie light with her rapid breaths.

“Little sir, come let elder sister have a look…”

After pushing Xia Qian in front of Madam Li, the blue-clad youths immediately retreated far away.

The restraining force on her arms suddenly vanished, and Xia Qian felt a momentary discomfort.

However, before she could react, Madam Li reached out an elbow.

“Come into elder sister’s embrace! Elder sister loves newcomers the most!”

The moment her corpulent fingers pinched Xia Qian’s wrist, the carved door at the end of the corridor suddenly swung open.

The scent of sandalwood mixed with cedar swept in, and a clear, melodious female voice, like shattered jade falling onto a tray, rang out:

“A newcomer? Wasn’t it agreed that he would be sent to my private room first? What’s this, a change of plans?”

Madam Li’s entire body of flesh trembled violently.

Xia Qian looked up to see a tall figure standing outside the moon gate. Her dark official boots made not a sound as they stepped on the Persian carpet.

The newcomer twirled a jade thumb ring on her finger, and the phoenix-patterned jade plaque at her waist gleamed faintly under the palace lantern.