2 The Brothel of Hei'ang

"LiangLin, the room upstairs needs cleaning!"

"Yes, 34th sister, I'll be right there-"

"Lin'er, honey? My room stinks, can you do something about it?"

"Yes, eldest sister, I'll just-"

"I need new bedsheets! The customer wrecked the room!"

"Just wait a moment, 49th sister, I-"

"Liang'er, I need more wine!"

"31st sister, It's right there at the next table!"

"LiangLin-"

"Wait!!"

"LinLin, baby, -"

"Just a minute-!"

"Little brother - "

"Not now!"

"Number 51, I need help with this guy!"

"..." LiangLin stopped on his tracks, flushed from all the running since morning. His hair had become undone, long strands were slicked and clued over his face and body. A pile of dirty laundry and dishes were stacked on his arms, nearly towering over his head. Turning to the 25th sister, who had just called out for him, he said, "I have a name you know!"

"So do we, but you aren't using them." She said as she pulled the hem of her robe from under the passed out patron. The man was snoring loudly, drooling over their wooden board floor. He was lying in the middle of the hall. Other patrons stepped over him without even a second glance.

That was hardly a valid point! Thought LiangLin. He was the youngest, if he so dared to even whisper one of his elder sisters' names, a broom or even worse, a shoe would fly right smack in his face.

His mother seemed to have grown ears everywhere to hear every single word he ever muttered within this huge brothel. It was chilling how the matriarch of the family could sense everything at all times. Especially when it concerned LiangLin in any way. Not to mention, his mother had bought new shoes too. These had wooden soles - he would be done for if that thing came anywhere near his face.

"Just help me out, She LiangLin." His 25th sister pleaded, kicking the guy on the floor with her shoe. "He weighs like a pig."

And looks like one too, thought LiangLin. He said, "My hands are full, can you wait a minute? I need to stop by the kitchen."

"Fine, I'll just leave him here for you. Can you tell dad to bring up more wine from the cellar? We are almost out." The 25th sister called before stepping over the patron and gliding over to the top of the stairs on the east side of the hall to greet the new customers.

LiangLin grumbled as he turned and made his way across the west hall, dodging the customers that went in and out of the private rooms of the second floor. He balanced the dishes and bedsheets in his hands masterfully as he made his way downstairs, through the side of the main hall and over to the back rooms. Using his feet, he kicked the door to the kitchen open, and a gust of smoke and the smell of something burning greeted him.

"Dad, did you burn the pork again?" LiangLin sighed as he dumped the laundry in the corner and threw the dishes in the water bucket next to the door. He ran over to the window and flung them open. The smoke cleared out and master She came to view, with sud smeared across his face and clothes. The ends of his hair were scorched and sizzling.

"No, my robe just caught on fire." Master She said cheerily as he stirred the pot over the fire. His face was blotchy red and sweating bullets. "I really need to sow it shorter, it keeps catching on the flames."

"No need, you already burned it short."

"Oh, I guess I did! How handy!" Master She mused aloud as he poured the soup into bowls and handed the tray to LiangLin. "Take them to your 34th... or was it 35th.."

"33rd sister, third floor, fifth room on the left. A bald old geezer." LiangLi recited with minor disgust in his tone.

Master She chuckled. "Yes, that old fart. Old, but a great amount of life-force! Could feed us until next spring, that one. "

"If you say so," LiangLin muttered, turning around to leave. Before he stepped out, he retracted and reminded his father to bring the wines, when he comes upstairs. Master She nodded, but LiangLin was sure he would forget. LiangLin would have to remember to come back down to retrieve them himself.

Taking the tray up the third floor, he handed them to his 33rd sister, threw a disgusted look at the fat and ugly - but undoubtedly rich - sack of wrinkly meat on the bed before he hurried down the second floor to carry the drunken pig out the door. Digging around the man's pockets LiangLin retrieved a pouch filled with money and smiled to himself. Not an entirely useless pig.

Safely putting the money pouch inside his robes, he hauled the man over his shoulders. For someone who was a runt of his family at birth, the smallest and weakest of the litter, LiangLin had an exceptional physique now that he was all grown up. He could carry a bull if he so wished and this pig of a patron was no struggle for him to heave and throw out on the streets. He might look tall and slender like his siblings, but he was pure muscle and strength.

Stepping back inside the brothel, LiangLin found himself in a much brighter mood. The pouch of money pulled at the inside of his robe and reminded him that he now had extra money to spend however he wanted to. The problem was - when would he have the time to spend it?

Looking around the main hall, chaos was an understatement. Wine bottles laid broken on the floor, tables were littered with unfinished dishes. Handkerchiefs his sisters used to wave at the customers laid forgotten across the floor, the stairs and the railings. Then there were the rooms. 50 rooms to clean and air out. The smell of sex and alcohol would be unbearable. LiangLin's face fell at the thought.

It would have been easier if he was born a woman. At least he could wine and dine to his heart content and exploit the customers to their very last breath. Or more like second to last breath, since killing their patrons was only going to cause problems for them in the long run.

"LiangLin! My room, I need it clean!"

"Number 51, did you forget the wines?"

"LinLin-"

LiangLin groaned as he weaved between the patrons, making his way for the stairs. He was memorising every call and order his sisters were throwing out as he suddenly stopped on his tracks. Something had smooth over the back of his thighs, then the touch stopped at his behind and bony fingers squeezed his ass cheek painfully. LiangLin flinched in surprise, and jumping around he was looking down at a drunken bastard who was looking at him from under heavy lids. The eyes were bloodshot and weary.

"Ho-hick-how much?" The man slurred, blinking unevenly. His breath reeked of alcohol. His robes were dishevelled and the bun over his head was now slouching to the side.

It took all LiangLin's might not to punch the man into oblivion - with his strength, the man's head would fly off.

"Ho-hur much?" The man repeated, now clawing at LiangLin's robe demandingly. LiangLin stepped back to leave the drunk be, but the man stood up, sending the chair falling. LiangLin clenched his teeth as the man advanced on him. Lianglin's fists were drawn tight, his stance threatening and ready to throw a punch when his 50th sister stepped over, well aware of what might happen soon.

"He is but a servant, my lord. Why waste time and money on him." She cooed, her voice sweet as syrup as she pulled him away. She whispered sweet nothings at the patron's ear, and soon, he settled back down at the table. She turned back to LiangLin and shoved him forward, out of the main hall to the side.

"Don't get mad for nothing, Lin'er. This is our livelihood." The 50th sister said, dusting his robes and straightening his hair. "We all get squeezed once in a while."

"I know. But I'm a man!" LiangLin said as the 50th sister tied his hair neatly out of the way in a half ponytail. She had to stand on her tiptoes to do it. "You better suck his life-force dry and leave his corpse rotting on the back alley, 50th sister!"

"Maybe I will. He doesn't seem to be very rich, or even be missed if he happened to disappear." She smiled as she plotted LiangLin's face with her sleeve. "Now, don't you look all presentable again. Why not take a stroll at the market and have a short break?"

"No strolls. The place is a mess." Their mother had now appeared behind them, her slanted, bright eyes squinting at the two. "Chun'er, go back to attending the customers."

The 50th sister shot LiangLin an encouraging smile before she slipped back into the main hall.

LiangLin's posture shrank in front of his mother's presence. She was looking around with scrutiny and clicked her tongue, visibly displeased at the state of her brothel.

"The tables must be cleaned and wiped, the floor brushed and washed. You need to air out Ying'er's room and clean Bai'er's room. Restock the wine behind the counter. Air out the kitchen too before your father suffocates himself."

"Yes, mother," LiangLin said, furiously memorising her every word and reorganising them in an order that was the most effective for him to do.

"Then you may go out."

LiangLin's head perked at the words. His mother was letting him have a break?

"We need to restock on the rouge and powder for your sisters. Look for pretty hairpins and handkerchiefs while you're there."

LiangLin's posture drooped like an overwatered flower. Of course, even when going out it was to run an errand for the brothel, not out of his free will.

"You can have the rest of the day off if you are fast at the cleaning. I'm not that heartless - I am your mother after all. You can buy the rouge and powder on your way back home later."

She didn't have to say it twice as LiangLin shot out and up the stairs like a madman. He was getting the rest of the day off!