little girl, Lee Wei 2
Chapter three
"You wench! I said I want the madam of this brothel to serve me herself! I didn't come here to joke around, I mean business!" Another man who wants to see my mother yelled.
He's going to say do you know who I am I next.
"Sir, you can't see her right now." Ah Lam, one of the female servant answered.
"What?! Do you know who I am?" He questioned. Told you so.
This happens in a regular basis here. Everyone wants to see me and my mom.
"I'm going to pay well for this service! You have to entertain a very special guest and if he's satisfied with the service then trust me, I'll reward all of you!" He boost.
I scoffed. Everyone always offers a high price for us. He might be rich but isn't smart, his brain is clouded by his wealth.
We are the biggest and richest brothel in all of china, how could he think we'll be still interested in money?
"My Lord, please leave." Ah Lam begged.
"You wench! How dare you talk to me in that way?!" He lifted his hand up in the air and Ah Lam shield her face with her hand.
He stopped then pointed his finger at her.
"Don't test my patience."
I think this is going on too long. I cannot let him assault her like that.
I stood up from where I was sitting1 and took a step forward but a hand suddenly appeared on front of me.
"Don't go, as from today your mother has ordered for you not to appear in front of anyone again." A woman, Ju, one of the prostitutes whispered.
I looked up at her with furrowed brows. I was confused and shocked by her statement and from the way she is looking at me, I'm sure it's written all over my face as well.
"What do you mean?" I ordered.
"I'm sorry Wei but you are now restricted from appearing in front of anyone, including the new servants. No one can see your face anymore and you must remain in your room at all times." She answered.
"What... What... Why?!" I screamed.
Everyone's attention was on me now including the man insisting to meet my mother and Ah Lam.
"Wh..wh.. who's that? Goddess of the moon?" The man shouted then stepped back in fright.
What?
Why did he give such a reaction?
Some girls around my age were passing and saw what happened. They looked at the man confused then traced where he was looking at. Their eyes landed on mine and all of them screamed.
"Please have mercy upon us!" One of them said.
Mercy?
I turned to Ju, "What is the meaning of this?"
"This is why you can't be seen." She quickly replied the grabbed my arm and dragged me away.
*****
"Mother, I don't understand what's happening with everyone today?" I asked immediately my eyes landed on my mother, "Yes they are amazed to see me but at the same time scared, why is that?"
"Lee Wei." Mother sighed. "Come and sit." She instructed.
I did as she asked.
I waited for her to say something but she remained silent.
"Mother!" I encouraged.
She sighed again then clutched her chest.
"What did I get myself into?" She mumbled, "I should have never let you be exposed to the world but you can't pestering me to let you dance cause everyone loved your dancing. I keep listening to the both of you and then give myself headache." She complained.
I looked at her bewildered.
"Mother who is 'both of you?'" I asked.
She raised her head to glance at me.
"It's no news to you that you get more beautiful by the day right?" She questioned but it was more of a statement. "Right now I'm even sure it's by the hour now."
"Yes mother, I am aware of that but why is it like that?" I asked forgetting about my previous question. Something else had gotten my attention.
I always knew I was extremely beautiful cause of the comments and astonished looks I always get. Every single day, I get compliments that I'm even tired of.
But today was different though. No one gave me compliments, only smiled at me and couldn't stop looking at me. I dismissed it as another one of their astonished expression as I do grow beautiful everyday but I don't understand why I have never asked why? No one does that, not even my mother.
"Because you are special my child but that is not what's important right now. Now your face has grown too angelic that people seeing you for the first time or those that aren't too close to you are starting to get scared." She explained. "I'm not scared cause you are my child but others are!"
"So what if they are? That's their business and not mine. Why are you even getting worked up about it? This could mean business." I reasoned with her.
Suddenly I felt a knock on my head.
"Wei you are in China! Care about society my child. It would be different if you are a boy but since you're a girl they'll call you a real witch and what if the moon people starts noticing you? They'll take you."
After hearing all what my mother had said, it became all too clear to me now.
"Mother, have you gone mad too?" I burst out laughing.
"Wei!" She reprimanded.
"Mother are you even listening to yourself? Witch? Moon people?" I continued laughing, "All those are myths made up for us children but here you are believing in it."
"Wei!"
"Mother I understand your worry but don't let this worry you, those people are just morons and shouldn't worry you that much." I assured her.
"Wei." She called out again.
"What is it mother?"
"You have no choice in this matter," she brought out a mask, a beautiful yellow mask with designs of the wolf.
Fear suddenly gripped my heart. I knew the way my mother thought.
"Mother what is the meaning of this?!" I yelled.
"This is the only solution for now."