Chapter 105 - Hatred (Part Eight) (1/2)

Translated by K of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Lan XiChen, “Sect Leader Jin… Could you give us a full explanation?”

Jin GuangYao said nothing. His knuckles turned white.

Wei WuXian, “Looks like Sect Leader Jin doesn’t want to say it.” He raised his hand and a naked female corpse immediately appeared beneath it. Wei WuXian put his palm atop her head, “But just because you don’t say it, do you think I won’t find a way to know?”

Just as he entered Empathy, before he even opened his eyes yet, Wei WuXian found himself surrounded by an intense aroma of rouge and powder. A coquettish voice came out of his mouth, “… Her? She wants to marry, of course. She was over twenty when she met the man. At such an age, she’d lose her popularity in just a few years. And so she had to bear a son knowing she’d be scolded. She just wanted to get out, after all. But then again, the man had to have wanted the son.”

He opened his eyes. What he saw was a wide hall that could be described as beautiful. About a dozen round tables rested within the hall, a couple of clients and fair-looking women sitting at each. Of the women, some showed their shoulders, some wore unfastened hair, some sat on the customers’ laps, some fed wine to others. All of their expressions seemed sweet and drunken.

It was clear what this place was at first glance.

Wei WuXian thought, So the one who got burned to death in this Guanyin Temple is a prostitute. No wonder all those ghouls were naked. They were probably all prostitutes and clients.

One of the clients chuckled, “A son is a son, after all. Did the man not want him?”

The woman, “She herself said that the man’s a big shot from a cultivational sect. Then he must have many sons in his house. Nothing is cherished that isn’t rare. Could he have cared about this one outside? She waited and waited and nobody came to get her, and so she could only raise him herself, couldn’t she? It’s been fourteen years since.”

A few of the clients asked, “A big shot? Did such a thing really happen?”

The woman, “Oh, why would I lie to you about something like this? Her son is running errands for us right now. There, that’s the one.” The woman twisted her waist, waving at a boy holding a tray, “Xiao-Meng! Come here!”

The boy did as he was told and walked over, “AnXin-jie*, what’s up?”

TN: -jie is the female alternative of -xiong.

All at once, Wei WuXian understood everything.

The clients scrutinized Meng Yao with judging eyes. Meng Yao asked again, “Am I needed for something?”

AnXin grinned, “Xiao-Meng, are you still learning those things lately?”

Meng Yao paused, “Which things?”

AnXin, “The things your mom wants you to learn, things like calligraphy, etiquette, swordsmanship, meditation… How are those things going?”

Before she even finished, the clients began to chuckle as if they found something to be funny. AnXin turned around, “Don’t laugh, I’m telling the truth here. His mom’s raising him as a young master of a wealthy family. She taught him how to read and write, bought him all those swordsmanship pamphlets, and even wants to send him to school.”

The client exclaimed, “Send him to school? Did I hear wrong?”

AnXin, “No! Xiao-Meng, tell these young masters. You’ve gone to the library before, haven’t you?”

The client, “Is he still going?”

AnXian, “Nah, he came back just a few days later. He wouldn’t go again no matter what. Xiao-Meng, do you not like studying or do you not like the place?”

Meng Yao didn’t say anything. AnXin giggled, poking a finger painted bright red at Meng Yao’s forehead, “Little one, you angry?”

She pressed quite hard. A light, red mark appeared in the center of Meng Yao’s forehead, almost like a shadow of a vermillion mark. He touched his forehead, “No…”

AnXian waved her hands, “Enough, enough. We’ve got nothing for you. You can go.” Meng Yao turned around. Before he walked a few steps, she picked up something from the table and coaxed, “Here’s a fruit for you.”

Meng Yao turned around and the emerald fruit hit his chest, falling to the ground and rolling away. AnXin complained, “Why are you so slow? Can’t even catch a fruit. Hurry and pick it up. Don’t waste it.”

Meng Yao curved the corners of his mouth. He should be fourteen already but, perhaps because he was unusually small, he seemed to be only twelve or thirteen. It was extremely uncomfortable seeing such a smile appear on his face.

He bent down slowly, picked up the fruit, and wiped it on his clothes, his smile even deeper, “Thank you, Sister AnXin.”

AnXin, “No worries. Go work hard.”

Meng Yao, “Call me if you need me.”

After he walked away, one of the clients commented, “If my son were at such a place, I’d take him back no matter what.”

Someone else followed, “His father was really a big shot from a cultivational sect? Shouldn’t it be more than easy to buy a prostitute’s freedom and give her some money to raise her son? It’s only the lift of a finger.”

AnXin, “You can’t believe everything this woman says, can you? No matter what, that big shot only exists in her words. In my opinion, it might’ve just been a well-off merchant before she exaggerated so much…”

Suddenly, someone screamed. The sound of cups and saucers shattering on the ground came from the second floor as a guqin crashed down, smashing to pieces as it hit the center of the hall. It scared the wits out of the people enjoying themselves at the nearby tables. AnXin had also almost tripped, yelling, “What happened?!”

Meng Yao cried, “Mom!”

AnXin looked up. A burly man dragged a woman out of a room by her hair. AnXin tugged the client beside her, whether nervous or excited, “She’s at it again!”

Meng Yao rushed upstairs. Covering her scalp, the woman tried her hardest to pull her clothes up her shoulders. As she saw Meng Yao run over, she hurried, “I told you not to come upstairs! Go down! Go down this instant!”

Meng Yao went to peel away the client’s hands as he received a kick in the stomach and rolled down the stairs, causing a wave of exclamations.

This was the third time Wei WuXian saw him roll down flights of stairs from a kick.

With a loud scream, the woman had her hair pulled by the client again, all the way until she was dragged downstairs, stripped, and tossed onto the street. He spat on her naked body, cursing, “Hags do nothing but haggle—an old whore thinks she’s fresh meat!”

Panicking, the woman lay prone in the center of the street, scared to get up. With one move, everyone would see everything. The passersbys on the street were both astonished and thrilled, lingering as they pointed with glinting eyes. The doors to the brothel were also cramped with the women inside, chuckling as they told the story of the poor old woman to their clients just like AnXin did. Only one of the ladies squeezed through the doors. She took off the gauze robe that was so flimsy to begin with, revealing half of her full, snowy breasts enwrapped by a crimson slip, her waist was exceptionally thin as well. She was more than eye-catching and everyone hurried to take a look at her.

The lady spat, cursing, “Keep on looking, you bastards! Do you have the right to look at someone like me? With each look you gotta pay—where’s the money?! Come, where’s the money?!”

As she cursed, she reached out and asked the bystanders for money. The crowd dispersed somewhat, and she threw the robe she took off onto the woman, the two of them staggering into the main hall. She scolded as she walked, “It’s been so long since I’ve told you to change things up. What’s the pride for? You’ve had your lesson, huh? Remember it next time!”

Wei WuXian thought, The woman somehow looks a bit familiar. Where have I seen her before?