So you're telling me against all the odds I found the one girl in this town that I was supposed to save. And after all that mess, all I get is a measly extension?!
Besides just killing me now, can it get any worse?
I shouldn't have been sarcastic with the universe because unfortunately the old madam comes stomping up not too long later. I guess she's heard the baby's here. The glare she gives me as she passes through the doorway is not a good sign.
11 days.
I need to figure out how to ensure Lu Shan and the baby loves after 11 days. Fuck, I need to figure out how to stay.
I won't back down and signal to speak with the madam outside the room, allowing Lu Shan her peace. That's what she was probably planning on doing already. After a quick look at the baby and Lu Shan's condition, and the puzzled staring at our disposable gowns, the madam moves on straight to me.
"The baby was titled, but they will be alright. Both of them."
"Who are you?!"
Wow not even a thank you, well it can't be helped. Honestly this woman scares me but I don't work with hordes of angry patients for a living to not develop a thicker skin. My mom's terrible Asian dramas may actually be useful here.
In them the only way to survive is to stand your ground and be the bigger bitch. I'm running on a lot more stress than old madam here and can do that just fine. She's actually probably probably closer middle aged considering the life expectancy rate here but her salt and papper hair and frowning eye wrinkles say otherwise.
"Madam who do you think I am?"
"Bad news."
I smile at that immediate answer, well she's not wrong.
"You walk in like in with all the arrogance of a noble but none of the grace, with the face of one of my best girls, dressed like a foreign death omen, and shout that you're a doctor? Whatever you are you're mad. What sort of woman is that? Not any good ones from my experience."
"And what do you know of good girls?"
"I buy them. I buy them when they're picked fresh and about to rot "
"Like you bought Lu Shan and Yanyan?"
She seethes.
"I saved them from a life worse than death. She could have done far worse for herself than a courtesan here in this place. Our Clouded Spring is not what it used to be but it is still one of the 12 treasures of the Four Seasons Lake!"
"Hmm"
Clouded spring? 4 Season Lake? Are these restaurant names or what? I nod and pretend to understand what she's saying while showing my true honest feelings on my face. I don't care, period.
It works though; she's getting more and more agitated at my disinterest.
"Oh I understand, don't think I'm looking down on your fine establishment. I'm not being sarcastic here.
If not you then someone else would have swooped them up. Who knows where they could have ended up. I had a nice little walk on the streets outside before coming here, she really could have done much worse You saved them from starvation or working the streets! For that I thank you for taking her in."
"And so? It's business for me, the better the girl the better the client. What are you here for? Something tells me you aren't looking for work here."
"A decent guess madam."
"Decent women don't pass through these gates. Who sent you or should I say bought you?"
"No one, nobody bought me here. Ever. I did have some magical help getting in though."
It's not a lie, the mirror really did magically poof me here. I really didn't come here by choice. Please let me go.
"Horse shit, a free woman walking into Four Seasons Lake without a disguise? What audacity! Lu Shan may be a fallen noble but what does that make you? Not a sister no, you're not familiar enough. But you're related that much is clear. Your hair, dress and jewels are terribly foreign but they're not cheap things. I have more than enough experience in seeing that."
And I see her eyeing my simple necklace with a glare thats both hungry and judgmental. As if she's weighing me on a scale and figuring out my worth.
"Haha something a bit further than that yes. But that doesn't matter now does it? Not since you know our Lu Shan's story."
"Such a family, well tragedies are a common story around these parts."
Ah backstory, it would of course be better to talk that over directly with Lu Shan. Or the mirror . I saved the right girl right? But I can't really go if she's just going to die in 11 days. This is awful, I don't want to but I need to figure out how to stay close.
I also don't want to make it tougher for the girls if I piss off their boss.
"A friend, I'm a friend. I just wanted to find Lu Shan, that is all. I did not mean to come and make enemies with you or anyone else. Just help Lu Shan. I didn't expect to find her in labor and the maids told me there was no doctor to be found."
"So you lied your way in? Those girls are fools. You could have killed her."
"It was no lie, I'm trained more than your could local quack physician could dream to be. I saved her didn't I? "
"Prove it to me then."
I'm sorry what? I kind of just did? I know you essentially pushed you out the room so you couldn't witness it first hand but I literally just helped a woman give birth here. Do you mean after care because you're kind of blocking me from getting back into the room.
"If you're a doctor as you say then see and treat the rest of my girls."
Huh? Say what now?
"So you do believe me? Hoho fine then I'll bite, but what's your price? I don't work for free for just anyone you know, Lu Shan is special."
"I won't sell her tonight or the next couple days after that. That will be my fee."
"You were planning on selling Lu Shan so soon? Don't tell me you had her working while pregnant?"
Now that I think about it, Lu shan wouldn't be able to work entertaining guests in her mid and late stages of pregnancy. I don't know what the list of services on here but is surely they wouldn't make a heavily pregnant woman work! Sad documentaries about abused sex workers flash through my mind, making me mentally shiver.
"Of course not, she's one of my best girl. An ex-noblewoman as a courtesan provides many benefits. Even after having another child she has a few good years left in her. No need to waste my investment so hastily. No, instead I won't sell Lu Yan."
The mild enjoyment trading barbs back and forth as if I was in mom's Asian drama screeches to a halt. Lu Yan? The daughter?! She's talking about a child here. Just a little kid. Poker faced or not I take too long a pause, she knows she got me.
"There's a particular wealthy young master passing by with a taste for girls no older 12. "
"She's a child."
"So are a lot of my girls when they first get here. They'll make money eventually, sooner or later. I would prefer to wait of course, they sell best when trained at their peak. Ripe for the picking. But this is a price that's hard to refuse."
"How much? You can tell me that much. How much is he offering?"
"33,000 right now for her virginity."
"I see…and if I become your house doctor you hold off?"
"It's that simple."
I don't know how much 33,000 is here, I don't even know what the damn currency is. But I know it's money I don't have.
"Do excuse my ignorance, I've recently came from abroad."
"I can see that, everyone can."
I ignore the barb, now is not the time to be petty. At least she buys that much as an excuse.
"But what is the age and price the the most popular first time girls?"
"16 or 17 years old, give or take. A common girl though? You can sell them at 10,000, 11 if you're lucky. But a beautiful one, a well-trained one? One that debuts with a rank? For a true courtesan, well you can expect that price rises quite drastically. I estimate I can get a solid 58,000 for Yanyan if I sell her in a few years. But why bother with all the expenses, especially if Lu Shan isn't around. She's a rather willful brat anyways. She'll still make money on her beauty alone."
It sickens me to the core to speak of children this way, especially that little girl who was eating chocolate and crying in my arms just a few hours ago. I can't, won't have her sold like that.
But I can't just stupidly walk into the madam's obvious trap.
"I'm a busy woman. But I'm sure we can reach an agreement down the line. One that benefits the both of us."
"Oh."
"I'm not here to be your enemy madam, I just want to help Lu Shan and that extends to her children. You know I couldn't possibly pay off their debts and contract fees to you, I'm just a essentially foreign woman. But If I wanted permission to stay and continue to treat Lu Shan, at least while she recovers, I would have to ask you first, no?"
"I give you full permission to stay then. Stay, and take care of my girl."
"And your other girls?"
"Some of them can't be saved, but it's worth a look. While you're still here that is. "
"I wonder what the cost of all those medical fees would be here….but rest assured I'll look at them sincerely. It's not my hobby to harm fellow women."
"There are enough dead girls in this line of work. I'll just buy new ones if you fail but why waste my investments."
It's not a threat but reality. But I don't think the madam is a necessarily a bad woman either. She's not extreordinaroly cruel, even though she did just threaten to pump out a kid. It's a play, she want to help save her other girls. Otherwise why even bother talking to me to this extent in the first place?
No doctor arrived for Lu Shan tonight. It doesn't take much to figure out what the healthcare system is like in these parts.
I'm not a certified doctor or nurse but I'm not exactly a con artist either. Just for 11 days, I can pull this off for that long.
"Give me mofe time with Lu Shan first. Our first meeting was…..rushed. Let me take the time to ensure her health and I can start looking at some of the women here."
"Acceptable, go ensure her full recovery. Besides, it's working hours anyways."
When she sashays away, my courage finally gives out. My legs give out to the wall and I shakily collapse to the floor.
God what have I gotten into?