Behind the Mask - Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Wind and Moon
"Just what kind of person could make our Second Miss think about them so much?" Yao San teased.
Bai Ning's expression didn't change. She said to her lightly, "Don't speak nonsense."
Yao San also came from a prestigious family, but she had an unrestrained personality. After her family's decline, she didn't just find someone to marry; instead, she opened her own zither parlor.
"How am I speaking nonsense? You stare at the door every day, waiting for that person. You've practically worn your eyes out waiting, haven't you?" Yao San said whatever was on her mind. She was surprised. "I only thought you were usually pure of heart and free of desire, but now it seems that's not the case at all."
Bai Ning didn't speak, but she wasn't annoyed by Yao San's words. She admired Miss Yao San; a strong-willed and independent woman was always worthy of admiration.
"Ye'er? That person is called Ye'er." Yao San was still curious. It sounded like a young girl's name, not a lover's. "Why don't you tell me what kind of person he is? If he comes looking for you one day, I can let you know."
Listening, Bai Ning's eyes dimmed in her silence, filled with melancholy. After so long, for her not to come see me... she must not want to come...
Seeing that Bai Ning was unwilling to say more, Yao San tactfully stopped asking. Young ladies from noble families were never their own masters; there were far too many rules to follow. If her own family hadn't fallen and left her all alone, she wouldn't have the freedom she had now.
"I heard Qingliu will be singing at the Drunken Red Mansion this afternoon. Do you want to go see her with me?"
Qingliu. The corner of Bai Ning's eyebrow twitched. Chu Ye should still be protecting Qingliu.
Yao San realized she had been "impertinent" again. How could Bai Ning frequent such places of romance and pleasure with her?
Bai Ning looked up and asked, "You seem quite curious about that Lady Qingliu?"
"Curious? I'm not curious about that kind of woman." Yao San scoffed. "I've just been bored to death these past two days and want to go out and join the fun."
Bai Ning lowered her head again and stroked the zither strings. "I'll go with you."
What?
Yao San was incredulous. "Are you serious?"
Bai Ning looked at her. "Mm."
Yao San grew excited. She had been worried it would be boring to go alone, but taking the ever-gentle and proper Second Miss Bai along would be interesting. She immediately called a maidservant over and instructed her to go out and procure two sets of men's clothing to make things more convenient.
The midday sun was high in the sky.
Standing by the window, Chu Ye could just see the ancient tree at Linglong Workshop.
After returning to Jingzhou, Chu Hu had arranged all sorts of tasks for her and made her guard Lady Qingliu at every moment. She knew Chu Hu was afraid she would go looking for Bai Ning and was keeping an eye on her at every turn.
However, if she wanted to, she could still find a way to slip away.
But since returning, she still hadn't gone to see Bai Ning. She was conflicted. Just as Chu Hu had said, could she and Second Miss Bai really love each other?
"Hey, I said, can't you say a few words?" The woman lying on the couch had a bewitching figure and spoke languidly. "That Chu Hu, honestly. He knows I'll be bored to death if I have no one to talk to, yet he still assigns someone like you to protect me."
Chu Ye let Qingliu complain, remaining unmoved. Her mission was to protect the person she was assigned to protect, and she would do nothing else.
Qingliu sighed, utterly bored. She got up, swaying her hips as she walked to the window, and stared at Chu Ye's profile with a playful expression. "Take off the mask. Let your elder sister have a look."
"I never take it off," Chu Ye replied, her words as precious as gold.
"Chu Hu is quite handsome. You're his sister, so you must be a little beauty too. Take off your mask. If I think you're pretty, I'll double your pay, how about it?" Qingliu said, reaching out to take off Chu Ye's mask.
But Chu Ye dodged nimbly, looking like someone not to be trifled with. She had seen all kinds of people; no matter what Qingliu said, she maintained an air of casual indifference.
"Not very old, but quite the temper." Qingliu wasn't angry; on the contrary, she found it interesting. She smiled. "So gloomy every day. Do you miss your lover that much?"
She vaguely remembered hearing the siblings talk about this.
Chu Ye turned her head and stared gloomily out the window.
"What's so great about those stinking men? You might as well look at me." Qingliu deliberately moved closer to Chu Ye; the more taciturn she was, the more Qingliu wanted to tease her. "I'm so beautiful. Am I not better than that sweetheart of yours?"
Hearing this, Chu Ye stared at Qingliu. When it came to Bai Ning, she got serious. She immediately retorted coldly, "She is more beautiful than you."
Qingliu was taken aback. This was getting interesting. She smiled playfully and made a bold guess: "Your sweetheart... could it be a woman?"
Inwardly, Chu Ye was surprised that Qingliu had seen through it in a single sentence, but she didn't let it show.
"Want me to teach you a few tricks to tie your sweetheart down tight? If you want her to never forget you, then you have to..." Qingliu pressed close to her ear, lowering her voice, but her tone became increasingly audacious. "...make her feel so good she's on the verge of death. I'm also extremely skilled in the bedroom affairs between women. Let's go to bed now, and I'll teach you firsthand, how about it?"
Chu Ye: "..."
You really run into all kinds of employers when you take on too many missions.
Staring at Chu Ye's reaction, Qingliu let out a peal of hearty laughter that filled the entire room.
Chu Ye remained expressionless: "..."
Just have to endure it for a while longer.
"Miss, you should change your clothes and prepare for the afternoon performance," a maidservant came to remind her.
"I know." Qingliu's tone became cold.
Chu Ye felt a wave of relief. Finally, she could have some peace and quiet.
There was still an hour and a half before the afternoon performance began, but Qingliu had to apply heavy, glamorous makeup, which always took a long time.
Qingliu went into the inner room to change. Chu Ye, bored and restless, saw a few music scores on the zither table by the window. She picked up the top volume and flipped through it casually.
But the contents were not music scores.
Chu Ye flipped a few pages and felt something was off. It was all about matters of romance and pleasure, written in a direct and explicit manner, and accompanied by illustrations. A single glance made her blush.
She suddenly realized that the "music scores" Qingliu diligently studied every day were actually this sort of thing...
But considering Qingliu's character, it wasn't surprising.
Chu Ye quickly put the book down.
In the afternoon, even before it was time for Qingliu to take the stage and sing, the Drunken Red Mansion began to fill with guests—all of them men, dressed in silks and satins. Only the wealthy could afford to amuse themselves in a place like this.
Chu Ye stood by the railing on the second floor, in a very low-key and hidden corner, from where she could observe the audience below with perfect clarity.
The crowd grew larger and larger.
"Hurry up! I paid a high price to book the front row seats!" Yao San said, pulling Bai Ning through the crowd.
Seeing her so anxious, Bai Ning thought she looked even more interested in Qingliu than the men around them.
Chu Ye leaned lightly against the railing, feeling gloomy, when her peripheral vision caught a familiar face in the crowd. Her heart immediately leaped. Even though Bai Ning was in men's clothing, she recognized her in a single glance.
Why would she come here...
And the person with Bai Ning, Chu Ye recognized her too—it was Miss Yao San from Linglong Workshop.
Qingliu made her appearance, and the atmosphere in the tavern boiled over. Amidst the clamor, Chu Ye was distracted. She lowered her head.
"She's nothing special. What a waste of my silver." Yao San sat in the front row, staring at the woman on stage holding a pipa, muttering under her breath.
Bai Ning had no time to talk to Yao San. From the moment she sat down, her gaze had been sweeping around Qingliu again and again. Could it be...
...that Chu Ye had already left?
Cradling her pipa, Qingliu began to play and sing. She sang a folk tune from her native Qingzhou, her voice soft and sweet like the Wu dialect, full of lingering affection. When she smiled with a thousand charms, the men in the audience felt their bones turn to jelly.
Bai Ning searched again. When she raised her eyes, she finally spotted the familiar mask.
For a good while, Chu Ye didn't look in Bai Ning's direction. Her heart was no longer calm, repeatedly tugged by something. When she couldn't resist looking again, she found Bai Ning staring at her, and had no idea for how long.
Their eyes met. Chu Ye couldn't pretend she hadn't seen her. She clutched the corner of her clothes.
Bai Ning was also crestfallen. Chu Ye had been in Jingzhou all this time, but she was unwilling to come find her. She confirmed this in her heart once more.
Qingliu's performance continued, but it was as if the two of them heard nothing, unaware of which song Qingliu was on.
The crowd was full of praise for Qingliu's talent, their applause and cheers unceasing.
Down below, Yao San wore a disdainful smile. No matter how Qingliu played or sang, this crowd of men would support her. What they appreciated wasn't how talented a woman was, but how large her chest was and how slender her waist.
"This young master, is there something you're dissatisfied with?" Qingliu's charming and proud eyes lowered, landing on Yao San.
Yao San deliberately roughened her voice. "Everyone says you are a peerless beauty and that your pipa playing is unmatched. I find it mediocre." She was intentionally picking a fight, unable to stand women as spoiled and wanton as Qingliu.
As soon as these words were spoken, a wave of murmurs went through the audience.
Bai Ning also tugged on Yao San's sleeve under the table, telling her not to cause trouble.
Yao San reined herself in. She calmly drank her wine and said no more. After all, she had snuck out with Bai Ning; it wouldn't do to be too conspicuous.
But Qingliu on the stage didn't seem willing to let it go. She raised an eyebrow. "If this young master is dissatisfied, then why not come to my room? We can have a private 'sparring session,' how about it?"
Yao San nearly spat out a mouthful of wine.
"I see the young master is delicate and frail. Could it be that you don't dare?" Qingliu mocked her, her words holding a hidden meaning.
A wave of jeering laughter rose from the audience, mixed with a wave of envy.
"A sparring session it is!" Yao San slammed down her wine cup and slapped the table irritably.
"Hey," Bai Ning tried to stop Yao San.
"We're both women anyway, what's she going to do, eat me? You wait for me." Yao San whispered a few words to Bai Ning, then walked toward Qingliu with her head held high and chest puffed out.
Bai Ning couldn't hold Yao San back. Yao San had always been hot-tempered and couldn't stand being provoked.
Once Qingliu left the stage, more than half the people in the tavern also dispersed.
Bai Ning waited quietly where she was, not just for Yao San...
Meanwhile, Yao San followed Qingliu upstairs. As soon as the bedroom door closed, she asked Qingliu, "How do you want to 'spar'?"
Qingliu glanced at her, smiled with endless charm, and began to untie her sash, removing her clothes piece by piece.
Yao San had never seen such a scene. "What... what are you doing?"
"Do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to?" Qingliu walked up to Yao San and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Coming to my boudoir, a lone man and a lone woman... what do you think we're 'sparring' over? Of course, it's to let you have a good look at just how peerless my beauty is."
Yao San was dumbfounded.
Qingliu just smiled. Her gaze lowered, and her palm slid down from Yao San's shoulder, then kneaded a certain spot. She feigned surprise. "Oh, now it's two lone women."
"You..." For the first time in her life, Yao San was so angry she turned red from her face to her ears.
"Little sister," Qingliu's smile was sly as she slowly approached her. "Sticking out such a large chest... you don't make a very convincing man."
This wanton woman! Yao San grew even more furious. It was one thing to say it, but why did she have to knead while she spoke?
"Come now," Qingliu's voice grew even more coquettish. She lifted Yao San's chin with her fingertip. "I'm in a good mood today. I guarantee I'll make you feel good, little sister."
It was said that Qingliu also had a special fondness for women, and it turned out to be true. Yao San grabbed Qingliu's wrist, forcefully flung it away, and after cursing "Hooligan," she hastily fled out the door.
She disappeared in a flash.
Qingliu gazed at the empty doorway, rubbed her wrist, straightened her disheveled clothes, and laughed so hard she shook like a flower in the wind.
It was different from what she had imagined. Why were the women in this city of Jingzhou, one after another, all so innocent and shy?
...
Downstairs, Bai Ning was still waiting.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before her. She looked up. It wasn't Yao San, nor was it Chu Ye.
"This brother looks unfamiliar. How about we have a drink together and get acquainted?" a strange man said, sizing her up. "Everyone says Lady Qingliu here is beautiful, but I think this brother, with your red lips and white teeth, is no less attractive than she is."
Bai Ning turned her head away, ignoring him.
"Why are you shy like a little maiden?" the man persisted, trying to chat her up.
Chu Ye flew down the stairs, furious, and shouted sternly at the man, "Don't you touch her!"
The man was dumbstruck. He looked at Chu Ye, then at Bai Ning, not quite understanding what new trend was taking over Jingzhou.
She drove the man away.
They hadn't seen each other in so long. Chu Ye looked at Bai Ning, her heart beating fast, but she was speechless.
Bai Ning stood before her, also silent for a long time.
She must be angry with me. Chu Ye had almost never seen Bai Ning like this, completely without a smile. She had every right to be angry. I clearly promised to go find her, but I've been hiding from her instead.
"Why didn't you come to the zither parlor?" Bai Ning asked her, her voice still gentle.
Before Chu Ye could answer...
Someone came rushing down the stairs recklessly.
"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die! Let's go, let's go!" Yao San ran down the stairs in a panic, grabbed Bai Ning's sleeve, and with a face burning hot, started pulling her toward the exit.
Bai Ning glanced back at Chu Ye one more time, then followed Yao San's steps.
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