Xiao Zai was so startled by Chu Yun's sudden, and loud, presence at his side, that it took him so ti to make sense of his angry accusation.
"A brothel?" he echoed.
It was only then that he took in his surroundings.
The tearoom was filled with the scent of perfud flowers, a crisp counterpoint to the sweet, fruity scent of the oga waiters -- which, Xiao Zai was now realising, weren't waiters at all, -- this combined with the sumptuous decoration in deep red tones, and the three beautiful ogas on a little stage in the centre of the room, playing instrunts in ways that couldn't be comfortable, but were definitely suggestive, made Xiao Zai realise that what Chu Yun was accusing him of was probably true.
"There are no brothels in Zui," was his only defence.
Chu Yun's refined features went from pinched with indignation to lax with shock in a span of seconds.
Slowly, he let go of Xiao Zai's robes. "What do you an there are no brothels in Zui? There are brothels everywhere."
"Not in Zui," Xiao Zai inssisted.
The pretty waiter in red -- not a waiter -- he had completely forgotten about, spoke up. "Does that an there are no prostitutes in Zui?"
"No, there are prostitutes, just no brothels."
He could tell that his words were confusing both of them, but more than that, they had reignited Chu Yun's anger.
"Then how did you fail to notice that you were in one?" He asked, tilting his head pointedly at the man in red, still sitting by Xiao Zai's table.
Xiao Zai spared him only a cursory glance. "You Xin people all dress in very flimsy clothes."
Chu Yun's expression went from shocked to absolutely livid. "Are you suggesting that and him dress alike?"
The beautiful oga shifted in place under the combined attention of both Xiao Zai and Chu Yun. Xiao Zai frowned when he realised the oga was trying to make himself more attractive. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed how unusual the open and wide neckline of his thin robes was. Even if the people in Xin usually wore thinner robes than the standard in Zui they didn't usually show so much skin either.
He decided not to comnt. Although, his mind couldn't help offering him up an image of Chu Yun's switching robes with the oga looking expectantly between the two of them.
Xiao Zai cleared his throat. "Regardless, I can't see how this would affect your already low opinion of ."
He t Chu Yun's fiery eyes as he filled his cup and downed it all again.
"I ca to apologise to you," Chu Yun said, through gritted teeth. "Hean....might not have been candid."
Xiao Zai raised his eyebrows and made a noncommittal sound. "And now you've found in a brothel."
"And now I've found you in a brothel," Chu Yun said, like it pained him to admit.
"What are you going to do about it?" Xiao Zai asked, eting Chu Yun's eyes above the rim of the wine cup.
The courtesan playing witness to their dostic spat cleared his throat. "If any of the gentlen cares for it, our humble establishnt also offers services to couples." He took out a perfud handkerchief from the inside of his billowy sleeve and hid a coy smile behind it. "This one would be honoured--"
Xiao Zai watched, with great interest, as Chu Yun's face went through several expressions, before finally settling on complete puzzlent.
"Why are you still here?" he asked the courtesan, completely immune to his charms. "Go peddle your services sowhere else."
And then he waited for the oga to get up from his seat and do just that.
Before turning the full force of his glare back on Xiao Zai.
"Let's go," Chu Yun said, tilting his head towards the brothel's entrance.
"I booked rooms here," Xiao Zai said, nonplussed.
Chu Yun let out an exasperated sigh. "Why would you do that?"
"It's why I ca here in the first place," he explained, "I thought this place was an inn."
Granted, he thought it was a little on the ostentatious side, but considering his own station, and Chu Yun's family, he thought it wouldn't be proper for him to be seen finding lodgings sowhere cheap.
Chu Yun kept looking at him, but sothing changed in his expression. "We have plenty of rooms back at the palace."
Xiao Zai filled his cup again. "I didn't want to stay sowhere my presence wasn't welcod."
"That-" Chu Yun started but then stopped himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. He said sothing under his breath that sounded like 'fucking dramatic', but Xiao Zai couldn't be sure.
He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not believing you, I'm sorry for losing my temper with you." Chu Yun averted his eyes as he spoke, becoming fixated on a stain in the wooden table.
"Are you sorry of accusing of hiring prostitutes a week into our marriage?" Xiao Zai asked, hiding a smirk behind the wine cup as he downed its contents.
Chu Yun's fox eyes flashed in annoyance. "What was I supposed to think?"
"The situation with your brother should that taught you that appearances can be deceiving."
Chu Yun narrowed his eyes at him. "You're a very aggravating man."
There was sothing about seeing Chu Yun angry, and in this case, mostly at himself, that was incredibly appealing to Xiao Zai. His expression was so vividly indignant, his features so arrogantly superior, it made Xiao Zai want to, want to---
He never finished that thought but he ca to a disturbing conclusion. "I think I might be drunk."
To illustrate this, he put down his wine cup and tried to get up from the low table, succeeding only in getting up too fast and listing into Chu Yun like a boat about to capsize.
Chu Yun held him up under the arm with a hiss. "Look at the sate you're in? How am I supposed to take you back to my father's palace if you can't even sit up, let alone ride a horse."
Xiao Zai had the perfect solution for that. "I have rooms here, let's just stay the night." He patted Chu Yun's pale cheek.. "You're pretty enough to be a courtesan, no one will suspect us."
Reviews
All reviews (0)