He had really never stepped into any brothel before today, but even if he was to let the confession pass his lips, no one would have found it believable. Since they were all so eager to make such assumptions and since there was no way to detach that reputation from his name, he figured he should exploit the rumor.

Walking in, Jia Yang took long strides and gave his loud and critical evaluation of the place’s interior design, making a show of an entrance and drawing the eyes of clientele and workers alike. A handful made no effort to lower their voices while discussing the obtrusive intruder; they remarked on everything from his linen bag to his sleeves to the way he carried them to the boy’s age and title, even commenting on how shameless and open the youth was for setting foot into such an establishment. Jia Yang nearly huffed to hear those words.

‘Take a good and careful look at yourselves first,' he thought with vexation, ‘you bunch of grandfathers drooling into the legs of half-grown beauties.’

His expression betrayed nothing beyond growing redness as he passed by clusters of men and women engaging in certain unspeakable activities, the waiting room reeking of strong wine, salts of the body, and incense fragrance doing poorly at its charge of veiling the others. Observing with sidelong glances and listening to the lewd noises and murmurings, he felt a great number of his curiosities had unexpectedly been addressed and answered. These scenes and this atmosphere of debauchery were all admittedly foreign to him, yet—as a healthy and robust man boasting only seventeen years—also equal parts exciting. Those applications of tongue, teeth, lips, breast, finger, thigh, and foot surpassed the wildest, most unrestrained and private conjurings of the youth’s imagination.

He cleared his throat, feeling a little warmer, walking a little stiffer than usual. What rites and classics, morality and filial piety? All useless; clearly this was the finest method to discover truths of the world!

“Where is the owner here? I need to reserve a person,” he called out after wandering about for a while and then pausing to lean back against a drawer, which, with a tap, more than likely was constructed from fake mahogany.

The establishment featured one central winding staircase reaching up into a second level; crimson curtains surrounding it and hung in random locations without forethought, some sheets beaded and some nearing transparent; flickering and sleepy incandescence effusing from suspended lanterns, passing deep orange through the curtains, obscuring secrets and softening sharpness; and pieces of furniture used for every purpose except that for which they were made, with tables, chairs, stools, cabinets, woven mats indiscriminately substituted for beds and sleeping couches.

Beside him, touching up along the same drawer as Jia Yang, was a pair of half-dressed men fondling each other and stinking of alcohol. He inched farther as they, blinded by arousal, shifted closer but it lit an idea in his mind that he had not previously considered; if one is already betting his forefinger, he may as well risk everything from the wrist down.

From the other end of the dim hall, a stout and middle-aged man shuffled a path over, gesturing with his hand to catch the youth’s attention. Jia Yang, forgetting to maintain his air of assertive nonchalance, straightened as if about to greet him. As the owner advanced forward, Jia Yang was able to determine the other’s features; a beardless and roundly piggish face supported on a neck indistinguishable from the chest, drooping eyes and cheeks, wet lips that thinned in a grin to expose yellowed teeth.

“Many apologies to this young master from an esteemed family for the delay. It is especially busy this time of night, as the young master can see,” he said hurriedly, wiping his palm onto the cloth which wrapped his hair knot and not even attempting at a sincere apology. “The individual rooms are filled, but I am sure we will be able to secure you an open slot shortly. What are this valuable client’s desires and preferences?” 

Jia Yang hummed and looked up before nodding and returning slowly: “A man will do.”

“Of course, of course. With or without?” the owner asked further, a bit distracted and restless under the surface, his words pushed out in practiced haste as though to make up for Jia Yang’s speed of speech.

“…With or without?” He unconsciously drew his brows together in confusion and could not help questioning. 

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, the youth followed his inquiry with forced laughter and a string of phrases: “Hah, does this sort of thing still need to be asked here? With, of course, with.” Jia Yang dwelled on the thought for an extended moment, wondering how a man without would look, how one could possibly find any enjoyment in the act that way, and why a customer would not simply request a woman instead. He rubbed at the thin skin by the edge of his jaw, appearing to be soothing an itch or unease. Then he fished out some silver tucked into his sleeve and, without verifying how much he had grabbed, recognized belatedly that the offering was excessive and signaled for the owner to take it.

The older man did not feign modesty and seized it so that Jia Yang could not revoke the submission, fixed his gaze on him, seemed to be about to mention one thing, and in the end opened his mouth to say another: “This esteemed client, then now, please go with me up to the second floor. I have someone suitable waiting.”  

As the two made their way up the staircase, with the lean and long-legged young master dwarfing his companion figure, Jia Yang began to doubt this decision once more. This realm was outside his usual haunts of gambler’s houses and theaters and tea shops and acquaintances’ pavilions to avoid lessons and studying. He was by no means a white and virtuous son, but for a boy of his age, he had comparably dulled interest in undertakings involving physical relations. After all, he alone could easily satisfy his needs. 

Giving up what forefinger, what wrist? Only an imbecile would not want to keep everything! He considered rescinding the figurative bet, gathering his prayers of fortune and luck, and darting in a straight line to the exit; would not that entrance of his have been stirring enough? It was not necessary for him to play out the entire show like a fool, yet he had already gone so far, squandering all that money on a wanton—but at least whole—male prostitute.

Upon reaching their destination, the owner naturally came to a halt and hinted for the trailing other to stop a few arms-lengths apart. Despite how there was no reason not to kick down the door and charge in defiantly at such an order, Jia Yang obeyed without complaint, gathering his hands behind his back to preserve some posture of dignity and status. He really was out of his element here.

“Xiao-yan?” came the owner’s hiss, lips practically pressed onto the drawn screened door, fist elevated to give a series of tentative knocks. Then he peeked over and shot Jia Yang a shamefaced grin: “Sorry to keep this esteemed young master waiting. May your upstanding character and bearing move you to please excuse the impropriety. He will—“

“Presently cleaning up,” drifted a voice from the room’s interior, tone soft yet weighed down and muffled by fatigue or resignation or maybe the screen barrier itself. Even then, Jia Yang determined the pitch of it was not feminine and youthfully nasal, but rather mature, like that of a fully grown man older than himself. He shifted the grip of his fingers, reflecting inwardly that he should have just ordered a female courtesan as opposed to dealing with this mess his first time around.

Inexplicably, at that single phrase, the owner’s expression transitioned through an array of arrangements, as if he was putting on a face-changing opera under the dim and sensual lighting; alarmed, aggravated, embarrassed, then composing itself into squinted and smiling eyes while he spoke: “I fear this esteemed young master will misunderstand our policies. If this valuable client so wishes, I will go retrieve a fresh one.”

“No need,” Jia Yang muttered, walking forward to join him before the door. He truly did not care about the specifics of this matter and who would accompany him for the night, now only wanting to get it over with.

“Ah? Well, this esteemed young master has made a clever choice! Certain individuals pay too much attention and energy to these finer details, but indeed, different flavors for different folks! There is a special gratification in taking at the second round, and they are tamer too.” Getting the mistaken impression that Jia Yang was more eager than ever to proceed, the owner had promptly changed his tune, adding, “I will not bother and delay this young master then. If anything is sought-after, call out and one of my assistants will interrupt to provide necessary refreshments or alterations to this arrangement. This esteemed young master may stay for as long as the visit pleases him.”

Jia Yang shot a glance at the owner waiting expectantly by his side, and without responding, drew open the door to enter.