Not again, Fei thought.
She ran out of the store carrying a large package.
Fei zig-zagged through corridors packed with shops and stalls. Ordinary people would not find their way among the identical-looking passages, but Fei knew the place well. This part of the megabuilding housed commercial floors that were full of businesses catering to the needs of the not so well-to-do. Gaudy, cheap, but the sellers were friendly. They were all in it together. Human, frail, sometimes greedy, but the eight-floors were like a big family. Most never left, and Fei called the place home.
She was late. It was not her fault, but her client was not going to be interested in excuses. She also had to hurry because she was to meet Vivian again after the delivery, which made her nervous. She hated to say no to her, but there was no other way.
She ran a little faster, darting past porters carrying bent carton boxes and lost tourists savoring the exotic, oriental smells lingering along the corridor. Most ignored the girl. She must have looked plain and ordinary in clothes that were always simple and makeup that made almost no difference. Yet, even in her cheap clothes, people could see, if they cared to look, that she was beautiful.
But they did not care.
People barely noticed her now as she ran up escalators, whizzed down dark staircases, past greasy fans, and across neon-light soaked floors.
Panting, she slowed to walking speed as soon as she saw the elevator doors. Fei used her elbow to push the elevator button and edged herself in as soon as the door opened, ignoring those who wanted to get off.
There she was again. Going down to the SB floors.
The elevator was slow. It stopped at almost every floor, and the neon light inside kept flickering every time the doors opened or closed. All kinds of people entered and exited, but Fei had no time to study their faces. Finally, they reached level SB-3.
Fei pushed herself through the half-opened door and ran down the hallways.
The floor made Fei uneasy. Brothels, soaplands, and other shady establishments surrounded the girl, making her feel out of place.
She stopped. The golden lion statues in front of the Red Court stared at Fei menacingly.
Already, ten minutes late.
Panicking, she entered the entrance hall filled with red light and went straight into the dim inner room. Cigarette smoke and the indecent smell of naked women hit her.
Unfortunately, she had to run errands to the Red Court quite often, and the whores did not treat her particularly well.
A woman appeared from behind transparent curtains. She was completely naked, with ripe breasts and a beautifully curving waist.
Miss Chong.
"You're late again," she said coldly, not even looking at Fei. Standing sideways, she was waiting by a rope-curtain.
"Come on, I don't have all day," she said. Fei moved closer and handed her the package. She was about to apologize when the woman slapped her.
And it hurt.
It was not the first time. The woman took the package and opened the small carton right there, pulling out a box of cigarettes. She tore the package open and put a cigarette between her lips. Now she was looking upwards, glancing down on the world. Another girl in a bikini rushed there and lit her cigarette. Miss Chong sucked on the cigarette and blew the smoke into Fei's face.
"Apologize to Miss Chong," one of the younger women said.
"Why do you have to make her angry all the time?"
"You're our delivery bitch", said a third woman, "When she calls you, come running. Miss Chong is doing you a favor for using that store. Maybe she should have you fired."
Miss Chong put one of her legs on a stool, exposing her private parts. She continued puffing smoke with a stern face.
"I'm really sorry, Miss Chong. I'll be faster next time," Fei said. Despite the mistreatment, she did feel a little bad about being late. Though not entirely her fault, this time, she was also to be blamed.
"Good. Now give me your other cheek. I want to slap that too," she said, still looking upwards, enjoying the cigarette. Fei dutifully turned her face and let Chong hit her again. The other women laughed at the pitiful sight. Giggling at each other, they looked Fei up and down with scorn. Chong took another mouthful. Then blew it out again towards the others. She looked around slowly, finally settling on Fei.
"Women, look at this girl. Did you know that she has made her own video channel online showing off her pitiful naked body? She even got a little money for it. I wonder who would pay for that? I guess some are just into ugly."
How did the girls find out? Fei blushed in shame.
"Do you think that the number one courtesan of the eight-levels does not know what's going on in this business? How do you think I got to number one?"
She leaned very close to Fei and gently stroked the girl's face.
"I give you a piece of advice. For your sake, stay out of it. You are an ugly errand girl; you should stay that way."
Ash flew off the end of the cigarette. Chong squeezed it and narrowed her eyes, looking away towards the room.
"Maybe, just maybe, you could work as a cheap whore, but as a pornstar? Don't make me laugh," she turned away, threw the cigarette away onto the floor, and entered the room through the curtains. The others shook their heads with scorn.
One of the women pulled off her bra, exposing her large tits. She caught Fei's gaze, who could not help staring at them.
"Now go," the topless woman said and turned away.
Fei was finally free, but her pride lay in ruins. The women in the Red Court were not always this bad. Once one of the girls even kissed her cheek. Depending on their mood, sometimes they even gave her a tip. Of course, that only happened when Miss Chong was not around.
...
The paint was peeling off the walls, and the merchandise on the shelf looked colorless, but Fei loved the shop. The owner, an old lady, was not easily described as nice. Always yelling, she was constantly negotiating with clients or having arguments with the other shop owners. Harsh would probably be a better way to describe her, but she also seemed to like Fei, whom she lectured whenever she found the time. Some would call it motherly care, though the woman was not a relative.
"Girl, did they treat you badly again?"
"It was not that bad."
"Did they hit you?"
"It went okay."
"This is why I say that decent girls should not be whores," she said scornfully. "They take the easy way. They think it will bring money. Nah."
"Sometimes they're nice."
"Ah, don't tell me you want to be a whore?"
"No. Of course not."
"Ah, all the girls want to make money with sex these days. You're pretty, but maybe you should catch yourself a husband instead."
Fei turned away, looking at the floor.
"Come on, what are you going to do with this lesbian thing? Huh?"
"Auntie, lower your voice."
"Everyone knows. In this place, gossip flies. I know the guys well in the video store," she said, chewing on a small candy.
"You keep wasting your money on those lesbian magazines and whatnots. Isn't it free on the internet? Who would buy these things?"
Fei felt ashamed. It seemed that everyone knew about her sexual preferences and her love of pornography.
