Realtor Revenge is the sequel to Real Estate Games. For the full experience, I suggest you start with Part 1 of Real Estate Games.
***
Realtor Revenge
Chapter 8
One Hundred and One Pricks
Mark hosted a dinner on the last evening of the Chinese visit. While the deal was done, the contracts signed, and the tax breaks approved... it wouldn't have surprised me a bit if the Chinese insisted on one last favor before they departed. Nothing over the top, just a six-man gang bang of their favorite realtor. An activity I'm sure Mark would fully support.
But it didn't happen. Instead, once the dinner was over Zhuoli Kang, the senior member of the contingent, approached me with an apology.
"I understand some of my people may have taken advantage of your good nature this past week." Kang was the only man in the room who hadn't abused me. "I would like to formally apologize for their less than honorable behavior."
"What's done is done," I told him.
"True. There is no undoing the dark past, however I would like to brighten your future, if not for just a few hours."
Unsure of what he had in mind, I said nothing.
"Tonight," Kang continued, "I will be performing an ancient Chinese ritual. It is popular with the women from my hometown. I think you will also enjoy it. We call it the Pleasure of a Hundred and One Pricks."
Which sounded exactly like the Beijing version of a gangbang to me. My reaction must have shown my concern.
"It is not what you think," Kang said. "I will be the only man in the room, and I will remain clothed. Come with us, Sheying Li will be your guide."
***
The Chinese owned ninety-seven Merryville houses. Most were completely empty, but a few still contained some of the previous owner's furniture. Li, the female interpreter, accompanied me to one of the partially furnished homes. It must have been one of the houses that Janis helped Mark buy because I didn't recognize it.
As we walked in, the scent of incense was the first thing to catch my attention. Not an overpowering smell, just enough to set a tone of reverence. Most of the house lights were either turned off or dimmed, making one believe she was entering an ancient temple. Music appropriate for meditation played softly in the background.
"Come," Li said to me. "We must get you ready."
She led me to one of the upstairs bedrooms and told me to take a shower.
"A clean body is essential to a clean soul," she said.
I wasn't accustomed to showering in other people's bathrooms but, considering what I'd done earlier that day and who I'd done it with, a shower sounded like an excellent idea.
I usually showered by myself. However, when Li stepped in with me, it made perfect sense. We both needed to get clean and the old adage, "I'll wash your back if you'll wash mine," was never more appropriate. When she also washed my front, I assumed it was a cultural thing and returned the favor. The drying process was also much quicker -- and enjoyable -- when we helped each other.
Two silk robes lay on the bed when we emerged from our shower. One fit Li perfectly but mine, while certainly the larger of the two, barely covered my ass and would need another yard of fabric to conceal my boobs.
"So sorry," Li said. "This is the biggest robe we have."
"No need to apologize. I have a feeling we won't be wearing these very long anyway."
The next step was tea in the dining room. I'd already learned my "tea lesson". Mark made it perfectly clear that, despite my dislike of the beverage, I was not to turn down a cup if offered by our Chinese clients. Since Li insisted this particular tea was essential to the ritual, I drank an entire cup of the strange smelling brew and, not finding it completely disgusting, had a refill.
"We are very fortunate to have Zhuoli Kang with us," Li said as we sipped our tea. "While he is a very good engineer, he is best known as a master of zhen ci xingbie."
"What is that? Some sort of yoga?"
"There is no English word to describe what we will do tonight. No matter, you will soon know."
After just a few more minutes of drinking tea, Kang appeared. True to his word, he was fully clothed, dressed in black linen pants and robe. His long white beard hung a good four inches below his chin. An equally white ponytail was tied off with a red ribbon. A matching red bandana imprinted with black Chinese characters covered his forehead.
"Excellent. Our guest of honor has arrived," he said with a genuine smile. "Come with me and we will begin your journey."
I felt a bit unsteady as I rose from my chair. Kang quickly took hold of my arm to prevent me from falling. He looked concerned and asked Li something in Chinese. From the tone of his voice, she had done something to displease him.
She lowered her head towards the floor and answered in the same language while holding up two fingers.
"I'm good," I said. Not wanting to get Li in trouble, I quickly regained my equilibrium and walked towards the open door without his assistance.
"Two cups tea probably okay," Kang muttered, as much to himself as to me. "You are larger than Chinese women. You can take more."
Kang led me into what must have been either a study or perhaps a music room. One wall was completely covered by built in bookshelves and, while most of the shelves were empty, an upper shelf held a row of what looked like either bibles or hymnals. A large mirror, which looked like a recent addition, was bolted to the ceiling. A masseuse's table was positioned directly under the mirror. A smaller wooden table, located at the head of the larger, held a round ornate wooden box which I assumed contained different oils and lotions. Apparently, I was going to get a massage.
Kang spoke to Li. She bowed, took my hand and led me towards the table. She released my hand, untied the cord that was unsuccessfully trying to keep my robe closed and then removed the robe. I used a small step stool to mount the table and was maneuvering to lie on my belly when Li said...
"On your back please."
I complied and lay flat on my back, head pointing towards the wooden box. As I was getting situated on the table, Li picked up my robe from the floor and hung it over a chair... along with her own. When she returned, she was carrying a horseshoe shaped pillow which she used to cradle my head. Next, Li produced a hairbrush and seemed to take great pleasure in fanning my jet-black locks over my head and draping them over the end of the table like a waterfall. Thanks to the ceiling mirror, I could see everything she was doing. The feel of the brush on my scalp, the touch of her hand on my skin, the aesthetic display of my hair... it all pleased me.
I was relaxed and comfortable. More comfortable than I'd been since... well since I could remember. Yes, I was laying naked in front of people I barely knew. But something inside me said it was okay. A corner of my brain -- a corner I hadn't heard from in years -- told me to trust these people.
I was in this fog of calm when Kang appeared and opened the wooden box to reveal what I first thought was a porcupine. But that didn't make a lick of sense because porcupine quills didn't have rounded heads. I looked closer and determined that, what I first thought was a spiny animal, was actually a box of needles. Dozens of long needles which were surely destined to come out of the box and into my skin.
I tried to sit up, but Kang pressed down on my clavicle with a single finger and I found myself settling back onto the table.
"Will this be your first acupuncture experience?" he asked.
"I uh... I am a healthy woman. I've never needed such extravagant treatment."
"I disagree, on both accounts." Kang took hold of my right hand and started a gentle massage with his fingers. "While your body appears to be extremely healthy, it is evident that your Qi (chee), your human energy, is horribly misdirected. The only cure for this condition is acupuncture. If you allow, I will guide your Qi to where it should properly reside."
"Will it hurt?" I asked.
"You tell me. Does your hand cause you any pain?"
Kang brought the hand he was massaging into my vision. Unbeknownst to me, he had stuck the tip of a three-inch needle into the fleshy part of my thumb.
"I didn't think so," he said when I didn't respond. "And the first needle is always the hardest. The next hundred will only make you feel better."