Kapitel 15: 14th Break: Brothel

Night of the next day.

"Whoa! I didn't know that the people of the capital could play like this!" Meng Xing exclaimed as he and Lin Ze looked around while watching the people inside the floating brothel.

Earlier today, Lin Ze went to the Xu family restaurant where he and Meng Xing usually meet. There, Lin Ze told Meng Xing that he finally found a clue as to where his 'friend' might be. And that is –

" – a brothel… so this is what it looks like!" Meng Xing said and smiled as he looked around with bright eyes.

Lin Ze's face was covered in dark lines. Fortunately, he had suggested to Meng Xing earlier that they disguise themselves. Or else, his reputation will be blackened again if someone recognizes him going here. He is already ashamed enough of Meng Xing's shameful behavior acting like a country boy who hasn't seen the world.

Well, maybe Meng Xing really is (a country boy).

"Did you recall what I told you earlier this noon?" Lin Ze asked Meng Xing.

Meng Xing nodded. "I do." He answered.

Lin Ze said that the most suspicious boat that passed by the river where Xu Ran was last seen was the floating brothel. Well, Xu Ran is a girl and also has a pleasing face so Jin Peng, the owner of the floating brothel, would want her to be a prostitute in his brothel.

"If Jin Peng really forced her to be a prostitute, would you fight him?" Meng Xing asked Lin Ze.

"I can't." Lin Ze honestly answered.

"Why?" Meng Xing asked, acting as pitiful. "Just because we are poor and orphans, you can't bully us like this!" he said and pursed his lips. His face is full of grievance. "I can give you all of my savings… as long as you save my friend – " he said.

"This is not what I mean!" Lin Ze cut him off.

"Then what do you mean?" Meng Xing asked.

Lin Ze was about to explain when a servant approached them and asked them if they wanted to book a girl.

"Not a girl, but a room." Lin Ze said.

The servant froze before he looked at the two men before him. Even if these two looked average in appearance, it is not possible for both of them to… "Yes, sir, I understand." The servant nodded in understanding and immediately led them to a vacant room.

Along the way, some prostitutes who still don't have a customer approached them, but the servant shooed them away. These two men wanted to spend time alone with each other, so how can the servant have a prostitute get in the way of these two men?!

Lin Ze glanced at the servant and knew what he was thinking. But, Lin Ze ignored him. He is currently in disguise so no one will definitely recognize him. As to this guy with him… he is naïve, so how can he understand what the servant is thinking?

The 'naïve' Meng Xing secretly looked around the floating brothel with amusement in his eyes. Unlike the modern era where he came from, this floating brothel has windows open so the activities inside the room could be seen. There would be some people who would close the door, but there would always be exhibitionists. After all, they went to this brothel to vent their desires and satisfy their vanity. So, naturally, they want to hear the cries and moans of pleasure and desire of the prostitutes that they have chosen. They even would have a contest with the people in the next room, to see whose prostitute screams louder on the bed.

Meng Xing is truly awed by the open-mindedness of the people in the ancient era when it comes to s*x.

"What? You were too stunned to speak when you saw these?" Lin Ze asked Meng Xing after he closed the room that the servant led them to.

"Yes." Meng Xing honestly answered.

Lin Ze frowned. He was really surprised to find out that despite Meng Xing's elegant demeanor, Meng Xing is actually an orphan, and he also came from the province. So, Meng Xing is like a blank sheet of paper that was not dyed yet by worldly desires. So, he has to preserve Meng Xing's innocence. He definitely can't let Meng Xing's innocence be broken in his hands!

Meng Xing, the 'innocent' country boy. "So, how do we find my friend here?" he asked.

Lin Ze looked at him. Right now, Meng Xing is not wearing a veil so that they won't attract the attention of the people in the brothel. But, what a pity since Meng Xing's face is currently fake. Lin Ze knows that it is fake since he knows that Meng Xing is good-looking despite his face being veiled. Meng Xing's face right now is just an average face, like his disguise.

"Brothels are the most active at night." Lin Ze spoke. "So, let us wait for dawn, when the activities finally calm down, and then find your friend." He told Meng Xing.

"How can you be sure that she has not been taken as a prostitute?" Meng Xing asked.

"That depends on how smart your friend is to adapt to her situation, and find a way out to save her life and innocence." Lin Ze answered.

Meng Xing's brow raised. What Lin Ze meant is that whatever happened to his 'friend' after they finally found her is not his problem. Lin Ze's task is only to find this 'friend' and take her back to Meng Xing. As for what this 'friend' had gone through, it was out of Lin Ze's hands.

Well, fair enough. Meng Xing thought and smiled. Lin Ze might be an upright individual, but he is also a realist. He knows that there are things that are beyond his abilities, like snatching a person from Jin Peng. Thus, he can only sneakily take away Meng Xing's 'friend'. Not to mention that he is currently in disguise and is undercover. So, he can't be found out!

"I understand." Meng Xing nodded and smiled as if he was calm, but he was actually disappointed and aggrieved.

Lin Ze looked away. He had to let Meng Xing understand that the world was not as good as he thought it was!