C141 Half a month ago

It rained half a month ago.

The business of the Beauty Pavilion was flourishing, the girls were buying customers, and the men were getting drunk.

There was a little fire girl named Li Shang. This name was given to her by her father. She was an Elementary Scholar who had read many books, but had died of lung disease in the winter.

Many people could not understand why the name "Shang" would be used here. It did not have a good meaning.

When his father was alive, he told her it was in memory of her mother.

His father's death lasted until his death.

Many people had died from the plague in Li Shang's hometown. A child of her age had fled the village with her.

The child was also an orphan with no one to rely on. Two sad girls who had been through many hardships had to depend on each other for survival.

But how difficult it was for them to survive, begging in the streets, getting hired to plant seedlings, going up the mountains to chop wood … As long as it was within their capabilities, they had done it before.

Later, on a fortuitous occasion, the two of them were picked up by the brothel's bawd and sent to the Beauty Pavilion.

The bawd saw that they were still young and wanted to raise them for a few more years, so they became little girls who could barely eat their fill.

Shang had always been careful not to show off. She was young and very beautiful, but in a place like this, beauty was a burden.

As a result, she had been disguising herself as ugly, wearing tattered clothes and using black and gray to cover her face.

That girl was different. She showed the best to others, and very quickly, she became a real brothel girl.

She still remembered the night when the Begonia picked up the guest, when Li Shang was sitting in the kitchen, looking at the raging fire in the kitchen, her tears gushing out like a spring.

Why would the Begonia make such a choice? Was it not good to live on in cleanliness? Even begging again was better than being abused by a man.

The next day, the crabapple cannot get up from the bed. The old procuress knew that the two sisters were on good terms with each other, so she asked Li Shang to personally send her a bowl of porridge.

The Begonia was smiling as she finished the bowl of porridge. The first thing she said was: "Liushang, do you blame me?"

Shang did not expect her emotions to change so quickly. One moment she was smiling, the next her face was stiff.

"Not surprising." Shang shook his head, but his heart felt particularly uncomfortable. The present Begonia and he were probably not the same person anymore.

She became what men and women called a whore, a whore...

He was still that ordinary little flame girl.

"Actually, it's nothing. Really, after accepting this guest, I can make money, earn a lot of money, ransom myself, and leave this damn place with an inexhaustible amount of silver." Although it was not as big as the other girls' rooms, it was more than enough to play with the guests.

"I know." After Shang answered, he took the tray and left with a blank face, closing the door behind him.

A cry of pain came from the room. It was said that the guest last night had whipped her all night long. When she was eating the porridge, she had clearly seen the long red marks on her arm.

This kind of 'thrilling' night was worth fifty silver taels.

Since then, Begonia's business got better and better, but her reputation also got worse and worse.

Shang was in the kitchen, listening to the girls' discussion with mixed feelings.

"The Begonia sure is brave, even daring to snatch the Courtesan Belle's guest."

"Yeah, that woman must have gone crazy from thinking about money."

"I think so too. She has already been reduced to a prostitute. What does she still care about being innocent for?"

Shang tightly clenched his fist, his heart as sharp as a knife.

She hated it when people said that about Begonia. Although it seemed to be the truth, she just couldn't accept it.

The bawd went into the kitchen and called Li Shang out.

"Originally, I wanted to raise you for a few more days, but look, Begonia is about the same age as you, and already we have endless patrons. I think it's better for you to dress yourself up and receive our guest tonight."

To her, these words were like a bolt out of the blue.

There seemed to be something stuck in her throat. She wanted to speak, but was unable to because she knew that she had no right to refuse.

At this moment, Begonia walked over with a sweet smile. "Mum seems to be in too much of a hurry. I'm afraid the customer will dislike her with her appearance."

"Although mother is old, her eyes are not blind. How can I not know how she looks like? As the saying goes, gold will always shine, and a mere layer of black ash will not be able to stop it. " The bawd stepped forward and tried to wipe Li Shang's face clean with a handkerchief.

However, Begonia stretched out her hand to stop him, "Give her another month, she doesn't know anything now. I'll teach her, don't worry, mom. I'll make her more outstanding than me."

With a firm tone and a serious expression, the old procuress could only step back.

"Alright, I'll leave Shang with you. You two are on good terms and it's convenient for you to speak." Then he started to leave.

Shang, however, smiled wryly in his heart. Good relationship? Where did good feelings come from? That was before, but now? But she had to teach herself how to please men.

Was this what she thought her sister should do?

The rain got heavier and heavier, leaving her with a despairing shadow: "Come to my room tonight."

A girl who heard what they had said just now walked up to Li Shang and asked, "Will she teach you well?" I'm afraid that it's too late for you to fight over the guest with her. A woman's heart is like the bottom of the sea.

Li Shang ran into the rain, squatting and bawling on the ground, her arms wrapped around her knees, her tears and the rain mixing together.

His father had taught her to love herself, her father had taught her to be honest, but now? Everything went in the opposite direction of her faith.

In the corridor of the pavilion, a certain woman quietly watched the rain falling on Li Shang, her eyes cold.

The night came quickly, and with heavy steps, Li Shang slowly climbed the stairs.

When he reached the door, he heard a familiar voice, "The door can be pushed open."

Sure enough, she was waiting for him.

In fact, Shang had always been arrogant, but tonight, her arrogance was gradually eroding.

Begonia sat on the bed and pointed to a bowl of ginger soup on the table, "You got drenched in the rain today, drink it."

Li Shang looked up at her in disbelief, asking as if, "How do you know?"

"Since I gave up the great opportunity to receive you guests today to teach you, then you must properly learn, don't disappoint me." You are an extremely good beauty. If I had your face, why would I worry about not obtaining the title of Courtesan Belle? "

Li Shang held Jiang Tang in his mouth, unwilling to swallow it down. Her eyes were filled with grief and indignation.

The flower naturally noticed him and smiled contemptuously: "Guest, you don't like women with big tempers. You're too stubborn, it's best to keep it."

"I thought you hadn't lost your heart. Unexpectedly, you still changed." Shang swallowed, and spoke in a sorrowful voice.

Actually, she should have thought about it long ago. How much did she, who only knew about money, value sisterhood?

It was already good that she didn't want to add insult to injury, what more could he expect.

This was how the mundane world would slowly wither up a pure white lotus flower.