202 chapter 19“When I’m hungry, I’ll eat,” Xia said with a small smile. Yes, he was rich enough to afford to eat anything he wants all his life. But he never liked wasting food, so he only ordered what he wanted and ate it clean. He rolled up his sleeve, ready to go in and devour the tasty pork dish in there.
“Young man….. this…..I guess what you say is also logical,” the masked man accepted. It was healthy for men to hold on to these urges or they might become barren. Still…. his son had a lover, why didn’t he sate his thirst with him. Why did he come all the way to a courtesan house to take care of himself? So many questions swirled his mind.
While he was about too utter them out, his son had already dashed into the red house. There he stood frozen with his hands outstretched. As much as he wanted to follow and check up on him, going to a courtesan’s house was something he did not wish to do. He still loved his dear departed wife. He did not want to taint her memories with him.
“Aren’t …. going to do something? Follow?” a soft voice stuttered behind him. There was no hesitation in the voice; it was as if the speaker was inherently speak disabled.
“My son….. he deserves his freedom. Let him do what he wished to do,” he sighed. He had been away from his child for many centuries. Before he could realize he had grown up into a fine young man who can make his own decisions.
The masked man gazed over to his left. A refined young lad stood next to him but he was wearing black rusted armour. Even so, his aura did not diminish to the slightest.
“Are you comfortable to the changes?” the masked man said.
“im getting…. used,” the man stuttered. When he spoke his jaws moved abnormally but his face still remained of that of a refined man.
This man was none other than the ghoul. The masked man had met him sulking next to the ravine. At first looking at his outfit, he knew that this ghoul had been a heavens official. So he planned to ignore it. The ghoul kept following him with a lost look on his face.
.....
“we are enemies we should not walk the same path,” he gestured for him to move forward. But the ghoul stuck beside him with a pitiful look.
“My…. highness? going….. town,” he said in broken words. His rotten jaw kept locking in a weird angle that he kept adjusting.
“Your highness who?” The masked man whispered. He peered at his pitiful look and sighed. From the extent of wounds on his rotten body, he could see sword marks of his friend Icarus. “are you talking about that royal brat?” he whispered gesturing to his shoulders. He even showed him a painting for which the ghoul nodded.
“Looks like you serve my enemy even after death,….’sigh,’ never mind, I will help you find your master,” he said and the ghoul perked up.
“On one condition…..I want you to protect my son,” the masked man said.
The ghoul had a skeptical look on his face. “Who son?” he stuttered.
“Your Highnesses Lover, Xia Che,” he said proudly.
The ghoul gasped. “but... my servitude only…royal,” he said.
“I understand but that why I’m asking you to protect him. After his marriage to your highness, my son would be your royal family too,” the masked man said like he was coaxing a child.
He really needed someone strong next to his son protecting him all the time. Of course he could do it, but his son seems to hate him a little. So he could only watch from a distance. Like last time when the Kirin attacked, he was not able to block it for his son.
The ghoul contemplated for a while and agreed. He was under the heavenly royal’s servitude. This way he would be to keep his highness content as well.
Since both party agreed the deal, both the masked man and the ghoul travelled together to Suikal following after Xia and gang.
They book a room in the nearby inn to them so as not a raise any suspicions. Along the way, the people kept giving weird looks at them. More likely it was pointed at the rotting corpse walking next to him.
‘We are attracting too much attention,’ the masked man thought and dragged the ghoul over to a passageway. “Listen, I am going to do a small touch up to your…..” he pointed to his rotting face and body.
The ghoul tilted his head with a confused look.
“I’ll take that as a yes,”
The masked man summoned a small clay ball and started kneading it.
It was the same color of our skin. It was Soft and malleable, so the masked man was able to mold things out soon. He first molded a nose, a pair of lips and a layer of skin.
He softly placed them over the corpse’s face. The layer instantly stuck to him and molded itself more. Soon his unsightly face became as handsome as a prince.
“It looks good,” the masked man smirked at him.
The ghoul nodded.
Both of them walked around and by chance came across Xia Che, who was standing out the courtesan’s house. He ran over to warn him.
And ended up getting brushed off by his dear, lovely son.
“we….go,” the ghoul pointed to the courtesans house.
After some hesitation the masked man whispered, “No,” he turned around and left.
Meanwhile, Xia was really enjoying his time. As soon as he entered the establishment, he spotted few young ladies standing around in skimpy clothes, but he didn’t think much of it.
One of the older looking women rushed over to him and welcomed him.
“Young lamb, what do you want? A room for two? Or a room fro three. We have many choices you can choose from,” a courtesan said, pointing to few of the girls who were standing in line.
Xia nodded and said, “I want a table,”
The entire establishment was astonished. They had never had a customer who requested for a table. ‘Is he going to do everything on a table? That sounds Kinky,’ the courtesans thought and secretly giggled.
All the while, Xia was ignorant about what was happening around him. He was mesmerized by the porky fragrance coming from the hallway.
The courtesan worked quickly and arranged a huge table next to the window and gestured for him to take a seat.
“You don’t have to make a choice immediately. How about I let them serve you for a while then you chose your favorite eh, little lamb,” she said patting his cheeks.
“mnn okay,”
The older courtesan patted his cheeks again and walked away. The ten girls standing near the doorway entered and sat around him.
“Young master, what would you like to play?” one of the beautiful women said.
“Playing? I will be eating,” Xia said with sparkling eyes.
The girls blinked. ‘Eat? Does he mean to eat* us? Wow, this young master is so bold,’ they thought as they inched closer.
Xia summoned little Raijin from his space and placed him on the table.
But for the courtesan who were watching, it looked like he took the pup out of his wide sleeves. So it did not raise any issue.
“I will be having a bowl of noodle soup, pork dumplings and two servings of pork ball gravy. This little guy needs to eat,” Xia pointed at Raijin.
The ten girls froze. “Excuse me?” she whispered.
“Yes?” Xia gazed at her and blinked.
“Are you perhaps here for…..the food?” she whispered with an awkward expression.
“Yes!! I am!! Your cook is doing a good job. It smells so good,” Xia said licking his lips. Just sniffing the scent made him salivate.
Knowing that this young master did not have such intentions, the courtesan backed away. It was really refreshing to watch an innocent lamp walk into a red house just to eat. Some of them chuckled out loud.
“Oh, it’s our lady Bai that is making breakfast. She has been said to have magic hands when it comes to household skills,” one of them said.
Xia nodded. He really did not have such skills at all. He could cook something that is edible, but he could not master cooking as well as his mother.
Thinking about his mother made him even more anxious. When he was anxious, he got hungrier. And when he ate, he kept thinking about his mother. This was a vicious cycle of thinking, getting anxious and eating the stress away.
Soon his huge table was filled with colorful dished filled to the brim with tasty food and wine. Xia thoroughly enjoyed the company of these wonderful young women. Even though along the way the woman had admitted that they were indeed courtesan, he still respected them with all his heart.
It was but their job; it does not define their character.
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