The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,36
some sort of guard or sentinel, and the look on her face told Mei Lien that there was no use asking any questions.
“Three thousand,” Uncle growled. “You saw for yourself she is prettier than any girl in Chinatown. The men will pay double the price of a white woman.”
What was Uncle talking about? Why were they speaking of the price of women as if they were something to be bought and sold?
One of the men offered two thousand, eight hundred.
Uncle raised his hands. “Enough. We will take her elsewhere. There are others—”
“All right,” the man said. “Three thousand. And I want her right now. No delay.”
Uncle nodded, then motioned toward Auntie. “Come and witness Wang Foo’s counting.”
Mei Lien wondered if she were dreaming, or, more accurately, in the middle of a nightmare. Perhaps she was still below deck on the ship, and when she awoke, she would discover that they had yet to land in San Francisco. But no, Auntie stood next to Uncle and the remaining man as he counted out bills reaching three thousand dollars.
Auntie nodded after the money was counted, then she loaded the bills into Uncle’s trunk.
Wang Foo smiled, stretching his wide face even more, then bowed before Uncle. “On your way out, send in my procuress.”
What did he mean, procuress? Was Mei Lien to be a wife or not? And why had there been such a large money exchange?
Uncle opened the door of the hotel room. He cast a glance toward Mei Lien, his expression hooded and unreadable.
Auntie crossed to Mei Lien. “Your trunk will be left downstairs. Do not cause trouble. If you do, your ancestors will curse you, and your mother will be left to starve in the streets. One bad word about you, and she’ll be tossed out of her home and shamed. Do you want that?”
Mei Lien fought against the bile stinging her throat. “No.”
“Good.” Auntie turned away.
Panic raced through Mei Lien’s veins. “Auntie,” she cried. “Is this man to be my husband, then?”
Auntie stilled but didn’t turn around. “No, Mei Lien. You are to keep Wang Foo happy, though. Your life and your mother’s life depend upon it.”
The door opened then, and a woman stepped through. She was tall for a Chinese woman, and although she was years past her youth, she was beautiful, with creamy skin, perfect rosebud lips, and dark, soulful eyes.
The woman nodded a greeting to Auntie, but neither of them spoke. When the door shut behind Auntie, the woman looked over at Wang Foo. “Is this the girl?” she asked in a lilting tone that reminded Mei Lien of a cooing dove.
“Yes,” Wang Foo said. “She is yours now. We paid three thousand for her, and I expect every bit of that back as soon as possible.”
The woman smiled, and it completely transformed her face. Her beauty had been noticeable before, but now it was breathtaking. She advanced toward Mei Lien. The woman’s walk was just as lilting as her speech, due to her bound feet.
When the woman stopped before her, she was still smiling her beautiful smile, yet Mei Lien didn’t see any warmth in her eyes. Her gaze was sharp, assessing, and despite Mei Lien’s being fully clothed, she felt as if this woman could see past every layer and stitch.
“What is your name?” she asked, her lilting voice like a musical bird, entrancing.
Mei Lien opened her mouth and found her own voice scratchy. “Mei Lien.”
“Mei Lien,” the woman repeated. “I am Ah-Peen Oie Kum, and you now belong to me. You will do as I say. You will not speak unless you have permission. And you will earn back every cent of that three thousand Wang Foo paid for you.”
“Will he be my husband?”
Ah-Peen Oie lifted her hand and struck Mei Lien.
The resounding slap echoed in the room, and it took several moments for Mei Lien to comprehend that the sharp cry had been her own.
Mei Lien’s cheek throbbed, and her eyes watered. Not even her own mother had ever struck her. Mei Lien covered her burning cheek with her hand and straightened from the wall. She didn’t know what she was going to do, but it wasn’t remaining here, with these people.
“You’ve already forgotten the rules?” Ah-Peen Oie mocked. “Such a foolish girl. Do not speak unless you have permission.” The woman’s hand clamped down on Mei Lien’s wrist and began to twist, slowly and painfully. “Perhaps this will help you remember.”
Mei Lien gasped as Ah-Peen Oie continued to twist until she