The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,63
chairs, puffing on his pipe, his eyes half-lidded as he watched Mei Lien. His gaze hadn’t left her all night, and although he had yet to speak to her, she knew that Ah-Peen Oie was furious. The mistress flirted and chatted with all the other men, including Zhang Wei from time to time, but the red stain along her neck told Mei Lien enough.
She would not escape punishment for this.
And then it happened.
“Mei Lien,” Zhang Wei said from across the room. Somehow his low voice cut through the din of conversation and laughter.
She turned from where she had been speaking to another courtesan.
The edges of his mouth lifted. “Tell me a story of your home.”
It was a trick question, one in which she would be tested for her cleverness and quick wit. Zhang Wei didn’t really want to hear about her widowed mother and the hours spent working in the fields. He wanted to be entertained.
A hush had fallen over the group, although no one seemed to be paying attention to them. Mei Lien was not fooled. The Chinese courtesans used both ears—one for the person they were speaking to, and one for the person they were spying on.
With no other choice, unless she wanted to embarrass everyone and bring down the reputation of the house, Mei Lien crossed to Zhang Wei.
He nodded at the nearby chair, and she sat, folding her hands in her lap. She had hidden the pearl bracelet beneath her mattress. There was no way she wanted the others to see such a precious gift.
Mei Lien sorted through many tales she had heard, some from her childhood, and others she’d heard recited by other courtesans. She settled for the girl on the moon—Chang E—and told how she was exiled from heaven with the Jade Emperor’s son, Hou Yi, for displeasing the emperor. Chang E and Hou Yi worked together to find the elixir of life so they could regain their position in heaven. Chang E drank it all, and she became too buoyant for earth and instead floated up to the sky and landed on the moon.
“Chang E still lives on the moon,” Mei Lien said. “And that is why we eat mooncake every autumn.” As if to prove her point, Mei Lien lifted a mooncake from the silver tray in front of her and took a delicate bite.
A few of the men clapped lightly. The courtesans giggled behind their fans. Ah-Peen Oie said nothing. Then everyone waited for Zhang Wei’s pronouncement. He smiled, then chuckled. It might have been a delayed reaction, but there was no doubt that he was showing his pleasure at the tale. Mei Lien had never seen the man smile, and she could see why Ah-Peen Oie was possessive of him.
“You are a dainty thing, aren’t you?” Zhang Wei’s gaze slid over her.
Mei Lien didn’t know how to respond. Was he giving her his approval? She didn’t dare look over where Ah-Peen Oie stood, likely pretending to be interested in another conversation.
Zhang Wei leaned forward slightly, but it was enough to catch Ah-Peen Oie’s attention. Mei Lien found she was holding her breath. What would he do? What would he say?
“Do not accept any other offers tonight,” he said. “I paid dearly to get rid of Huan Sun.”
Mei Lien stared at the man. “What?” Her throat was suddenly bitter. “What did you do?” But she knew.
Zhang Wei was a powerful tong leader. He could do anything he wanted—including ruining another man’s livelihood.
Zhang Wei’s dark eyes narrowed. “I wanted you to myself.”
One moment his eyes were on her; the next moment, he had risen from his chair. The knowledge of what Zhang Wei had done to Huan Sun for her shoved guilt into her heart like a dagger. She sat perfectly still while her stomach tried to rebel from the anger and disgust battling inside her. Anger at Zhang Wei and disgust at herself. How had she become the cause of Huan Sun’s downfall? This was her fault. She wanted to flee the room, wanted to scream out her agony. Instead, she barely breathed as she watched Zhang Wei cross to Ah-Peen Oie. The mistress graciously accepted a kiss on the cheek, then listened as he spoke into her ear. The woman’s face pinked, and her gaze cut to Mei Lien.
The hatred in Ah-Peen Oie’s eyes sliced through Mei Lien like lightning. When the mistress looked back at Zhang Wei, she smiled prettily, then nodded.