Chapter 9: Posing

The three of them walked out the main door under everyone’s curious gazes, only Wu Liniang showed a faint smile. She had only asked them to go out and attract customers, but had never said they had to go out individually and couldn’t cooperate together…

Everyone stared blankly. Liu Liwa made the two women stand on the high steps outside the door. Without avoiding suspicion, he started directly posing them. Qin Wan’er had a tall and slender figure, wearing a white Silk Dress, giving a feeling of elegance and transcendence, as if untouched by worldly dust. Paired with her aloof yet dangerous aura, she seemed even more ethereal. So, Liu Liwa lifted her chin with his finger, making her raise her head slightly at a 45-degree angle. With both hands, he gently adjusted two strands of tassels hanging by her temples. This seemingly simple pose perfectly displayed her unique fairy-like temperament, as if she were the lonely Moon Goddess gazing upon the vast, boundless starry sky from her palace, admiring her own beauty!

As for the Little Loli, Xinying, Liu Liwa had her stand right next to Qin Wan’er. The height difference didn’t matter; she slightly crouched, making her appear even more petite and adorable. Liu Liwa tugged at the corners of her mouth, forcing a smile. The girl had a dimple on each cheek, adding to her cuteness. With her knees slightly bent, she tilted her body to one side, one hand on her hip and the other supporting her chin, like a cute angel from the clouds who had just fallen to the mortal world, curiously examining her new surroundings—both lively and charming!

And so, under the artistic hands of Master Liu, two vivid and beautiful statues were born. As an elite manager, photography was a basic skill for him, though in the past, he photographed Sister Feng and Furong. Now, with two stunning beauties in front of him, he felt immensely proud of his profession and thoroughly understood the emotions Teacher Edison Chen must have felt while taking photos!

Although the two women were posed like statues, looking even more enchanting and adorable, everyone was still confused about what Liu Liwa intended to do. Wu Liniang couldn’t resist standing up and walking to the door to see what he was up to. Just then, Yang Xiaosi whispered in her ear, “Madam, that man is Liu Liwa, the son of the Prime Minister. The tall woman is Qin Wan’er, daughter of the Minister of Rites, and the short one is Meng Xinying, young lady from the Minister of Works’ family.”

Wu Liniang nodded silently. Here, even if you were the Queen Mother of the West descending to the mortal realm, you had to obediently serve customers!

At that moment, Liu Liwa somehow pulled out two copper basins that the girls used for washing feet and clanged them together fiercely, creating a jarring, ear-piercing noise like the rhythm of a yangko song played on a gong—fast and lively, clang clang clang…

This street was the city’s main thoroughfare, especially early in the morning when all sorts of people passed through. The hustle and bustle of carriages and horses made it exceptionally lively. Liu Liwa’s banging made all the passersby stop and see what madness he was up to—this kind of bizarre behavior was unheard of.

As more and more people gathered outside the Intoxication Pavilion, not only looking at Liu Liwa but also many male admirers catching sight of the two “statue women,” discussions broke out everywhere. Finally, Liu Liwa spoke. He took a deep breath and announced, “Come one, come all, and take a look! The newest, most gorgeous, most beautiful girls of the Intoxication Pavilion are freshly presented…”

His loud shout, combined with the bustling street filled with shops, taverns, and inns where people had just woken up, instantly drew the attention of every male—adolescent and above, pre-menopausal and below, married or unmarried—all swarming over at the mention of the sensitive word “girls.”

In an instant, a crowd of about a hundred people gathered, completely blocking the entrance of the Intoxication Pavilion. Dozens of fiery, eager eyes shot toward Qin Wan’er and Xinying—one like a fairy descended to earth, the other like a sprite visiting the mortal realm. Though there were only two, they possessed qualities to satisfy every male admirer’s taste. Liu Liwa even seemed to hear the howls of desire rising from their hearts.

As for Qin Wan’er and Xinying, this was definitely their first time facing such public scrutiny; it felt like being paraded in shame. Despite Qin Wan’er’s bold personality and Xinying’s innocent naivety, they were still young ladies and felt immensely embarrassed. With a soft cry, Qin Wan’er was the first to cover her face and dash back inside the Intoxication Pavilion. Xinying, following her lead, playfully stuck out her tongue and fluttered away like a little butterfly, leaving behind a chorus of disappointed sighs.

Liu Liwa smiled inwardly. This wasn’t part of the plan; it was their spontaneous reaction, but it suited his intentions perfectly. Seeing the crowd of admirers still craving more, and noticing even more men in the distance rushing over without having even seen the girls, he felt thrilled. He was playing hard to get, making a rare commodity seem even more precious. Why were limited edition items so sought after? Because they were rare. Why did Faye Wong’s endorsement fees stay so high? Because she didn’t take just any advertisement. Why did Cang Jingkong come to China to develop her career while her pay in Japan dropped sharply? Because she accepted everything… Anyway, that’s the general idea—you know what I mean!

As soon as Qin Wan’er and Xinying ran off, Liu Liwa immediately said, “Everyone saw that, right? Those two young ladies just now have recently joined our Intoxication Pavilion. They are stunningly beautiful, enough to topple cities and outshine the moon and flowers! What do you all think?”

His question immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers, who started discussing excitedly: “Not bad, really not bad. I’d say even those well-bred young ladies from noble families are no better!” “Not just that—the younger one especially has that sweet, charming appeal that wins people’s hearts!”

Liu Liwa listened with a smile. Inside the door, Qin Wan’er and the other woman were so embarrassed they wished they could burrow into the ground—never before had they been so publicly appraised by men. The beautiful Madam Wu Liniang frowned slightly, listening carefully to what Liu Liwa would say next.

Suddenly, someone shouted, “These two women sure are pretty, but there’s only two of them! How are we supposed to share?”

Wu Liniang froze—this was her biggest fear. Every Pleasure House had its leading lady, the star performer, but a Pleasure House couldn’t rely on just one star to serve customers. A star could entertain VIPs, but she absolutely must not overshadow the other girls. Now that Liu Liwa had showcased these two, they certainly attracted attention, but in doing so, people might lose interest in the other girls…

Just then, Liu Liwa spoke up. With a lewd expression and ambiguous tone, like a long-deprived opium smoker finally getting a satisfying puff, he said, “Only two? Our Intoxication Pavilion is a grand establishment with many girls blooming like a hundred flowers. These two naturally have their unique charms, but the other girls are also incredibly beautiful and enchanting. Some are elegant and refined, some are seductive and charming, some are slender and graceful, some are plump and soft. This place is a whole garden of flowers—why cling to just one peony and give up the entire garden? If you don’t believe me, come visit in the evening. Follow the fragrance to the girls’ chambers. After they bathe in scented basins, you can help each other onto the ivory bed. Then you’ll see their soft jade-like bodies, their perky bosoms, their Jin Lian-like feet held up… They’ll make you feel like you’re floating up to the highest heavens, forgetting all life’s troubles…”

After finishing, Liu Liwa let out a soft breath, as if he himself were in that wonderful scenario. The crowd of unsatisfied men in front of him felt equally stirred; some were even itching to try their “five dragons embracing the pillar” skill right then and there…