Tian Rulie had nothing to do and noticed that Little Carpenter had been looking gloomy all day, so he decided to tease him a bit. He said, "Hey, you giant baby pulling a long face all day long, wipe that expression off. Big Brother Tian is going to take you somewhere fun."
Little Carpenter asked in bewilderment, "It doesn't matter if you scold me. I'm useless anyway and curse myself every day. What kind of fun place? A woodcraft workshop? Do you know anything about that?"
Tian Rulie flashed a mysterious smile and said, "It's a place that can turn you into a grown man." Without caring what Little Carpenter thought, he forcefully dragged him into the town, pushed through the crowd, and walked familiarly through a number of hidden alleys until they stopped outside a building. Little Carpenter still felt somewhat reserved and socially anxious.
From the outside, this small building looked completely ordinary, but looking inside, it was bustling with life. There were colorful, pretty young women with long legs everywhere. They were dressed more scantily than the last, clearly making it an establishment of dubious nature.
Little Carpenter looked up and saw three large characters: "Forget-Sorrow House". Having no experience with women, he had no idea what this place was, where he was, or what went on here. He turned to Tian Rulie and asked, "This doesn't look like a coffin shop at all. If I need a coffin, I can make one myself. I even know how to make rosewood longevity coffins."
Tian Rulie chuckled. "Obviously not," he said, and shoved him straight inside.
The madam took one look and saw a greenhorn who had just stepped out into the world, followed by a grinning, burly man. For a moment, she couldn't figure out what they were up to, thinking to herself that she had already paid off the local gang bosses. The monthly protection money had been offered up long ago, and these two didn't look like debt collectors.
In an instant, a dozen pairs of women's eyes stared curiously at Little Carpenter. Terrified, Little Carpenter's hands trembled, and he turned around, wanting to rush right out the door.
Tian Rulie quickly blocked the entrance, shoved him back inside, and tossed a ingot of silver to the madam. Seeing such extravagant generosity, the madam didn't care what they were here for and said with a face full of smiles, "Oh my, this lord here, this humble one was blind just now and failed to recognize a towering mountain of a man. You and this, this young master here have come to dip your toes in the water, haven't you? What a coincidence, we just had two dancing girls arrive from the Western Regions, with those willow-slim waists—oh my, the local officials who come here just can't put them down. Don't be modest, come on in. This place is just like your own home."
Little Carpenter's legs trembled with fear. He might be slow, but he wasn't an idiot; anyone, no matter how foolish, could tell what kind of place this was.
Tian Rulie laughed heartily and said, "This friend of mine has suffered setbacks in love. Back in his hometown, he went on blind dates time and again, only to be rejected by the women. They either call him slow or say he's a bumpkin. I'm leaving him entirely in you lovely ladies' hands. Please take good care of him, and I promise you won't walk away empty-handed."
With that, Tian Rulie pulled an oilcloth bundle from his pocket. When he opened it, it was full of precious jewelry like jade bracelets, gold chains, and ivory beads, along with little bottles of women's cosmetics and skincare products. At the sight of these, the women's eyes lit up, and they could barely keep from reaching out to grab them.
Tian Rulie said generously, "Consider these things payment for troubling you older sisters to help the sisters here turn him into a grown man. It's a small token of my appreciation, so please accept it, sisters. You must serve this young master well. I'll come back to pick him up later, and if he has any complaints at all, I'll be taking these back."
Though she was pushing forty, the head courtesan still had plenty of charm left. Her face was caked in a thick layer of powder, but her alluring, curvaceous figure was as fine as it had ever been, still capable of stealing a man's soul. She smiled seductively and said, "Look at what you're saying! Is there anything the sisters can't accomplish? You're teasing us now. Helping this young master grow up is a piece of cake—just leave it to us!"
With that, she waved her hand and gave a wink. Immediately, a group of sisters crowded around, giggling and laughing as they dragged Little Carpenter toward the second floor.
Little Carpenter had never seen such a spectacle in his life. He couldn't even get a word out, his face burning red clear to his ears. His legs had turned to jelly long ago, and he was practically carried up to the second floor amidst the giggles and laughter of a dozen women. With tears in his eyes, Little Carpenter cast a despairing glance at Tian Rulie.
Tian Rulie had already collapsed onto the floor, laughing so hard he couldn't straighten his back, rolling around on the ground with amusement. "Hahahahaha! Let's see you complain now! You were so good at making sarcastic remarks earlier, why aren't you talking anymore? Ah, what's wrong, lost your tongue? Oh wait, I forgot—you're busy kissing a dozen women, of course you don't have time for idle chatter, hahahaha!"
When Tian Rulie finally walked outside, tears of laughter were still streaming down his face. He was truly curious what kind of expression Little Carpenter would have—would he have the pitiful little look of a resentful wife? Hahahahaha.By this point, Little Carpenter was completely numb. Having grown up ordered around in a carpenter's workshop and losing his parents at a young age, he had neither brothers nor sisters. He had never had the chance to deal with women, let alone women who were far from ordinary—they were the most stunning of beauties.
Dumped right into a pile of beauties, he found himself surrounded by a group of gorgeous older sisters, squeezed right in the middle. The sisters looked him over with curiosity. One poked his nose, another stroked his little face, one gripped his hand, while others kneaded his shoulders, massaged the soles of his feet, and thumped his back. For a moment, not a single part of Little Carpenter's body was left idle.
A blend of a maiden's natural fragrance and the scent of rouge and powder drifted into Little Carpenter's nose. Though he had been a bit nervous at first, under the relentless, tag-team relaxation treatment, he had already started closing his eyes and enjoying himself.
The courtesan asked with curiosity, "You don't look like someone who has ever been to a place like ours. What did you do before this?"Little Carpenter looked at the courtesan, and a sudden sense of familiarity welled up in his heart. Though he had never met her before, it was as if they had known each other in a past life—she felt immensely familiar. His initial panic and nervousness vanished without a trace. Looking at her, he said calmly, "I, I, I make wooden handicrafts, truly."
Observing Little Carpenter's clumsiness, a trace of tenderness suddenly welled up in the courtesan's heart. Having spent more than twenty years mingling in this place, she had long since lost her fertility, a sacrifice made for the sake of her work. Children were a taboo here; having a child was a disaster rather than a blessing for a prostitute. Thus, she was accustomed to lecherous, stinking men—high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants alike—but she had never seen such a clumsy, endearing boy like Little Carpenter. A long-dormant surge of maternal tenderness suddenly arose within her.
The courtesan said, "Silly boy, what are you nervous about? Speak properly. My name is Zhou Ting, and everyone here calls me Ting."
Little Carpenter gazed at her fixedly, and in an instant, the entire world fell silent. In his mind, he could only hear her gentle and melodious voice, shutting out the chatter of everyone else.
"Alright, I'll listen to you, Sister Zhou Ting."Nearby, one of the young women blinked in confusion and asked, "Then can you fix a ceiling? My room leaks, and whenever it rains, water drips in. It's so annoying."
Little Carpenter said, "I suppose I was born to be bullied by you lot. Oh well, at least it's better than my former mother cursing at me every day. Lead the way, kind sister."
Xiaohong pursed her lips into a smile and said, "What's with all this 'this sister, that sister' business? My name is Xiaohong."
Little Carpenter smiled and said, "Sister Xiaohong, thank you for massaging my shoulder. Now take me to fix that ceiling."
The other young women curiously followed behind. This was the first time a guest had ended up helping out the women of the courtyard instead.
Little Carpenter didn't know how to do much else, but when it came to anything involving wood, he was in his element. He found a ladder covered in dust in the corner, managed to climb up onto the roof, pulled out his tools, studied the damaged hole for a long time, and set to work trying to patch it up.
Before he knew it, the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn had passed. Little Carpenter wiped the sweat from his brow and shouted down to the people below that it was fixed.
The women below cheered with delight, as if he had accomplished some monumental feat.
Little Carpenter happily climbed down step by step, and the women crowded around him, hugging and kissing him.
Xiaohong pressed right against his cheek to show her gratitude, saying sweetly, "Thank you, little brother. The house finally won't leak anymore."
Xiaolü chimed in, "And me! My stool is broken over there."
Cuinong said, "The leg of my table is a bit crooked, and I can't use it properly anymore."
Ruyu said, "Little brother, help me first! My floorboards are broken over there, and whenever a guest accidentally steps into the gap, they curse me out."
The young women all spoke at once, chattering away in a flurry. Little Carpenter smiled happily and said, "Everyone take your time, one by one. I'll help all of you, no need to rush."
From the day he was born until now, this was the first time so many people needed him. He couldn't help but find a sense of meaning in living, feeling that these sisters who sold their songs—looked down upon as lowly and humble by outsiders—each possessed their own lovable traits.
Little Carpenter bustled from the eastern wing-room to the western rooms. As soon as he finished dismantling something on one side, he rushed off to fix something on the other. He was run off his feet, drenched in sweat, yet for the very first time in his life, he didn't utter a single sarcastic remark all day, smiling so genuinely and happily.Those older sisters had truly grown quite fond of this clumsy yet kind-hearted little brother. This was especially true for the courtesan, who was used to dealing with men. Some of them looked down on women like her, others would act hands-on and grope them the moment they walked in, and still others would curse at them with utter contempt. There were even those who acted completely submissive before entering the room, only to turn completely ruthless the moment they came back out. Then there were the ones dragged in by their ears by their wives, standing right in the courtyard and hurling the ugliest curses imaginable. She had long since grown accustomed to having her dignity trampled underfoot and insulted.
No matter how painful their lives might be, women in their position had no say in their own destinies; they could only choose to endure.
Only the Little Carpenter treated them differently. He did not view them as a mere transaction, nor as commodities to be sold. Instead, he treated these sisters as human beings just like himself, helping them with genuine sincerity. That was truly precious.
A look of admiration shone in her eyes, and she developed a strange and unfamiliar affection for the Little Carpenter—though she herself could not quite explain it.
After working hard all day, the Little Carpenter had collapsed onto the floor and fallen fast asleep. The courtesan personally carried him upstairs, and the sisters washed his feet, changed his clothes, and dried his hair. The courtesan tucked him securely into the warm, fragrant bedclothes, then sat by the bedside to rest until the next morning, when she finally woke him up.
The Little Carpenter was dreaming just then, and as it happened, he dreamed that the courtesan was holding him, gently humming a lullaby to coax him to sleep.
In the dream, the courtesan closed her eyes and hummed, "Good little baby, time for bed, all the pain has flown away, go to sleep now, my good little son."
Half-asleep, he only saw a pure, pale face and heard that melodious, pleasing voice gently speaking to him, "Wake up, Little Carpenter."
Feeling as though he were still dreaming, he mumbled in a daze, "Sister Zhou Ting, Mom, I'm so tired, your son can't sleep anymore."
A shock ran through the courtesan's heart. It was the first time anyone had ever called her that. The surge of tenderness in her heart burst forth, overflowing with maternal love. She reached out and hugged him, gently patting his back and humming a lullaby to soothe him.
The Little Carpenter snapped awake. Seeing the beautiful courtesan holding him as he rested against her chest, he felt a rush of shyness and said, "Morning, Sister Zhou Ting. Good morning. Did I cause you trouble?"
Looking at his face, the courtesan smiled and said, "You helped out so many of our sisters yesterday, and we haven't even thanked you properly. Breakfast is ready downstairs, come on down and eat."
The Little Carpenter said sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I ruined your clothes."
With a gentle smile, the courtesan said, "Silly boy, what were you dreaming about? You were even calling my name in your sleep."
The Little Carpenter's face instantly turned bright red, and he realized she must have heard all of his sleep-talking.Stammering, the Little Carpenter said, "No, not—oh, Sister Zhou Ting, no, really, I didn't—"
With a teasing smile, Sister Zhou Ting said, "Good child, older sister doesn't like people who lie. It's just you and me here, is there anything you can't tell your sister?"
The Little Carpenter's heart fluttered. Breathing in the jasmine scent on Zhou Ting, leaning against her soft shoulder, and listening to her playful tone, he felt utterly intoxicated. He thought to himself that no matter what it was—even if it were the greatest secret in the world—he would be willing to tell her everything.
"Can I, can I, can I tell you anything, Sister Zhou Ting?"
"You can," Zhou Ting smiled.
A sudden thought crossed the Little Carpenter's mind, and he cast a hesitant glance at the courtesan's bright, fair, and delicate face.
The courtesan understood human hearts better than anyone. She asked, "What is it? You were so honest and frank in your dream, and now it's just you and me here—what's there to be shy about? Hehe."
The Little Carpenter sat up straight, fidgeted awkwardly for a long moment, and then shyly said, "Can I, can I... call you Mom?"
A flash of shock crossed the courtesan's beautiful eyes. After a moment, she spoke softly, "You can, but only when it's just the two of us."
Overjoyed, the Little Carpenter threw himself into her arms and cried, "Mom! Good mom!"
The courtesan smiled and said, "Good son, good boy, so obedient! Why did you suddenly want to call me mom?"
The Little Carpenter gave a sheepish grin. Cradled happily in her arms, he acted spoiled and said, "Mom, Mom Zhou Ting, can we be like a real mother and son? Really, Mom. My real mom used to beat and scold me, and I hated her. I was so miserable before, feeling depressed every single day. It's such a pity she died so early. Ah, my only memories of her are brutal beatings and endless lectures."
With deep emotion, the courtesan said, "My good son, Mom is right here. Your mother probably loved you while she was alive, you know? People who don't care about you won't give a damn about your future; there are no parents in this world who don't care about their children. But tell me, do you mind calling me mom? I'm not a respectable woman from a good family; I was sold to this place when I was little. My life up until now has been nothing more than one man after another. Even so, you still don't despise me and are willing to treat me as your real mother?"
The Little Carpenter said, "I don't mind at all, Mom. I've never felt any warmth before, which is why I grew to despise everyone. That master of mine was the same—at the slightest disagreement he'd make me pour his foot-washing water and force me to sleep in the pigsty, never treating me like a human being. Mom, you are the only one who treats me well. You are my real mother, Zhou Ting, my mother."
Deeply moved, the courtesan smiled and said, "There. My good son, I know. From now on, I am your real mother. Good son, so obedient, my sweet little darling. But Mom has to tell you something, though: the mother who gave birth to you did it for your own good. She had a bitter life herself, which is why she didn't want you to suffer through hardships like she did. Do you understand, son?"
The Little Carpenter nodded and said, "Mom, I understand. I won't blame them anymore, and I'll never be stubborn with them again, Mom."
The courtesan gently pinched his little nose and smiled, "Silly boy, that's Mom's good son."
The Little Carpenter grinned foolishly, calling out "Mom, Mom" over and over again.
With a chuckle, the courtesan said, "Alright, my good son, we mother and son have plenty of time ahead of us to spend together. Go downstairs and eat, my good son. Will you listen to Mom?"
"I'll listen to you, Mom," the Little Carpenter replied. He hurriedly got up, rushed downstairs, and eagerly began to eat.
Tears of emotion welled up in the courtesan's eyes. Wiping them away, she moved with light steps down the stairs. She had long harbored the thought of leaving this place; in fact, she had saved up enough money long ago to buy her freedom, but she had never found a reason to leave. Besides, she couldn't have children—and among the women who left this place, which of them ever met a good end? If they weren't despised, they were molested, and in the end, they invariably ended up destitute on the streets.
Yet now, with the Little Carpenter, her resolve to leave this place solidified once more, and she quietly made up her mind.
The Little Carpenter went around to say goodbye to all the older sisters one by one. They were all rather reluctant to part with the little brother who had helped them fix their houses, taking turns to hug him. When the Little Carpenter thought about how he would never again see these sisters who had treated him with genuine kindness, he felt a deep wave of sadness. He sincerely wished them a good life ahead and that they would find their own happiness. When he had first arrived yesterday, the place had been filled with laughter and chatter, but now that he was leaving, everyone was sniffing and crying instead, quite reluctant to let him go.
The madam merely sneered to herself, thinking, "What a bunch of foxes. They're usually never this good at acting when dealing with men, but now, facing a little brat who hasn't even grown all his hair yet, they're showing genuine emotion—who do they think they're fooling? No wonder they say whores are heartless and actors are unfaithful. Putting on an act as if it's all real."
The courtesan walked over and whispered a few words into the madam's ear. A look of complete shock crossed the madam's face, and she pointed at the Little Carpenter. The courtesan nodded firmly. Rather sentimentally, the madam said, "You've stayed by this old woman's side for over twenty years. Why bother with such a hopeless little brat? Have you forgotten how those men out there view the women in our place?"
With unwavering resolve, the courtesan said, "I know. But since I've chosen this, it is my fate, and I don't regret it."
The madam sighed, "For more than twenty years, I had originally planned for you to take over my place. Oh well, go on then, all of you. After all, women like us are nothing more than a bunch of rootless duckweed, and in the end, we won't even have a burial place. How many more years does this rotten skin of mine have left anyway?"
The courtesan produced a pouch of gold and silver and handed it to her. Without even counting it, the madam simply nodded and agreed to let her leave.
The Little Carpenter walked over to Zhou Ting and said, "Mom, I want to take you to meet my friends. Before we leave, I still want to see them."
Zhou Ting said, "Alright. Wherever we go from now on, Mom will stay with you."
Hand in hand, the mother and son walked away from this place of heartbreak. Behind them, the group of young sisters watched the departing figure of Zhou Ting with sorrow, envying her ability to leave this place of her own accord, while they themselves still had to remain in this sunless abyss, spending year after year, with no idea how much longer it would take to find release.
Looking at Zhou Ting's retreating figure, the madam sneered, "How naive, actually trusting a little boy. It won't be long before you're begging me to let you come back—we'll see what you do then!"