Mo Yan in the Book 161 - 165

 

161 Maid:

A stone-laid path led to a little stone bridge over a clear pool. The sound of water eased one’s impatience. On the other side of the bridge was an elegant courtyard where Mo Yan was lazily curled up on a chaise lounge enjoying the sun. Not far from her two handsome men watched her.

‘It’s been a month.’ Muchen said with a sigh, ‘watching her enjoy herself like this everyday, I can’t bear to disturb her.’ Watching her laze in the sun like a contented cat, his jumpy heart calmed. He greedily took in her delicate skin, plump red lips and glittery almond eyes. (Zuben: Is his heart jumpy because he’s had no pump-y?)

Hanyu laughed at his friend, ‘Go finish today’s meeting, then you can come right back and keep gawking.’

Before they left, they took one last look at her.

‘Miss Mo,’ a maid softly called, ‘Miss Mo…?’

Mo Yan woke up from her daze, ‘What’s the matter?’ her voice was muffled from sleep. The delicate sound made one want to hold her in their arms and pamper her. (Zuben: Who? The obviously up to no good maid?)

‘I’m sorry to wake you, but Mr Gong wanted to speak to you, and instructed me to bring you to him.’ The maid said softly.

Mo Yan looked at her dazedly, before taking a sip from the cup of tea near her, ‘Did he say what he wanted?’

‘No. He merely instructed me to bring you to the courtyard on the other side.’

Mo Yan watched the maid for a moment, before rising, ‘Let’s go.’

‘This way please,’ the maid led her through the paths to the other side completely avoiding anyone else on the way.

Mo Yan frowned at the maid as they walked, ‘Why haven’t I seen any one else today? This path is…?’

‘The front courtyard is cleaned in the afternoon. And only the gentlemen and a few other people are allowed to come to the north side.’

They came before an ornate white painted gate that led to what looked like an overgrown garden.

‘Here we are, I can’t follow you in because I am not allowed. Mr Gong is waiting for you inside.’ The maid said as she opened the gate and bowed respectfully.

Mo Yan went through the gate into the garden. Once she was out of sight, a man stepped out of the foliage and went up to the gate. His fingers typed assuredly on the touchscreen next to the gate and there was a crisp sound of the gate locking.

‘Darling, this should stop you from worrying.’

‘Thank you. There has never been another woman in this castle before, now there is Miss Mo. You wouldn’t believe how she looks as me, like…like I was something dirty.’ She said pitifully to the man, nestling in his arms and crying, ‘I really thing the gentlemen are being fooled by her. What to do…?’

Her sad pitiful appearance made him sad and angry, but he didn’t realise hidden under her hand, her eyes held a glint of cruelty.

‘It’s alright. We’re going to teach her a good lesson. When she’s found, they would think she just wandered in there. Don’t cry.’

‘Are you sure? No one will suspect me…?’ she asked her watery eyes made the guard’s heart feel distressed. (Zuben: Doesn’t the person whom you took inside have a mouth?)

‘Don’t worry. When you went to get her, I got the person on the surveillance to make sure it wasn’t working for fifteen minutes. He owes me a lot of money. Besides, the gentlemen have things to do today, they wouldn’t notice, and probably won’t be back tonight. Even if we’re discovered, I will take the blame. Don’t you worry.’

‘So, she’s locked in there…?’ (Zuben: Why does every woman want to kill Mo Yan? Can’t you be like; you don’t like them? Let’s help you escape. I’ll gladly replace you!)

‘Yes. You won’t see her for a while. We can have some time alone. Come to my room okay?’

162 The North Courtyard

It was quiet here, and the garden was dense. There were high walls that made it feel like it was another place entirely. It looked like the gate was the only entrance.

After looking around, she couldn’t find Gong Qiye, so she went back to the gate to find it locked.

‘Damn it. Why on earth was I tricked? Damn, I need a password to open it.’ She sighed. She didn’t have her phone so she had to go to the gazebo to wait until someone came looking for her.

She sat on a garden chair and took off her shoes. As she massaged her legs, she went a cold shiver run up her back. She looked behind her, in the dense foliage was a pair of sharp blue eyes staring at her. Out of the jungle emerged a large white body with black lines.

Why did they have a tiger? Mo Yan wondered stiff with fear.

🜟

The maid ran to the guard, ‘They’re back early, Mr Yao! What are we going to do?’

‘Don’t worry. I haven’t fed the tiger lunch today, so it’s too late. It’s been an hour since we locked her inside. They won’t find out anything. Especially with the cameras being dead at the time.’

🜟

As soon as Qiye and Situ Yi arrived back, they asked the housekeeper Li, ‘Where is Miss Mo?’

‘She should be napping in the west courtyard. I took her some tea just before Mr Xiao and Mr Ye left.’ Li said taking their things from them.

‘That little pig, she just eats and sleeps all day,’ Yi said dotingly. They walked out to the west courtyard, but they didn’t see her on the lounge. And her cup of tea was still sitting beside it. They looked at each other in puzzlement, and walked around the courtyard, they couldn’t find her.

‘She’s not in the usual places.’ Qiye said to Yi, ‘Lets go to the security feed room and check on the monitors.’

In the surveillance room, two men sat watching the monitors.

‘Call up the feed for 2.0.’

‘Pardon me, sir, I was going to inform you when you returned, the monitor at 2.0 suddenly died for about fifteen minutes. We asked the works team to have a look at it, but they didn’t find any issues.’

Yi’s face turned angry as he roared, ‘If it was broken, shouldn’t we be notified immediately?! All a lot of rubbish. Get Li to find who was on duty and gather them all to the east courtyard.’

He and Qiye returned to the study, and pushed a button at the back of one of the book cases. The shelf slid aside and revealed a room full of monitors. They quickly rewound the feed to when Mo Yan was last seen. The recording showed Mo Yan being led to the north courtyard by a maid and one of the guards locking the gates.

‘Damn it. They locked her in there! Let’s go quickly!’

As they ran to the northern courtyard, Qiye quickly dialled the others, ‘Come back quickly, something has happened to Yan’er.’

He was usually a calm person, but now he was flustered and overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness like his world was collapsing. As he ran, he suddenly hated that the grounds were so huge that every step he took felt like he wasn’t getting closer. It felt like sharp blades were piercing his feet. He was afraid if he was too late, he would regret it for the rest of his life. (Zuben: What a plot of contrivances.) 

 

163 Bai Su

Mo Yan took off her sandals and held them tightly against her chest, as though she intended to beat off the large animal with it. With every step forward the tiger took, it was as though it was stepping on her heart. Her heart was so loud as she backed in a corner.

She sobbed inwardly. Ye Hanyu, Situ Yi, Gong Qiye, Mu Zeyuan, Xiao Muchen, where are you? Didn’t you say you’ll protect me? Liars! (Zuben: fear makes you feel like you’re falling in love)

The huge tiger stalked into the gazebo, taking up all the space. It’s gaze was compelling, dangerous and beautiful. Her sweet scent filled it’s nose, it roared, showing it’s bright red tongue and sharp teeth.

Just as Mo Yan wanted to throw her shoe at it, it leapt on her. Her was pressed on the wooden deck. (Zuben: You know they say pets are like their owners) A sense of hopelessness surged in her heart as its head came over hers and it used its wide tongue to lick her neck. Just as it was ready to chomp down, it tasted something familiar, and sniffed her body.

Mo Yan had braced herself for the big bite, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes a peep; the tiger’s paws were still holding her down, but it was sniffing her. It’s blue eyes that has been savage turned docile. It was licking her arm. She tentatively reached out and stroked its great head, it closed its eyes like a peaceful cat.

‘Why aren’t you eating me…?’

Hunger made it restless but Mo Yan’s familiar scent warned it not to harm her. It butted her with its head and made her stroke it. There was a weak mewl, Mo Yan saw small tiger enter in the gazebo. It came up to Mo Yan, and opening it’s mouth to bite her, but the big tiger bit it by the scruff of the neck and tossed it out of the gazebo. Mo Yan looked in the direction it was thrown with worry.

Just then, she heard familiar voices.

‘Yan’er!’

Situ Yi and Gong Qiye were running up. They embraced her anxiously.

‘Are you alright? I’m sorry we weren’t here.’ (Zuben: is she a child that needs to be baby sat day in day out in case a crazy rival tries to kill her or get her raped?)

The sight of them gave her such a great sense of relief, she began to cry, ‘Where have you been?! I was almost eaten. You weren’t here when I needed you!...why do you have a tiger?!’ she said between sobs.

‘Sorry Yan’er.’ Yi said checking her body for any injuries, ‘I’m glad you’re okay. Stop crying.’

Mo Yan pushed both of them off her, ‘Go away,’ she spat, still crying, ‘I don’t need your comforting. Fortunately, it didn’t bite me, or I’ll be dead meat by now.’

‘Alright,’ Qiye said soothingly, ‘let’s take you back to your room, and you can rest. You must be tired.’ He lifted her in his arms and took her out. (Zuben: Well, I guess you can be tired just lounging all day)

Before leaving, Yi stroked the tiger’s head, ‘Thank you, Bai Su. I’ll make sure they feed you double.’

Author’s note: I have always wanted to raise tiger. (Zuben: You can if you’re crazy rich) But I can’t, so I wrote out my fantasy. If you think the plot is illogical, it’s a novel – ha!

Zuben: That tiger should have chomped on her – LOL. Author, your writing is illogical but the tiger is the least of it. 

164 Rotten peach blossoms.

Qiye put her on the sofa in the main living room. Xiao Muchen and the others came up to them in a panic, ‘Is Yan’er alright?’

‘How did it happen?’

Situ Yi sneered, ‘It’s time to clean up the house…’ his eyes were dark and cold.

‘What was the reason?’ Mo Yan asked.

They all looked at each other, before speaking quietly, ‘We’re never brought a woman here before, so it's given ideas.’

‘So, it’s your peach blossoms again.’ Mo Yan sighed, ‘Why do you have a tiger?’

‘I found Bai Su when it was still a cub on a mission.’ Qiye replied softly, ‘It was on the verge of death, so I decided to rescue it. It’s been several years.’

‘Is it gentle? Doesn’t attack people?’

‘Bai Su attacks people,’ Muchen replied with a laugh, ‘Except for the five of us, and now you.’

‘Why would that be?’

Mu Zeyuan came to sit beside and drew her against his chest, ‘Because you have our scent.’ He replied, as he drew in her charming scent filling him with nostalgia. (Zuben: Sexstalgia…)

‘Bai Su recognises people. The little one is its cub. The female died in child birth.’ Hanyu explained. Seeing her looking sad at the news, he added, ‘We can go and visit Bai Su together another day, if you’re not afraid.’ (Zuben: You’re going to need another courtyard for the other one when it gets big)

There was a knock.

Muchen stroked Mo Yan’s head, ‘Why don’t you go up to your room and relax. We’ll call you for dinner.’

She nodded, ‘I’ll see you later.’

Once she was no longer in sight, the softness on their faces vanished, and they went to see the man and woman held captive by the guards.

‘How would you like us to deal with them, sir?’ The team leader asked.

‘Bai Su hasn’t eaten, throw them in the north courtyard.’ Qiye replied without missing a beat.

The captive man shook in fear, ‘It wasn’t me sir!’

‘Mr Gong! Don’t be cheated by that woman.’ The captive maid cried, ‘When you’re not around, she’s mean and arrogant. She looks down on us. I don’t want you to be taken in by her lies!’

‘Even if she was truly like that, she’s our pet, of course, she can do as she pleases.’ Hanyu said with an imperious sneer, ‘Bai Su is picky, it won’t like these.’

Just when they had thought they’d dodged a bullet, Zeyuan spoke up and his words caused them to pale,

‘Since Bai Su wouldn’t like them, we have a new holding in South Africa about to start, send them there.’ (Zuben: Going to South Africa is a punishment to work for a multinational corporation is a punishment…? Racist fuck, I'm beginning to feel like with the belt and roads initiative Africa will be in Chinese minds, and this kind of ignorant shit will be rampant in their books)

‘No! Sir you can’t do this!’ the maid cried maniacally, ignoring the cold blood-thirsty eyes of the men, ‘You’ve been lied to. I am innocent. It’s that woman; this house was fine until that vermin ca-ugh!’ One of the guards casually stuffed her mouth with a napkin midsentence.

Hanyu waved an imperial hand stopping the bodyguard. He held the maid’s chin and looked at her with disdainful pity, ‘It looks like there are people who don’t really take us seriously. Drag them out, I don’t want to hear any more noise.’

Immediately, the bodyguards pulled them out while Hanyu reached for a handkerchief and wiped his hands like he had touched something disgusting.

The hall was silent once more.

Yi sighed as he went to sit, and have a sip of tea, ‘But, I really wish Yan’er would say these things’

‘Maybe in a little more time,’ Qiye replied softly looking up the stairs she had gone.  

 

165 Lin Lin

‘Are you sure it won’t bite?’ she asked hesitantly watching Bai Su sitting not for from them with some trepidation.

‘No, it won’t,’ Hanyu replied with a laugh as he caressed the tiger’s head, ‘if it does, we will cook tiger spare rib soup.’

She reached out her slender hand tentatively and touched Bai Su’s fur. The softness made her heart melt, while the tiger closed it’s eyes languidly, allowing Mo Yan to stroke it up and down.

‘What is the little one called?’

‘Lin-Lin.’ Hanyu grabbed the little cub by the scruff of the neck and placed it in her arms. He covered the cub’s mouth with his hand to keep it from accidently biting her.

She stroked the little tiger cub, ‘It is going to get used to my scent?’ she asked looked at the cub adoringly.

Hanyu’s expression softened, ‘Lin-Lin, be good, don’t bite Mo Yan okay?’ he glared at the tiger cub, and Mo Yan could see the cub look up at him for a moment before Hanyu let go of its mouth. It shivered a little.

‘Lin Lin, how are you? You’re so cute!’ Mo Yan couldn’t resist the tiger’s beauty, she gently embraced it.

‘It looks like you aren’t afraid of them.’ Hanyu said with a smile as he watched her.

‘By the way, are you going to the auction?’

‘Auction?’ Mo Yan asked, looking confused, then she remembered her parents spoke of it before they left. It was some auction that was held yearly, and all the important upper class families attended.

‘Ah yes. Why do you ask?’

‘Just making sure. Are your parents…?’

‘No. I will go and represent them. Let them have a lovely holiday.’

‘May I have the honour of escorting you that evening?’ he asked with his hand held out to her. (Zuben: Writer, it may not be realistic, but it doesn’t need to be so bloody corny.) After some thought, she placed her hand in his.

‘Alright.’

His handsome face was so happy and excited. He gave her a peck on the lips, but her fragrant mouth fascinated him and he tried for a deeper kiss.

Hanyu’s kiss made her gasp, but she was softened by the deep affection in his eyes. As his kiss deepened, she threw her arms around his neck. His desire seemed to want to burst out. He printed kisses all over her face, as his hand crawled down her body.

‘Wait.’ Mo Yan stopped the roaming hand. Her expression was soft, and her lips swollen from kisses made him want her even more.

‘How about just a hug?’ He asked, there was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes were indulgent.

Seeing she didn’t refuse, he took Lin Lin from her arms and put it down beside Bai Su.

‘I haven’t held you like this in a long time,’ he said, ‘What do I do? It’s not enough…’ he said as he stroked her hair. Her warm fragrance made him yearn for more.

‘Aren’t you being too much?’ Mo Yan replied with a helpless smile. She lifted her head and gave him a quick kiss. She unconsciously revealed some affection for him. (Zuben: Writer, I suppose you went to the “tell-tell-tell!” school of writing) He held her close and kissed her, wanting to absorb her sweetness.

Bai Su looked up at the two, then settled down quietly. It placed a paw on top of the little tiger, so it didn’t disturb the pair. (Zuben: What a wise tiger)

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