When two men, regardless of their age, suddenly found themselves in such a place, they felt even more embarrassed than Xia Xiaolan.
It was 1985, and social morals hadn’t completely deteriorated yet. Although there were small hair salons that operated as fronts for other services, and there must have been men seeking such services – otherwise these establishments wouldn’t have survived – society was still largely composed of decent people. Visiting these salon girls was considered even more deplorable than having an affair. Young Wang would blush when approached by these girls, while Li Dongliang, being a married man, didn’t dare to even look at them. They practically viewed these women as dangerous beasts.
Li Dongliang thought Xia Xiaolan was naive and didn’t want to explain too explicitly, fearing he might corrupt Miss Xia’s ears. Little did he know that this seemingly innocent Miss was quite worldly – she had even seen ladyboy shows in Thailand. Hearing the salon girls’ coquettish solicitation was nothing to her. While Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t kick them while they were down, she also wouldn’t praise these salon girls.
Men often had this savior complex about fallen women. Even in future forums, people would often speak up for sex workers, as if reformed prostitutes were more valuable than women who had always been respectable. While some were forced into the trade by circumstances, more chose it out of laziness. With able hands and feet, they could have done any honest work, but they chose this profession for quick and easy money – then they shouldn’t try to have it both ways.
The red-light district of 1985 was quite crude. Dark glass doors partially revealed the interior, with posters of Hong Kong and Taiwan celebrities plastered on them. The dim lighting and dirty environment made Xia Xiaolan turn away after just two glances.
“Brother Wang, drive faster.”
Li Dongliang rolled down the passenger window. “Let go, if you get pulled under the wheels, we won’t pay compensation.”
Li Dongliang’s stern face made it an awkward situation for the soliciting salon girl. She muttered something in dissatisfaction, glancing inside the car, and spotted Xia Xiaolan in the back seat.
Realizing there was a woman present, the salon girl knew she wouldn’t get any business. She released the rearview mirror, and Young Wang didn’t dare linger – he stepped on the gas and drove forward, with the laughter of salon girls following them down the street.
Xia Xiaolan noticed the soliciting girl cursing as she walked back to the shop but didn’t think much of it. As Director Xia only did legitimate business, she didn’t think she would have any connection to these salon girls. But she was wrong – there was indeed a connection.
The salon girl, having failed to get customers, was scolded by a skinny young man lounging in the shop: “Xiao Li, your performance this month is poor. Are you asking for trouble?”
Xiao Li didn’t dare talk back; she had been beaten into submission. Although she got cut from servicing clients, and even though the shop took a large percentage, what remained was still higher than an ordinary person’s salary. However, new girls kept coming in, which Xiao Li found threatening. For instance, a new girl had been brought in a few days ago, and Xiao Li couldn’t understand the shop’s attitude toward her.
She approached the skinny man with a flirtatious smile: “Brother Feng, when will that girl in our back courtyard start working?”
“Working” meant receiving clients. Before that could happen, Brother Feng would always sample the merchandise first, sometimes even inviting friends. This new girl had been beaten and starved, yet Brother Feng hadn’t touched her. Xiao Li found it strange.
That was because orders from above said not to touch her yet.
Brother Feng didn’t understand either. He thought she might be some boss’s woman who was being punished for disobedience by being sent here. But looking at her, she wasn’t even that pretty – not as slim as Xiao Li standing before him. He couldn’t understand such bizarre taste.
“Don’t meddle in things that aren’t your business!”
The more Brother Feng said this, the more curious Xiao Li became. With no business that afternoon, she sneaked to the back courtyard and opened a locked door. A woman lay on the bare bed. Xiao Li poked her with chopsticks: “Hey, are you dead?”
The woman on the bed whimpered and curled into a ball – she had been beaten into submission.
This was how they broke people here – beating and starving them. It was an ancient trade practice that hadn’t changed in the new era. But it worked – when they said no food, they meant not a single grain of rice. They beat everywhere except the face, using thin rods on the legs and back.
Even the most strong-willed person couldn’t hold out for long.
Why could Hong Xia persist for so long?
It wasn’t by choice!
Since waking up to find herself in a hair salon, she initially didn’t understand her situation. Through the welded-shut window bars, she saw Xiao Li and others taking men to other rooms in the back courtyard. The walls weren’t soundproof, and embarrassing sounds would emerge as soon as couples entered the rooms. Hong Xia was only a year younger than Xia Xiaolan, old enough to marry in the countryside. The village gossip often made ribald jokes while washing clothes by the river – how could Hong Xia not understand?
If she didn’t understand before, she certainly did after having a boyfriend.
Hong Xia was exactly the type who was lazy and had zero willpower. Even during famines, while she might crave good food, she had never gone days without eating, let alone being beaten.
Hong Xia hadn’t resisted for long. If Brother Feng had ordered her to receive clients, she might have reluctantly agreed.
But Brother Feng only beat her and never mentioned receiving clients. Hong Xia lay curled up on the bare bed, feeling this life was unbearable. She struggled to lift her eyes to look at Xiao Li: “My Second Uncle is very rich, he’s in Pengcheng. If you help me send a letter, he’ll come…”
Before she could say “save me,” Xiao Li, cigarette between her fingers, ran away faster than a rabbit.
Fighting for customers was allowed in the salon, but being an informant wasn’t. Getting caught meant a severe beating.
Hong Xia’s whole body ached, and she was too hungry to even pound the bed.
She lay crying into her pillow, cursing the traffickers and blaming Second Uncle Da Jun for sending that letter to the village. She had already found a boyfriend in the county town – if Second Uncle hadn’t sent that letter, why would she have thought about marrying someone from Hong Kong? Then she wouldn’t have been drugged and brought here!
Why hadn’t Second Uncle come to save her yet?
Besides her being sent here, what about her parents?
Surely those bad people wouldn’t have sold her grandmother too – who would buy an old woman anyway!
Hong Xia just hoped someone had escaped and could come rescue her from this hell.
She lay motionless on the bare bed until Brother Feng kicked open the door. “Get up, time to work. We don’t feed freeloaders here!”
Several brick factories had opened near the border between Yangcheng and the Special Zone.
With Pengcheng’s rapid development, construction needed bricks, and since they were heavy and unwieldy, people usually bought them locally. Only those with local influence could open brick factories, and Wang Jingui and Xia Hongbing were sold to different brick factories.
Hong Xia wasn’t receiving clients because of Cao Liu’s instructions – they weren’t to touch her yet, as they still needed to exchange her for money.
Wang Jingui and Xia Hongbing weren’t so lucky. Being beaten and starved was certain, and these two cowards were thoroughly subdued within two days, working obediently at the brick factory.
It was truly exhausting, even harder than farming!
But what choice did they have? The factory yard kept several fierce dogs, and violent thugs supervised the work. Xia Hongbing had no choice but to work. His shoulders were rubbed raw, his hands covered in wounds, and as he carried bricks, he wanted to cry: “Second Brother, while you’re living the good life in Pengcheng, do you know what suffering I’m enduring!”