A LOTUS BORN OF MUD

CHAPTER 13 - ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER

  The lanterns had already lifted high enough into the sky to blend in with the distant twinkling of the stars. By then, BiMing and XiuYin had already left, heading back towards the small stage where BiMing had performed for it was soon to be midnight.

  XiuYin watched BiMing walking with little skips in his stance and bit at his lips trying not to chuckle. His face muscles hurt.

  "If I don't win that wine I will cut off my own cock!" BiMing announced out of nowhere, chin held high in the air.

  XiuYin couldn't hold it anymore as he let out a loud "Pfft!" 

  "I really will! With the amount of effort I put into that dance, if I don't win, the gods must deem me unworthy as a man, therefore what do I still need one of these for?" BiMing said as he patted his crotch. XiuYin's eyes lingered there for half a heartbeat before he replied.

  "Uhm, Lu ShiZun... how about we just see who's one first before making these claims." 

  "Hmph, live a little boy. At your age, you should be daring and adventurous... Have you ever used your thing yet? Plenty of the female sect disciples are watching you the way I look at pork..."

  XiuYin pouted at being called a boy, not knowing that BiMing was secretly laughing because technically he was only a few years older than him... mentally and he hasn't used his thing either. Ufufufu don't blame me XiaoYin, you're fun to tease. XiuYin, on the other hand, looked away from Lu ShiZun due to guilt. He's had to relieve himself once or twice whilst thinking of a certain person. He coughed and cursed at his overactive imagination.

  Seeing this reaction"Ho? Hohoho? Who's this lucky girl tell me tell me!" BiMing said jumping from foot to foot in front of XiuYin waving his whisk in his face. Right now would be hard to convince someone he was a master cultivator instead of a gossiping fish wife. 

  XiuYin sighed and said, "There's no such girl."

  "Tch, with your good face and nothing going on... Do you have no interest in women? Hehehe..." BiMing joked, missing out on the cast down expression on XiuYin's face.

  "Lu ShiZun... Regarding love... and these complicated emotions... is it only normal for a male to feel it towards a female? What of the same... genders?" XiuYin asked with a quiet voice, taking great interest in the patterns of the cobblestone ground.

  BiMing, naive as he is, regarded this as a no hidden meaning question and answered, "Ah... the question with many answers. I honestly don't care whether someone loves a man or woman whatever their gender. In the end, as long as they love that person and has the pleasure to receive their love it's a happy ending..." BiMing quicked some small stones, remembering his loveless past life, how he yearned for the attention and tender love of anyone, anyone who'd notice him. And how his hope snapped when he met the masked man.

  XiuYin listened to his every word and felt an invisible weight lift off his chest. So my feelings... are not abnormal...

  The two wondered to their destination, lost in their own thoughts. A small crowd had gathered and the announcer stood on the stage as he watched the crowd gather. BiMing discarded his thoughts and eyed that jar of wine in the announcer's hand. XiuYin smiled at the desire in his eyes, wondering if one day Lu ShiZun could possibly desire him that way too...

  "And so ladies and gentlemen, the night comes to an end with all performances performed and lanterns set off. Without further ado, let me announce the winner" He coughed twice. "Miss Mei Hua! For her wonderous magic tricks!" The crowd clapped and made way for a petite girl to step up and claim the alcohol.