0007 Asian Neon

A Prologue to Sex

Standing in the cramped store under glaring neon lights in Megabuilding 0007, Fei bit her lips. She had actually done it. She blushed at the thought. Shy and self-conscious, she guided her stray locks back behind her feminine ears.

Was it okay for an ordinary girl like herself to do such a thing?

Her fingers trembled as she tried to put the pictures of Anna Wong back onto the rack. Anna, the girl she admired, was completely out of reach, but at least now she could be a little like her. It was difficult to tear her eyes off the picture. Anna Wong's lustful thighs and bare hips were awfully arousing.

"Anna Wong is very popular," the shop owner told her from a distance.

He knew Fei as she would often visit the store and now nodded towards her, his face smeared with streaks of oil from the device he was taking apart.

"She has many fans," he added.

It was a battered old store, stowed away in a side corridor, hidden under the jungle of neon light, selling many different things besides pornography.

Megabuilding 0007 had many side streets like this. Still, Fei was especially fond of this little backside corridor full of shops selling lesbian photobooks and old-fashioned electronic pornography. Fei wanted to collect everything of Anna, spending the little money she had on her pictures, videos, and interactive features.

Her phone rang, but Fei ignored the vibrations and reached out to pay with her wristband.

"I'll take these," she said, "and I know she's popular. I'm her fan."

The man gave her a knowing smile and let the girl pay.

At least here, she did not have to pretend that she was interested in men, though she knew that not everyone approved of her being a lesbian. The very person whose call she was ignoring was among them. Fei left the store and began to run, rummaging through her bag for her phone.

"Where are you?" Fei heard the familiar voice of Auntie as soon as she answered the phone.

"I thought I had five more minutes..."

"That woman wants to talk to you," she said without giving any more details.

"And I received a complaint from a customer. Come back as soon as possible."

"I'm on my way, Auntie."

"Tell me you were not wasting more money on those picture books."

"I was..."

"Ah, just come back quickly," she said and hung up the phone.

...

Fei soon arrived back on her floor. She spent most of her time on this small stretch of commercial space full of cheap shops, working for one of them and helping the proprietor, an old lady, make deliveries around the building.

Strangely, she liked it there.

Panting, she ran into the shop, but Auntie only nodded towards another store in the aisle. Fei looked in the indicated direction, but she did not see anybody.

"That woman friend of yours. Said she wanted to talk to you."

Fei looked again. For a while, she only saw the merchandise piled up in front of the store until a tall woman appeared from behind a slowly rotating display stand. Her dark eyes scanned the merchandise with measured disdain.

"Just don't make it too long," Auntie said.

The woman looked out of place in her fashionable clothes and tasteful makeup. Fei approached her, bowing slightly, ready to apologize for being late. The woman, however, did not seem to care about wasted time

"Nice to see you Fei," she said.

Fei smiled at her, and a broad smile appeared on her face in return. A smile that felt almost authentic. She was a friend of a distant relative, though Fei did not expect much from the woman, as the only time she saw her was usually when she had a favor to ask.

"Walk with me," she said and moved away from the shop.

Fei tried to keep up with her, but while other passers-by let the woman pass, they did not do the same for the casually dressed Fei, who blended into the background. She had to avoid stocky men, bulky pushcarts, and other obstacles that blocked her way. The woman, barely noticing her struggle, walked briskly and gracefully in her high-heel shoes, letting her footsteps echo on the flooring.

"It's a bit too humid down here," she said, fanning herself with the back of her palm.

They took an elevator to a higher floor where the clientele was less crude. Here, the woman slowed down and began to stroll along a corridor packed with restaurants and cafes. She walked with ease as if she owned the place.

"Fei, don't act like a stranger. We should be friends," the woman said, but her words had the opposite effect.

What was the price of her friendliness? Fei thought.

Despite the nice words, she showed no signs of pleasantness, walking ahead, ignoring her young friend. But then she suddenly looked left and right as if looking for eavesdroppers and then pushed her face close to Fei, smiling.

"I have seen your video," she said, making Fei almost trip and fall over a small package left at the side of the corridor.

"You have seen... what?" Fei mumbled. She could not believe her ears.

"I haven't told you what I'm doing, have I?"

"No. You said you work as an agent of some kind."

"Yes, you see, I don't like to talk about this, but I work in the entertainment business. I think you know what I mean by entertainment."

"I think I do," she said, but she could barely focus on her words as a torrent of shame overpowered her. Was it possible that she saw her video?

"We scout through the platform you've uploaded your videos to, you see."

Fei let out a gasp. She was unable to look up at the woman. Still, how could she find hers among the many millions of videos?

"I can see everything that was uploaded within this area," she explained, making Fei feel humiliated and amateurish.

"I'm in charge of this building, you know."

Fei was speechless. The woman flashed another smile towards her, but Fei did not know what to make of it. Only now did she understand what the woman was saying. Was she really in the sex business?

"This building...?" Fei tried.

"Yes, you see, I have some powerful clients who always want fresh talent. Unfortunately, there's not much coming out of here, but I manage."

Fei looked at the woman. So, she did this for a living. Fei always knew that the woman had money but had no idea what line of business she was in. Perhaps, Fei did not have to feel ashamed of herself, but she still felt the shame. She had never experienced anything more embarrassing.

"One of my clients, a small web magazine, liked it. They liked you, Fei," she said, and her smile broadened, almost beaming.

"Oh..."

"Yes, you're very lucky," she went on without even noticing the deep red blush on Fei's face. She again started to increase her pace, talking with enthusiasm.

"I also put in a few good words for you," she continued, and Fei gave her a timid nod of gratitude.

"To be honest, I've never imagined that you would do something like this. I mean, you're one of the most innocent girls I know, and to be honest, I was really surprised to see you in a video."

Fei kept her eyes to the floor.

"At first, I thought it couldn't be you."

The woman stopped and looked at Fei, forcing her to look up. Her gaze was full of seriousness.

"I should not encourage you to get too involved in this disreputable business, but this now is a great opportunity."

She paused and let the words sink in. Fei did not know what to say.

"All you have to do is give me permission for featuring your video, and we're done. You'll be paid a small amount, but don't expect much. It's not the money but the recognition that counts. If you're willing to go down this road, that is."

Fei nodded again. Was she giving her consent already? She could not tell, but deep inside, she was thrilled to hear that someone liked her solo video that had only gathered a few likes so far.

"And, I'll need some more. Make more of the same. Perhaps, you can put on more makeup and get your hair done."

After a long pause, she added, "...your body looks fine."

Fei blushed again, feeling awkward. The woman did not seem to be affected by her apparent unease. She pulled out a small box from her bag and handed it to Fei.

"Here, I bought you a gift."

Fei took it and nodded, her lips whispering a faint thank you.

"So, can I go ahead?"

Fei hesitated. Was it really a good idea? She made the video as her own personal secret, and now it was becoming more public. Was she okay with being thought of as a slut who does porn? She blushed, then finally gave a more pronounced nod, but the woman did not seem to find it satisfying enough.

"Yes," she said finally in a timid voice.

"Well then, I'll call you if I need anything else. Now, I have to get back to the office, and I assume you also have work to do."

She gave Fei a half-hearted embrace and then walked away. Fei stood there stunned, not knowing whether she should feel ashamed of herself or let herself be a bit thrilled. Getting featured in a D-rank magazine was probably not a big thing, despite her friend's display of enthusiasm. Still, after all, there were many, many girls, prettier than her, who never got featured anywhere. She made her way back to the store, worrying already about whether Auntie would ask her about the content of the talk. She knew she had to lie.

...

Back at the store, Auntie was sitting on a chair at the back counting something in a box, barely noticing Fei, who pushed herself in through the lush overhang of merchandise. For a while, Fei just stood there.

"I heard you made some videos," she said without looking up.

It can't be. Fei felt as if struck by lightning, but the woman did not even look up and kept counting. Fei waited patiently. Her blush was back, and now every second felt painfully long.

"Well, I hope at least it will bring in some money." She said, still counting. She paused and added, "Just don't become a whore."

"I won't..."

"A woman's best value is her innocence. Can a whore keep her innocence?"

"I don't know, Auntie."

"Well, just don't be a whore. Speaking of which. I don't know what you did, but you've pissed off Miss Chong."

"Oh..."

"This is the third time. She's a big client, though I don't like her very much. Go and apologize as soon as you can. She's at the new teahouse on the B-level. I think you can still catch her. Take a pack of cigarettes."

"Yes, Auntie," Fei bowed and ran out of the store. Outside she let out a sigh, but her heart was still racing. Was she feeling anxious about the apology, or was it from the shock that the two people closest to her discovered her secret? It was impossible to tell.

...

The teahouse was not far, but it took some time to find one's way through a maze of escalators, staircases, and walkways. Fei wanted to catch Miss Chong because she was usually meaner to her back at her workplace, the Red Court. In the teahouse, perhaps she would be less confrontational.

After a lot of climbing and running up escalators, Fei arrived at her destination. The teahouse was very elegant and had large windows overlooking the skyscrapers and the elevated highways surrounding the megabuilding. Fei mostly lived her life inside and rarely visited the higher floors where there was a good view.

She stepped in and looked around the tranquil tatami mat-covered interior populated with customers sitting in small groups of two or three.

"Looking for a table?" A pretty waitress asked, bowing gracefully. Fei acknowledged her with a timid nod, feeling self-conscious about her untidy appearance. Yet, the smile stayed, and the girl looked sincere, seemingly not minding Fei's lowly origins. Her smile eased Fei's tension, even if only for a moment.

"I'm meeting someone," she said, and the waitress let her in.

After a few seconds, she found the person she was looking for. Miss Chong's elegant figure was partly hidden behind a transparent curtain separating her private room from the rest of the teahouse.

Fei remembered the first time she had met the woman in the Red Court. Like most of the whores there, Miss Chong was then completely naked. Fei remembered how struck with awe she was at her proportionate curves, slender figure, and tantalizing eyes. Miss Chong was a woman who could make a man fall in love with her with one sideways glance.

Too bad that she was one of the cruelest women Fei had ever seen.

The waitress reappeared and led Fei into the private room area.

Was it a good idea to disturb the woman?

She followed the waitress reluctantly, stopping in front of the curtain. She bowed and asked for permission to enter. Miss Chong was in an erotic dress, revealing not a little of her luscious body. Fei blushed and pushed into the cloud of cigarette smoke. Miss Chong nodded towards the waitress, who left them alone. She slowly blew out the smoke and watched as the puffs swirled in the dim light.

"You dared to come here," she said slowly. Her gaze was cold, full of disdain.

"I came to apologize, Miss Chong," she said and handed her the cigarettes.

Miss Chong ignored her and refused to take the pack, watching the smoke as it spiraled upwards.

"Third time," she finally said after at least half-a-minute of painful silence.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Chong."

She measured the girl up with a disdained look, blowing out the smoke to the side.

"I'm disappointed in you. I thought you would have more respect for your elders."

"I'm truly sorry. Please tell me what I could do better next time."

Miss Chong looked around and ignored the girl for a while as if she did not exist. Then, she put down the cigarette and turned her whole body towards the girl.

"Let's make something clear. Our relationship is simple. I'm on top, and you're at the very bottom. Even the cheapest whore is higher than you in my eyes. You have one job. If I want you, you come right away. No delays, no distractions. I want you, you come. Understand?"

"Yes, Miss Chong," Fei bowed her head and were desperate to get out, but the woman did not seem to let her go. She kept smoking and fell into silence. Fei waited patiently until Miss Chong finally looked at her again with cold eyes.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of here. Don't pollute the air," she said, motioning again towards the exit. Fei ignored the insult, left the pack of cigarettes on the table, and disappeared from the woman's sight not to give her any more chance for further abuse. She was almost running back towards the store.

The rest of the day was spent with deliveries and no more drama. The evening turned into night. Her work at the store ended, letting Fei climb up the stairs towards her tiny apartment, hidden away in a maze of corridors in Side Tower C.

...

Once home, Fei closed the door behind herself and let out another sigh. The air conditioning unit began to hum away behind a dust-smeared windowpane. There was not much view and not much space, and all Fei could see through the window was a damp wall lined up with air-conditioning units.

Tiny, but it was home.

A small stretch of purple neon light filtered in through the window, pulsating with varying intensity. It came from a large commercial that took up tens of floors of space somewhere on the façade.

The light danced on Fei's body, putting her into an erotic mood.

Work was not over. She dropped her bag and stepped into a cramped bathroom with space only for a toilet bowl and a small shower separated by a cheap plastic curtain. The curtain would touch her shoulders while on the toilet, so it was pushed up into a recess, next to an assortment of pastel-colored bottles, brushes, and used up tubes of toothpaste.

Fei stepped in and began to strip, tossing her plain top into a basket outside. She quickly unhooked her bra, releasing her breasts, looking at them in the mirror with dissatisfaction. Her breasts could be bigger, she thought.

But, her nipples firmed at the touch of her hands.

The tension of arousal had been there since the morning. Slowly, she unbuckled her belt and eased off her pants. The movement felt erotic as she traced the curve of her hip, continuing down along her thighs.

Her skin looked firm and sexy, ready for a shower.

The tap squeaked, but after a few minutes, the water pressure pushed on the plastic hose, and warm water began to fall from the showerhead. Water trickled down along Fei's back, teasingly dropping on the curving top of her buttocks. She let the water flow on her hair, pushed in her tummy, and made her breasts appear larger by pushing her chest out.

Despite her lack of self-confidence, she did not hate what she saw. Her body was attractive.

She added a large amount of soap onto a rough sponge and began to rub away the dirt from a day's work. She soon felt relaxed. The scents of oils and creams opened up her senses.

How she had to resist the temptation to do more than a simple shower.

Just wait a little longer, Fei.

Once done, she stepped in front of the sink opposite the toilet. Steam was still streaming from the walls, and the mirror was clouded. Fei used the back of her hand to wipe away enough to get a good glimpse of herself. Her hair was terrible, her face too ordinary.

She had to put on makeup if she wanted to do another video tonight.

It seemed that the makeup she used last time paid off, so she tried to recreate the effect. In the video, she learned the techniques from promised tantalizing eyes and a face that communicated sexual arousal. Perfect for what she was about to do. She spent a great deal of time putting on makeup, but she was finally satisfied enough to leave the bathroom.

Slutty enough, she thought.

She pulled a white T-shirt on her braless chest and put on a pair of shorts instead of panties. She would remove them soon anyway.

She climbed on the bed that made up most of her room and organized the pillows in a neat pile, then she remembered the gift. Reluctant, she stepped off the bed, her bare feet touching the sterile tiles of the floor. She quickly took the small box and sat back among the soft blankets.

The box was purple with a pink ribbon. It looked expensive. Fei gently pulled on the ribbon, and it easily opened up, revealing the contents. She blushed.

Should she be angry at Vivian?

Fei had to admit that she felt excited because she wanted the gift, but she also felt a bit used. Lately, she had been browsing for something like this anyway. She took out the pieces of black-lace and placed them on the bed.

Did Vivian think that she would accept her offer from the beginning?

Well, the woman was right. Fei did accept her offer. She decided to be thankful and kept admiring the present.

There was a card with the words "Intimate Nights" printed on one side and the details of the company on the other. There was also a catalog that Fei wanted to look into, but now put back in the box. There was also a message.

"Dazzle your viewers with something sexy. It's very expensive! Love, Vivian."

Fei shook her head as she read the words.

Was it necessary to point out the price?

She let it go with a faint, understanding smile and looked at the underwear. The panties were black, the lace was smooth and very fine, unlike the cheap lingerie she was planning to buy. The bra was small and revealing, the kind that her viewers would enjoy, but she was not sure whether to put them on. They were meant to be put on for a special someone on an intimate night, so reluctantly, she decided to make tonight's video without them.

When was the last time she had sex with a special someone?

She had to admit that it had been a long time she had sex with a real person. She only had one girlfriend years ago, which ended disastrously. In fact, she had little money, barely any friends, no prospect of meeting a girl, no respect or status in the building, and perhaps not much future. Nothing of that mattered. Fei was content with the little she had. She liked her uncomplicated life.