Sculpting Mei-Lien Ch. 08

From the frequency with which Mei-Lien brought it up during our telephone conversations the next week, it was clear that the shopping trip which I had proposed was very much on her mind. After she had completed the more physically demanding portion of her exercises and had assumed the pose which I specified she adopt on her dildo, she would ask for more details about what she should expect if she were to agree to join me on such an excursion. Admitting that I was not entirely sure myself what to expect, I hedged my responses by telling her what I hoped would happen. For the most part, I emphasized the psychological aspects of the experience which I wanted her to have. Specifically, I talked about her accepting the role of an inanimate object which is being appraised and molded by strangers who would have little or no interest in her as a person and whose only goal would be to enhance the aesthetic and sexual appeal of the object on which they were working.

I knew that my answers would make Mei-Lien grapple with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, the idea of having her body the focus of attention appealed to her narcissism. On the other hand, the idea of so thoroughly abrogating control over what was done to her body gave her pause. Having not been indoctrinated by western feminist propaganda, she was not adverse to allowing her body to be a source of sexual and aesthetic pleasure for others, but she was reluctant to expose herself to humiliation and wanted assurance that, should she feel the need, she would be able to protect herself from having her dignity comprised. I tried to allay her fears by explaining that I would never purposefully put her in the hands of anyone who would not respect her sense of propriety and that I would not hesitate to intervene in the event that she was being subjected to inappropriate behavior. At the same time, I pointed out that some humiliation was an integral part of the experience which I intended for her to have and that it would be an essential ingredient in the excitement which I hoped she would derive from that experience. Knowing Mei-Lien as well as I did, I knew that this warning would both pique her interest and increase her reluctance, and I savored the picture I imagined of her mobile features reflecting the mixed emotions she would have as she sat on her dildo while she considered my words.

In spite her growing fascination with the idea, Mei-Lien postponed her decision until the last moment. Then, as our conversation on Friday evening was about to end, she agreed to my proposition and told me that she would go shopping for lingerie with me the following afternoon and that I should spend the morning locating the sort of store which we had been discussing. Fortunately, I had already done some preliminary research and had found the addresses of several potentially suitable establishments. Thus, I spent a rather embarrassing Saturday morning going from one lingerie store to another. At each I had to explain my mission, an explanation which was usually greeted with skepticism combined with the suspicion that I was simply trying to sneak a peak at their sometimes less than fully clad clientele. Finally I found what I was looking for. Its windows tastefully displayed a variety of female undergarments and negligees, and on the door there was a sign advertising that custom made items could be ordered. When I entered, I was greeted by an elegantly dressed woman who, after hearing what I was seeking, told me that I had arrived at my destination. Ushering me to the back of the store, she opened the door to a large dressing room which was fully carpeted and sumptuously furnished. Its walls were covered by full length mirrors, and at its center there was a square dais situated under an array of spotlights. Facing the dais was a comfortable looking armchair in which she invited me to sit while she explained to me the services which would be available. By the time that she was finished, I was convinced that she and her establishment were devoted to the appreciation of the female anatomy and well acquainted with techniques that can be employed to enhance its natural beauty. More than satisfied, I told her that I would return at 2PM, accompanied by someone whose body I hoped she and her staff would find worthy of their attention.

I called Mei-Lien to tell her to get to my apartment by 1:30 so that we would not be late for our appointment. Punctual as always, she arrived in time to show me, before we left, how she had groomed and dressed herself for the occasion. Under her coat she wore a traditional Chinese gown, the kind which wraps around and enfolds its occupant from head to toe in silk. The material had an attractive, slightly off white color which complemented the tawny color of Mei-Lien complexion. A cloth hairband of the same color was positioned at the back of her head so that her thick, straight hair would flow over her right shoulder and cascade down her front in an alluring swath of black which was in dramatic contrast to the color of material on which it rested. Looking at her, I began to doubt whether such perfection could be improved upon, but I knew that, having made up her mind, Mei-Lien was not to be dissuaded from seeing our plan through to the end. Thus, after expressing my admiration for her choice of decor and planting a warm kiss on her beaming face, I bundled her back into her coat, took her by the hand, and headed out the door with my exquisitely attired, exotic companion in tow.

As soon as we entered the store I had chosen, the proprietress greeted me and asked our names while ushering us into the dressing room which she had shown me earlier. With a natural authority which was not offensive but brooked no opposition, she took command. After taking our coats and indicating that I was to sit in the armchair, she led Mei-Lien to the dais and had her stand at its center. She then stepped back to survey her subject with a well trained, critical eye. Mei-Lien was understandably nervous, but her anxiety was somewhat alleviated by the smile of approval on the countenance of the elegant woman who was appraising her. Once she had completed her initial inspection, she introduced herself and gave her opinion.

''My name is Madame Deville, but you can call me Camille. As you can tell from my accent, I was raised in France, where I received my education and was trained as a corsetiere. I have practiced the art of corsetry for many years, but it is rare for me to have the opportunity to practice it on a customer whose body has the range of possibilities that Mei-Lien's has. I would like to begin by concentrating on the appearance of Mei-Lien's bust. In order to conform with traditional Chinese ideas about a woman's breasts, Mei-Lien's breasts should be bound so that they lie flat against her chest and do not interrupt the smooth line of her clothes. Even though I do not entirely agree with this aesthetic principle, I would like to experiment with Mei-Lien's breasts by binding them and seeing how she looks when they are less prominent.''

Although Mei-Lien was standing directly in front of Mei-Lien, Camille addressed these remarks to me, as if Mei-Lien's opinions were irrelevant. Proceeding on the assumption I concurred with, or at least did not object to, her plan, Camille joined Mei-Lien on the dais and began by loosening the folds of material around Mei-Lien's neck and shoulders so that she could lower them. Because of her years of experience with various forms of female garb, Camille had no difficulty first unwrapping Mei-Lien's upper torso and then removing her bra, leaving Mei-Lien naked from the waist up. Throughout, the expression on Mei-Lien's face remained passive and gave no hint of her emotions, but her bared nipples gave irrefutable evidence of her growing excitement. The training which they had been receiving for the past few weeks had turned Mei-Lien's nipples into highly accurate indicators of her sexual arousal, and the signal which they were broadcasting was unambiguous. Standing only inches from these little beacons, Camille watched as they blossomed into solid pegs of, considering the modest size of the breasts from which they sprung, surprising length and bulk. Enchanted, Camille first gently captured the turgid stems of Mei-Lien's nipples between her thumbs and forefingers and then leaned forward to take a closer look at both them and the puckered disks of reddish flesh at their bases.

''Now that I see what potentially valuable assets Mei-Lien's nipples could become if properly displayed, I have second thoughts about hiding them. On the other hand, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the way she is dressed and not bind them while she is still wearing this outfit, and so I will not alter my plan. My experience with the female anatomy makes me confident that, once they are unbound, her breasts will, if anything, be more beautiful and her nipples will quickly resume their present state.''

I knew that Mei-Lien would be disturbed by the possibly prurient interpretation of such intimate examination and discussion of her breasts by another woman. However, because Camille's interest was primarily professional and only secondarily sexual, I made no move to intervene. Indeed, Camille was introducing Mei-Lien to exactly the sort of ambiguity which I had intended her to have: the experience she was having was sexually charged for her but not for the person responsible for providing it, and, in spite of her excitement, she was expected to remain the passive recipient of whatever that person chose to do. Furthermore, even when Camille left us alone for a few minutes, Mei-Lien voiced no objections and seemed ready to play her part in Camille's experiment.

Upon her return, Camille was accompanied by a pretty young woman who was one of her assistants. Both women stepped onto the dais, the assistant standing in back of Mei-Lien and Camille in front. Draped over Camille's left arm was a bolt of soft cotton cloth, which was about a foot wide and rolled into a cylinder like a large surgical bandage. After asking Mei-Lien to gather her hair and clasp it in her hands on top her head, Camille handed her assistant one edge of the cloth and had her hold it firmly against Mei-Lien's back, between her shoulder blades. Turning the cylinder so that it would unroll as she went, Camille circled Mei-Lien's standing form, drawing the cloth tight across Mei-Lien's breasts when she reached the place where her aid held the end. Before continuing along her circular route, Camille transferred the cylinder to her assistant while she ran her hands under Mei-Lien's raised arms to make sure that the flesh beneath the cloth was not being pinched. Of particular concern to her was the position of Mei-Lien's breasts, which she spent a good deal of time maneuvering so that they would be pressed upward as their binding proceeded. After making sure that all was well, Camille retrieved the cylinder and made several circuits around Mei-Lien, tugging the cloth tight on each turn and taking great care to flatten it wherever it threatened to bunch. Finally, she told Mei-Lien to lower her arms while she anchored the binding in place by wrapping two much narrower bands of cloth around Mei-Lien's mummified chest, one band running just above and the other just below the place where Mei-Lien's breasts had been prior to their incarceration.

When Camille and her assistant moved aside and I had an unobstructed view, I was surprised how erotic I found the sight of Mei-Lien's bound torso. I had never before understood the attraction of androgynous images, but I began to then. Everything about Mei-Lien was distinctly feminine, and yet there she stood with a torso which could have belonged to a pre-pubescent boy. Other than a slight swelling on her chest, there was no hint that she possessed the breasts which I had come to love, and yet the roundness of her limbs and hips, not to mention the resigned expression on her face and the thick mane of black hair slanting across her front, left no doubt that the figure on the dais was that of a beautiful, mature woman. This fact became even more pronounced after Camille lifted the top portion of Mei-Lien's dress back onto her shoulders and knelt down to open the bottom portion so that one of Mei-Lien's legs was seductively exposed from ankle to just below her crotch.

Coming over to my chair, Camille stood behind me and studied her creation.

''I must admit that I like what I see better than I had thought I would. With her breasts bound, Mei-Lien resembles a statuette of a Han era courtesan. Both her face and figure conform to that era's aesthetic ideals. Of course, to complete the picture, her hair should be quaffed and held by ivory pins on top of her head, but getting it perfect would take quite a lot of time, time which I think can be better spent in other ways. Thus, if you agree, I propose that, before moving on, we simply enjoy Mei-Lien as she is. I will ask my assistant to bring us some light refreshments to eat while we appreciate our charming statuette.''

Several minutes later, Camille's assistant returned with a rolling table on which there were two cups of coffee together with cream and sugar and a plate of cookies. Obviously well acquainted and completely comfortable with the role of a hostess, Camille served me my coffee and offered me cookies before serving herself. For ten minutes we viewed the object of our admiration, our reverie interrupt only when, after several minutes, Camille approached Mei-Lien to adjust her pose so that her head was bowed a little and her skirts so that her inner side of her exposed thigh was more visible.

When the ten minutes had elapsed, Camille became restive and asked me whether I was ready for her to try another experiment. Much as I enjoyed watching Mei-Lien play her role as a courtesan, I felt that it was important to continue before she tired of her role and told Camille that she should proceed. Without further delay, Camille stepped back onto the dais and began removing Mei-Lien's gown, this time not stopping until it was completely off and lay in a circular heap around Mei-Lien's feet. Thus, for a brief period I was again confronted by the image of Mei-Lien's body presented as a confusing amalgam of male and female characteristics. If I looked at her from the waist down, what I saw was an invitingly softness which was unmistakeably female. If I raised my gaze to look at her upper body, I saw the delicate, undeveloped frame of a teenage boy, albeit one with flowing long hair and the facial features of a girl. However, as soon as Camille unwrapped the cloth binding them, Mei-Lien's breasts sprang back into their usual conical shape and dispelled any ambiguity about the sex of the body which I was beholding.

Anticipating Camille's needs, her assistant produced a tape measure from her pocket and handed it to her boss. Armed with the tape, Camille measured every aspect of Mei-Lien's breasts. Her measurements not only included the usual determination of Mei-Lien's total circumference but also measurements which, once again, caused Mei-Lien some embarrassment. For example, she measured and had her assistant record in a little ledger the circumference of each cone at its base as well as the diameter of Mei-Lien's aereolae and the length of her nipples. Although Camille was all business, these measurements required her to take considerable liberties with Mei-Lien's breasts. In response, a progressively deeper blush spread across Mei-Lien's face as she watched and felt her breasts being manipulated by a woman whom she did not know and for whom only her body was of any interest.

As she had been earlier, Camille was fascinated by Mei-Lien's nipples, which, if anything, appeared longer and more erect than they had been before her breasts had been bound. With her hands cupped around their base, she tested the mobility of Mei-Lien's breasts by wobbling them up and down and to the side.

''Her breasts have hardly any need of support, and nothing should be done that would mask their natural shape. For this reason, I suggest a bra that will mold itself to their shape rather than one which molds them to its shape. In addition, I think that she should have at least one bra which leaves her nipples uncovered. That way her nipples will be visible under a sweater or a summer dress, not to mention available should you want to improve their appearance with a little stimulation. After you choose a bra which you like, we can design openings which will not only allow her nipples to stick through the cups but will also help them to stay erect by applying subtle pressure on the periphery of her aereolae.''

Camille's opinions about Mei-Lien's breasts were very much my own, and so I was happy to let her follow instincts. While we were waiting for her assistant to bring in a selection of bras, I told Camille about the training which was at least partially responsible for the prominence of Mei-Lien's nipples. As I described their training, Camille could not resist the urge to examine them with her fingers. Holding her hands so that her palms grazed against the points of Mei-Lien's nipples, she pressed her fingertips into the soft flesh of the aereolae and drew them along Mei-Lien's rigid teats in very much the same way as one would milk a cow. Each time her fingers reached the tips of Mei-Lien's nipples, Mei-Lien rose to her toes as Camille closed her fingers around the distended stalks and gave them a little tug before beginning again. Thus, by the time that Camille's assistant returned, Mei-Lien was in a state of considerable excitement and her nipples protruded almost an inch from her breasts.

Knowing the style and dimensions required, Camille's assistant had been able to make an intelligent choice of bras for us to select from. All of them were of light construction with cups made out of material which was so thin that it was nearly translucent. Some of them had shoulder straps, others were strapless; some had a clasp in back, others in front. One by one, Camille explained the virtues of each model after putting it on Mei-Lien's breasts. During her explanations, she would often make adjustments which included intimate probing of the breasts under the cups to make sure that Mei-Lien's nipples were displayed to their best advantage. When she was satisfied that a bra was holding Mei-Lien's breasts in the way it was designed to, Camille would ask me for my opinion, but she never asked Mei-Lien for hers. Because I always admired the contours of Mei-Lien's shoulders and liked to see her dressed in a way which left them bare, I chose two models of strapless bras, one of which clasped in the front and the other in back. The cups of the one with the clasp in front was composed of strands which were oriented to run from the band at the base of the breast and converge as they approached the nipple, leaving gaps through which one got glimpses of the flesh beneath. The other one was less revealing but better suited for the sort of surgery which Camille had in mind.

After I had made my selection, Camille asked her assistant to bring the person who would create the openings for Mei-Lien's nipples. A couple of minutes later, a somewhat disheveled, middle aged man turned up. Like Mei-Lien, he was obviously of Chinese origin, but unlike her he seemed to have resisted the influence of his adopted country. Specifically, although he made no audible comment, the expression on his face clearly indicated his disapproval of a Chinese girl standing nearly naked to have her bra tailored so that her nipples would be exposed. Noting his expression, a cloud of anxiety passed over Mei-Lien's own face, but she quickly regained her composure and even seemed to counter his disapproval by thrusting her breasts forward and assuming a defiant stance with her legs spread and her head held high. Even after stepping onto the dais, the tailor was so short that his face and Mei-Lien's breasts were at the same height. As a result, the two of them made a sight which, depending on ones predisposition, was either hilariously comic, wonderfully obscene, or both.