The three of us go over to a table that has a view of the dancing ladies. Mo Ran is unimpressed by them. Yan Ran looks very uncomfortable, so I look at Mo Ran for help. His eyebrows go up and he orders drinks.

I watch how the ladies fawn over him as they fill our cups. Mo Ran has been here before. Probably all the ladies here know him well. No wonder Lady Yuan recognised him so quickly.

He catches me looking at him and he leans over to talk to me. "What's wrong? You look like you've swallowed a mouthful of overbrewed tea."

"How often have you come here?" I demand. "Which girls have you been with?"

He gapes at me. He clears his throat and straightens up in his seat. Mr Superior. "I don't think we should be discussing this."

I narrow my eyes. "Why not? Can't remember their names? I can help you with that."

He clears his throat again and takes a sip from his cup. "Yes, how many times have you been here? How many customers have you served?"

Wait, he's turning this on me? Oh he's definitely hiding something. "I asked first."

"I have nothing to hide," he says. "Madame Yuan seemed to know you extremely well."

"She recognised you too," I point out. "Welcomed you like a faaaaavourite customer."

We stare at each other in silence for what seems like forever. If he thinks I'm going to give in first he can forget about it.

On the other side of the table, Yan Ran sighs. She seems to have relaxed a little. She goes to refill her cup by herself. "I've never seen dancing like this before. It's...different. I like it."

An idea occurs to me. "Ladies!" I wave my hand at the ladies of the House of Phoenix. They glide over to our table. "Yan Ran would like to learn how to dance with you. Please do your best to teach her."

"Fei Fei, no!" Yan Ran gasps, but it's too late. Two of the ladies pull her out of her chair and lead her off to the middle of the dancing group.

I get out of my chair and follow them. Mo Ran makes no move to stop me. He's still pretending to be Mr Superior.

I start following the moves of the ladies. Yan Ran stands still, looking scared at first, so I come dance next to her. Slowly, she up her courage and and begins to follow everyone's lead. Before I know it, she's doing it!

"Lady Fei Fei," calls Madame Yuan. "I would like a quiet word with you."

Madame leads me over to a quiet corner and spreads her fan to hide . "A special customer upstairs has asked for you tonight. Are you sure you wouldn't like a job?"

What? No way! Not if he's anything like the last special customer she had. "I appreciate the offer Madame, but I have decided that this career isn't for me. Besides, I have just entered a serious relationship and I don't think they would like this."

A group of dancing ladies surround me. Madame Yuan smiles; it's kind of sinister-looking. "That is a shame, but it will only be this one time, you understand. He is a special customer, so you can't refuse him."

The ladies grab my arms. Uh oh.

"Let me go!" I order as I fight the ladies. Man, these girls have some serious muscles. Must be all the dancing they do. They pick me up and carry me off without much effort at all. Good for them.

I am still kicking and fighting as they carry me upstairs and into one of the private rooms.

"Wait!" I try to buy some time. "I need to get changed first. I need to do my makeup. Do you want to scare him off with my bare face?"

They either don't care or this customer is really in a hurry. They drop me down on the carpeted floor and lock the door. I get up and try turning the handle anyway.

"Hey!" I shout at the door. "I'm not recommending this place anymore. I'm telling everyone about the bad food, the service, everything! Your business is going down!"

Someone coughs in the room. The customer. I look around and see a tall figure standing by a lamp.

"Hiiiiiiii," I say, waving my hand. "Sorry, there's been some kind of misunderstanding. I don't work here. I tried to get a job here once when I was desperate, but I injured one of their customers because he was rude and I got thrown out."

The man spreads his fan and gestures at a table covered with food platters. "At least stay to eat something. I would like to talk with you about a small matter."

My eyes widen as the man comes into the light. Pale skin. Exposed chest. Long strands of hair falling into his face. "Minister Su! You're the customer?"

Su Xun Xian, businessman and a real life Doctor Dolittle smiles at me lazily. "Customer? Yes, I suppose I am in this instance. Have a seat."

"You're not going to confess to me, are you?" I ask, wary. "Because you're talking to the wrong girl."

His smile widens. "What an amusing thought. No, I am not. I just want to talk."

"Okay then." I sit down and have a piece of fruit. "What are we talking about? Business?"

He leans back in his chair. "It has come to my attention that you have recently traded one man for a better one. A wise move."

I choke on my food. "Hey! That was not trade. Don't call it that. Real feelings were involved."

"Feelings?" he asks. "Feelings are very unreliable things, as you well know."

I sigh. There are some things this man won't understand. "What's your point?"

He fans himself. "My point is that it is unlikely that you will remain by Bei Tang Mo Ran's side for the rest of your life."

Is he insulting me, or is he asking me for probability odds? "Huh?"

"What if he never proposes marriage to you? What if someone better comes along? What if Bei Tang Yi gains military power? All are reasons you might leave him."

"No offence, but you've got me all wrong," I say. "Being with Mo Ran isn't about business, or power or desire. My heart was already in love with him before I even knew what was going on. It was my mind that needed to catch up."

"So you plan to remain by His Highness for the rest of your current life? Is that what you're telling me?"

I smile at the thought. "Yeah. He's mine and I'm his. I know that's hard for you to understand."

He plays with his fan. "And if you should change your mind, would a little financial incentive help keep you by King Chen's side?"

"What? Why is money coming into this now?"

He shrugs. "Hypothetically, if you should ever consider changing your mind, perhaps some money would help you to remain by his side? A large amount, of course."

I blink. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Not at all. And to show you I'm serious I can negotiate an advance-payment for you now. Let's call it a loyalty gift."

I smile. "Wow. A loyalty gift for being with Bei Tang Mo Ran, that's incredible."

"Yes, it is." He says. "Would you like to negotiate an amount?"

"Yes, I would." I pull a plate of food towards me. I lift it off the table and squash the contents into his face. I think there's some sauce in there.

He shouts and leaps up out of this chair, trying to shake the food off of him. At the same time the door crashes open and Mo Ran comes running in with a small sword in his hand. He sees me, pulls me behind him and points the tip of the sword at Su Xun Xian.

"No!" I cry. "Don't kill him. It's Minister Su." He may be a jerk but he is Mo Ran's friend.

"It is?" Mo Ran lowers his sword. "Why would he abduct you? What's going on?"

Dr Dolittle wipes some sauce out of his eyes. I knew there was sauce in there somewhere. "I just wanted a private word with Fei Fei. She turned feral and attacked me like a feral monkey."

"Drama queen," I say, rolling my eyes. "I only gave you what you deserved after what you said to me."

"What did you say to her, Xian?" Mo Ran demands. "And why did you abduct Fei Fei and bring her to a private room?"

"Yes, why?" I say. "You and Mo Ran are best friends, so why would you want to talk to me in private without anyone knowing and offer me a loyalty gift...oh." I think I just got it.

Mo Ran looks from his friend to me. "Can someone explain?"

I smile for real. "I just realised that Minister Su cares about more than business and pleasure. He cares about your happiness, and he doesn't want anyone to know about it."

"Huh!" Minister Su continues to brush off his clothes. "I have no friends, I have business partners, and the only thing I care about right now is burning these clothes and having a bath. Get out, both of you."

Mo Ran slowly smiles. "I'll send one of the servants to you."

"Servants are more useful than friends!" Su Xun Xian spits.