A Hot Steaming Night

"Women de liǎng jiān fángjiān zuì hǎo zhè shì, Xiānshēng (These are two of our best rooms, Sir)," Mr. Lu said, respectfully bowing while his hands pointed at the two rooms. "Nǎ yī kuǎn nín bǐjiào xǐhuān? (Which one do you prefer?)"

Instead of answering, Deathstalker turned his head to Lil, 'his wife.' "Xuǎnzé yīgè nǐ xǐhuān de (Choose one you like)," he ordered.

Lily walked toward one of the doors and opened it. While stepping inside the room, her gaze wandered around it.

It was much more beautiful than her previous room. The floor was covered with a warm and cozy rug, while the walls were painted a luxurious white with delicate floral details perfectly placed.

The main feature was, of course, the grand, luxurious bed at the center of the room. It was covered with soft, silky sheets. The four pillows, placed neatly near the headboard, seemed to urge anyone near it to lie down and rest. The bed was flanked by two nightstands, each holding scented candles and bouquets of flowers in a vase.

In the right corner of the room was a sofa set piled with many soft pillows. Behind the sofa was a large window, and right beneath it stood a thigh-high cupboard. On top of the cupboard were more scented candles. Some were already lit, filling the air with a soothing yet romantic fragrance.

Next to the sofa set was a working desk, equipped with a set of office equipment, a candle on top of the desk, and a large bookshelf behind it.

Right across the bed was a beautiful and elegant dressing table, fit for a queen. Beside it was a door leading to a walk-in closet that could accommodate the clothes of four or five people.

At the end of the walk-in closet, another door led to a royal bathroom. The bathroom had a large bathtub, big enough for two people. Its faucets gleamed without a single blemish. The walls were entirely marble, while the floor was made of ceramic tiles, each featuring a delicate floral design.

Lily came out of the room with excitement lighting up her face. "Wǒ xǐhuān zhège fángjiān (I like this room)," she said to Deathstalker.

"Lìng yīgè fángjiān nǐ bùxiǎng kàn kàn ma? (Don't you want to see the other room?)" Mr. Lu asked.

Lily shook her head firmly. "Wǒ yào zhège fángjiān (I want this room)," she said, then playfully hung onto Deathstalker's arm.

Seeing Deathstalker nod, Mr. Lu ordered his men to bring all their belongings, including Lily's from her previous room, into the one she had chosen. Another man carried Bruno's shabby bundle into the other room.

"Nín de wùpǐn tāmen dǎkāi nín xīwàng ma? (Do you want them to unpack your belongings?)" Mr. Lu offered.

"Bù, bié dǎrǎo wǒmen, bùyào dǎrǎo wǒmen (No. Just leave us alone and don't disturb us)," Deathstalker replied.

"Dāng... dāngrán, Xiānshēng (Of... of course, Sir)," Mr. Lu stammered. He quickly instructed his men to leave.

"Yīgè líng fàngle wǒmen zài nǐ de fángjiān lǐ (We've placed a bell inside your room). Dāng nín xūyào wǒmen tígōng rènhé bāngzhù shí, qǐng bōdǎ diànhuà (Ring it if you need anything)," Mr. Lu said before leaving with a low bow.

Once Mr. Lu and his men were gone, the three of them entered the room Lily had chosen. Without being told, they each scattered to inspect the room.

"It's kind of hard to detect them without any equip—"

Bruno's words were cut off by Lily's whisper. "I think I found one. You won't believe its form."

In an instant, Deathstalker and Bruno approached Lily, who was standing beside the bed, holding a flower vase from the nightstand.

As her right hand pulled one of the flower stems, she gestured with her other hand for silence. Slowly, she parted the petals of the flower, revealing an unusual detail—a petal that was actually an ear.

"What?!"

"Is it real?!"

Both Bruno and Deathstalker hissed in surprise.

"Shhh..." Lily hushed them, reminding them to lower their voices. She touched the earlobe, and it moved!

Deathstalker signaled for his partners to search for more spying equipment. At least now they knew what to look for: an ear and an eye.

Deathstalker's sharp gaze landed on the bookshelf behind the desk. "I found one," he hissed. Behind the shelf, an artificial eye stared back at him.

"Shit!" he shouted, feigning shock. He smashed the eye with his fist, then grabbed a book and hit it repeatedly until it was thoroughly mangled.

"Now he can't see," Deathstalker muttered coldly. "Did either of you find another?"

"Nope," Bruno whispered.

"Me neither," Lily added.

"Good," Deathstalker sighed in relief.

"And this one?" Lily asked, referring to the ear she had found.

"Let's give its owner a sound he'll never forget," Deathstalker sneered. Approaching Lily, he dragged her near the bed.

What followed was chaos—a cacophony of groans, moans, and exaggerated cries that could have made anyone outside believe the most passionate scene was unfolding within those walls. Deathstalker's voice boomed with an absurd mix of seduction and wild abandon. "Oh... Qīn'ài... wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ... (Oh... Love... I miss you so much)," he gasped dramatically, sucking on his hand for added effect.

Lily quickly caught on, tearing her blouse slightly for realism. "Lǎogōng... wǒ dōu shì nǐ de... (Husband... I'm all yours)," she cried in a breathy voice, twirling her hair and letting out high-pitched, rhythmic wails.

Deathstalker pounded the headboard like a man possessed, his fist hitting the wood in perfect sync with their theatrical performance. "Lǎopó... ràng wǒ bǎ nǐ xī qián! (Wifey, let me suck you dry!)" he growled, his voice dripping with faux desperation.

Bruno, meanwhile, felt his ears burning. The sounds reverberated in the room, impossibly convincing, each exaggerated groan more suggestive than the last. He turned away, swallowing hard, unable to stop the vivid images forming in his head. No, this is acting, just acting, he reminded himself. Yet, the heated atmosphere was unbearable.

He closed his eyes tightly, wishing he could escape. Anywhere but here, his thoughts begged. When he opened them again, everything was different. The room, the air, the sounds—gone.

Bruno found himself standing in a dimly lit kitchen. Confused, he stared at the men in aprons, the cooking equipment, and the bubbling pots. He didn't remember walking here. What just happened?

"Nǐ shénme zuò zài zhèlǐ?! (What are you doing here?!)" someone barked at him, pulling Bruno back to reality.

"Wo... (I...)" Bruno stammered, still processing where he was. He definitely wasn't in the same place he was just a split second ago. The room was quite big, although not too bright. Cooking equipment lined the walls behind the men staring at him. Some were wearing aprons to cover their front. A hissing sound came from one of the stoves, and a man near it quickly adjusted something to silence it.

"Núlì... Huídá wǒ! (Slave... Answer me!)" the man rebuked again.

"Wo... Wǒ de zhǔrén xiǎng yào rè shuǐ xǐzǎo (My... My master wants warm water for bathing)," Bruno stammered, forcing himself to respond.

"Ān ménlíng tā kěyǐ (He could ring the bell)," the man said with a frown.

"Ta yǒu wǒ. (He has me.) Tā bù xūyào àn líng jiù néng dédào rènhé dōngxī (He doesn't need to ring a bell to get anything)," Bruno said, keeping his head low.

The man snorted, then ordered one of the others behind him to prepare hot water. "Shuǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo hòu wǒmen huì bǎ shuǐ sòng dào tā de fángjiān (We'll deliver the water to his room once it's ready)," he said.

"Xiè xiè nǐ, Xiānshēng (Thank you, Sir). Dàn wǒ bìxū shì nàgè sòngshuǐ de rén (But I have to be the one to deliver it)," Bruno said, still stammering and keeping his head down.

The man snorted again. "Hǎo le! Nǐ zài wàimiàn děng ba! (Fine! Wait outside!)" he said, eventually agreeing.

"Duō xiè nǐ, Xiānshēng (Thank you very much, Sir)," Bruno replied, bowing low before stepping outside the room.

Standing near a wall outside, Bruno noticed another man standing guard at the corner of the building in a perfect posture. Bruno's eyes were drawn to the man's swollen, bruised left eye, which he couldn't open.

"Kan shénme ni?! (What are you looking at?!)" the guard snapped.

"Méi... méi... méiyǒu (No... no... nothing)," Bruno stammered, deliberately sounding submissive. He lowered his head but continued observing the man out of the corner of his eye.

The guard's face was red, and his left ear burned even brighter. It was obvious he was trying hard to mask his discomfort. Bruno smirked inwardly. Despite the man's loose clothing, Bruno could clearly see something beneath it standing firm.

The guard shifted uncomfortably. After a moment, he couldn't endure it any longer and hurriedly walked toward a nearby restroom.

"Rè shuǐ zhè shì (Here is the hot water)," a voice suddenly said. Bruno turned to see one of the kitchen workers holding a large bucket. Bruno took the bucket, thanked the man, and left.

As Bruno approached the door of the room Lily had chosen, loud, exaggerated screams and groans reached his ears. No wonder that man couldn't stand his post, Bruno thought with a smirk. He sighed heavily and opened the door.

Deathstalker and Lily turned toward him, still pretending to cry out in ecstasy. Bruno placed the heavy bucket on the floor, then crossed his arms, signaling them to stop.

Deathstalker and Lily screamed even louder for a few moments before letting out a long, dramatic moan and falling silent.

Using hand signals, Deathstalker asked Bruno, "What did you find?"

Bruno grinned. Instead of answering, he walked toward the nightstand. He reached out to touch the ear-like petal Lily had discovered earlier. A second later, a small "boom" sounded as the ear crumbled into pieces.

"A guy just lost an ear," Bruno said with a wide grin.