A Distressed Qin Weiwei (4)

By two shores of the small river, the willows were evergreen; from time to time one could see women crouching down by the riverbank as they washed either their clothes, or vegetables.

Brothels also stood aplenty; beautiful young ladies waved their handkerchiefs with a sense of wantonness, as they relaxed their throats and made coquettish noises in an attempt to attract passing travellers standing at the prow of their boats.

Further ahead, young men recited poetry by the grassy riverside, looking to charm the groups of young girls strolling leisurely past them. On the other hand, the young girls secretly watched, with faces flushed at the young man with the extraordinary bearing standing firm at the prow of the black awning boat, relishing the breeze.

As the black awning boat passed by a flower boat, a madame wearing heavy makeup also invited the young man at the prow of the boat in a high-pitched voice to come aboard and drink alcohol with her courtesans.