The commotion in the settlement square quickly drew Boheng out of his room. The moment he emerged, he understood what was happening and strode toward the clothesline. But before he could say anything, the young woman clutching his clothes immediately ran off elsewhere.
The remaining women blocked Boheng's path, both sides speaking rapidly.
"The young man's embarrassed and wants his clothes back," Man Na said with a smile. "He's such a grown man, yet his skin is still so thin..."
Victoria suddenly felt rather awkward. "Who would've thought? This teacher is quite the heartthrob around here..."
"He's this!" Man Na gave an emphatic thumbs-up.
"What do you mean?"
"What else could I mean?" Man Na glared at Victoria. "Everyone fights to hang up his laundry for him!"
The three Quicksilver Needles turned to look at Man Na at the same time and let out a soft, unified, "Ah..."
Man Na quickly listed many more of Boheng's virtues—for instance, whenever he returned from an outing after missing mealtime, he never made a huge fuss demanding someone come cook for him. He always cleaned the trash from his own room himself. And over all these years, though countless girls had confessed their feelings to him, he had always said he had no plans to start a family for the time being. He had never taken advantage of any family...
"...Maybe he likes men," Zoe said.
"Nonsense!" Man Na's gaze suddenly sharpened. "There's no one here who does that sort of thing."
Hesta turned back. "What sort of thing?"
Man Na's voice grew hesitant. A few syllables lingered in her mouth, never quite forming a complete word.
"...Homosexuality?" Victoria ventured.
"No!" Man Na answered decisively, as though rejecting some unspeakable disease. "No one here is like that."
"Is that in the precepts too?"