by Neglected2much
This is an incomplete story
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to reach neglected2much for a few years and fear the worst. As he was the only one with the necessary access rights to keep the old site running, I have posted his stories here to save his incredible work.
— QexiQex
Disclaimer: This story is of the ‘naughty’ nature and intended for adults only. If you are not of legal age, are easily offended or not interested in kinky writings, please turn away now.
The Google Docs version (to download as ebook, pdf, etc.) is available here.
宫保雞丁
(Kung Pao)
"Wow, that's some serious kung pao," said Nelly with a laugh as she reached for her water glass.
"This Szechuan beef is pretty spectacular too," said Ashley. "This place is great. I love the giant golden dragon statues--the eyes look so real. They don't build places like this anymore."
"My favorite is the round doorway with the carved wooden screens on each side. They remind me of floating clouds. I can only imagine how long it took to carve them. Oh, and those little jade statues," said Nelly. "I don't care if any of it's authentic or not. It's just plain cool either way."
Ashley nodded in agreement. "I can't believe I never stopped in here before. I've been down this street dozens of times and never noticed this place," she said. "I guess it's because the outside is so nondescript. How'd you find out about it?"
"You're going to laugh." Nelly knew Ashley would think she was nuts. After all, they had shared an apartment for nearly four years now and could almost read each other's thoughts.
"No, I won't," insisted Ashley, despite a smirk already starting.
"Oh, you will, trust me."
Nelly's face changed as she looked Ashley square in the eyes forcing her to realize this was serious.
"Come on Nelly, what?"
"On my lunch break at the mall, I had Chinese at the food court--"
"No doubt after hitting 'Still Sexy' for a mini-skirt and some slutty underwear for your next date with Mark," joked Ashley.
"Hey! Not fair. You know it's not just about sex," said Nelly with a "don't go there" look as reinforcement. A 42 year old woman with a 22 year old guy screamed "cougar!" She fit the hated stereotype far too well for comfort--even if most people believed her when she told them she was only 34.
Thankfully, Ashley took the hint. They had a sort of unstated mutual understanding to stay away from each other's sore spots. It saved a lot of arguments and hurt feelings even if certain lines of communication remained closed as a result. Besides, she didn't really care what Ashley thought at the moment. Dressing younger and having an active sex life with Mark was helping her cope with the giant mess of midlife dissatisfaction and regrets she couldn't seem to get out of her head lately. Nelly wished she could talk about it, but Ashley didn't seem to have a clue about what she was going through--at 25 how could Ashley understand? Everything is still about the future at that age.
As if that wasn't enough, she still couldn't get last week's "discovery" on Mark's computer out of her head either. An impromptu search for some strappy high heels--one of Mark's biggest turn-ons--led to some rather interesting browser suggestions. After that, she couldn't help snooping. Unfortunately, she didn't get much time to investigate before Mark finished making dinner, but he did have quite an extensive stash of fetish and bondage videos, including some "how-to" videos, as well as a dozen or more bookmarks to similar websites.
Sooner or later, he was going to want her to do that kind of stuff, and deep down--contrary to what Ashley might think--she was really rather inhibited, shy and maybe even a bit afraid when it came anything moderately kinky; it's not easy to shake off a prudish upbringing even in your 40s. She could probably handle corsets, stockings and maybe even some latex. Playing fetish dress-up might even be fun. But, more than that made her nervous, and if she turned him down, she knew that somewhere buried inside he'd always resent her for it--whether he wanted to or not. She dreaded that another failed relationship with it's associated set of regrets was probably in the cards.
Recognizing one of Nelly's pensive moods, Ashley smiled as if repenting her remark and changed the subject. "OK, so what's that have to do with coming here?"
"Well, you see...this white-haired old woman came over to my table, surprised me a bit since I never saw her approach. She was just, like, there, dressed in one of those tight silk dresses like the hostess here has on."
"She wore something that form-fitting at her age?" asked Ashley.
"Yeah, and she was still beautiful. You know how well some Asian women age." Nelly paused, looking around the restaurant as if making sure no one else was listening. "Anyways, she said, imitating a really thick accent, 'Best Chinese food here. You go tonight.' Then she hands me the business card for this restaurant. She looks at me again with these intense black eyes and says, 'No lucky chance I find you. You have fate. Tonight.' "
Ashley echoed exactly what Nelly thought she would say, "Must be some kind of scam."
"First thing in my mind too, and I might have brushed it off until I got to my fortune cookies," Nelly paused.
"Seriously?" mocked Ashley with a smile that was completely ignored. This kind of superstitious nonsense was not entirely uncommon with Nelly, but something was different this time.
"It said, 'Fate and coincidence are often mistaken.' "
"Seems like a typical enough fortune," said Ashley. But, she didn't laugh. It was always better to play along when Nelly got this way.
"It was the second cookie that did it. It said, 'Old woman speaking of fate is ignored at peril.' "
"Whoa! That's really weird. What's the chances?"
"Creepy is more like it," said Nelly. She seemed genuinely shaken up.
"You don't really believe in that fortune crap do you?" said Ashley.
Nelly hesitated. "No, I don't think so. Fortune cookies are just a novelty and not ancient science like tarot cards or astrology. They aren't even Chinese. But, it got me thinking, so I figured there was no harm in coming here."
Ashley was no philosopher, but she did think certain aspects of life were fate and if so, it would make sense that there might be some way, no matter how unscientific it might be, to see glimpses of what fate might have in store--astrology and tarot cards notwithstanding. Still, in this case, she wasn't ready to believe there was anything more going on than some longshot odds coming through a winner. The cookie had to have been just a coincidence.
Nelly broke the awkward pause in their conversation, "I looked for the old woman after that, but she was gone. If it was some kind of scam, I think she would have been going around to other people at the food court."
"This is really spicy. Getting heartburn will be no coincidence. Now if my fate had been to order the moo goo gai pan, then things would have been different," said Ashley with a half-hearted laugh, then she switched to her lame Darth Vader imitation. "Instead, Szechuan beef was my d-e-s-t-i-n-y."
"You're right. Maybe I am taking this too seriously." Nelly was beginning to think it was all in her head after all. Nothing appeared exceptional at the restaurant. Where was this supposed fate of which the old woman warned?
Just then the waiter left the check and a little tray with fortune cookies. They both looked at the tray like it was a snake ready to strike. After a few moments of awkward silence, Ashley reached for a fortune cookie, Nelly froze, speechless. By the time, the word, "Don't," escaped her lips, Ashley already had the cookie open.
She looked a little pale, then started to laugh hysterically. "This is, like, the funniest fortune ever. See for yourself." Nelly took the slip of paper. It said, "Help! I'm naked and helpless in a Chinese fortune cookie factory." They both giggled enough to draw a few sideways glances and a stare or two.
"Maybe you should show Mark that one," said Allison, daring to probe indirectly. "From what you told me, a little ice breaker to open up the conversation about might be the way to go."
"You could be right," said Nelly. "Have you ever tried anything like that? Ropes, blindfolds, gags, handcuffs--"
"Could be, wabbit, could be," said Ashley with one of the little cartoon voices she did so well.
"I just don't know if I can handle it. I'm too much of a control freak."
"I tried it with Luke," said Ashley. "You remember him? He was really into it."
"He didn't seem the type," said Nelly. She could still see his boyish face. What was he? About three boyfriends ago?
"There's a type?" said Ashley. "Honestly, I don't think there is such a thing."
"I guess you're right," said Nelly even though she wasn't so sure. "What was it like?"
"It certainly put him in the mood," Ashley answered. "He was so turned on that he was like a machine. I don't think I've ever came harder than the first night we tried it. One of the few times I came more than once with a guy."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Ashley handed Nelly a fortune cookie. "It's hard to explain. It was like I was free to focus on myself--there wasn't anything else I could do." She seemed to be thinking for a moment, then said, "You know, he taught me how the whole bondage thing starts with trust. When there's trust, the submissive partner really has all of the power. You might not think of it that way, but what you're really deciding is whether you trust Mark enough."
"I think I do," was all Nelly said as she stared at the cookie, turning it over in her fingers. "But, it's a little more complicated than that."
"It doesn't have to be." Ashley followed Nelly's gaze and saw the hesitation. "Come on, open it."
Nelly reluctantly cracked the cookie down the middle--she knew Ashley would have kept badgering her--then her face went pale after she read it. Speechless, she handed the fortune to Ashley. It said, "If not you, then who?"
"It can't be related to the other one." Ashley put the slip of paper down, and hurriedly grabbed one of the remaining two cookies.
"Fate rewards those who lend a helping hand," it said.
Ashley could hardly believe what she was reading, but Nelly didn't look surprised. She must have been thinking about the old woman at the mall.
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" asked Ashley.
"I can see the factory address on that box of fortune cookies over by the serving station."
"This is just too weird," insisted Ashley. "It has to be some kind of prank. I'm looking for the hidden cameras."
Nelly opened another cookie. It said, "The truth often comes in the form of a joke."
"Shut up! It really says that?" said Nelly, taking the slip of paper to read it herself. "Damn."
"Open the last cookie," Nelly said flatly, shaking her head.
Ashley hesitated.
"Open it!" insisted Nelly.
"Only by trusting your instincts and following your heart can you find happiness," it said.
"Fuck," said Ashley softly as if something caught in her throat. She reached for her glass of water like someone who just ate one of those dried hot chili peppers by mistake, knocking some of the cookie pieces on the floor in the process.
The waiter rushed over with a pitcher of water and immediately refilled her glass. Seeing she was alright, he asked, "Would you like another fortune cookie?"
"Hell no!" answered Ashley curtly. Her tone rated a "what the hell is wrong with her?" look from the waiter at first, but then he smiled with his best "the customer is always right" smile.
Nelly just smiled while crunching her fourth cookie, amazed she had eaten so many. They were so good she couldn't help herself.
蘑菇鸡片
(Moo Goo Gai Pan)
"I still can't believe we're doing this," said Ashley. "You can't really think, even for a minute, that those cookies were...real?"
"You mean magic? No, I don't think so, but it's more than just coincidence. I think it's a clue to come here," said Nelly. "Why me, or rather us, of all people?"
"I still think it's some kind of gag. I bet someone is watching us on a hidden camera right now," complained Ashley. "I can see the online video now: 'Fortune cookie rescuers not so fortunate.' "
"Maybe it's some kind of contest? There could even be a prize," said Nelly. "You're the one saying YOLO all the time. Think of it as an adventure."
"Adventure is one thing, stupid is another. Aren't you scared? This whole area down by the docks is dangerous this late, especially with a skirt as short as yours. It also doesn't help that the clop of your heels echoes a mile with all of these brick buildings. I don't know how you wear stilettos all day."
"You get used to them." Nelly shrugged. "And trust me, I always have someone to help me on the computer around the office," she said. "Besides, Miss Ample Cleavage, you're one to talk."
Ashley countered the verbal riposte with a stuck-out tongue. The objectifying dress code at the breastaurant she worked at was one of her sore points, but the money was too good to pass up and people stared at her boobs all the time anyway.
"Where the hell is this place anyways?" complained Ashley. "You could have parked a little closer, you know."
"I thought I was closer."
Nelly looked back the way they came to get her bearings. "I think it's the whole block we've been circling. It seems to be a single enormous building, but I still haven't seen a matching address, and all of the doors have been blank."
"Wait, this one has some writing. 'Wang Fang Lu Imperial Fortune Cookie.' This is it," said Ashley. "But how do we get in. Place is built like a fort. I don't see a doorbell or anything."
"Look, this metal thing is really a flip cover," said Nelly. "There's an electronic keypad under it."
Ashley wasn't impressed. "How's that going to help us without the combination?"
"It's kind of obvious don't you think?" said Nelly.
"OK, Nancy Drew, what's obvious?"
Nelly pulled out the "Help! I'm naked and bound in a Chinese fortune cookie factory" paper slip, and started punching the lucky numbers on the bottom of it into the keypad.
