Chapter 7 #2
Cutie snores softly beside me. Puffy has also fallen asleep, chittering happily in her dreams. I rest my head against Puffy’s cheek, thinking more about those books and how truths can be obscured by conflicting details.
Varney the Vampire had no problems with garlic or silver while Dracula was even more allergic than I am.
My mixed heritage muddles things as well.
A stake through the heart may well kill a vampire, but won’t do me or any yaojing any lasting harm, no matter how holy or sacred the wood.
I’ve been stabbed enough times in sword fights to know.
Same goes for beheading, though it would sting like a bitch and be an incredible pain in the pigu.
Regenerating a whole head takes quite some time.
Only a blue flaming Sword of Hell can carve out our primordial qi, the source of our regenerative powers, and bestow eternal death.
Going back to the question of turning mortals into vampires – what if the books had the gist right but the details wrong? Maybe I should read more novels about vampires and see what else I can learn.
After a few hours of reading Sanmao comics, I head home, back to the zigzag bridge and Lake Heart Pavilion.
Bullhead stands in the kitchen, chatting with Old Zao.
Ever since I was little, Old Zao, Bullhead and Horsey were a tight-knit trio.
Horsey was the disciplinarian, Bullhead the protector, and Old Zao the nurturer.
Horsey was always the one gossiping with Old Zao, but Bullhead has been coming around more often of late.
They look up as I enter, stopping their conversation abruptly, like they’re hiding something.
‘How are the pixiu?’ Bullhead asks.
‘Adorable as always,’ I say. ‘What are you two up to?’
Old Zao, the Kitchen God, waves their hand dismissively. ‘Chatting.’
They are a notorious gossip, as well as a steel trap with information they do not want to share. I let it go. Instead, I say, ‘Can you make me some xiaolongbao?’
‘Didn’t you just have tea with Big Wang?’ Old Zao says.
‘Do you know how much work it is to keep the pixiu behaving nicely? I had to wrestle with Puffy because she kept trying to sit on Cutie’s head! Besides, I only had snacks with Big Wang. I’m so hungry.’ My stomach chooses that moment to rumble loudly.
Old Zao laughs, making their long dragon beard twitch. Even Bullhead smiles, showing the gap between his teeth.
I pause. Bullhead’s smiles are a rare and special thing.
‘What’s got you both in such a good mood?’ I ask.
Old Zao has that smug secretive look, the one they sport when they’ve got a nugget of gossip before anyone else.
Bullhead has a better mahjong face. He says, ‘I heard you’ve been doing an excellent job at Mahjong Council.’
The heat rises to my cheeks. ‘Thanks,’ I mumble. Praise always makes me antsy.
‘I’ll steam some xiaolongbao for you,’ Old Zao says. ‘Go wait in the tea room. I’ll bring them out when they’re ready.’
I hold my hands at my waist and perform a little curtsy, in the old way. In a high sweet voice, I say, ‘Abundant gratitude to learned and kind Lord Nioh and Zao Shen.’
There’s a beat of silence, and then Bullhead and Old Zao cough-laugh at my nonsense.
‘Go, silly melon,’ Old Zao says. ‘I will never, ever, be accustomed to that piss-fart coming from your mouth.’
I push open the lattice door to the next room. There’s a man sitting at a table by the window reading a book. I’m about to turn back, to ask Old Zao about their guest when his scent hits me.
Watermelon and snow.
‘Tony!’ I say, more high-pitched and louder than I mean to.
He strides towards me, stops within touching distance. My mind is blank and all I can do is gaze happily at him, tongue-tied and strangely shy.
‘I’m so happy to see you, Jing,’ he murmurs, voice low.
It sends a shiver down my spine. I am suddenly hyper-aware of his proximity.
So many possible things I could say race through my mind – Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? How have you been? I’m so happy to see you, too.
But what comes out is sharp and clumsy. ‘Why didn’t you answer my last letter?’
Tony flinches; it’s only for a moment, before he hides away his surprise at my tone.
I open my mouth to say something to fix my blunder, but my tongue is frozen.
He smiles gently, takes my hands. ‘I missed you, too, Jing.’
His thumbs draw circles on the backs of my hands. My mouth unlocks.
‘That sounded like an accusation,’ I say, embarrassed. ‘It really wasn’t. It’s only that I missed you so much.’
He tucks me into his arms. I breathe his scent; my mouth waters as my throat itches. He smells delicious. I push away so Tony’s once again at arm’s length. He frowns at my reaction. I don’t want him to misinterpret, so I take his hands and hold them tight. It seems to appease him.
‘I missed you and wanted to surprise you with a visit.’ He gives me a sideways glance. ‘Who is Lord Aengus? You’ve mentioned him a few times . . .’
‘Oh him,’ I say, derisively. ‘He’s so annoying. I have to escort him to Paris.’
He stills. ‘Just you and him?’ There’s an edge to his tone.
He looks away from me, his expression intense. It hits me that Tony is cranky.
I think about what might cause Tony to behave like this and realise he’s probably tired and hungry. I certainly get short when my stomach complains for attention.
‘Aiya, contain my thoughtlessness, Tony. I’m whining about myself while you must be starving,’ I say. ‘Old Zao is making us some bao. You’ll feel better with a full stomach.’
His gaze snaps to me, fiery and smouldering. My knees go wobbly. This smouldering Tony is very handsome.
He drops my hands, and steps back from me. ‘Why aren’t you answering my question?’
‘What question?’
‘You are going to Paris with Lord Aengus?’ His voice has gone pitchy.
‘Yes.’ I peer at him. ‘Are you – are you mad at me?’
Spots of colour blush his cheeks. The tips of his ears redden. He gazes at the ground.
‘Lady Jing found me annoying as well, at the start.’
I smile, remembering the first time I met Tony. ‘You were so annoying.’
His face falls and I feel his hurt like a punch to the stomach. I replay the conversation. Just you and him? Lady Jing found me annoying as well, at the start. Oh. Oh.
I gently lift his chin, raise his gaze to mine. ‘I liked you from the moment I snorted up a gob of snot to spit at Horsey and you laughed.’ I press my lips to his. His scent envelopes me and every worry fades away as his lips move against mine.
‘That was my first morning in yin Shanghai,’ he murmurs.
‘Mmm,’ I say, continuing to kiss him. When the tension in him lessens, I pull back to make some space between us, but keep my arms around his neck.
‘As for Paris . . . I was going to ask you if you’d come with me. Big Wang doesn’t want me to go alone, so I suggested you, Gigi and Ah Lang should come too.’
Tony’s expression clears. ‘Big Wang wants us to go with you?’
‘It’s either you three, or he’s sending me with the North Wind Division. I’m sorry, it’s probably not what you’d planned for your visit.’
He shakes his head, relaxed now. ‘Paris is one of my favourite cities. I’d love to show you around.’
We head to the table by the window. I move my chair beside his. His smile widens until two dimples twinkle in his cheeks.
From inside his jacket, he pulls out a thick envelope. ‘Here, my precious flower.’ He says the last in a teasing tone.
‘My letter!’ I snatch the envelope, gasping happily at the thick wad of pages inside. I rip it open and immediately start reading.
‘Hey, I’m right here. Don’t you want to read that later?’
‘But I want to find out what happened with that conniving Li Ren from your office! Did he ever get found out for taking credit for someone else’s report?’
He laughs. ‘I can tell you myself.’
‘It’s not the same.’ I can’t help the pout.
His turn of phrase, the beauty of his calligraphy – there’s a bold strength to the elegant precision in each brushstroke – when I read his letters it’s as if he’s honouring me with a glimpse into his very soul.
It’s an intimacy which isn’t the same when we’re talking.
‘So impatient,’ he says, amusement in his tone. ‘I have to go see Big Wang in a bit, so save it for then, okay? Tell me about your week? What happened that Lord Aengus needs to return so quickly?’
I groan. ‘We’ll need food and baijiu. It’s a long story.’
He tucks a wayward strand of my hair behind my ear before pulling me into his arms. ‘I have all the time in the world to listen to you.’
I breathe in his comforting scent and listening to the reassuring rhythm of his heart as it dances with mine.