Chapter 9 #2
‘Petal, would you like some company or help?’ Ah Lang says.
I gag in my mouth, but it’s mostly for show. I’ve gotten used to those two lovebirds and their sappy talk. Sometimes, when they’re away in the Celestial lands, I even miss it, a little.
Gigi rolls her eyes at me. ‘Talk about fifty steps laughing at a hundred steps. You and Tony are no better when you’re making doe eyes at each other.’
At this, Tony smiles at me, his gaze soft and gooey. I slap my hand over his eyes so he can’t prove her point.
‘Mmhmmm.’ Her lips are pressed together and mirth dances over her smug face.
She tosses her hair, then turns to Ah Lang.
‘I like to organise my things just so, darling. It won’t be any fun for you.
The lounge carriage has a fully stocked bar.
Why don’t you make us some cocktails to toast the start of our journey? You know the ones I like.’
‘What a good idea, Petal.’
‘I’ll unpack my things, too,’ I say, ‘and join you when I’m done.’
‘I’ll get me and Lord Aengus sorted, then I’ll come find you, Jing,’ Tony says.
I give him the stink eye, since I’m miffed he decided without speaking to me that he would share a room with Lord Aengus. But I don’t tell him no.
It doesn’t take me long to unpack. Clothes in the wardrobe, hairpins on the dresser, and my suitcase slides neatly under the bed. I bring out my sketchbook and watercolours for later. There’s a soft knock at the door.
Tony comes in, his hands behind his back. He seems down.
‘Lady Jing,’ he says. ‘I should have given this to you yesterday.’
He hesitates, as if unsure, but then holds out a box. It looks much like the one Ah Lang gave me, but the box is simpler, the silk courser.
‘A present? For me?’ I grab it, greedy and delighted. But then I remember my manners. ‘Um, abundant gratitude,’ I say belatedly.
Given my frequent breaches of decorum, I sometimes worry he’ll think I’m too uncouth, but he chuckles, and I get a brief flash of his dimples before the smile fades.
‘Open it,’ he says, but without much enthusiasm.
Inside is a jade pendant. It’s a simple round disc on a gold chain. The jade is a bright imperial feicui – a deep emerald green, one shade away from blue.
‘It’s beautiful, Tony.’
‘I’m sorry it’s not as fine as Brother Zhu’s jade bangle.’
The way he says it makes me turn to look at him. It takes me a moment to pinpoint the emotion. ‘Are you jealous?’
‘You seem so taken with Brother Zhu’s gift.’ His voice is low and forlorn. My heart pinches in response.
‘I can count on one hand the gifts I’ve received, so I don’t take them for granted.
I appreciate each and every one. But a gift will never make me like someone more than you.
’ I squeeze his hand. ‘Did you know that you gave me my first ever gift?’ I pull a beaded purse filled with Tootsie Rolls and salted caramels from my pocket.
‘I always carry it with me because it reminds me of you.’
At the sight of the purse, bulging with sweets, his expression lightens. ‘May I?’ He gestures to the necklace.
I nod. He sweeps my hair back and puts it on for me.
The jade disc sits in the dip of my collarbone and has a pleasant coolness against my skin. I love it even more knowing he chose a length that wouldn’t tangle with my mom’s canary yellow diamond pendant that hangs next to my heart. ‘Thank you,’ I say. ‘It’s so pretty.’
‘So pretty,’ he agrees.
‘Did you know I was mad at you?’ I say.
‘Because I am staying with Lord Aengus?’
‘Yes,’ I say, not caring that I’m whining. ‘Why wouldn’t you choose me over the envoy?’
He sits next to me on the bed. ‘Because it is unseemly. We are not married, we should not share a room.’
‘But Gigi and Ah Lang—’
‘Have been dating for over a millennia,’ he says, tone gentle. ‘There is no rush, Jing.’
He cups my face and presses his lips against mine. I fall into his kiss, breathing him in, but almost immediately, he pulls away.
‘More kissing,’ I demand.
He makes a show of checking his watch. ‘We should join the others,’ he says, tone solemn. ‘They’ll be waiting.’
I cross my arms in a snit.
The corners of his lips twitch until he can’t hold his mahjong face any longer and he breaks into a cheeky grin. ‘How can I resist when you pout like that?’
He playfully pulls at my arms, which only makes me cross them tighter. For good measure I turn my face away.
With a dramatic sigh, he says, ‘I guess you don’t want me to kiss you after all.’
I push him onto the bed, try to kiss him but he’s laughing so I keep missing his mouth, which makes him laugh even harder.
‘I’ll give you something to laugh about, you rotted turd!’
We end up rolling around on the bed tickling each other, howling and shrieking until we lay side by side, breathless, still snickering. Propping himself on an elbow, his eyes twinkle as he studies me.
‘You’re very cute when you pout.’ He brushes my bottom lip with his thumb then closes the distance between us.
He takes his time, kissing me with meticulous devotion. He tastes of sunshine and joy and a waiting promise. He kisses me so thoroughly the world falls away and I forget where he ends and I begin.
We miss lunch.
We miss dinner.
A knock at my cabin door restarts time and with it, reality.
From the corridor, Gigi says, ‘Big Wang will tattle to my father if I let you starve. Come join us.’
I groan. ‘Can’t we stay a little longer?’ I whisper.
Tony’s lips are swollen, his face flushed. I can tell he’s tempted, but my stomach chooses that moment to protest loudly.
He grins, shakes his head, dimples flashing. ‘Greedy little fox. Let’s go feed you. No one wants a hangry Jing.’
‘Rude,’ I say, but let him take my hand and lead me to the lounge.
Ah Lang is behind the bar, pulling out various bottles of this and that, spinning a few and throwing them in the air while somehow also arranging crystal tumblers in a row.
I know he only has two hands but the speed at which he’s juggling all the different bottles and glasses makes it look like he has many more.
Lord Aengus sits at the end of the bar. ‘Lady Jing! This is such a marvel. The trip here was delightful of course, but a little lonely on my own. Manifold gratitude for accompanying me and bringing your most honourable friends! Ah Lang has been telling me the story of how he and Lady Gi met and fell in love. Such lovebirds. Noble Lady Jing’ – Lord Aengus waggles his eyebrows – ‘should I attempt to charm you? I would adore such a love story – star-crossed lovers whose devotion earns Heaven’s blessing. ’
Lord Aengus is so taken with his own theatrics he doesn’t notice the thunder on Tony’s face.
‘She is not available,’ he says, his whole demeanour changing from mild-mannered scholar into a dangerous predator. I wouldn’t say no to more of this Tony.
Unfortunately, Lord Aengus is too busy looking at himself in the mirror to notice.
‘Oh? My goodness, if Lady Jing were my beloved, I certainly wouldn’t leave such a treasure alone for months at a time.
’ He tears his gaze away from himself and turns to Tony.
‘Back home, if you neglect your loved one, others slip right in there to take your place.’
Tony looks uncertainly between Lord Aengus and me.
‘Stop tormenting Tony,’ I say. ‘He’s been busy in the mortal world; it’s very unsettled there at the moment.’
‘Civil war rages across the country,’ Tony says quietly. ‘It’s been hard to get away.’ He glances pointedly at Lord Aengus, and lowers his voice to a mumble, ‘I’d prefer it to be a little less crowded in here.’
‘We can all hear you, Mr Lee,’ Gigi says, making an entrance in a frothy pink confection. ‘Brother Yang, I hope you are being kind to Tony. He’s the one who is supposed to be watching over you at night. Don’t give him any reason to pour you down the toilet.’
He widens his blue eyes, puts on a guileless expression. ‘Lift high your honourable hand, noble Mr Lee, and spare this lowly one who appears before you.’
‘You are full of dog farts,’ I say.
‘I am what?’ Lord Aengus says in mock horror. ‘Is that how you treat your friends, Lady Jing?’
I’m about to retort that friends don’t steal their friend’s boyfriends to be their roommate when Ah Lang puts a cocktail in my hand. He hands one to Gigi, another to Tony, and holds one with a straw for Lord Aengus.
‘To old friends and new,’ Ah Lang says.
I blow a raspberry, but I raise my glass all the same as we clink and drink.