“Those are a joke? Tell Zhang he’s got my name for any and all gag gifts in the future. Those doors are beautiful.”
“They are. Are you feeling better? You look more rested.” She motioned to the low couches in front of the bookcases. “Did you want some tea?”
“Is it cold?”
She grinned. “I’m afraid not. That is one thing I do miss about America when I’m not there. So much wonderful ice.”
He frowned, suddenly realizing why her house felt so different from the rest of the compound. “But your rooms are cool.”
“Oh yes. I had air-conditioning added years ago. Yours is the only bedroom that hasn’t been updated yet.”
“You know”—Ben sat back and stretched out his legs— “sometimes I go days and days harboring the illusion that you’re nice. Then I’m reminded you’re not. You’re really mean and I don’t know why I put up with you.”
“I thought it would be a more authentic Chinese experience without the AC. Plus, that room does have the best view of the canals.”
“Small blessings.” He leaned back, closed his eyes, and decided to just enjoy the cool air while he could. “What’s on the agenda for tonight, Tiny?”
“I thought we’d go into Shanghai. Eat some fish. See the lights. Maybe help Cheng lure a traitor into the open before he steals my gold.”
Ben paused, thought, then gave her a nod. “Sure, that sounds fun.”
CHAPTER TEN
Shanghai. Was. Amazing.
The lights. The people. The towering skyscrapers, their tops so high they were hidden by the fog that came off the ocean at night. Dinner boats and freighters passed between the Pudong and the Bund, crossing the divide of new and old Shanghai.
From the banks of the old town, Tenzin and Ben watched the lights of the new city flash and flicker, leaning over the railing on the riverbank.
“The best way to see the lights,” she said, leaning close to him, “is from the air. When the fog is in and it’s dark. No one can see you if you’re flying up there.”
He smiled, imagining her playing in the forest of skyscrapers that rose across the river, the crowds and traffic below oblivious to her joy.
Tenzin smiled, her fangs flashing briefly before she closed her mouth. The crowd of humans was too thick along the Bund, the older European side of the river. Tourists from all over the world came to see the grandeur of Shanghai. But even in the rush and bustle, Tenzin was forced to hide, her ever-present fangs forcing her to conceal her playful smile from the world.
“What?” she asked.
He leaned over, bumping her shoulder with his own. “The world misses out, not getting to see you smile.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sentimental boy. Have you liked your trip to China?”
“It wasn’t exactly what I expected.”
“Far more exciting, I’m sure.”
He laughed, shaking his head as he said, “I don’t know why I ever try to predict how things will be when I’m traveling with you. But I love China.”
“You’ll come back, then?”
“Oh yeah.” He scanned the crowds. “Though I might make my own itinerary next time.”
She turned and leaned her back against the railing, watching the mass of humanity rush by.
“Is it very different?” he asked.
“Always. This place… It is always changing. And yet, it never really does.”
“History repeats itself?”
“Constantly.” She blinked and looked up at him. “But I can still be surprised by the most insignificant things. I am a fortunate person.”
“So am I.”
“Are you? Sometimes I imagine you wish you lived a more ordinary life.”
The corner of his mouth turned up in a rueful smile. “What’s ordinary?”
“True. You and I, we are good at this.”
“Good at what?” Ben caught a flash of face. A familiar face. The woman was passing the small cart selling cold drinks on the corner. He’d seen her before. She’d been outside the small restaurant where they’d eaten two hours before. Coincidence? He didn’t really believe in coincidence anymore. He caught Tenzin’s eye and jerked his chin in the direction she’d gone.
“You see her, too?” Tenzin asked.
“Mmhmm.” He didn’t stare. In fact, Ben looked away, throwing a casual arm around Tenzin’s shoulders to lead her away from the railing. Three tourists quickly rushed in to take their place. “What were you saying? What are we good at?”
“This.” They continued walking, staying close in the press of the crowd. “We work well together, Benjamin. Over by the pharmacy.”
“I see her.” He was careful to walk slowly. To anyone looking on, they were two young people out for an evening stroll. “We fight almost constantly.”
“Only about unimportant things.”
“She ducked into that restaurant. And I’d hardly call your lack of respect for my personal space unimportant.”
“Personal space is a very Western concept, you know. And I have an idea.”
“Can we talk about it after we figure out why that woman was following us?”
“If you’re having trouble concentrating, I suppose so.”
It started to rain, a thin drizzle of warm water falling from the sky. Umbrellas popped open on the sidewalk, almost impaling both Ben’s eyes before he could duck away. The woman following them was Chinese. Young. Her hair was hidden under a plaid cap, and if he hadn’t been raised to respect his own paranoia, the girl would have appeared like any of the thousands of fashionable young women walking along the Bund that night.