‘Roundhouse kick,’ Mr Chen said, watching me perform the kicks. ‘Front kick. Side. Good.’ He gestured. ‘Here, now.’
We stood side by side in front of the mirrors.
‘There are twenty-three standard punches, but we’ll do some drills first.’ He rolled his fists over the top of each other for the punches. ‘Kicking out with the knuckles at the end of the punch.’ He stopped and gestured. ‘Try.’
I rolled the punches and stopped.
‘Is there a problem?’
I shook my head, confused. ‘We just started this. But it feels like I’ve been doing it all my life.’ I performed a three-punch set. ‘It’s like I already knew how to do this.’
‘How long have I been teaching you?’
I worked it out. ‘We started when we came back from London, end of August. It’s late September now. Only about a month.’
‘That’s about usual for a student of mine,’ he said. ‘We did the tai chi for three weeks, then we started the harder stuff. So you already know it.’
He demonstrated, performing a slow punch from the tai chi set. ‘It’s the same moves, we are just doing them faster.’
‘You’re right. It’s exactly the same moves.’
I performed the punches.
‘Slowly to start,’ he said. ‘Don’t attempt to be as fast as me.’
I shook my head. ‘Nobody’s as fast as you.’
‘You’re quite correct. Stop.’
I froze.
He came to me and pushed my elbow down slightly. ‘Keep your elbow bent. If it’s straight then your opponent could hit the end of your arm and break it. Yin at all times; absorbing.’ He left his hand on my arm and smiled into my eyes.
‘Thanks,’ I said softly.
His other hand came up to my face, but pulled away before he touched me. ‘Punches. A hundred, rolling drill, go.’
I watched him.
He moved back, smiled, and gestured with one hand. ‘Punches, Emma.’
I sighed, took up a narrow horse stance and started punching.
Maybe it was because he still missed his wife. Maybe it was because he thought an employer-employee relationship wasn’t appropriate. Maybe he felt it was too soon.
A lot of maybes.
I sighed and continued to punch. Maybe one day he would get over the maybes and I would see something more definite. I wouldn’t push it. I respected his feelings far too much.
I walked out of the MTR station underneath Times Square in Causeway Bay, the upmarket shopping mall. Louise and April were waiting for me at the bottom of the enormous escalators that led up into the mall.
April indicated the dirty tenements across the road. ‘Shui gow okay?’
Both Louise and I nodded.
We walked through the square at the front of the mall with its huge video screen and crossed the road. The four-storey tenements on the other side were grey with pollution and exhaust fumes. We could catch glimpses through the uncurtained windows of squalid rooms with steel bunk beds.
A noodle shop occupied the ground floor of one of the tenements. We walked past the glassed-in area at the front of the shop where the sweaty chef prepared the shui gow and won ton, dumplings in soup, and searched for a table with three spare chairs. We found one but had to share with a workman by himself, wearing a filthy singlet, and a pair of young office girls in pastel business suits.
The restaurant was tiny, with rubbish on the floor and a ceiling black with grease, but it was packed to the rafters with people eating the dumplings so it had to be good.
April pulled the green plastic chopsticks out of the metal holder in the centre of the table. ‘Shui gow or won ton?’
‘Shui gow,’ I said.
‘Won ton mien,’ Louise said.
April ordered for us. The waiter plonked three glasses of black tea onto the table, scribbled the order and ran off.
Louise and I pulled out our notebooks.
‘Desman,’ I said.
‘Portcullis,’ she said.
‘Whoa, high stakes,’ I said. ‘Vincci.’
‘Had that one,’ she said. ‘Rolls.’
‘Whyman,’ I said, ‘a girl.’
‘Porky.’
‘Wimpy,’ I shot back.
‘Window.’
‘Lemon,’ I said. ‘I have no idea why, and neither did she.’
‘Cynic,’ she said. ‘Pronounced “Kainic”.’
I closed my notebook. ‘You win.’
April watched us with her usual bewilderment. ‘What is that all about? You keep doing that.’
‘Geez, April, you should have worked it out by now,’ Louise said. ‘How’s everything?’
‘I’m going to Australia soon,’ April said. ‘Another week or so, I’m off.’
The noodles arrived. ‘What about Andy?’ I said.
She waved the chopsticks dismissively. ‘He went to Thailand on holiday with a friend, but he’ll be back to see me off.’
Louise stopped dead. ‘Wait a minute. Is he still spending most of his time in China?’
The dumplings arrived. April used the chopsticks in one hand and her spoon in the other to fish one out and try it. ‘Still good,’ she said.
The other people at the table stopped and watched Louise and me carefully as we ate the dumplings. When they saw that we could handle chopsticks competently they returned to their own food.
‘Still most of the time in China,’ April said. ‘Very busy at work. A lot of sales work around Guangdong.’
‘Why did he go to Thailand with his friend, and not you?’ I said.
She shrugged. ‘He just wanted to go with his friend. They went water-skiing or something.’
Louise and I shared a look.
‘Is this friend a guy or a girl?’ Louise said.
April stiffened, shocked. ‘Of course a man! Don’t be silly.’
Louise and I shared another look.
‘I talked to him about having a baby when we’re in Australia, and he thinks it’s a good idea.’ April beamed with satisfaction. ‘Very soon.’
‘You need to have your husband around to make a baby, April,’ Louise said.
‘I know that, we’ll get there.’ April looked over at me. ‘Aunty Kitty wants you to call her.’
‘Geez, that bitch really won’t drop it, will she?’ Louise said.
‘You should talk about her with more respect,’ April said. ‘She’s a very important person.’
‘I’m happy where I am, April,’ I said. ‘I enjoy working for Mr Chen.’
April’s phone rang with a noisy canto-pop tune. She pulled it out of her bag. It had a pink furry Hello Kitty case and a special aerial with lights that flashed as it rang.
She put the phone to her ear, still holding the spoon with the other hand. ‘Wei?’
She listened for a long time, occasionally nodding and grunting. Then she said, ‘Ho ak,’ and closed the phone. She looked blankly at us.
‘What?’ I said.
‘Andy’s just back from Thailand, he’s at the airport,’ she said. ‘He’s flying straight out to Shanghai and he needs me to collect some stuff for him from the airport. I’d better go.’ She pulled out her wallet and handed me a hundred-dollar bill. ‘Pay for me?’
‘Sure,’ I said, taking the money.
She nodded to us, rose and went smartly out of the restaurant, her stilettos clicking on the grey tiles.
‘What do you think?’ Louise said.
‘Probably gay, and she’s a cover for him. The guy he went to Thailand with is his real partner.’
‘Could be; happens all the time. Or he could be straight and that trip to Thailand was a sex trip,’ Louise said. ‘He could have married her just to get an Australian passport. He’s pushing her hard to go there.’
‘You think she’s aware either way?’
‘Look at her.’ Louise pointed her chopsticks towards the door of the restaurant. ‘No idea. Quite happy to be married to this man who treats her like shit.’
She turned to me and grinned. ‘Now, there’s something up at the Peak that you want to give me. Hurry up and finish the noodles so you can take me up there.’
‘What the hell are you talking about?’
She leaned over the table and spoke quietly. ‘There’s something up there that I just have to see.’
‘What?’
‘Mr Chen.’
‘I have to clear it with Leo before I take you up.’
She stared at me.
‘I mean it.’
She waved her chopsticks over the remains of her soup. ‘Whatever. Come on, I want to see.’
I pulled out my mobile phone and called home.
‘Chen residence.’
‘Wait.’
The phone clicked. ‘Yeah?’
‘Leo, I want to bring my friend Louise up. The one we had yum cha with. Is that okay?’
‘The loud Australian?’
‘Yeah. The other one besides me.’
He chuckled. ‘Yeah, sure. We know she’s not a demon.’
‘Oh yes, she is, you have no idea.’
‘I believe it.’ He was silent for a moment. ‘Mr Chen’s here — he can mind Simone. Where are you?’
‘Times Square.’
‘I’ll pick you up. I can check at the same time, be doubly sure. Be there in twenty or thirty.’ He hung up.
‘Leo will be here in twenty or thirty minutes,’ I said.
‘Let’s go across the road to look at the shops while we’re waiting.’
‘Oh no. No way. Last time I went shopping with you we spent two thousand dollars each and you blamed me for the next six weeks for forcing you to spend your money.’
‘No idea what you’re talking about,’ she said, eyes full of mischief.
‘At least you don’t wear those business suits all the time like April.’
‘These jeans cost eighteen hundred dollars,’ Louise huffed.
‘Finished?’ I asked. I nodded to the waiter and he started to come over, but I drew a circle in the air with my finger and he nodded and turned back to get the check. I pulled my wallet out to pay, opened it and slammed it shut again.
Louise saw. ‘What?’
I lowered my wallet so that she couldn’t see it.
She snatched it out of my hand and checked inside. A huge grin spread across her freckled face. ‘I don’t think he’s really your type, darling.’
‘It’s a joke,’ I growled. ‘I’m going to get him.’
‘Let me have it, I have some ideas,’ Louise said.
‘No way.’
I opened my wallet again and pulled out the money, Leo’s ugly face grinning at me from the photo pocket.
We waited at a lay-by area under Times Square for Leo to pick us up. Louise nudged my arm.
‘Guys watching us,’ she said softly. ‘Shame they’re not too cute. They keep leering at you.’
I looked around; she was right. A group of young Chinese men were watching us from across the road. They all had dyed hair — blond and red — and were wearing filthy cargo pants and white undershirts. One of them had tattoos all over his bare arms, disappearing under the shirt.
‘They look like triads,’ Louise whispered. ‘Why are they watching you?’
‘No idea,’ I said. ‘Maybe just because I’m cute.’
‘I’m cuter than you.’
A huge black Mercedes blocked the view. ‘This is our ride,’ I said, and opened the back door for Louise to climb in.
Leo put the car into gear, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. ‘Leo,’ I said softly into his ear, ‘are those guys across the road what I think they are?’
‘What is it, Emma?’ Louise said.
Leo studied them carefully. ‘At this distance it’s hard to tell. But it would probably be a good idea for us to get out of here.’ His voice went softer. ‘Don’t worry, Emma, as long as they don’t know you’re learning the Arts they’ll leave you alone.’ He pulled the car away from the kerb.
I glanced through the back window. The young men watched us go, then casually strolled away.
‘Wait a second,’ Louise said at the lift lobby on the eleventh floor. ‘He has the whole top floor? How big is this place anyway?’
‘Big enough.’ Leo opened the gate and the front door for us. ‘Remove shoes, please.’
Louise didn’t hesitate; she’d been in Hong Kong long enough to know.
Leo bowed slightly to her, turned and walked away.
Louise grinned at me. ‘Why do I get the impression that he doesn’t like me?’
‘He’s a complete bastard who doesn’t like anybody,’ I said, hoping he could hear me. ‘Come on, I’ll show you my room.’
‘This isn’t a room, it’s a suite,’ Louise said when we reached my room. ‘It’s nearly as big as our whole flat. Three generations of local people usually live in something this size.’ She moved closer and whispered, ‘Well, where is he?’
‘Probably next door with Simone,’ I said. I tapped on the door joining our rooms.
‘Come on in, Emma,’ Mr Chen said from the other side.
I opened the door and Louise grinned with anticipation.
Mr Chen was sitting on the floor with Simone in his lap, reading a book to her in Putonghua.
‘This is Louise, my Australian friend,’ I said.
Mr Chen nodded to her and rose. ‘I have to make a call. Can you mind Simone for me? I’ll be here, so Leo can drive your friend back down the hill later.’ He nodded to Louise. ‘Nice to meet you.’
Louise grinned. ‘Lovely to meet you too, Mr Chen. Emma has my number.’
He stared at her for a moment, then smiled, shook his head and went out.
‘I cannot believe you just did that,’ I said.
‘Don’t know what you’re talking about. Hi, Simone, remember me?’
‘Yes,’ Simone said. ‘Louise. Emma’s silly friend. Can I draw while you talk about your boring stuff?’
‘Sure,’ I said.
Simone went to her little desk and pulled out her drawing equipment. Louise and I sat on the floor on the pink rug.
‘Why haven’t you made a move?’ Louise whispered. ‘The guy’s gorgeous, rich and available. I saw the way he looked at you; all you have to do is take the step. What the hell is wrong with you?’
I moved to sit closer to her so that Simone wouldn’t hear. ‘He won’t take it further. I’ve made it completely clear that I’d like to, but he just won’t go there.’ I dropped my head with exasperation. ‘I really like him. Really like him. It’s obvious he feels pretty much the same way, but every time we get close he pulls back.’
‘Push him,’ Louise said.
I glanced up at her. ‘No. I respect his feelings, Louise. If he wants to keep it professional, then it’s his choice.’
‘God, you are a stupid bitch, Emma.’
‘He might feel it’s too soon after his wife died.’ I gestured towards Simone behind me. ‘And there’s Simone’s feelings to think about.’ I dropped my head again. ‘And there’s something else too.’
I spoke very softly. ‘He’s dying.’
She put her hand on my arm. ‘He isn’t. He looks fine.’
‘He is. He has a few years, no more than that.’
‘Plenty of time,’ Louise said. ‘Don’t be stupid. Don’t throw something good away just because it’s not going to last forever, Emma. Nothing lasts forever anyway.’
‘I know.’ I shrugged. ‘He’s made his choice and I have to respect it.’
Louise smacked her forehead with her palm. ‘I don’t know which of you is stupider.’
I smiled with misery. ‘You know what? Neither do I.’