Jia Li gave him a blazing look and said, "you want to talk? Fine, we shall talk. Just remember that you are going to be responsible for the aftermath."
Tang picked her hand and wrapped his own around hers tightly. She tried to tug it free only to have him levy raised eyebrows at her. After a moment's struggle, her mind gave up the fight. Her fingers crept automatically to intertwine with his. She thought she heard a sigh but wasn't sure if it belonged to her or him. Tang was elated – her touch, her smell, her heat, they were all making him heady and he couldn't let go.
The cautious voice in his head raised its volume to be heard above the roar though, "she is married, she has a husband to go back to, she doesn't belong to you."
He tried to placate himself by saying that it was just for a few hours. He wanted some precious time with his soulmate before he committed to someone else forever.
"Where are we going," she asked, standing on the bridge in the Yu garden. He took her hand and tucked it further in the crook of his arm, bringing her closer to where he stood.
Grinning, he spoke, "where I always wanted to take you out on a date when I came back from America. Right here."
The Yu garden boasted of decorative roofs, ancient buildings, beautiful arcs on pathways, all which had withstood the vagaries of time, world wars and more. The place looked like it been frozen in time. When Tang had visited this place for the first time, it had reminded him of the tranquillity of Moganshan.
"You want to go for a walk here, now? I thought we were going to sit somewhere and have that TALK," she said.
"Who told you that I cannot perform two tasks at one time? We shall walk and talk. In fact it is better in case either one of us wants to shout or hit the other, the presence of people around shall prevent the same," he replied cheekily.
She didn't appreciate being made fun of and told him the same in no uncertain terms.
"Oh, I remember a golden girl who was always a great sport and took things in her stride. Who is this sulking angry woman in front of me?" he joked.
"This woman is all what is left of that girl. The girl was a myth, I am the reality," she couldn't stop the acrimony coming into her words.
She felt tired suddenly and implored, "Please, listen to me. I can't do this whole conversation, the idea of spending time together. I am sorry. Can we please go back?"
Tang cupped her cheek, "if you don't want to talk, we won't. But can we just go for a stroll? If you like, I won't even utter a word till you don't allow me to. Hmm?"
Jia Li was torn between the need to spend some precious time with him and the necessity for self-preservation. She didn't want to find herself in the vulnerable spot where the truth about her marriage and her feelings for him would be exposed. Predictably, her heart won in the end.