If you've seen old Chinese movies, or old China, most of them show restaurants. They are sure to show some villain or scoundrel "living" in an expensive, elite establishment. In Japanese establishments there is minimalism, asceticism, so rest becomes recreation. You are not distracted by the abundance of red and gold, statues of dragons, fish, birds, mighty wooden columns with the same carved dragons as in Chinese establishments.
Walking among the tables, I realized the main difference between Japanese and Chinese restaurants. If you want to rest your soul, to get away from the noise and bustle of the world, it is better to go to a good Japanese restaurant, or even better — a teahouse. And I mean traditional places, not noisy places. In a real "teahouse" it is quiet, secluded, it is nice to listen to some kind of shishi-odoshi, literally translated as "deer deterrent", most often, of course, they make "sodzu" — a construction of bamboo tubes that makes a periodic banging sound when filled with water.
But there is also "Suikinkutsu" — a construction made of an inverted hole in a ceramic pot, stones, bamboo and water. When the water passes through the stones and holes in the jug and falls inside, it produces a melodious sound, hence the name "water koto". In such an atmosphere, it is easy to let go of problems and worries and surrender to the unity with the world, the man-made beauty of a traditional garden.
A Chinese restaurant is a riot and indomitable energy, eternal noise and movement. It is the best place to party, there is no boredom here, because that is how it is meant to be — to have fun, to show off, to make noise, to walk loudly and lavishly. However, it is not necessary to participate in this celebration of life, you can just watch from the sidelines. That's what Yusheng Lan was doing. How could I not recognize her when her magic was burning brightly and spreading waves of heat around her?
The woman was sitting at a round table, and the look on her face literally said: "I am expensive and solid — you can't break my head! The Chinese woman herself was dressed in European style this time. A dark green jacket with a gold brooch in the shape of a bird on the lapel, a soft pink shirt and black pants. Her heavy, raven-winged hair was gathered into a thick braid, thrown over a very modest chest (it must be a family thing — small size).
On her black hair, deeper than the darkest night, shone a hairpin: a proud bird, made to the smallest detail, grasping the silk prey firmly with golden claws, spreading wings, tail, and glittering ruby eyes. It was as if the beautiful bird was alive.
— Good evening, Mrs. Lan. — A ceremonial bow of respect to someone of equal status, but older in age and experience, in the Japanese style, as the Chinese version is unknown to me.
The black eyes sparkled with understanding and delight. The woman rose from the table and responded with a proper Japanese (!) bow that elicited sincere respect. The slightest hint of a smile in this woman's performance is already a good sign, maybe we'll even part without a fight.
— Good evening, Hoshino-san. Please take a seat. — said the woman in fluent Japanese.
— Thank you.
— What kind of tea do you like at this time?
— Cocoa, sweet. — I smile, clearly seeing the hint of a smile. — You should drink tea hot, but when you are busy with something important or interesting, the tea gets cold, and to distract yourself and make a new one means to distract yourself, which is not always acceptable. So I prefer something like this at this time, although coffee or iced tea is good, too. — I shrug and take the menu from the cute waitress who has just arrived.
— You have a sense of European unpretentiousness in your words, Hoshino-san. — The woman narrowed her eyes slightly, changing her entire appearance. — A worthy husband should own his time, not the other way around.
— You are right, Miss Lan. — A nod of agreement and a quick glance. — But youth is a time when it is unacceptable to waste time. One must work hard to ensure that the family's sail will withstand the storms to come.
— It is said: The sweep of ten thousand warriors with ten thousand fans stopped the storm.
— Unfortunately, I am not a general who can raise an army of ten thousand `Oni.
— The family of the Heirs of Fire lives in a great palace, and many have taken refuge under its vaults.
— However, the eldest brother was once banished. What's to stop the Lan family from repeating history? — I ask this out of pure interest, as I will not accept anyone to join another family or clan.
— Centuries have passed, and those who made mistakes have long since paid for them.
— Maybe yes, maybe no, but only in your own home can you be a master — not an eternal guest.
I didn't have to look up to see the woman's tension. The emotional backdrop was the noise of the many people in this large two-story hall, making it impossible to read the woman clearly. For a few minutes we just sat in silence, making an order until it was brought, listening to the performance of the Chinese ensemble. I must admit that there was no aggression at all from the woman, and her magic, even though it bore bright traces of ancestral curses and even a blurred seal of "Blood Traitors", but it all remained shadows and just "traces", the power of ancestral magic was not distorted, not rotten.
The thing with the Lan is different — their magic itself has changed, they are no longer the original Lan they once were. I don't want to brag, but Junko's flame magic doesn't smell like fire like Lan's, but a fire very similar to the azure flame of the most beautiful creature I've ever seen, Okami Meiumi. Of course, there is nothing to compare with the power and "depth" of the dragon's magic, but the "purity" and "taste" are the same. It's hard to describe in words because you can't feel it with your eyes or nose, but that's how it is. In general, the difference, as they say, is in the face, and it is clearly not in favor of Lan.
— Will the old traditions be remembered in this house, or will the local "unpretentiousness" take precedence? — A woman's voice pulled me out of my reverie.
— Hmm? — After a few seconds I understood the meaning of her words. — A new house — a new way of life, — I wipe everything but seriousness from my face. — But the strength of every tree lies in its roots, and I have no desire to be a tumbleweed from time to time. My immediate ancestors made too many mistakes, there's no doubt about that, but they don't deserve to be disowned either.
— Ichiro Hoshino-dono, your grandfather, was a strong warrior, a worthy one. — The woman's slightly softened face sharpened into a predatory one, but her thin grin made the meaning of the change clear, and her next words made her interested. — Twice the Lan family had sent the strongest daughters, and twice he had proven his right as the eldest in the family. — The truest predatory smile erupted into the light. — My aunt, who bore the title of "Indomitable Fire," submitted to Ichiro-dono and became the third wife. It's a pity that we didn't have children... — The woman's sadness was real.
I didn't answer or add anything. I am not a master of verbal lace, although it is in the blood of every Japanese, but it seems to me that it is not in the blood, but in the soul, even in the spirit.
Then the dinner went peacefully, even interestingly, although I had to listen to the woman's praise of her daughter and adopted niece. Well, I couldn't help it: every concerned mother is happy and proud of her children's successes. Not always justified, of course, but in the case of Zanzen and Ju, Yusheng is right: I watched the girls, saw how they moved even in simple life, and the grace of a healthy predator.
The girls literally flow into a new movement, and even when there was a dance class, they showed themselves at the level of "supreme" at all. So yes, there's a lot to be proud of. I'm glad that they didn't compare me to them right away, and they didn't come at me with harsh demands to join the family or the Lan clan right away. However, the woman was generous with hints and asked interesting "complicated" questions for psychoanalysis. I understood them, that is, the meaning of the task of the questions, but I hadn't been trained, so I didn't know how to fight.
I acted only on intuition and guesswork, and tried to restrain my stupid tongue, which tried to "unleash" itself at the wrong time. And don't talk about potions, gases, spells or anything else — I'm protected from all that. It was something else, but I didn't understand what it was, I just felt comfortable and easy talking to the woman, and I wanted to trust her. In general, I had a good time, even pleasant, because such an interesting interlocutor does not come along very often.
I mean, there are a lot of interesting people here in Britain, but the fact that almost the entire population is covered with a lot of little curses, and for a sensitive person like me, such a thing causes a persistent aversion — as if a person smells of sweat. At the end of the evening, I invited the woman to my future duel with Snape, and although the woman already knows of my status as champion, no one has mentioned the duel.
At least I hope not, although considering the interests of the country, there could be a number of options, up to and including my retirement, so that Harry Potter remains the only 'legitimate' champion. This situation is so murky that there's a lot to catch in this "water", but the only extraneous bummer is that I'm not going to lose.