Temper

Chang was stunned by the older man's complete change in temperment and could not help but feel a little leary of him.

'What a strange old guy, I should probably get away from him and go find Jian and my mom myself.' Chang tried to pull away but found that her shoulder was tightly gripped by the older man, preventing her from leaving as he studied her face carefully.

"Um excuse me please let me go, I have to find somebody." Chang reached her hands up to pry the old man's hand off of hers seeing as he did not give any response to her words. She could feel her patience wearing thin the longer the man held onto her.

'Where the hell is Jian when I need him.' Drawing her brows together, Chang gave the man a look of serious warning to release her.

The old man refused to let her go and held onto her tighter as he started to smile mischievously at her.

"But you have already found someone, why would you have need of another?" The man spoke in a gravelly heavily accented voice.

'What a weird response. Hey, wait at least he speaks English, I thought he couldn't understand me at first! What a jerk, he was choosing not to." Taking a deep breath Chang tried to control her rising temper.

"Uh, I'm sorry, but you're not who I'm looking for, I'm looking for my husband, Liang Jian Amal, do you know him possibly?"

"I do, indeed." The man removed his hawkish gaze from her face turning as he released her shoulder, reclasping his hands behind his back. Despite his age appearance of around 60 he stood tall and firm, unbent by the years. He began to stride away slowly and leisurely, showing no intent to help her.

Chang immediately set off on his heel. "Well do you think you could take me to him, please?"

The man stoked his bearded chin, contemplating before turning to face her.

"Hmm. No."

If he had not irritated her before, he had now. Chang stomped in front of the man stopping him in his tracks. "Well can you tell me where I might find him, I'll do it myself!"

The older man looked at her with an amused expression. "Now why should I do that?"

'First he stops me, touches me and refuses to let me go, now ignores me and blows me off!! What an asshole!' Chang felt her face sour as she stared at the old man.

"Fine, I dont need your help, I'll find him myself!" She started to storm off when she heard a mocking tone call after her.

"Well, let's see if you can! Good luck then little girl with the big temper!"

'Temper! If you want to see temper I will show you!'

Chang turned and made an extremely rude gesture with both her hands, while sticking out her tongue, her eyes squeezed shut. She then turned and ran back from where she came, closing the hidden doorway as she did. She had been in a wonderful mood, before he had shown up, surrounded by the exotic beauty.

Cursing the weird old man in her mind, Chang shook her head. She had had enough of being made fun of by old men. 'Just dont think about him anymore, he isn't worth it. I just need to find Jian and my mom.'

Chang went through another doorway she had not gone through before, and found herself in a long tiled walkway. Mosaics covered the walls which sloped down to gracefully meeting pillars here and there, creating conclaves, which trapped and echoed the sounds of her footsteps.

It felt like an ancient sacred space and Chang found herself walking as quietly as possible through the large space to the large doorway on the other side. Carvings in stone of flowers and what looked like antelope surrounded the doorway. She found herself staring at the exquisite stone work, as it almost seemed alive.

Eventually she tore herself away and opened the door to a large open air, closed-walled courtyard, that was shaded above. A large circular table sat in the center and to Chang's relief she saw her mother seated with Jin Ying enjoying breakfast. She did not see Jian anywhere, but at least she had found half the party she was searching for.

Seeing her daughter enter slowly, looking around, Lihua beckoned at her from the table to join her.

"Good morning little log! Why dont you come join us for some breakfast."

Chang hurried and sat beside her mother, as a maid came from the side where Chang had not seen her, and placed before her an empty plate and bowl and silverware.

Her mother scooped her up a bowl of mixed fruit from the center of the table and placed it before Chang before she could even say she was not hungry. Chang knew there was no arguing with her mother at times though and dutifully began to munch under her watchful eye. After she had pleased her mother with a few mouthfuls she dared to speak and ask where Jian was.

"He actually just left to go find his grandfather to introduce us, I think he went to check to see if you were still sleeping as well.."

As Li Hua was answering, the person in question entered from the direction that Chang had come walking with a familiar figure.