Soundless(41)

I’m so overwhelmed by the beauty of this room that I can’t help but bow to Xiu Mei. Thank you. I think you’ve done far more for us than we have for you.

Nonsense, she says. Meeting you has given me a lot to think about.

She leaves us alone in the exquisite room, and we pause to clean our hands and faces in bowls of crystal-clear water. Then we explore the space more closely, finding new and dazzling things to point out to each other. Before long, Lu Zhu slides back the door and enters with a kitchen boy. They set the black table with steaming bowls of noodles and vegetables, as well as cups and a small bottle of rice wine. The food is overwhelming in and of itself, but I find I am just as enthralled by the dishes it’s served in. The bowls are beautifully painted, and the cups are exquisite, made of amber and agate.

Such a table is almost too gorgeous to eat at, and I glance down at my muddied robe in dismay. I don’t feel worthy of this, I tell Li Wei.

How do you think I feel? he asks, gesturing to his semi-green shirt. There’s nothing a barbarian like me can do. But you . . . He walks over to where he set his pack down and astonishes me when he lifts out the vermillion silk he won in the scorpion match. I’d completely forgotten about it after everything else that happened. It moves like water between his fingers, and as he straightens it out, I see that it isn’t actually a bolt of cloth like I’d thought. It is a dress, high-waisted with a long, flowing skirt. He hands it to me. Here; it is for you.

Never have I been able to imagine such a texture. It is smooth and cool between my fingers and extraordinarily light. Up close, I see a pattern of golden plum blossoms worked into it. Putting it over one arm, I sign, For me?

Well, I’m not going to wear it, he says. Go ahead. Try it on.

I hesitate. With everything else going on, it seems so foolish . . . and yet I can’t help but be transfixed. All my time in the Peacock Court, I’ve admired those bits of silken trim on the elders’ robes. To be holding an entire garment of that wondrous material is almost unbelievable. I slip behind a screen of red bats and change out of my artist’s clothes. The dress is a little long for me, which isn’t surprising, given my size. A sash at the waist helps keep it in place, and on impulse, I redo the bun that holds my hair. When I step out from behind the screen, I see Li Wei over at the mesh wall, looking down on the common room. He glances up at my approach and freezes.

What? I ask in alarm, thinking I must look ridiculous.

It takes him several moments to answer. This, he replies. Remember when you asked me why I’d be so foolish as to risk being injured by the scorpion? He gestures at me in the dress. It’s because of this. And it would have been worth getting stung for.

Don’t say that. I feel a deep flush spreading over my cheeks. Let’s eat before the food gets cold. We’ve wasted enough time on my vanity.

Li Wei admires me for several more breathless moments. I don’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed when he finally nods and sits down at the table. I sit opposite him, nervously arranging the full skirt around me.

The crate we received at the zip line was amazing, but this meal is on an entirely different level. Noodles are a rarity in the food baskets received in our village. We’ve certainly never had them cooked this way, simmering in a spiced broth of meat with the freshest vegetables I’ve ever tasted. The ones we receive are always a little wilted. The aroma is intoxicating, enough to make me take a break to eat. The taste is exquisite, and before long, I find myself licking the bottom of the bowl. Food has always been such a practical necessity in my world. I never dreamed of finding pleasure in it.

The rice wine I’m less enchanted by. One sip makes me gag. Li Wei laughs at my reaction, and I push my cup toward him. You can have mine.

He shakes his head, amused. We need to keep clear heads. He gazes around the room, that earlier look of wonder returning. Can you imagine living like this? Eating food like this? Having access to so much? Meeting people from all over the world?

I haven’t thought much about it, I say honestly. Maybe after we help our village, there will be time to learn more.

He frowns and looks as though he will argue, but Lu Zhu enters just then. She takes in my dress with a knowing look and sweeps away the empty dishes. Noticing our untouched wine, she returns with a kettle of tea and tiny porcelain cups. Non-medicinal tea is another luxury item in our village, usually only reserved for the elders. I feel decadent sipping it, and as I relax in my dress and the beautiful room, I wonder if Li Wei is right to dream of living in a world like this.

A new noise draws me up short. I go very still, listening to sounds I’ve never encountered before. They hang in the air like colors on a canvas, reminding me of when the blue thrush sang.

What is it? Li Wei asks.

I don’t know, I tell him, getting to my feet. But it’s amazing.

I go to the mesh wall and look down. Lu Zhu has returned to the common room and sits there with what I recognize from scrolls as a musical instrument. A pipa, I believe. She plucks the strings delicately, and I see that I am not the only one entranced. Several other patrons have gone silent, watching with rapt looks. Some place coins at her feet.

It is music, I tell Li Wei. He knows the term, but its nature is meaningless to him. It is wonderful . . . like a dream.

I’ve gained new insight as to how sounds can be helpful for communication and survival, but until this moment, it never occurred to me that sounds could be enjoyable too. The birdsong I’ve heard on our journey made me smile, but this reaches into my heart. Lu Zhu’s playing is a type of art. Listening to the pipa, I find myself relaxing as a tranquil joy spreads through me. The tension leaves my body, and I briefly forget about the woes of my village. Li Wei can’t experience the music like I can, but something in my mood must come through to him. He stands very close behind me, putting his arm around my waist to draw me near. At first, I stiffen as a new kind of tension and fear fills me. Moments later I find myself relaxing, leaning into him. There’s an overwhelming rightness to the moment that is difficult for me to articulate.