White Tiger

forearm and prodded it like a side of meat.
    ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I said, bewildered.
    ‘Muscles. And you walk differently, like you own the world.’
    ‘Well, I don’t.’
    ‘Your skin is glowing, your hair is shining, you have muscles—who’s your personal trainer? Or are you pregnant?’
    ‘I am definitely not pregnant,’ I said grimly. ‘Absolutely no chance of that.’
    ‘What a shame,’ Louise said cheerfully. ‘I lose.’ ‘What do you lose?’
    ‘I had a bet with April. She bet that you wouldn’t be doing it with him by March. Looks like she was right.’ ‘Have you heard from her?’ ‘When we’re in the restaurant.’
    We walked through the central atrium of Sha Tin Town Centre. It was five storeys high, and open to the ceiling. A large oval musical fountain stood in the middle, but we walked past, ignoring it.
    I looked around. ‘Where are we going? It’s all changed.’
    ‘Downstairs,’ Louise said. ‘New food court. Some nice places.’
    ‘But it has to be vegetarian for me.’
    She stopped and stared at me. ‘What?’
    I shrugged and took her arm to start her walking again. ‘Strictly vegetarian. I hope we can find something.’
    She shook her head. ‘What the hell for? Is it something to do with this Chen man who you’re so most definitely not sleeping with?’
    ‘Something like that,’ I said. ‘I’ll tell you about it when we get there. Is there anywhere we don’t have to wait too long?’
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, grinning. ‘This is Hong Kong, remember.’
    ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘You have to queue up for everything. Sometimes I wonder if the kids have to take a number and queue for a room at the love hotels.’
    She cackled with delight. ‘I love it.’
    We found an Italian restaurant serving food adjusted for Chinese taste and took a number to wait. It would only be twenty minutes; not too bad for a weekday lunch.
    ‘So why vegetarian?’ Louise said.
    I rolled out a story that I’d heard other vegetarians use successfully in the past. ‘I eat so much vegetarian in the Chen household that if I eat meat now I don’t feel well.’ I shrugged. ‘It’s easier just to stay off it.’
    ‘I couldn’t do that,’ Louise said.
    A gruff male voice with a Cantonese accent interrupted us. ‘Hi, Emma, who’s your gorgeous friend? Look at the two of you. Good enough to eat.’
    I turned to look at him. He appeared to be a perfectly ordinary good-looking Chinese in his mid-thirties, wearing tennis gear and holding a sports bag with a few tennis racquets in the pocket on the side.
    Then I recognised him. He looked completely different with black hair. ‘Bai Hu.’
    Bai Hu bent over Louise. ‘Who’s your delicious friend, Emma?’
    ‘Louise. Louise Wilson.’ She grinned like a predator, then moved closer and held out her hand for him to shake.
    He held it for much longer than necessary and didn’t let go. I could almost see the sparks flying. ‘Hi, Louise.’
    ‘No way is she going to be number one hundred and one,’ I hissed.
    ‘Don’t worry about Emma, she’s an old fuddyduddy,’ Louise whispered to Bai Hu.
    ‘Are you two waiting for lunch?’ Bai Hu said without shifting his eyes from Louise’s. He dropped his voice. ‘How about I take you somewhere where you don’t have to wait?’
    ‘Disappear, Tiger ,’ I said fiercely. ‘I am having lunch with my friend and you will not interfere.’
    ‘No, please, Emma,’ Louise said meaningfully. ‘Let’s go with him.’ She used his hand to pull herself in closer and turned to stand next to him. She even nudged him with her hips.
    Bai Hu shrugged. ‘If the lady wants me along then I must concede. How about some Japanese? I know a good place upstairs, you won’t have to wait.’ He smiled down at Louise, still holding her hand. ‘I’ll buy.’
    ‘If you’re buying then you can have whatever you want,’ Louise purred.
    Bai Hu threw his bag over his shoulder and linked arms with Louise. ‘Let me show you the way,’ he said, completely ignoring me. ‘It’s really very good. Do you eat raw fish?’
    ‘I’m willing to give it a try,’ Louise said. ‘I’m willing to give anything you like a try.’
    ‘Get your paws off my friend!’ I snarled, but he ignored me. ‘Xuan Wu will hear about this!’
    ‘What, Emma?’ Louise said, without looking away from the Tiger.
    ‘I’m a friend of Miss Donahoe’s employer, Mr Chen,’ Bai Hu said. ‘Tiger Bak. Pleased to