White Tiger

geese, pigeons and quails to order; more exotic shops sold mammals like cats, dogs and wildlife like monkeys and civets. A reptile stall had aquariums full of snakes and tortoises.
    ‘Daddy would be very cross,’ Simone said.
    ‘I know.’
    A small crowd had gathered outside one cage. As we neared, the people stopped looking at the animal in the cage and stared at me. Foreigners weren’t terribly common in Guangzhou, particularly in this part of town.
    The cage held a dark brown animal about the size of a corgi, with short fur and long ears. It looked like a giant rabbit.
    ‘What’s that?’ Simone said.
    The animal shifted slightly and I saw its tiny hooves. ‘It’s a baby donkey,’ I said.
    Simone raced to it and crouched in front of the cage on the wet concrete. The people who had been looking at the donkey watched her with broad, artless grins.
    The demon stood behind Simone. ‘Baby donkey is the latest fad here right now. It’s called “exotic beef”. Supposed to be really good.’ He shrugged. ‘I haven’t tried it yet.’
    Simone looked up at me, eyes wide. ‘I want to take it home. Can I take it?’
    ‘I’m sorry, Simone. Remember, we can’t even have a dog. We don’t have room.’
    ‘The house on the hill has room.’ Simone rose and took my hand. ‘Ah Yee can look after it. Please buy it. I don’t want anybody to eat it. It’s so tiny!’
    ‘How about I buy it for you?’ the demon said. ‘A show of good faith. I’ll even take it up to the house for you, but you’ll have to meet me at the front gate. I can’t go in.’
    Simone gazed imploringly at me. ‘Please, Emma.’ I looked from Simone to the demon. He smiled slightly and raised his eyebrows. I sagged. ‘Okay.’
    Simone jumped up and down and nearly fell over on the slippery concrete. She hugged me tight, then turned to hug the demon.
    He quickly stepped away, raising his hands. ‘Don’t touch me, please, dear. I don’t know how much damage you would do to me.’
    Simone dropped her arms and stood very still, watching him. Then she nodded, more restrained. ‘Thank you.’
    ‘My pleasure.’ He gestured towards the end of the street. ‘Your city house is about two li that way. I’ll take you there, then come back and collect this little fellow for you.’
    He shouted into the shop, and a few of the people who had been watching us laughed. The shopkeeper came out. He wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt underneath an enormous white apron stained with blood. The demon negotiated quickly for the donkey, then pulled his wallet out of his hip pocket and handed over a few hundred Chinese yuan.
    ‘Daddy will pay you back,’ Simone said.
    ‘Your father won’t give me money,’ the demon said. ‘I’ve tried to sell him a few things in the past, but he won’t deal.’
    I took Simone’s hand. ‘Let’s go home.’
    We walked further and eventually stopped at an apartment building with a single door facing onto the street. The demon held his hand over the handle of themetal gate, and it unlocked and fell open. He led us up the narrow stairs to the landing.
    ‘Have you been here before, Simone?’ I said.
    ‘No. I only go to the house on the hill. This place is just for the demons.’
    The demon stopped in front of the apartment’s metal gate and concentrated.
    The door flew open; Ah Yat stood there. She saw us and smiled broadly, then saw the demon and her smile froze.
    ‘Hello, little one,’ the demon said. ‘I’ve brought your mistresses home.’
    Ah Yat didn’t move or speak. She watched the demon like a rabbit caught in headlights.
    ‘Let us all in, Ah Yat,’ Simone said.
    Ah Yat carefully opened the metal gate and it swung outwards. Simone threw herself at Ah Yat and buried her face in her stomach. Ah Yat didn’t stop watching the demon.
    ‘I’ve brought them back unharmed,’ the demon said. ‘Take them home.’
    Ah Yat glanced at me. ‘You have not been harmed, my Lady?’
    ‘We’re fine,’ I said. ‘I hope you have something to drink in here, I’m dying of thirst.’ ‘Me too,’ Simone said.
    ‘Me three,’ the demon said, and Simone giggled. ‘Can I come in and have a drink too? Buying your donkey was hot work.’
    ‘Yeah, sure!’ Simone said. ‘Let us in, Ah Yat.’
    Ah Yat moved back and gestured for us to enter. The demon followed, closing the door behind us.
    The living room had a high ceiling and bare concrete walls. The only furniture was a rosewood sofa and coffee table.
    The