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."I could tell you another story perhaps.So as not to bore you.""You know more?" Tian's eyes opened wide, as if he could not believe such a thing."Yes.My grandmother told me many stories.""Amazing.A grandmother must be a wonderful thing."With a sad smile, Buwei nodded."Yes.But my grandmother is growing old and frail, especially as the drought has meant she does not have much food to eat.I fear she will die sometime soon."Tian frowned and pursed his lips as if in thought.Buwei spoke up again."You have no grandmother? No family?" He thought perhaps Tian had been taken from his family to watch the temple."I have a father and eight brothers." He grimaced as he said it."I wish I had brothers.My father died of the plague when I was very small.It has just been my mother, my grandmother, and I.""Believe me." Tian rolled his eyes."Having brothers is not always a wonderful thing." Without another word, he turned and left the room.Not being very tired after his nap, Tian tidied the hall, rolling up the scrolls and setting them aside.He carried the empty dishes in the direction from which Tian had come, hoping to find a kitchen.At the end of the hall, there was a small area for cooking.After cleaning, he decided to explore the temple.Buwei looked into several rooms; most seemed empty, though he came across a storeroom, and within it were the silks and gifts from the wagon.He was quite certain he had seen no one carrying the items back to the temple.He frowned and shook his head.But it was a good sign that Tian had the goods at the temple; they had not been rejected.He moved back to the main hall and sat at the window watching the rain as Tian had.As much as the drought had caused such hardship, he did find the continual rain day after day rather depressing.Eventually, he, too, retired to his room, and after tossing on his bed for some time, fell asleep.Chapter 4The next morning, he awoke feeling rather sluggish after a restless night.He had had dreams of a bright green dragon flying near him, wrapping its supple body around him, touching him in ways no one ever had.He bathed, dressed, and went to the large hall and found Tian there having breakfast."Sit." Tian indicated the table."Have some food.You really are too thin."Buwei blushed.He knew he was thin; everyone was thin where he lived, some far worse than he.He must ask Tian about the rain: he could not afford to wait; people were dying.He sat and ate his breakfast in silence, the guilt for having food while so many went without eating at him."What is wrong?" Tian looked at him and cocked his head to the side curiously."I am so fortunate to have this fine food to eat, when I know many in my village are going without food at all, and more will die because of it." He hoped that made his point clear to Tian without asking.There was silence for a few minutes, and Tian finally spoke."Lord Shenlong has agreed to bless your province with rain." He quickly hurried on before Buwei could react, "If you agree to stay here with me until the next full moon, and share your stories with me."Buwei just sat for a moment in stunned silence.That was all he had to do? Tell stories, and Lord Shenlong would bring the rains? He would gladly take that on.Staying in the temple was a small price to pay for saving his people.And if Buwei was honest with himself, spending time with the handsome and rather mysterious man was no hardship.When he finished eating, he rose."I must go and tend to my ox, and then I will return.""Yes, yes." Tian waved his hand."But hurry back.I want to hear another story."Buwei nodded and went to find the waterproof robes and umbrellas on the porch.He quickly hurried to the stable, where he found the ox looking quite content.He cleaned up the area, ensured the animal had food and water, and then looked into the wagon.As he suspected, the wagon was empty.He had never heard of servants who were so quiet and hidden; surely, there must be magic at work.Dragons controlled many forces beyond Buwei's knowledge, and he dared not question their powers.When Buwei returned, Tian was sitting on the couch, tapping his fingers impatiently against his leg."What were you doing?" A frown marred his smooth forehead."I was caring for my ox, as I told you.""It took you that long?" Tian was pouting, and Buwei had to admit Tian's reaction made him smile.It was a novelty to have someone want to spend time with him.Certainly, he spent many hours with his mother and grandmother, but this was different.He sat on down next to Tian and was surprised when the man moved closer until their arms were touching.Tian beamed at him."Begin.A new story."Buwei had been thinking while caring for his animal and had decided on the story of the Golden Nugget.Using his time with Tian to expand and embellish the story, he told of the two men, Ki-wu and Pao-shu, who were the best of friends.They did everything together, even sharing a house after their years of friendship.One day, to escape the stress of their daily lives, they decided to go for a walk in the forest.There they found a golden nugget as large as a lemon.When neither man would agree to accept the nugget from his friend, each thinking the other more deserving, they left the gold where it lay.Finding another man in their chosen spot to rest, they told him of the nugget to lure him away.The man returned after some time and became angry, saying there was no gold, but a large snake which he cut in two with his sword.On their way back home, the two men did not find the body of a snake, but two gold nuggets, even larger than the first, allowing each man to be rewarded for his unselfishness.When Buwei finished the story, he realized Tian was leaning against him more heavily and had rested his hand on Buwei's thigh, his fingers lightly stroking the silk.Buwei shifted uneasily, growing hard in his trousers.He hoped Tian would not notice and become offended.He cleared his throat."Did you like my story?"Tian nodded his head."Yes.It was different." He paused, and then laid his head on Buwei's shoulder."Do you think Ki-wu and Pao-shu were lovers?" He tipped his head back to look up at Buwei and brushed his hair back over his shoulder.Buwei swallowed hard."Perhaps.My grandmother did not say such a thing specifically, but it did say they were as happy as lovers when they left on their trip."Tian just hummed in reply.Buwei sat in silence, just letting Tian lean against him for a time.Finally, the man sat upright."I think it is time for lunch."His eyes blinking, Buwei looked at Tian."But we had breakfast." To Buwei, one meal as large as breakfast would have been more than he was accustomed to eating each day.To eat two or three times a day seemed excessive.With a wave of his hand, Tian left the room.He soon returned with a light lunch.Buwei could not resist the food, even as he felt guilty.In times of plenty, his family had eaten several times a day; those times seemed so long ago it was difficult to remember.During the afternoon, Tian pulled Buwei down with him again to the couch, this time lounging with his head on a cushion.Buwei lay on his side facing him, his head propped up on his hand.Tian then proceeded to ask him for details about the story
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