He had smiled to see her move, and as he had been on their first outing, he was pleased that she was not afraid to meet his eyes.  Senfeng understood why others avoided his gaze,but it was difficult not to take offense.  Rolling another's mind was a rather crude display of power, in his opinion, and certainly not something you exercised in polite company.  The newly turned swing their psyches about like cricket bats, and made everyone leery.  Even the Masters, like his Mistress Beatrix, wielded the power with far more finesse, and he was fairly certain that Beatrix could so so, and leave her victim none the wiser.  He regarded her quietly for a moment, feeling her energy, closing his eyes slightly, as he heard her the beat of her heart, and the swish-swish-swish of her blood as it was pumped throughout her very ripe body.  He smiled at her as his eyes opened, savoring her scent as it flowed into his head.  Zhang would have been able to pick her from a crowd, by scent alone.<br/><br/>Senfeng's bright eyes absorbed her desire for him, and he reflected it back.  He could feel the Ardeur uncoiling in him like a dragon roused from a long sleep.  It warmed his skin, brightened his eyes, and made him exceedinly aware of Selena's presence...and everything about it, from the sound her jeans made when her legs rubbed together, to the pulse he felt in her hand.  His fingertip circled over a pressure point in her wrist, at the bottom of her palm, applying a delicate pressure there that he barely realized.  The point corresponded to a woman's desire, and while he would not let his Ardeur loose, unconsciously he was making her aware of his own unabashed hunger for her.<br/><br/>He smiled as she told him about her trip, listening carefully, and without interruption.  Zhang had always been a good listener, it was, he believed, a sign of a certain amount of wisdom that one did not always have to hear one's own voice.  He did comment when she smiled, "Ah, of course, perhaps I should even get a subscription to the periodical, if you think you will be appearing in it again."  Zhang squeezed her hand gently when she told him about the attack, and when she turned away for a moment, he did not press, allowing her athe time she needed to collect herself.  However, when she turned back, he leaned forward slightly, and lifted her hand to his lips, giving it the slightest brush of a kiss.  "The important thing, Selena, is that you are safe and well now...and with me."<br/><br/>Senfeng smiled in return, her seductive expression not lost on him, as he straightened slightly in his seat.  The Ardeur hissed at him, begging to be loosed, and he pushed it back down with thoughts of the tea he still had to make, and the story he had been asked for.  "Things were rather routine, really...a few more investments, the tea house is partnered with a very old and famous tea farm in China now, and we will soon taste the fruits of my labors in that regard."  He smiled, and ran his finger along hers, "And I confess, that my trips to the university left me feeling a certain absence."<br/><br/>He smiled warmly, and the nodded, "The story...well...it is very...very old."  Zhang paused to collect his thoughts, and the threads of the short tale.  It is an ancient tale, roughly two thousand years older before the birth of the Nazarene." Zhang looked into her eyes, and began the story, "A long time ago, the sky had ten Suns warming the earth, each taking their turn. During one summer, the ten Suns shone so brightly, and all together, that it caused all the plants and rivers to dry up. Life became unbearable for the Emperor and his subjects." He smiled, his finger circling over that point again. "The Emperor called on the great archer Hou Yi. Hou Yi was a well-known archer who could shoot and hit targets far and near with perfect precision. The Emperor commanded Hou Yi to shoot down all but one of the ten Suns from the sky. Taking nine magic arrows to his bow, the archer pulled back with all his might and shot down nine of the ten Suns. The summer returned to normal and the Emperor’s people were safe once again." Senfeng leaned forward slightly, his voice remaining soft, tinged with his pleasure at being able to tell her the story.  "The Emperor rewarded Hou Yi with a great wealth of money and jewels. Hou Yi took this money to marry the woman he so greatly loved and long for, the beautiful Chang Oh. The wedding was fabulous and the families of Hou Yi and Chang Oh were happy."<br/><br/>Sengfeng sighed at the folly that was about to ensure in the story, "Later on, the Emperor called on Hou Yi again to perform another great feat. He wanted Hou Yi to build a new royal palace. Hou Yi was not only a superb archer. He was also the Emperor’s royal architect. The most lavish, grandest palace was built, decorated with gold and jewels and filled with precious silks and exquisite handicrafts."  He smiled, and slowly rose from his chair, still holding her hands. "Perhaps I should get us tea...and finish while we enjoy it...both the story and the tea will go nicely with the cake."  His hand gently caressed her shoulder, where the scars were, silently lamenting the slight marring of her flawless skin.  Again, he felt a surge of heat, his eyes brightening, but not quite glowing, as they might if he were in the grip of his Hungers.  His eyes found hers, and for a moment he simply stood there, before he whispered, "I should get the tea..." And very gently tore himself away,turning to the side table, lest the Ardeur get the better of him.