29. Are you learning Chinese?

- "Are you learning Chinese?"
- "Yes, I am," Elle had replied without wavering.
- "Why are you learning Chinese?"
- "Because I'm going to China."
- "Do French people learn Chinese?" Kenji had asked.
- "Not really, but China fascinates them."

At the evening chat that day, the subject of conversation ran on the economics and politics of the Middle Empire, a serious talk interrupted by the latest report on Bab's pranks. She was the Scottish woman from Edinburgh who swore and drank beer like a trooper.

One day when Liyan was quietly sitting in the main room, Kenji took her on his lap and made her dance speaking to her in Japanese. To F-sharp, Liyan had declared later:

- "You know, the story between Him and Elle, can it happen to a doll?"
- "Yes, certainly. Why?"
- "Among the Japanese boys, one of them spoke to me..."
- "A man? A man speaking to a doll?... No, there, I'm sorry, you must be dreaming!" F-sharp replied sharply before she went on, "the orchestra conductor didn't like Remi... he used to take him up all the time... true, he used to be rather lazy, he didn't work as hard as I did... but he was talented!... very talented!"

F-sharp could remember a particularly romantic piece where, in a duet with Remi, she came close to total rapture. Liyan went on saying that Kenji had really talked to her.

- "A Japanese guy? Drop it!" F-sharp stressed without explaining further.