Steve opened his eyes, a clean cotton smell caressed his nose, as a slightly warm sensation was playing with his skin. He knew he was lying on a bed, but the scenery around him was very strange 'why wasn't he on his own bed' he wondered. 

      For sure, he wasn't in his room, the room he was in, looked more like an hotel room. The scenery of that one was identical to traditional houses that could be found in Lu'um. 

     The wall in front of him was covered with a paper fresco, on which was painted the portrait of a woman. She had long black hair, her skin was as bright and white as milk, and her almond-shaped eyes reminded him of those of his mother when she was younger.

     On his left, was a sliding translucent paper door mounted on a bamboo frame, in the room just this fresco, and the layers of blanket on which he was lying on.

"If you're awake, get up"

"Master is waiting for you in the garden"

     Impatient to know where he was and how he got there, Steve immediately got up. He walked to the sliding paper door and opened it. A moist and cool air caressed his face and the scene before his eyes took his breath away. 

     A magnificent garden stood before him, several trees and shrubs dispersed in the courtyard we're combined with fountains, bridges, small lakes sprinkled in the vast garden that extended as far as the eye could see. 

     Steve couldn't believe his eyes, he had never seen a place as lavish and modest at the same time, in his life.

"Follow me"

He turned to the person who stood a few strides away from him, a little girl, no taller than his waist, took his hand and dragged him with her in the park.

"You can call me Shenshen, I'm Master Guan's assistant"

"....."

"Master Guan is looking forward to meeting you, the last visit of a contractor was a long time ago"

"When others will hear about this, they'll die of jealousy," she said with a smile. 

     Her laughter reasoned in Steve's ears like the songs of hummingbirds, in her tone he had recognized a hint of pretension mixed with ego. 

      Steve had his eyes fixed on the face of the smiling little girl who was pulling him by the hand. As he was dragging his eyes along the length of her bodyg, on her clothes, a long and thin tail similar to that of a cat entered his vision. 

It was attached to the little girl's lower back, that's when he became cognizant of her image. On her head, two ears similar to that of a cat, her eyes were green and her pupils long and narrow shone with intensity.

     They passed among the trees, on bridges, then walk through an alley of bamboo before arriving at a small wooden pavilion. It was rustic but surprisingly clean and fresh.    

     In front of it was a courtyard, and there, was a table, next to it, sat a man, he had in his hands a teacup and on the table near him rested a book. He put the cup on the table and then looked at Steve and said: "We meet again, contractor."