“Of course I know how to swim,” ShaoShu replied. “I might be a little crazy sometimes, but I'm not stupid.”
Ying smiled. “Very well. Thank you, ShaoShu. I'm glad I trusted you.”
“Me too,” Hok added from the stern.
ShaoShu blushed. “Do you want me to dig you out now?”
Ying shook his head. “I think I'd better stay under here awhile longer, just to be safe. Would you mind covering me back up?”
ShaoShu nodded and went to work without saying another word.
South of the Yangtze River, the current in the Grand Canal was much stronger and continued to work in their favor. The canal also widened substantially. There were many more stone bridges and pagodas in this region, along with increasingly larger villages. As they continued south, day after day, the villages soon became cities and Ying began to feel claustrophobic. There were people and boats everywhere, and many more locks. He ended up wearing his black silk mask at all hours, hating every moment of it. He even hid beneath ShaoShu's junk pile on a few occasions, though they didn't encounter any more check stations, fortunately.
The canal eventually passed through the city of Wuxi, the fake destination Hok had given the soldier, and continued around the eastern edge of the gigantic Lake Tai. They passed through the city of Jiaxing, where there was another fight club, and Ying knew they were getting close. Finally, more than two weeks after leaving Xuzhou, they reached the bustling city of Hangzhou.
The Grand Canal was more crowded here than anywhere Ying had ever been in his life. Boats were being loaded and unloaded everywhere he looked. The sea was close by, and Hangzhou was the main hub where goods from all over China—and beyond—were exchanged. Ying saw more round eyes than he could count. The closer they got to the center of the city, the more round eyes he saw. They were everywhere.
Ying thought about Charles. He would probably feel right at home here. Ying, on the other hand, didn't like it one bit. He turned to Hok. “See anybody you know?” he joked.
Hok shot him an irritated glance.
“Yeah, me neither,” Ying said. “They all look the same to me.”
Hok shook her head.
They continued on, passing through the congestion of central Hangzhou to the southern edge of the city. Here, the canal ended, emptying into the Qiantang River.
“Are we almost there?” ShaoShu asked.
“Yes,” Ying replied. He turned to Hok, who was working the oar. “According to the pet vendor, we need to follow the river west, toward the sea, for several hours until we see a small tributary branching south that is flanked by twin pagodas. We're supposed to follow that for another It or so until we come upon a tidy house set far from the water at the base of a steep, tree-covered hill.”
“Are you nervous?” Hok asked.
Ying didn't answer.
Hok glanced at ShaoShu, then back at Ying. “If you want to go alone, I understand. I have enough money to stay here in Hangzhou.”
Ying thought for a moment. “I'll let you know,” he said.
Hok turned the boat onto the river and felt the canal's current subside and the river's current begin to pull them west, toward the sea. Ying scanned the river-bank. Docked along the wide river were huge foreign sailing vessels and smaller seafaring Chinese junks. Workers of various races hurried in every direction, loading and unloading goods. Ying turned to say something to Hok but saw that her eyes were fixed on a gigantic storefront.
Ying read the enormous sign. It was an apothecary. He couldn't imagine how many different medicinal herbs were housed in a building that size. “I bet you could spend hours in that place,” he said.
Hok grinned. “Days, probably.”
Ying paused. “Why don't you, then? The more I think about it, the more I'd rather continue on alone. I'll come back in a few days.”
“Are you sure?” Hok asked.
Ying nodded.
“What are you two talking about?” ShaoShu asked.
“Ying needs to go someplace alone,” Hok said. “We will dock soon. I am going to stay here at an inn. What are you going to do?”
“Can I stay with you?” ShaoShu asked.
“Of course,” Hok replied. “You can stay with me as long as you'd like.”
“Thank you!” ShaoShu said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You and Ying are the nicest people in the world!”
Ying felt his cheeks begin to blush. He looked away.
“Am I really going to stay in an inn?” ShaoShu asked Hok
“Yes,” Hok replied. “One that serves meals and has hot baths.”
“Hurray!” ShaoShu said. “I've never had a hot bath before. Where are you going, Ying?”