Shakingherhead,shereturnedherattentiontofindingaseat.SeeingtheonlyoptionwasnearCricketandanotheryoungconscriptnamedLing,Mulanwalkedoverandtookaseat,tryingnottodrawattentiontoherself.Asshestartedtoeat,Lingheldupapieceofpaper.Onitwasadrawingofayoungwoman.

“Wewerematchedtwenty-sevendaysago,”hesaidtoCricket.“HernameisLiLi.Herskiniswhiteasmilk.Herfingersarelikethetenderwhiterootsofagreenonion??.??.??.”

Mulanbitbackalaugh.

Agreenonion?

ShewonderedwhatthisLiLiwouldthinkifsheheardsuchacomparison.

“Lingisaromantic!”Cricketsaid,apparentlymoreimpressedthanMulanatLing’schoiceofwords.

Lingsmileddreamily.“LiLiinspiresme,”hewenton.“Hereyesarelikemorningdewdrops,herhairlikedistantmountains,darkenedbyblackclouds—”

JustwhenMulanthoughtshecouldn’ttakeanothersimile,Yaobangedhishandonthetable,interruptingLing.“Ilikemywomenbuxom!”hesaid,lettingoutaloud,boominglaugh.Aroundhim,othersoldiersvoicedtheiragreement.“Withstrong,widehips!”headded.

Mulancringed.

Isthisthewaymentalkaboutwomen?

Thethoughtmadeherstomach,whichhadalreadysouredatthefirsttasteoftheawfulfoodprovided,turnover.Ithadneveroccurredtoherthatmenwouldhavesuchlittlerespectfortheirfuturewives.Shehadalwaysbeentaughttothinkhighlyandspeakproudlyofthemanshewouldsomedaymarry.Ofallmen,really.Yethere,onlythe“romantic”seemedtohavethecourtesytospeakkindlyoftheoppositesex.EvenCricket,whomMulanhadthoughtwasadecentman,wasnowtakingpart.

“Ilikekissingwomenwithcherryredlips,”hesaid,smilingatthemenaroundhiminthehopesofgettingthesamereactionYaohadreceived.

“Thenyourmothermusthavecherryredlips,”Yaoteased,“becauseshe’stheonlywomanthat’severkissedyou!”TheothersoldierssnickeredandYao’ssmilegrewbroader.

“Idon’tcarewhatshelookslike—”Postartedtosay.

Thinkingthattheothersoldierwasdefendingwomenandwasgoingtosaysomethingnice,Mulanshotup.“Iagree!”shesaid.

ButPo’snextwordsmadeherinstantlyregretheraction.“Ijustcarewhatshecookslike!”

Mulan’sfacefell.Turningherattentionbacktoherunappetizingmeal,shewassurprisedwhensheheardhername.“Tellus,HuaJun,”Honghuisaid,callingouttoherfromacrossthetable.Hehadbeenwatchingher,tryingtoreadherreactiontotheroomandthecomments.Decidingtopushher,hewenton.“Tellus.What’syouridealwoman?”Onceagain,theroomfilledwithnoiseastheothersoldiersvoicedtheirencouragement.“Yes!”theyshouted.“Tellus!”

Mulanwasmortified.ShemetHonghui’sprobinggazeandhereyesnarrowed.Sheknewwhathewastryingtodo.Hewastryingtogetariseoutofher.Butshewouldn’tlethim.Shepaused,collectingherthoughtsbeforeanswering.“Iguess,”shesaid,makingsuretokeephervoicedeepandsteady,“myidealwomaniscourageous.”

Theroomgrewsilent.Themenlookedateachother,confused.Theywerealldumbfoundedanddisappointed.ExceptHonghui.Heseemedinterestedbytheanswer.

Stubbornly,Mulanwenton,knowingthatevenasshedid,shewasonceagainmakingherselfstandout.Butshedidn’tcare.Shewantedtoshowthemthatwomenweremorethanjustobjects.“Andshehasasenseofhumor.”Someofthemenlaughed.“She’salsosmart!”Noweveryonewaslaughing.EveryoneexceptHonghui.

“Butwhat’sshelooklike?”Cricketpressed.

Mulanshookherhead.“That’snotthepoint.”

“Courageous,funny,smart,”Yaorepeated.“HuaJun’snotdescribingawoman,he’sdescribingaman!He’sdescribingme!”

Astheroomeruptedinlaughter,Mulansankbackdowninherseat.Whatwasthepoint?Itwasliketryingtotalktoabunchofanimals.Butassheliftedherhead,shewassurprisedtoseeHonghuismilingather.Hewinked.Then,turningtoYao,hecalledout,“Courageous,funny,smart?No,that’snotyou,Yao.That’sdefinitelynotyou.”

ThejokewasnowatYao’sexpense,andtheattentiondriftedfromMulan.Takingtheopportunity,sheslippedaway.ButnotbeforegivingHonghuiasmall,gratefulsmile.