The Gift and The Assistant

The next morning, Kevin's stomach pain vanished completely without a trace. The first thing he did was to go and see a doctor the next morning. 

The doctor informed him that he could not eat spicy food at all. His body could not take it. He was allergic to it. 

However, the doctor was bewildered over the fact that with the amount of spicy food he had eaten, he should be in critical condition now. But here he is completely fine. He asked Kevin how it could happen.

Kevin himself didn't know anything. He thought about what happened last night. He felt pain at first but after eating Aman's porridge his pain gradually decreased and he fell asleep. When he woke up he didn't feel any pain. But for precaution, he still came to see the doctor. Could it be that there was something in that porridge that cured him?

Kevin thought it didn't matter what was in the porridge but the fact was that Aman helped him.

He asked the doctor about it. The doctor told him that rice porridge is one of the foods which may help with diarrhoea, but with his allergic situation, it should not be enough to completely cure him.

He was now sure that there was some kind of herbal medicine in that porridge that cured him overnight without any pain. 

Suddenly a scheme popped up in his mind. He thought about giving Aman an expensive gift in the guise of thanking him. When Aman sees his expensive gift he will agree to spend a night with him. After all, he had won many people with expensive gifts.

But a part of his brain was rejecting the possibility that Aman would like some expensive thing. The image of that kind smile appeared in his mind, suddenly. 

But that boy had already rejected his direct approach, now he could only find some other ways to get him. And at this moment, only this Idea seemed the best to him.

Thus, once outside the hospital, he first went to have a less spicy breakfast which suited his taste. He thought, 'Forget it, I will start to eat outside from now on. If they don't see me at the dining table they won't force me either. It's not like I can show my weaknesses in front of those bastards!!'

Then he saw a diamond jewellery store. He smirked and thought, 'Who doesn't like expensive diamond jewellery? He will come running into my arms after seeing my gift.'

*****

When he returned to the house, he saw no one there. He quietly went into Aman's room and placed the beautifully wrapped box on the bed with a note. He smirked at the thought of his expected conclusion.

Aman returned to his room after seeing Mei Wei off to the Gym. He saw his room's door was open, he felt estranged. He clearly remembered that he had shut the door before going. He went inside and saw a gift lying on his bed.

He picked up the gift and the note with it. He first opened the note and read it.

"Please accept this gift as my sincere thanks to you for your help last night. You may think of it as a payment for the porridge. Also, please think about my offer again.

                                    Love, Kevin ❤️"

After reading it there was no expression on Aman's face but his eyes turned cold. He knew Kevin deliberately wrote love and made that heart shape. And that scoundrel was even still inviting him to his bed!! He clenched the letter tightly into his fist.

With long slender fingers, he took off the wrapping and it revealed a black box. When he opened it he found a diamond bracelet. The bracelet was like a bangle which had small diamonds around its circumference.

Suddenly a female voice spoke behind him, "A diamond bracelet, hmmm looks pretty good but the question is who gave it to you?" The voice was playful and mischievous.

Aman turned around and saw Luo Li walking towards him. He handed her the note and bracelet. She read the note and then laughed, "He is trying hard to impress you. Look at this, platinum with diamonds around the circumference is pretty expensive if you ask me. Anyone would be impressed with this."

Aman snorted and replied coldly, "I am not."

Luo Li teased, "Yeah why would you be? A prince who is used to wearing celestial and heavenly jewellery, why would you like things that humans like."

Aman replied, "Don't tease me, sister Li. I am not the only one who wears that jewellery, you do too. Besides we materialize those clothes and jewellery with natural elements. They are created by our powers."

"But I don't get it, why do these humans want to hang these stones around them at such an expensive price." He joked. 

As a prince of a great and wealthy clan, he was adorned with jewellery from head to toe. He was used to seeing these metals, stones and crystals. Therefore it was almost impossible for him to be impressed with expensive jewelry.

Luo Li giggled, "I don't know too. After all, I too am only a half-human. It may be because they find these shiny stones beautiful. But, You should not joke about this matter, as a half-human I will defend humans too." She joked with him in return and held her nose high in fake arrogance.

"Besides.. you don't entirely dislike human jewellery, right?" She said with gleaming eyes.

Aman looked at her confusedly.

Luo Li smirked, "Well your pendent says otherwise." She eyed Aman's diamond pendant which was a fine piece of human jewellery.

Aman subconsciously touched the pendant around his neck. It was given to him as a present by Mei Wei on their shared birthday. He never took it off since then. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders not answering Luo Li.

But Luo Li had already noticed his ears turning pink and slight embarrassment in his eyes.

Luo Li smiled knowingly and patted Aman's shoulder, "Just return it with a polite note. Same as him." Aman nodded his head in acceptance. It was the easiest way for him to conceal his identity for the time being.

He went to Kevin's room with the jewellery box and a new piece of paper. Kevin was not in his room. He placed the box on the table beside the couch and left.

*****

In the afternoon he saw Kevin going towards his room with Asnee hastily following him. There was a glass of juice in Asnee's hand. Probably for Kevin.

 Aman wanted to know about Kevin's reaction to his gift being returned so he quietly followed him from some distance. He thought they were saying something to each other but couldn't hear anything.

Once outside the door, he started eavesdropping on them.

Inside the room, Kevin was looking for a file when he saw a familiar black box lying on the table. He opened the box and found the same bracelet he had presented to Aman. He found a note in it too. It read -

"No porridge in this world costs this much. You are our guest and it was my duty to take care of you. I don't need your payment, sir. And my answer is still the same, I am not interested.

                                  Sincerely, Aman"

Kevin put the box in his pocket and clenched the note in his fist. He thought, 'That useless servant dares to reject my gift.' This was the first time somebody rejected his gift. It directly was an attack on his ego.

He was still in his thoughts when Asnee brought over the glass of juice to him, "Sir, you should drink this juice while it's still fresh- " As he was saying this he accidentally spilt all the juice on Kevin. 

Kevin stood there for a moment. He looked like in a dazed state. Kevin's eyes darkened.

Asnee looked horrified by his mistake,  "I-I-I," he stuttered. Before he could finish Kevin slapped him, "You....all of you servants are useless. Waste of space."

But Kevin was not finished yet. He punched Asnee on the nose. Blood started to gush out from it. But Kevin didn't care; he punched him again in the gut and Asnee fell on the floor. He spitted the words, "You can't do a task properly. Why don't you just die somewhere." He was saying this while kicking Asnee again and again in the gut. Blood was coming from his mouth. Kevin kicked his groin last time and spat, "pathetic." Then he stormed out of the room. 

Seeing him coming out Aman hurriedly hid himself.

When he was sure that Kevin went out of the house. He quickly went inside the room and saw Asnee rolling on the ground in pain. He ran over to him and helped him to get up. He made him sit on one of the couches in the room. Aman grabbed the house telephone near him and tried to call the ambulance but Asnee snatched the phone from him and said, "Don't " he was still breathing hard. His arms were wrapped around his stomach. He was obviously in an extremely painful state.

"Why not?" Aman argued and tried to take the phone but Asnee didn't let him. He took a deep and shaky breath, and he pleaded, "Please I beg you don't call the ambulance. Just leave me alone. I will be okay in a few hours. Just go." 

Aman looked at Asnee and his condition didn't look good. But he was still refusing to call the ambulance. At last, Aman gave up, "Okay I won't call the police but let me treat your wounds." 

Asnee looked at him for a long moment and then nodded slowly. "Great!" Aman exclaimed and brought the first aid box. He started treating his bruises and cuts carefully.

He was still quite confused over the fact that Asnee did not let him call the ambulance or a doctor. He carefully looked at the other's face. Although he was in pain, a different expression could be ascertained from his face more than the pain. And the expression was - fear…..