Feng Ru (37)

He looked at the familiar jacket she wanted to hand over him. After a couple of seconds, he raised his head to the girl who had an appearance that could qualify as a national treasure.

"You left it at the restaurant. No need to thank me, I'm just doing my job as your manager."

"..."

The wind blew past them. The place was not really quiet since there were people nearby talking and a huge TV on the lobby playing a classic wuxia drama series. However, silence momentarily took over between them since Jiang Li didn't immediately reply.

'... She should have just waited for tomorrow to come before handing it to me. There is no need to do it this late at night... Her excuse... just won't fool anyone...'

He sighed as he accepted the blue jacket. A complicated glint flickered in his eyes looking at the barely visible nervousness in Na Yu's beautiful face.

This woman suddenly became very comfortable in his presence and was sneaking a peek at him from time to time. Now, she actually chased after him here. In fact, if his guess was correct, she even waited an hour for him standing there and hugging that jacket while being exposed to the coldness of the night.

He wondered, when did it start? And what did she see in him? Previously she liked a good-for-nothing and now a two-faced guy who blackmailed her into entering an industry she had no prior knowledge of. If only he had no previous experience with love and didn't know that it could drive someone blind, he would have questioned her if there was something wrong in her eyes.

"Let's get out of here and talk." Jiang Li decided to lead her to a more proper place for a discussion, tossing the jacket back to her so she wouldn't freeze to death while walking outside.

Seven minutes later...

"I didn't think you'd dare to bring me to your apartment," exclaimed the girl with wide eyes when he drove her car to the lodging provided by the company. 

Jiang Li wanted to roll his eyes. He walked towards the refrigerator and got themselves cans of juice. "This is the nearest place I could think of that is safe from annoying cameras. Also, once the talk is over, the tired me won't have to go anywhere else."

Na Yu asked, "You don't plan to send me back?"

He casually replied. "If I become a beast tonight, maybe you won't need to be sent back." 

No change occurred in the girl's face knowing he didn't mean any of what he just said.

The guy didn't seem to realize, but he was quite the gentleman. Earlier, she confirmed from his bandmates that he really didn't get together again with Tang Lan, but since he knew a reputation and face were at stake, he did not point his ex' lie out in public. 

'He's so considerate and respectful to women, there's no way he'd really transform into a beast.'

After shaking the random thoughts off her head, she accepted the drink which he had already open for her. Holding it in her lap and not minding the cold transmitted to her skin, she opened her mouth, yet a few seconds later, she realized she didn't know what to say. 

'What now?'

'Should I ask if he's okay?' 

'Or ask how he feels about Tang Lan?'

'Why is it so hard for me to speak now?' The gaze she was giving him revealed that she was having mixed emotions about something. 

In actuality, there was one more issue bugging her mind. While she did stand there and waited for him for an hour, there was a time when the uncomfortable feeling in her heart from seeing him go inside a cancer treatment center bothered her so much. It prompted her to approach the help desk, to know if He Chen was visiting a patient or the doctor.

God knows how fervently she prayed for it not be the latter... Yet after knowing the truth, she found out it was actually as equally hard to feel relieved.

That time, Na Yu saw him in her imagination, looking like the sky had fallen down when he learned of his father's circumstances. She had to chug on the can of juice to calm down and ease the growing discomfort in her heart.

Meanwhile, he plopped down on the other one-seater sofa in the living room. 

Seeing her acting so fidgety, he laughingly said. "If we don't start the discussion, I'm afraid my lids will be too heavy to cooperate with my brain later."

'He Chen, do you know that the difficult part for me right now is thinking of what to say?' she grimaced.

After musing about it for five seconds, she finally opened up her mouth. To confess. "... Actually, I... am very sorry. Sorry for chasing you and for poking my nose into your business..." 

"Oh?" Amusement danced in his eyes as he asked, "Are you guilty because you successfully managed to bribe the nurses and staff into telling you why I was there?"

She shook her head, eyes not daring to meet his. "There's no bribing whatsoever that happened. I told them I'm your girlfriend and that I have to secretly tail you to know why you're suddenly so busy. The nurse became very sympathetic, probably assuming you're intentionally keeping it to yourself as to not worry me. She told me, your father has Stage 4 Bone Cancer." 

Jiang Li only stared at her for some time and didn't get angry or anything, yet for some reason, his silence made her heart drop a little. Was he like this when fuming inside? Or was the matter just not worthy of getting worked up for? 

"I'm really sorry..." In any case, knowing her fault, she apologized again and lowered her head. Later on, her chest felt so stuffy from receiving the silent treatment. "Do they know about it? Cheng Du and the rest?"

"They don't have the habit of stalking me." 

Na Yu almost choked. 

'Damn! I think he's now perfectly aware that I like him. Great, Na Yu. Who asked you to stalk him?'

Looking away, she wryly smiled then asked, "Why didn't you inform them then? They will surely be there to show support to you."

"I simply don't want anybody else to know. One way or another, the news will surely leak. Once that happens, it will be very annoying. Those pitying eyes will just be adding to the emotional burden of my other family members, plus there's also the fact that not everyone will truly sympathize. Since I'm now a public figure, some will definitely think it's just me trying to gain more popularity." 

"Somehow, I can't find any words to refute that..." 

"Because it's the truth." He placed the empty can down the tabletop. "Anyway, let's not talk about it anymore."

She nodded, mentally noting to make sure not a word about this will ever escape from her lips. A second later, she realized he was looking at her intently and this reminded her of the other key issue between them. 

What else should a girl like her feel in a situation like this? Her face flushed.

Na Yu was angry at her IQ that suddenly gone offline just when it was badly needed.

"Just so you know, I don't want to be accused of assuming things, so I want to hear it directly from you... Do you...?" The topic she dreaded was opened when Jiang Li opened his mouth. He only paused when she suddenly stood up from her seat.

"It's already late. I'm leaving." With hot cheeks and dodgy eyes, she declared, her hand snatching the green checkered leather pouch on the other one-seater sofa.

Alright, this was actually not what happened.

While the red face part was real, instead of fleeing, the woman firmly stayed in her seat, meeting his serene gaze bravely. For a while, Jiang Li admired her, but at the same time, he didn't know whether to continue asking when the answer was already presented before him. 

'...Just don't ask about it then.' A voice inside his head suggested. 

"He Chen, let's try dating each other." 

When the melodious yet shaky voice confirming his guess finally entered his ears, he pushed down the astonishment and studied her expression and eyes. The sincerity and longing she showed were too much, too heavy. They obscured the nervousness and all other mixed emotions playing in her heart and head. It was just hard for him not to fall into a daze. 

Before he knew it, the words were already leaving his mouth, "Na Yu, do you know that if I agree, you'll certainly regret it in the near future?"

"I won't ever regret." The confidence radiating from her as she answered this rendered him quietly staring at her. She then added with conviction, "I also won't let you give an opportunity to regret."

To how much of it he believed, it was difficult to tell. Nobody knows what the future holds. This was why Jiang Li only laughed and said, "Let's see then. "

That time, Na Yu didn't think much of this reply and was only happy having a chance to make him fall for her. Soft light from the fluorescent lamps above shone upon his features that still had some silver glitters on. The playful twinkling of those little shiny particles as he meaningfully beamed at her created a breathtaking sight.

Its effect in her heart made her feel lucky she was the only seeing it right now. Yet at the same time, she lamented to herself, 'This is bad... I think I'm done for again... I, I really like this guy...'

...

...

Announcement (Author's Note): 

FallenBlue: I regretted not writing violence and tragedy this chapter...

Jiang Li: Tch. Your first draft is full of nonsense and violence. Why did you rewrite it?

FallenBlue: *strikeout*To torture me and the readers with half-baked romance, why else?! *strikeout* Cough, just kidding. Actually, my dearest Jiang Li, we can't always be thinking of torture and other bad stuff. Borrowing Lord Third1's words, it's bad, it's immoral. I must convert you! Hahahahahahaha. 

Jiang Li: Yeah. You and your lame nonsense. *rolls eyes* Here's one cent, find someone else to talk to.

FallenBlue: Aiya, what a meanie... *coughs*

Okay, to all my beloved readers. Hello!!! XD

Just a heads-up, on Oct 1st (Tuesday next week), QT will go premium which means chapters will be locked from that day onwards. I hope you all be ready and start stocking up on SS now. As for me, I'll be praying WN won't be so random and give more SS on daily claims. Haha *peace*

Btw, thanks for all the reads, votes, comments, reviews, chapter ratings, and gifts! XD

I apologize if I can't reply as much these days. Real-life sched is just a bit messy and hectic. But no worries, next week, I'll be back to my regular sched, will be more active here too and start uploading more chapters. As for the mass release, the promise always stands. If we make it this week, I'll make time to write more chaps for you guys this coming weekend (even if I lose sleep) haha. 

Thanks for reading this. FallenBlue loves you all. Have a nice day!