DINNER WITH THE LACROIX FAMILY 3

Most members of this family were based in Europe with the only exception, Eunice.  She wanted to settle roots in her mother's birthplace. So she returned to Shanghai albeit her parents' refusal. Luo Jingyi was aware that Aunt Alice and Uncle Antoine would be staying in the city for a while to sort out business-related matters. As for the rest, she would have expected them to have returned.

"We were supposed to leave last night but Aunt Mirabelle wanted to stay longer. She said she wants to go on a trip with everyone today. Dad called Uncle Antoine to talk about it and eventually found out about tonight. You know how dad tries to get every nit and gritty details of things. He mentioned this to Aunt Mirabelle. And you know what happened next."

Luo Jingyi winced. Aunt Mirabelle, the youngest of the Lacroix siblings was someone you should never tell a secret to. Of all the four siblings, she was the only one who was different.

 "By the way, Eunice had been trying to get hold of you this afternoon but the call won't go through."

"I put my phone in flight mode. Is there anything?" Eunice was already off somewhere for her honeymoon.

"I am not sure. She just instructed me to tell you, to call her ASAP.  Is that supposed to mean anything?"

Luo Jingyi tapped her fingers on the armrest as she figured what could the newly-married woman wanted. "I am not sure. I'll call her later."

The timely appearance of Fredrick, the family butler saved Luo Jingyi from whatever question Nicolette had in mind as the other woman's brows were already furrowed. 

…..

Luo Jingyi walked with Yun Jinghan to the car. He said he forgot something so she followed him.

 "Did they ask you very uncomfortable questions?" Luo Jingyi questioned.  

"Not really."

Relief passed on Jingyi's face.

"But something is bothering me." Yun Jinghan scratched his temple on the right side with a finger.

"What is it?"

"How many blind dates exactly did you refuse to go to?"

Luo Jingyi was silent for a second.

"I don't remember." She really lost count already. She'd been to a few, only because her therapist suggested. But she forgot when exactly she started coming up with dozens of reasons to avoid the next ones.

"Why do you ask?"

"Everyone seemed suspicious about our relationship."  The questions they asked him were deliberately posed to find a loophole. He knew the answers but for certain things he wasn't aware of, he just winged it.

Luo Jingyi pursed her lips. She didn't anticipate that they would really doubt her. But perhaps, it was due to their concern for her. After all, she was already a part of their family, adopted or not. And she felt the same. 

Out of nowhere, Yun Jinghan bent closer and asked, "Should we show them something only couples do?"

'Only couples do?' Confused, her eyes looked into his. He was staring. 

Reflex made her step back because he was closing in. Alarm bells were ringing in her head. She must run. But before she could, she was caged because her back touched the car and his palms were placed behind her. He didn't touch her but he was dangerously hovering over her. Luo Jingyi's pulse started to accelerate.

"What are you doing?" Luo Jingyi glowered at him. She appeared unaffected yet her palms began to sweat. 

"Kissing you."

Luo Jingyi meant to step on his foot to stop him but she spotted a figure at the doorway. Before she even pondered the repercussions of her own actions, her clammy hands tugged his shirt. At the same time, she held her breath as though she was anticipating for the kiss.

But she wasn't. Luo Jingyi closed her eyes and balled her hand into a fist.  Because her heart thumped out of her chest like she was having tachycardia (1)1, she started humming a melody inside her head. She pretended to be inside the OR, performing a heart transplant surgery. Of all the surgeries, this was one of her favorites.

Taking a scalpel, she would make an incision on the chest, divide the sternum (2)2 and spread the ribcage apart with a retractor to expose the entire chest and heart. She would use electrocautery to cauterize, cut and seal the small blood vessel before cutting through the pericardium (3)3. Then, she would remove the entire heart except for the back of the left atrium. At the same time, the patient would be maintained on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine which would oxygenate and circulate blood throughout the body. She would trim—

"That should have done the trick." His soft laugh broke her line of thought.

Perhaps keeping her brain busy did the trick because her heartbeat slowed down and she stopped shaking. Lifting her lids up, Yun Jinghan's profile was the first thing she saw. His head was resting on the car. Apparently he didn't kiss her. But if seen on a different angle, they would appear to be kissing.

He distanced himself from her. Upon seeing her brows snapped together, he uttered, "Don't be mad."

She bit back the nasty words that loomed in her head. Filling her lungs with air then releasing it seconds later, she calmed herself. She looked at the doorway but Aunt Alice was no longer there.

Yun Jinghan reached for his handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead. She jerked her head away immediately which made him let out an unhappy shrug. Seeing this, Luo Jingyi felt guilty.

It wasn't his fault. She took the handkerchief from his grasp and murmured "thanks" in a low, soft voice. Ignoring her, Yun Jinghan opened the back of the car and went through the pieces of stuff there. 

A soft moan of disbelief escaped Luo Jingyi's lips when she saw what's inside.  "Did you just rob the museum?"

Gauging by the rectangular shape and wrapping, they were paintings. She slowly opened the chest box and found rolled scrolls neatly arranged. Curiosity prompted her to lift the lid of the boxes and there were porcelain vases carefully packaged.

Luo Jingyi shot him a questioning look which he replied casually, "Betrothal gifts."

"A-what?!" If she was drinking at that time, water would have sprayed all over him. Luckily, she wasn't.

He repeated which earned a scowl from her. 

"First, we are not getting married. So this is not necessary. Second, every single item here must have cost millions."  

"So what if I spent millions? Anyway, I bought it for them." He paused, thinking something. "Okay, not betrothal gifts. They are meeting-the-parents-ceremony gifts."

Luo Jingyi wanted to hit her face with her palm. Why did it feel she was dealing with a child throwing tantrums?

'Let it cool Jingyi.'

"Don't frown. It makes you less beautiful." He straightened the line on her forehead with a finger. She angled her head on the other side to avoid his touch, giving him a-what-are you-doing-look.

"You already handed those gifts to Fredrick earlier. Moreover, you don't have to do this."

His response came as quick as lightning. "Of course I have to. I want to be on their good side. In the future, I will ask permission from them to marry you."

Luo Jingyi didn't take his words seriously because there was a glint of humor in his tone. Moreover, she looked up when she felt raindrops on her skin. 

"No." She pushed the trunk close and tugged his wrist and dragged him inside the house.

As they sprinted, Yun Jinghan's gaze fell to her hand on his. A small smile rose his lips gradually growing into a grin.

************

(1) tachycardia = a condition wherein heartbeat exceeds the normal resting rate.

(2) divide the sternum / breastbone = It is a surgical procedure called MEDIAN STERNOTOMY. With the use of an oscillating saw to cut into halves, a vertical inline incision is made along the sternum. The heart is nestled beneath the sternum.

(3) pericardium = It's the sac that protects and contains the heart.

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