Getting To Know More of You

After work, Long Jie went home and noticed the presence of a familiar figure. It felt strange. He had never been accustomed to someone being at home before him.

Silence typically welcomed him. When he moved back to the country a few years ago, he lived on his own.

Long Jie strolled down the hall, listening to light music. Around the threshold, he saw Song Luli wearing a short apron over her casual clothing with her hair tied up in a small ponytail. Something about the sight stirred something inside him, but he couldn't have said what.

Song Luli was swaying slightly with the music, and when she saw him, she jumped, startled. She held a hand over her pounding chest, her cheeks flushing. You scared me!" she said.

Long Jie tried to hold back a laugh, but he couldn't help but chuckle. "You do scare easily," he commented. Song Luli glanced away with puffed cheeks, embarrassed.

"I thought you were coming later," he responded, putting his briefcase down, loosening the tie from his collar.

Song Luli turned towards the stove, stirring some of the seasonings. She didn't say anymore, but Long Jie stepped behind her, closely. "What are you making?" he asked her.

Even though Long Jie wasn't touching her, Song Luli could feel the towering presence behind her; she could feel the warmth he exuded, and she felt nervous for some reason.

He didn't give off a presence that was dangerous or predatory, but something else entirely, something she couldn't pinpoint.

"I'm making a seafood boil," she responded.

Long Jie grabbed a spoon to taste the broth the seafood was cooking with. "It's good," he said after tasting the spicy and saltiness of it.

"Thank you," Song Luli answered softly.

Long Jie stepped back towards the kitchen table, sitting in his seat. It occurred to him that he was getting used to having her around. He wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Long Jie set up a tablet to respond to some work emails. He worked diligently until Song Luli began to place the dishes on the table, and he stood to help her.

Song Luli felt content with the fact that Long Jie wasn't ignoring her. Good, she thought. She thought he was still angry about being seen with another man; therefore, she wanted to do anything she could to be on good terms with him.

After settling everything on the table, they sat across each other and began to eat. Long Jie lifted some crab legs, deshelling them and dipping the crab meat into butter. He also ate some crawfish and mussels. Song Luli was stunned that he ate so much, especially how she made extra to take to work for lunch the next day.

He also tasted everything except the shrimp.

"You don't like shrimp?" she asked.

Long Jie shook his head while deshelling some crawfish. "No," he responded. Song Luli gasped, "Really?"

"Mhm," Long Jie said.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?"

"I should have asked you before."

Long Jie broke out into a smile and gave out a short laugh. "It doesn't matter. If you like it, then I should make it for you sometime."

Song Luli grinned. "Good to know," She responded. This was something she didn't know and wouldn't have known if he didn't mention it.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Song Luli asked.

Lone Jie paused his eating; his eyes met hers.

Song Luli sometimes wasn't sure what to do when she makes eye contact with someone. With her friends and family, it was normal. But with Long Jie, it was different. His pale-blue eyes struck her every time. Perhaps it was because it isn't common for people in their city to have them. Though it wasn't common to have hazel eyes either, and most members of her family had them.

Long Jie was quiet for a few moments before saying, "I'm 6'2. My birthday is in February. I like dogs, but I'm more of a cat person. My blood type is AB-," He paused, "What about you?"

Song Luli smiled. "I'm 5'3. I like to read; I don't really think anything of myself as particularly interesting. I also prefer cats, and my blood type is A+."

Long Jie's lips curled. He leaned his forearms over the table, steadying his piercing blue gaze at her. "There has to be more," he said with a dreamy, gruff tone.

Song Luli glanced at him. She wasn't sure what else she could say. She barely had any friends; she was mainly introverted, but she was learning to break her shell for the business world.

"I like dancing and swimming," she said.

"I know," he responded.

Song Luli was puzzled. Was she that transparent? And yet, she couldn't figure out what he liked or enjoyed.

The violin.

"You play the violin, right?" she asked. "I know you're good at the piano, but I saw it in a glass case."

Long Jie smiled. "Indeed," he said. He glanced at the hall and the room beyond it. "My father taught me to play. It was something my mother loved to hear, so I played for her at every request."

"Oh?" Song Luli responded. "Why did you stop?"

"I didn't," Long Jie said. "I don't need to practice, nor do I have the time to play."

Song Luli nodded, seeming to understand, though she didn't. Why doesn't he practice at home?

After finishing dinner, Long Jie stood, offering to wash both their plates. Song Luli watched as he rolled up the sleeves of his long white shirt to his elbows, and began to hand-wash them, a rare sight to witness.

Soon after, she went to the living room and turned on to watch a movie. It was a comedy, and Song Luli was initially enjoying it until she realized the plot was going nowhere. She then drifted into an early sleep, unknowingly.

Long Jie entered the living room wanting to see Song Luli once more before going to bed. He had finished a few more hours of work and wanted to crash.

He saw her sprawled on the couch, sleeping. Her short black hair had gone on her face, and he snapped a photo, wanting to make fun of her in the morning.

Long Jie pushed the strands of hair from her face, but she swatted his hand away, turning over into a more comfortable position. When she shifted, he saw some blood seep through the cushion. Oh? Long Jie thought.

He tapped her shoulder, attempting to wake her, but she refused stubbornly.

He leaned closer to her ear and blew into it. Song Luli woke and sat up immediately, covering her ear while gritting her teeth. "What the hell?" she said. But at that, she felt strange. Her stomach hurt, too.

Long Jie was stunned. He wasn't sure how to say it. "Luli," he said her name.

"Yes?" she answered. What was up with him?

"I think you should take a shower," he said.

Song Luli was taken aback. What? Did she smell?

Long Jie realized that he might have said something wrong. "I think you should shower first before me."

"Ah," Song Luli said. "All right."

She stood up immediately, walking towards the bathroom. She grabbed a robe on the way, and when she changed out of her clothing, she realized that she had stained her underwear. She flushed immediately.

Looking through the compartments and cupboards, she was desperately looking for sanitary pads but couldn't find any.

"Fuck!" she said aloud.

"Luli," she heard Long Jie say from the other side of the door. "Are you all right?"

She was embarrassed. "Yes. I'm fine," she answered.

"Okay," Long Jie responded.

Afraid he was going to leave, she asked. "Umm...do you have any pads anywhere by chance?"

Silence.

"No..." said Long Jie. "But I can run to the store to grab some."

"Yes...Please," she responded.

"...All right," Long Jie said.

He then walked back down the stairs, grabbing his keys and entering the car. He went to the nearest convenience store and found the aisle, but there were so many different ones.

He gazed through the shelves with a confused expression. Which one is it??? He thought.

He decided to call her.

Song Luli was stepping from a hot, steaming shower. She picked up the call. "Which one do you wear?" he asked.

"Any. I want the thick-medium ones," She said.

Huh??? Long Jie thought as he gazed at the many different brands and sizes. He then saw a package that was red and purple. "What do you want? The cherry or grape flavoured?"

Flavour?

After a moment of silence, Song Luli burst out, laughing to the point where she was crying.

"What's so funny?" Long Jie asked, not irritated, but curious.

Song Luli wiped away, laughing tears. "Jie. There aren't any flavoured pads; they're more likely to differentiate the sizes."

"Oh," Long Jie responded, feeling ridiculous.

He then picked the one that seemed best. He hung up the call and quickly purchased two packs of them, but the man at the counter glanced at him curiously as he scanned the items. Long Jie kept his composure typically. He then drove back home, and he left it in front of the bathroom door. She opened it with her hair freshly washed, her cheeks flushed. "Thank you," she said shyly to him.

She went back into change, and when she came out, he asked, "Were they the right size?"

Song Luli nodded, and Long Jie sighed in relief. "Thank you," she said to him. Long Jie nodded, "Anytime."

He had grown up seeing his mother and female cousins suffer from period cramps. He wondered if she felt it, too. All bodies were different. Just when Long Jie was about to go to his room, he saw her rub her stomach painfully, and her eyebrows knitted.

He then decided to go to the kitchen and make some tea.

Song Luli was lying down, tossing and turning on the bed, unable to sleep from the cramps she had. She hated the first day; it was the worst.

Not long after, she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she said, not wanting to stand and answer. Long Jie entered with a tray, and she was surprised to see it. She had grown up with doctors in her family, but never would she imagine that Long Jie of Long Group would ever come into her room to tend to her.

He set the tray down next to her. "I put some lemon in it," he said.

This kindness, Song Luli, was experiencing; she didn't want to get used to it. She was afraid of letting him in. She didn't want that. "Thank you," she said quietly.

After, Long Jie took out a heating pad. He then positioned it on her stomach. Song Luli wasn't sure how to feel. Why was he so nice?

As he adjusted the temperature, his hair fell over his eyes. He was near her, so Song Luli reached up to run her fingers through. His dark auburn strands reminded her of autumn leaves.

"You have your mother's hair," she commented.

Long Jie didn't respond, so Song Luli raised his chin to meet her eyes. "But you look more like your father," she said, observing his face.

Long Jie couldn't help but flush. He didn't understand why, but when she raised his chin, it seemed to be bold, like a statement. Through that simple touch, it seemed like she had control over him, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Song Luli let go with a chuckle, and Long Jie decided to return to his room. "Goodnight," he heard her say as he opened and closed the door. Indeed, he was rather getting used to her, and he wasn't sure if he liked it.