Changyu watched the both of them converse happily. So this was what went on behind her back every night? Helene had told her she was going to have a fair fight with her for Jianjun"s affection. So this was the fair fight? Happily having a conversation with him in the middle of the night?
But wait, why was she here also? Was it not for the same reason.
She remembered the saying "All is fair in love and war".
She took light steps inside the kitchen to where they both were speaking. She was never going to go back. It would only give Helene more opportunity in flirting with her man.
Jianjun"s eyes shone when he saw her and mistakenly cut his finger with the knife he was using to chop a onion.
It was Changyu"s turn to widen her eyes when she caught sight of the blood.
Before Helene could attend to him or say anything, Changyu moved past her to meet Jianjun.
"I am so sorry. You must be really hurt" She wrapped her small hand around his wrist to take a proper look at it. "Let"s go to the hospital" She said gently before pulling him with her.
Hospital? Jianjun wondered. What for? This was only a minor cut and only a little blood spilled. He looked down at her hand that was wrapped around his wrist as he willingly followed her out. He was totally short of words.
That moment, he remembered someone else was there so he looked over his shoulder to signal for Helene to help with the ingredients. Changyu didn"t even bother to acknowledge her and just quickened her pace.
Helene gave a simple smile and nodded, indicating she would handle it.
"What are you doing here?" He asked gently as she treated his wound.
He was able to convince her to use the first aid tools in the restaurant"s sick bay instead of going to the hospital. It was late and he didn"t want her to be wandering about the city. It was no safe place for a young delicate lady like herself.
The problem was, she didn"t know how to administer a first aid treatment. After showing and teaching her what to do, she was able to get it and help him.
"I came to see someone" She replied without raising her head from his hand.
"Who?" He asked curiously. He didn"t like the idea of her going out to see someone by this time. He didn"t like the idea of her going to see someone at all. Especially if it was a guy.
"Why do you care who?" She asked with an angry tone. Still not looking at him. How dare he cheat on her with Helene?
Despite the fact that she was angry, she still took great care in disinfecting his wound not to cause him pain.
She didn"t care what anyone thought. To her, she was already in a relations.h.i.+p with Jianjun. She was only waiting for him to join her in it.
"You sound annoyed. Did someone annoy you?" He asked in concern.
"You"re all clean now." She said before arranging back the first aid box.
"Changyu." Jianjun called her.
She saw the look of concern he gave her.
Of course, he felt something was wrong. She was really not her usual nice self.
"You must really like Helene" She managed to say. Trying her best to sound unhurt.
He gave her a confused look. Like Helene? Why this sudden question out of the blue?
"Am I wrong?" She asked in am accusing tone.
"No... I mean.. Yes" He had not been paying attention so he thought she asked "Am I right?"
But Changyu latched on the "No". An angry girl in love was difficult to convince.
"You do like her."
"What are you saying Changyu? Why would you think that and why the sudden question all of a sudden?"
"Because I like you you idiot." Changyu yelled at him with teary eyes. "You are so blind and very dumb that you cannot see it when it was so obvious. I cannot believe you are Mrs w.a.n.gs son." She said angrily and began to cry.
She used both hands to cover her face and squatted down. "You were supposed to be having those conversations with me. But you were having it with another girl. Why don"t you like me? I am very pretty, I am learning how to cook and I am nice. You are very annoying!"
Jianjun was shocked, startled, bemused, amused, confused. Give it any name.
What was happening right now?
Changyu liked him? But she had been friends with his sister who had currently gone to medical school. How come Cixi never told him?
And what was with the many insults she was raining on him?
Everything was totally confusing to him. But he was more concerned about something else. Changyu liked him! She liked him just like he had always liked her.
He didn"t know what to do. Or how to react. She was still crouched down with her face covered and crying loudly.
"C.hang..yu?" He called to get her attention.
"Go away" She said between tears. "I don"t want to talk with you today."
A smile formed on his lips. She was always too cute for his liking. He ignored her and squatted in front of her. "I"m sorry I didn"t know you liked me. If I had known..."
"What? You would have stayed away from me the more?" She raised her tear-streaked face to ask.
He shook his head. "I would have told you how much I liked you first." He said softly.
Changyu"s eyes shone. She stared at him for a while without saying anything. The next sound they heard was a hiccup -which came from her.
Jianjun chortled before reaching to kiss her on her forehead.
He was so excited. Too excited. The girl he thought he couldn"t get loved him also.
"I... Am not dreaming right?" It felt like a déjà vu. Something she"d seen countlessly in her dreams. What if this was a dream also? What if she didn"t go out that night because her maid had stopped her from doing so and she was currently in a dream?
Jianjun said nothing other than flas.h.i.+ng her a smile. He pulled her up with him and wrapped his arms around her in a hug.
"If this is a dream, let"s both not wake up from it. I love you Song Changyu"
PRESENT DAY.
Changyu looked at where used to be the sick bay with dull eyes. Instead of the normal glory the entire place had once radiated, it was now dark and dilapitated. The equipments inside where all old and dusty. It looked like a haunted house. Just a single flashlight illuminated the place for her to see.
She could still remember that day like it was yesterday. It was here it all started. The very place she was standing on.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn"t stop her tears from flowing. She didn"t even know how she had managed to walk out of her parent"s apartment that night without her legs giving her away.
Now, she couldn"t hold it in any longer. She fell on the dusty floor and sobbed loudly.
"We did it for you. Because we love you" Her parents voices continued to reverberate in her ears. "It was for your future Changyu"
A future she hadn"t begged them for.