To Stay By Your Side 2Xu Jia Li"s heart was filled with adoration and love towards the man beside her. When she was about to get the ice pack for his bruises, Si Weimin immediately stopped her.
"Let me get it for you. Stay put."
She suddenly felt helpless to this stubborn man.
So instead of arguing, she just let him do as he pleased. After getting the ice pack, she asked him to place it to the corner of his left eye. She then proceeded to clean and disinfect his wounds on his knuckles.
She had a lot of things to ask him but she didn"t know if she should. Instead of asking, she focused her attention on tending to his wounds.
Absorbed in what she was doing, she didn"t notice a pair of eyes lingered lovingly on her face. After she was done, she looked up at him and said, "Ahm, Weimin-ge, don"t let your wounds get wet or they may get worse and won"t heal faster."
"Yes, ma"am!"
She almost burst out laughing when she saw him salute like a soldier to her. Trying to suppress her laugh, she placed the medicine inside the kit and picked it up.
She was about to place it on the table when she noticed a big picture hanging on the wall opposite the sofa. When they first entered the apartment, she didn"t notice it all.
She wore the soft fluffy slippers given by Si Weimin earlier. Then she slowly walked towards it, examining the picture. It was actually a picture of a flower field. It was sunset and the sky was a mixture of purple, orange and yellow. There were lines of tulips in different colors. While the other side had different flowers that graced the scenery. It was breathtaking.
What makes it even more beautiful was the woman standing in the middle. Her long hair was swept by the wind, her back facing the camera, her silhouette made the scene more dramatic.
Somehow, she was moved by the picture. It felt weird but the more she looked at it, the more she felt something towards it.
"Do you like it?"
Xu Jia Li almost jumped when she heard his voice. He was behind her and his face was so close to her that she could almost hear him breathe – his warm breath touching her face.
"I- ah, y-yeah. It"s nice." She nodded as she answered nervously before she moved a little farther from him.
She didn"t even dare look at him because he was so close. So she pretended to engross herself looking at the picture.
"It was my favorite." Si Weimin said affectionately, "Don"t you think the place is a bit familiar?"
Xu Jia Li knitted her brows before she looked at him. She didn"t know what he meant. Before she could speak, she heard him say,
"It was taken two years ago, in Amsterdam."
The confusion on her face was immediately replaced by shocked when she heard him. She looked at Si Weimin with disbelief before she moved her gaze back to the picture. Suddenly, her heart began pounding so loud on her chest.
Two years ago, she asked Manager Lan Meixu to give her a leave. It was the 4th anniversary of her mother"s death so she decided to go to Amsterdam. It had always been her dream place but going there that time was only a momentary escape to her bitter past.
She almost forgot that she was even there. During her time there, she was so sad that she didn"t even appreciate the beauty of the flower farm.
She remembered just walking absentmindedly in the middle of the field. All too absorbed with her mother"s memories.
She didn"t even recall the place. It was such a shame not to appreciate the beautiful scenery at that time.
"But how did he get this picture? Was he stalking me since then?" She thought to herself as she moved her head and looked at Si Weimin – her eyes full of questions.u000b
"I"m not a stalker." Si Weimin chuckled.
"I didn"t say you are!"
"Your expression clearly betrayed you." Si Weimin pinched her cheeks before he continued, "I was on a business trip in Amsterdam. With my business partner"s insistence, she asked me to see her tulip farm. There, I saw you. You were alone. I wanted to approach you but I was afraid you"d be terrified."
He stopped for a while, his eyes full of warmth. As if he was only recalling a thing that happened yesterday. "I remembered asking my a.s.sistant to get me a camera so I could capture a rare moment of you there in front of me. You were so lonely back then, I almost ran to you."
Xu Jia Li stared at Si Weimin with misty eyes. Her heart was beating fast and her face was red as beet. His last words struck her. She just stood there, unmoving, as she stared at him, unable to speak.
"This has been my favorite so I also had this at my place."
"How? I-I mean, why? Why would you take my picture and put it here? Is this place yours? I remember the day we b.u.mped into each other. Did you come here then?"
"Yeah. I bought this place so I could be near you. It"s easier to protect you."
Xu Jia Li looked at Si Weimin when she felt him holding his hand, she was about to open her lips when he continued, "Jia, I will always be here – to stay by your side. No matter what."
Xu Jia Li didn"t know what to say so she nodded instead. She was dumbfounded. Everytime they talked about this thing, her heart wanted to leap from her chest. However, she never had the courage to tell him how she felt.
She also really wanted to ask why the pa.s.sword was her birthday but she decided that it was not the right time to ask him that because she knew deep down that she already knew the answer.
"I didn"t tell you. I"m sorry. I kept it a secret so you wouldn"t feel troubled since I know you"re keeping your distance. I don"t want to pressure you."
Upon hearing Si Weimin, Xu Jia Li felt bad so she answered honestly, "I don"t really feel troubled at all. You"ve mistaken. You have the right to do what you want. I really won"t think that."
***
Si Weimin"s gaze turned even gentler after hearing Xu Jia Li. He didn"t want to lie to her but he just couldn"t let her feel suffocated by his presence. He was a ruthless, domineering and cold CEO. He was never afraid of anything but in truth, he was afraid that Xu Jia Li would avoid and refuse to see him.
He bought the apartment so he could be near her. He constantly worried about her so he always wanted to make sure that she"s safe.
After a few moment of awkward silence, Si Weimin held Xu Jia Li"s elbow as he led her towards the sofa.
"Are you hungry? I"ll prepare a food for you."
"No, don"t bother. I"ll go back now. Ahm, Weimin-ge, can I borrow your phone?"
"Hmm, okay." Si Weimin handed his phone to Xu Jia Li. Before he walked towards the kitchen, he said, "I"ll prepare the food. Eat before you go back."
"O-okay." Xu Jia Li only agreed.
When Si Weimin got back, he placed the food on the table. He cooked chicken vermicelli soup, vegetable dumplings and stir fried vegetables in oyster sauce. He didn"t prepare much knowing that it was already late and it would be bad for Xu Jia Li"s health if she would eat something heavy.
"Here. Eat while it"s hot." Si Weimin placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of Xu Jia Li.
"Thank you, Weimin-ge. Here"s your phone. I already talked to Linqin. Thank you."
"Mhm."
While the two of them ate, Si Weimin noticed that Xu Jia Li kept on glancing his way so he playfully asked, "Delicious?"
"Huh? Y-yeah. It"s very delicious." Lost in thought, Xu Jia Li answered absentmindedly, thinking that Si Weimin was referring to the food.
"I didn"t know I"m very delicious."
"…"