On the morrow and the days after that, Teng Man Rui retraced her steps – the steps she took in the previous years she stayed in Hangzhou. Just like a tourist, she revisited the spectacular sites both famous and hidden in the area.
Sometimes she took photos of landscapes, but most of the times she simply stared at the horizon and at the picturesque view, and sighed heavily.
Just like this moment, she found a spot near the West Lake, at a more secluded area away from the bustling restaurants around. She sat on a rock, and clutched at her skirt and hair as the wind flew past her.
Her hair was in disarray due to the wind, and it danced and had a life of its own.
Yet the lady seemed unfazed by the teasing of the wind. She was too immersed at the moment. She simply sat there for a long time. Afterwards, she stood up.
"Time to revisit that place. Where it all started."
She headed towards the residential area, and knowingly turned left and right. She was pretty much familiar with the place. At last, she reached a long street, but upon reaching an end, she found herself no where to go, as the street had a dead end.
A surge of mixed emotions stirred and bubbled up from the well within the depths of her existence.
"Stupid girl, returning at this place."
"Just this once. It should be the last time."
"Promise."
The alleyway was dark but it wasn"t totally unsafe. It was deserted, but not entirely without life. There were houses in the area, but their gates were closed.
She lingered just standing in the middle of the street. When she was satisfied, she turned around abruptly, ready to get back. "It"s getting late."
However, she was caught in an unimaginable surprise. There she was, face-to-face with such a familiar man, who was trying to hide his huge existence behind a post.
She felt like having a headache.
Brows furrowed in annoyance, she called him out. "Zhu Li Qiang."
"Come out. I already saw you."
The man gingerly left his post. While scratching his head, he approached the lady nervously. His palms started to sweat as he tried to come up in his head a good and acceptable alibi for his presence. "Just tell her the truth."
"Man Rui. Hehehehe."
"Why are you here? Are you following me? Didn"t I tell you I want to be alone?" Her barrage of questions attacked him helpless.
Her questions shot him like bullets. But, he stood still and held his head high. He wasn"t doing anything inappropriate. "Young Miss of the Tengs, I"m the official body guard your family sent to protect you."
"YOU??!!" Teng Man Rui almost shouted.
"Sshh!! We are at a residential area, tone down!" The man said while getting tensed from the lady"s sudden cry of shock.
"What game are you playing right now? I"m so tired of getting played at!" She was furious. Her eyes were sharp. If could bore holes Zhu Li Qiang would have died right that instant from her glare.
The man maintained his respectable posture. "I"m telling the truth. I had to pull some strings, though, and entered through a back door.""I"ve known your third brother, Teng Jichen. We"re quite good friends. I approached him and asked for a favor to allow me to send the body guard that will protect you."
"Of course, even if we are friends he still got suspicious of me. You wouldn"t believe how much of a hard time your brother gave me! He really grilled me alive! I still wonder how I survived it." He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
In his mind he added. "Two more versions of that similar adversity and then the parents". Anything for you, Man Rui. I would gladly go through it."
"In the end, I somehow managed to convince him."
"But instead of sending someone, I sent myself."
"I"m too worried, and at the same time, I wanted to see you so badly."
At the end of his speech, his countenance only reflected sadness. His eyes flickered full of it. He was still hurt, after all, but then the hurt became manageable especially after Teng Man Rui went out of her way and took care of him when he was drunk. She even made egg drop soup, only for him.
The scowl on the lady"s face deepened. "But I told you that I want to be alone."
"Can"t you respect my privacy, my decision?"
"Just continue what you are doing. Don"t mind me. I"ll keep you safe from a distance like how a real body guard does it."
"Can you really protect me? You"re not even a real body guard."
"I have my skills too. I learned some martial arts." He rubbed his head, embarra.s.sed that he was actually trying to sell himself out to the lady.
"Plus, I may have pulled out the team a.s.signed to you, but my own team still looks after me. I must protect you. My men are still there, hidden, and will protect us both in times of need."
Still with a scowl, she shook her head. "Forget it. Now that I know you"re lurking in the shadows and following me around like a dark figure, I won"t be oblivious to the fact ever again. I"m almost done anyway. You can join me."
Zhu Li Qiang took a few steps towards the lady.
Teng Man Rui"s body automatically turned rigid.
Zhu Li Qiang reached out his arm.
Teng Man Rui"s eyes widened. Then she closed them, bowed her head a little, and waited for what will happen next.
The man suspended his arm in midair when he saw Teng Man Rui worriedly closed her eyes. Then, with the tip of his index finger, he gently ma.s.saged that portion of her forehead between her brows which was knotted in her scowl. He tried to smoothen it.
The lady opened her eyes again, utter astonishment flooding her being. She stared at him for almost a minute. The man was getting conscious from her stare.
With such discernment, she asked him, albeit already knowing his answer. "Do you know why I"m here?"
"No."
The lady grabbed the man"s wrist as she led the way out of the alley. They settled into a corner booth and ordered jasmine tea. Zhu Li Qiang waited until the lady was comfortable enough to share whatever it is in her mind.
"Zhu Li Qiang, I"ll tell you a story of a young girl and a boy who met in Hangzhou."
"Tell me. I"m all ears."