A cool night.
After shower, Jian Yao is ready for bed. It’s been two long days without a proper sleep for her. She stands outside Bo Jinyan’s bedroom door and says to him: ”I am going to bed now. Call me if you need my help. Goodnight.”
Bo Jinyan is lying on his bed, watching a doc.u.mentary on TV. He turns to look at her and asks: “Where are you sleeping tonight?”
Jian Yao blushes, then answers: “My room, of course.”
Bo Jinyan picks up the remote and presses the pause b.u.t.ton. He look at her and says: “As I recall, before the case, there is probably not a part of your body I haven"t kissed or touched for at least three times. And as for the important parts…. let me think…”His raises his brows: “…eight times.”
Jian Yao blushes: “Stop! Why are you telling me this?”
This man… he counts how many times he kisses her?
Bo Jinyan smiles: “Because of my love for you, and my understanding on how much human desires closeness and pa.s.sion. You have to admit that we have developed a very intimate relations.h.i.+p… physically. So, we should sleep on the same bed.”
Jian Yao: “…….”
The most embarra.s.sing in the world would be to hear Bo Jinyan talk about s.e.x. He is so blunt and straight forward, with no consideration for how it will make her feel.
Jian Yao: “I might move around in my sleep and accidentally touch your wound. The priority right now is to make sure you have a speedily recovery. So we need to sleep in separate rooms.”
They are still looking into each others eyes.
Bo Jinyan: “That’s nonsense. The last time I held you in my arm, you didn’t move at all.”
Jian Yao: “Well, just in case. We can’t risk it. Good night.”
Bo Jinyan keeps quiet this time.
Jian Yao says before she leaves: “…. if there’s nothing else you need me to do, I’ll go now. Goodnight.”
After a couple of steps into the corridor. She can hear his voice: “Are you not even going to give me a good night kiss?” He says in a dissatisfied and pompous tone.
Jian Yao laughs and turns back to him.
In the soft light, he looks good in his black pyjamas. She bends down: “Close your eyes.”
He looks at her and closes his eye lids.
When her lips are about to touch his, she notices the corners of his lips curl up to a little smile.
Jian Yao feels warm and fuzzy in the heart.
Bo Jinyan. I am happy. Because you are happy.
——————-
The next morning.
A bright sunny day. The whole of B city is enjoying the warmth the sun brings on this lovely autumn day. Fu Ziyu parks his Lexus in the apartment carpark. He walks over to open the door for Yin Ziqi: “We are here.”
Yin Ziqi is wearing a navy blue dress today, with a white scarf, and a pair of heels. She looks concerned: “Did you get a helper? Who is looking after him?”
Fu Ziyu holds on to her hand to help her balance as she gets out of the car: “That’s alright. Jian Yao is there. They are living together.”
He notices Yin Ziqi looks a little strange when she heard that.
Oh.. Bo Jinyan has not informed his sister yet. If she knew how different her little brother behaves around Jian Yao nowadays, she will be horrified. The block of ice that has turned into a flaming magma - french kissed his girlfriend on day one, successfully persuaded her to move in with him on day two, and almost made out on day three!
When Bo Jinyan told him about falling in love with Jian Yao, he choked and made a fool of himself. He wants to see what sort of reaction the elegant Yin Ziqi might give. So he just says: “Well, she is his a.s.sistant, so it’s part of her job description to look after him.”
And Bo Jinyan does not disappoint him.
Before he left yesterday, Bo Jinyan gave him a spare key to his house so that ‘Jian Yao won’t have to rush around to open the door for Fu Ziyu.”
So when he opens the door, the picture they see is Bo Jinyan leaning down on the chaise near the window. Jian Yao is sitting next to him. She is holding a bowl, and spoon feeding him congee. At that moment, the spoon is in Bo Jinyan’s mouth.
This is a normal scene of someone looking after an injured person. But Jian Yao’s slightly blus.h.i.+ng face and the smile that is in Bo Jinyan’s gaze adds a certain ambiguity to the atmosphere.
When Jian Yao sees Fu Ziyu, she quickly pulls the spoon out of his mouth.
“hu hum…” Fu Ziyu clears his throat: “Jinyan, your sister is here.”
Yin Ziqi obviously saw Jian Yao spoon-feeding him too. She senses there is something between them, but she pretends she didn’t notice.
Bo Jinyan looks to his sister and gives her a nod. Then he turns back to Jian Yao: “Don’t be distracted. Continue.”
Jian Yao feels a little uneasy. She shoves the bowl into Bo Jinyan’s hand. “You can do it yourself.” Then she stands and smiles to Yin Ziqi: “Hi. Please take a seat. I’ll make some tea.”
Yin Ziqi smiles back: “Thank you.” Then she turns to her brother. Before she gets a chance to speak, she can hear his voice. Although, he doesn"t seem to be talking to her. “They have hands, leave them to do it themselves… Oh! Are you shy again…. You can imagine they are not here.”
Jian Yao blushes even more: “Shut up!” She turns to Yin Ziqi: “Sorry, he’s been a little hard to please since his injuries.”
Apologising for Bo Jinyan has become a habit of Jian Yao’s - from the little kid on the day they played fireworks, to soothing the police officers because of his harsh comments, to handling family members that he helped saved but don’t want to meet…
But in Yin Ziqi’s ears, her apologies represent something different.
She has always been a sensible person. After being kissed by the Flower Cannibal No.2, she is well aware that the most dangerous part of the whole event is not the Flower Cannibal, but how moved she felt when she mistook the Flower Cannibal for Bo Jinyan.
So for a long time, she did not contact Bo Jinyan. Until today, when she heard about his injuries.
—————-
She is Bo Jinyan’s sister. Jian Yao is only his a.s.sistant. But she is apologising on to her on his behalf?
She smiles and look towards Fu Ziyu for an answer.
Fu Ziyu refuses to get involved. He simply gives a “I don’t know. But you know what your brother is like” look to her.
Yin Ziqi takes a seat next to Bo Jinyan. He has lost weight since she last saw him. She can see the top of the bandage showing just below his neckline. Her heart feels for him.
“How did you end up hurting yourself so badly?” She frowns as she asks Bo Jinyan.
Bo Jinyan glances her a look. He is not planning to answer the question.
Fu Ziyu also takes a seat on the sofa. He is waiting for the sister’s reaction when she knows about their relations.h.i.+p. Jian Yao takes out two cups of tea from the kitchen and places them on the coffee table.
“Did you forget what happened last time?” Qin Ziqi says softly. “We were so worried for you. You can’t let yourself be hurt anymore.”
This time Bo Jinyan answers: “I will do my best.”
————-
Jian Yao has returned to the kitchen cut up some fruits for everyone. The three of them are chatting in the lounge.
Yin Ziqi says: “Do you want to move back to the villa for now? The servants there can better look after you.”
Fu Ziyu knows she is fis.h.i.+ng for information. He laughs.
As expected, Bo Jinyan answers straight away: “No.”
Yin Ziqi looks at him: “Ok then, I will employ a professional nurse to look after you. Jian Yao can’t handle the task by herself. You have to rest in bed. Besides, she is a girl. How can she meet all your personal needs?”
The two of them looks at Bo Jinyan. He has a strange look on his face.
“Oh…” He says softly.
Yin Ziqi is puzzled: “What is it?”
His handsome face has sly smile: “Personal needs - I didn’t think about it. This is where I can take advantage of the situation. Thanks for the reminder.”
“Ha ha ha….” Fu Ziyu is hysterical. Yin Ziqi is still wondering what he means.
After a while, she starts laughing too: “Did I miss something here?”
Bo Jinyan suddenly remembers the his sister does not know about his love interest yet. So he says: “Isn’t this obvious? I am in love.”
Even though it’s his second time hearing the statement, Fu Ziyu chokes again.
Yin Ziqi’s smile freezes. After a while, she turns to look at Fu Ziyu: “Can I have a moment with him?”
Fu Ziyu stands up: “Sure.”
Jian Yao walks out with the platter. Fu Ziyu says to her: “Jian Yao, let’s go get some lunch for all of us.” Jian Yao senses the siblings want some time in private, so she agrees.
After they leave the apartment, Bo Jinyan is the first to speak: “What is it? Another murder in your company?”
Yin Ziqi says: “Of course not.” She smiles: “I am just surprised, to hear about you and Jian Yao.”
Bo Jinyan asks: “Why are you surprised? I am normal healthy man.”
Yin Ziqi pauses, then she says: “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
She smiles again: “I am not trying to interfere with your private life. But because it’s the first time you are in a relations.h.i.+p, I have a question to ask you. Are you sure she is right girl for you?”
Bo Jinyan: “Why are you asking?”
“You are a fine young man. Many women will consider you a good catch. Jian Yao is a good girl too. But I do have one hesitation.” She looks at him ands says carefully: “You have never spent so much time alone with a woman before. She is your first female a.s.sistant. Are you sure this is love? Or is it because she is around you all the time. And all the care and attention you receive from her, you mistake that for love. If it was another girl in her place, would you have the same feelings for her?”
Bo Jinyan thinks about what she says.
Then he starts tapping his fingers on the armrest. He has a big smile on his face. His eyes look brightly at her.
“You have confirmed something for me. It’s not about how many times you fall in love. Natural talent is an important factor.” He says proudly: “Even with the amount of experience you have with guys, you can’t see through a simple truth?”
Yin Ziqi: “…What do you mean?”
Bo Jinyan says slowly: “Your question is a paradox. Think about it, there are millions of woman in the world, yet I have always used a male a.s.sistant. But why did I change my habit and employ her instead?”
——————
When Yin Ziqi and Fu Ziyu leave, it’s the afternoon. Fu Ziyu leisurely chats to her while he drives: “Isn’t it incredible? Bo Jinyan is in love. And they love each other so dearly. Every time I see the way he looks at Jian Yao, I think to myself - I must be dreaming.”
Yin Ziqi looks out of the window: “Yes, I am so happy for him.”
——————
After his visitors ‘reminded’ Bo Jinyan how Jian Yao should look after him, he waits eagerly for night to arrive.
After dinner. Jian Yao sits in the balcony with him. She asks: “What do you want to do tonight? Watch TV? Read?”
Bo Jinyan looks at her and smiles: “Since I can’t take a shower by myself, you need to wipe my body for me.”
Jian Yao is speechless. She blushes.
Bo Jinyan adds: “Full body…”