“What!” Jiang Shaokai was almost choked, explaining awkwardly, “I like girls.”
“Oh?” Zhou Qilan asked with a smile, “which one?”
Jiang Shaokai just asked without replying, “How old are you?”
“One year younger than you,” Zhou Qilan said, “I am 24.”
Jiang Shaokai sat casually as Zhou Qilan did. Looking at her, he sipped his coffee and said, “Dear sister, are you trying to find out what I am thinking?”
Zhou Qilan burst into laughter and replied, “No wonder you are a medical examiner. But why would you prefer such a hard job than being a rich young master?”
“All my childhood I dreamt about being a medical examiner,” he answered.
Early in primary school, when the teacher asked the class to write a composition titled My dream, unlike other students who wanted to be scientists or astronauts, Jiang Shaokai wrote that he wanted to be a medical examiner, which surprised the teacher a lot.
Zhou Qilan thought for a while and said slowly, “I truly appreciate you.”
“Actually, people from the background like him had fewer choices than they seemed to have, as no matter where your interests lied, you had to give up them and inherit the family business one day.”
“Jiang Shaokai was the only child in his family. It was amazing to say that he could insist on his dream of being a medical examiner.”
“Since I was young, I liked oil painting and dreamed of studying arts,” Zhou Qilan shrugged and continued, “but finally, my parents sent me to a business college. They even forbade me to pick up the paintbrush. Now I am helping my father and brother manage the company. Although having more freedom, I have already forgotten how to draw. I just dreamed occasionally that I became a very popular artist.”
With those words, Zhou Qilan’s smile slowly faded. She drank up the coffee and accurately threw the empty cup into the garbage can.
Jiang Shaokai did as Zhou Qilan but failed to imitate her free and easy. However, the cup hit the mouth of the trash can, tilted and fell on the ground. He had to pick it up and throw it again.
Zhou Qilan leaned over the fence and smiled at him, “It doesn’t matter. Practice a few more times, you can hit the shot. I’ve been practicing for half a month.”
Zhou Qilan looked at the distance, suddenly noticed that The Bund across the river were already lit up. The reflection of the financial center behind them was on the surface of the river like uprooting from the bottom of the river, shining brilliantly.
“What should we do next?” Zhou Qilan asked, “Is it the ending time of this blind date?”
“Almost,” Jiang Shaokai replied. He checked the time, it was not too late, then he asked, “Well, shall we have a meal?”
This was the first time he offered to have dinner with his date.
“I…” Zhou Qilan felt the shy smile and said, “I’ve already had my dinner. Maybe next time. I knew a pretty authentic Japanese Restaurant. I will treat you next time!”
Jiang Shaokai didn’t care much, said, “I send you back.”
“Great.” Zhou Qilan said. She didn’t obtain the domestic passport so she took a taxi when she came there. Now she was happy to have someone drive her back.
She lived alone in an apartment near the financial district. Jiang Shaokai maintained his normal speed and took Zhou Qilan downstairs to her apartment in less than fifteen minutes.
“Thanks, see you next time,” Zhou Qilan said.
Then she was about to get off the car, Jiang Shaokai stopped her by saying, “Wait a moment, let’s exchange our phone numbers.”
Zhou Qilan stumbled briefly, but she still unlocked the phone and passed it to Jiang Shaokai.
Jiang Shaokai dialed his number on Zhou Qilan’s cell phone and then handed it back to her. Added, “Just to reassure my mother.”
Light breaks in upon Zhou Qilan. She could scarcely suppress a laugh and waved off.
Jiang Shaokai stared at her till she disappeared behind the door, then looked at the phone number and saved it in the contact list.
As counted, Jiang Shaokai had dated several times, but this was the first time he saved his date’s number and the first time he met a girl who could be described as “special”.
When he got home, he was questioned by his mother before he stepped in the door, “Have you met each other? What do you think of her?”
“She’s nice,” Jiang Shaokai said while changing shoes.
“Go and court her if you feel alright!” This was the first time Jiang Shaokai felt satisfied with the date, Jiang’s mother overjoyed, said, “Try to get her in three months, get married in six months and have two babies in three years!”
“You think too much, mom,” Jiang Shaokai went to the restaurant, saying, “I mean it’s nice to be friends.”
Jiang’s mum didn’t agree, for Jiang Shaokai should like Zhou Qilan’s character. She followed Jiang Shaokai to the dining room, “You did not seriously date. You are being perfunctory, right?”
Jiang Shaokai took out his phone, showing that he saved Zhou Qilan’s phone number.
Jiang’s mum finally believed that her son indeed made efforts but was not interested in Zhou Qilan.
She heaved a deep sigh and said, “You really like Jian’an, don’t you? But in the past six or seven years, obviously you have countless opportunities, why don’t you tell her? Why not seize the chance?”
“Mom, I have no chance to be with her,” Jiang Shaokai said smilingly, “if I told her, we could not be friends anymore. Now we work together, we can talk every day, and she can confide to me. I am satisfied.”
“Others say the rebound guy is pitiful, but you even couldn’t be a rebound guy, how miserable!” Jiang’s mum said.
She shook her head and left the dining room.
Jiang Shaokai looked at the dishes on the table, which were delicate and tasty, but he felt the taste was no better than chewed tallow.
In college, Jiang Shaokai was not the only one who wanted to chase Su Jian’an. There were playboys who were richer than him driving expensive sports cars to wait for her with flowers delivered by air.
However, Su Jian’an was unmoved and striving to avoid those so-called “romance”.
Wise enough, Jiang Shaokai adopted a usual way to be Su Jian’an’s friend. Thus, he could hide his intentions. Gradually, he noticed that she always cared for certain information and occasionally lost herself in the financial newspapers. He guessed that she loved someone who was a social elite.
As expected, Su Jian’an confessed to Luo Xiaoxi and him that she loved a man for many years. However, there was no possibility between her and that man.
His disappointment was soon followed by hope.
Now that Su Jian’an couldn’t be with that man, then…maybe she could be with him?
He acted as a good friend continually with a determination of long-term pursuing. Suddenly, Su Jian’an informed him she would be married.
She was married to the man she loved, who also happened to love her for years.
The day Su Jian’an and Lu Boyan got their marriage license, Jiang Shaokai went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to seek Su Jian’an with a bet. If Su Jian’an went with him, he would tell her how much he loved her.
But Su Jian’an bet as well. She was braver than Jiang him, so she won.
After several years, Jiang Shaokai’s trying proved to be failed.
Jiang’s mum used to comfort him that what if she divorced in a few years? At that time he would still have a chance.
But now, Jiang Shaokai didn’t believe Lu Boyan would divorce with Su Jian’an nor hope so.
Since married with Lu Boyan, Su Jian’an hurt a few times and was occasionally distraught, but most of the time she was happier than before.
Jiang Shaokai hoped that her happiness would last forever, and it was best for him to keep the secret.
…
In hospital.
Today was Friday, Lu Boyan didn’t knock off until nine o’clock. He saw the Kikyou in the vase as soon as he came to the hospital.
“Who has been here?” Lu Boyan asked.
“Jiang Shaokai,” Su Jian’an watched the show on a tablet computer, answering casually, “He came in the morning.”
Lu Boyan calmly rolled up his sleeves and pulled the bunch of flowers from the vase.
By the time Su Jian’an collected her wits and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Don’t you think they are ugly?” Lu Boyan said with antipathy, “Just throw it. I will buy you some better flowers.”
It was too late for Su Jian’an to stop him, Lu Boyan had put the flowers into the trash can.
“You…” Su Jian’an said angrily, “how could you say Kikyou ugly!”
Lu Boyan frowned and asked, “Do you like this kind of flower?”
Su Jian’an answered with rage, “I love them all the time!”
“Fine,” Lu Boyan said simply, “I’ll send you another bunch.”
Lu Boyan picked up the garbage bag and threw it as well as the flowers.
Till now Su Jian’an found there was something wrong. “If Lu Boyan really thought the flowers were ugly, why doesn’t he call someone to do the cleaning? How could he pick up the garbage bag and throw it all by himself?”
“Lu Boyan,” Su Jian’an understood and asked with a smile, “are you jealous? I’ve told you that Jiang Shaokai was just my friend, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill or be nervous.”
Lu Boyan threw the bunch of Kikyou resolutely.
Lu Boyan was a man, he clearly knew whether Jiang Shaokai took Su Jian’an just as a friend or not.
Only Su Jian’an would foolishly believe in pure friendship.
Su Jian’an had only one response to Lu Boyan’s slightly childish behavior– she ignored him.
Apart from she still couldn’t walk naturally, all the wounds on her body were healed. She could go anywhere without Lu Boyan’s help. She bathed herself and lay down on the bed. Suddenly she unprecedented looked forward to the arrival of tomorrow.
Tomorrow they could go home, her and Lu Boyan’s home.
Half a month ago, Su Jian’an left with her luggage, thinking that they broke up and she would never go back.
No one knew that was a completely new start.
When Lu Boyan came out of the bathroom, he recognized the expectation on Su Jian’an’s face and went to lie down beside her. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m thinking that tomorrow I can finally leave here and go back to sleep in the big bed alone! I don’t have to bear you again!” Su Jian’an answered without hiding her excitement.
Lu Boyan squinted and said while pressing Su Jian’an’s leg, “How happy are you now?”
Su Jian’an deliberately irritated him by saying, “I am very happy!”
After that, Su Jian’an glanced Lu Boyan’s dangerous look, she couldn’t help feeling guilty and struggled for a moment. “Move your legs away, they are too heavy.”
Surprisingly, Lu Boyan did not bother her and slowly moved his legs.
Su Jian’an was not used to see such an affable Lu Boyan for a moment. She blinked her eyes and looked at him suspiciously. She seemed to catch his fleeting and strange smile.
“Jian’an,” Lu Boyan said meaningfully, “remember how you feel now.”
“… Why?” Su Jian’an couldn’t help pulling the quilt up to her chest. She always had an ominous presentiment.
Lu Boyan didn’t reply, just hang up his lips and said, “You will see tomorrow.”
How happy she was now, how disappointed she would be tomorrow.
Su Jian’an’s bad feeling in her heart was getting stronger and stronger…
“Just forget it, never mind, let’s see who will be the winner tomorrow!”
She did not believe that she could always be defeated by Lu Boyan!
