Though Noah was not surprised by this, it was still a big thing to do as Mr. Walter was not any small fish. “Lijun….”
”I’ll take the responsibility,” Lu Lijun interrupted him.
Just then Jake returned after accompanying Jiang Yuyan to the dance and leaving her with Xiao Min. “I hope you have your backup ready.”
”Don’t worry about it. Anyways I never wanted him to be part of it but for the sake of other partners who were fine with him, I tolerated it.”
”I believe you won’t kick me out as well for making President Lu as my date for tonight,” Jake commented.
”It doesn’t concern her. I just don’t like that man,” Lu Lijun countered.
”Yeah,” Jake smiled and looked at Noah who said. “And as usual we believe you, Lijun.”
After that fight between Jake and Noah, they acted fine with each other after returning to England. It was Noah’s request to him to not ruin their friendship and for that Jake was ready to do anything. He was fine with just being friends with him.
Lu Lijun didn’t react to their comments and said, “I am leaving. Make sure to get your date back home safely.”
”Of course, Fourth Young Master. If something happens to her, I can’t bear to face your wrath,” Jake teased.
Lu Lijun ignored him and left.
”He acts all tough but still can’t hide the true feelings,” Noah commented as he looked at the retreating back of Lu Lijun.
”Shouldn’t you follow him?” Jake asked.
”It’s his alone time when he prefers to be surrounded by the smoke,” Noah replied, knowing Lu Lijun’s habits.
”This guy. Don’t know what we can do for him.”
”We can do nothing. In fact, there is nothing that anyone can do. Not even Lijun himself can do anything but be like this. It’s his way out of everything that hurts him. Everything lies in the lady’s hands,” Noah said as he looked at Jiang Yuyan who was talking to a few people.
Jiang Yuyan was ready to leave as she already didn’t like to stay in any party for so long. So many people were eager to talk to her and took her time, she had started feeling tired and wished to leave the place.
When she went out with Xiao Min, Noah alone joined them while Lu Lijun was not there, “Where is Lu Lijun?”
”He has already left,” Noah replied.
Just then Jake’s car arrived there alone with Jiang Yuyan’s. Jake stepped out of the car and went to Jiang Yuyan, “I had given words to my friend that I will take my date home by myself.”
Jiang Yuyan understood who his friend was and nodded. She sat in Jake’s car as he opened the door for her while Xiao Min and Noah went into Jiang Yuyan’s car.
On the way, Jake asked, “I hope President Lu was not uncomfortable at the party.”
”I was fine, ” she replied.
”Good to know it. Still, I apologise for Mr. Walter’s behaviour.”
”I am used to such people. Moreover, I keep having knights around me.”
Jake smiled at her words as she clearly was talking about him. “Knights are fortunate ones then.”
The atmosphere around lightened and felt at ease.
Just then Jiang Yuyan asked, “Lu Lijun, how do you think he is doing?” she asked with concern.
”President Lu should know it better than me. I believe after seeing him nothing has missed your eyes,” he replied.
Jiang Yuyan turned silent and heard Jake again, “He is not fine at all.”
She felt her chest turn heavy with these words from Jake. She didn’t know what to say.
Jake continued, “Ten years back, after he joined our school, we had our first art class. That day the art teacher took us out on the huge lawn and said to draw whatever we want. Anything that we like. Everyone drew something like their pets, the sport they liked, a vehicle etc but Lu Lijun was the only kid among us who drew a person and not any object. He drew the person who he liked the most and he did it without even realizing what exactly he was drawing.”
Jake stopped and looked at Jiang Yuyan, “President Lu.”
Jiang Yuyan looked at him and heard him, “Even in his subconscious mind there is always one person and it will always be the same.”
Jiang Yuyan turned speechless and didn’t even know how to react to it.
”When he realized what he had drawn, he crunched the drawing sheet and threw it away. He tried to deny the things even at that time, but his mind never allowed him to. He drew another drawing to show it to the teacher. There he drew scenery with trees, mountains, river and sea. When the teacher asked him what do you want to be? A sea or river? He answered the sea, Teacher countered him by asking why not the river when it gives water that we can drink and survive while seawater is salty and we can’t use that water? At that time too he didn’t waver from his stand and said, but in the end, that river has to meet the sea. Even at that age, he was sure about who was the river and who was the sea.”
Jiang Yuyan could only hear it as it was something about him that she never knew.
”He is like a sea who always quietly absorbs all the pain he feels and then one day it comes out like a storm in that sea. But this time I am worried because that sea is unusually calm and there won’t be any storms. The sea seems to stop feeling anything now.”
Jiang Yuyan tightened the grip on her bag as she had no other way to react. She was just calm.
Jake said nothing more and continued driving. They reached home Jake left after dropping Jiang Yuyan safely at home. Once she entered the drawing-room, she asked Martha, “Lu Lijun?”
”Fourth Young Master is not home yet,” she replied.
