Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip

She remembered the first time she saw him. It was 10 years ago, during her late grandmother Li Sun's birthday party. She had been really surprised when he approached her to compliment her voice after singing a happy birthday song. She thought he was handsome. Really handsome. He wasn't just tall, he was a bit huge and looked like he always worked out. He had the kind of body she loved men to have. But his face was always so smooth. He didn't leave a mustache or beard.

Then, she was wary of him because he gave off a playboy kind of vibe. Plus she always thought guys who wore earrings were playboys and he always wore one so that sealed her impression of him. 

The second time they met, he left quite an impression. It was at her brother's wedding. Just like right now, he was wearing a tux while she was also wearing a blue dress back then. The only difference was that they had matured. Her gown was more modest now, while he left his facial hair but it was neat and in moderation. 

She could still vividly remember their conversation like it was just a minute ago. He had made his intentions known to both their parents, surprising her. When his mother tried to matchmaker Heya and her son, Heya's mother stepped in to say her daughter needed to focus in her education which Heya had been grateful for. Surprisingly, he said, "We are still young. I also am not ready to get married, but I like Li Heya and would love to court her."

She had choked on her drink. He was so brazen. So audacious! 

She had wanted to get away from him, but when he asked to dance with her, she found herself following him to the stage.

"I'm sorry. You were probably uncomfortable with the way I made my intentions known to your parents and mine. Forgive me, will you?" He had said to her with his hands around her waist as they danced slowly, making her uncomfortable.

She kept asking herself why a stud like him would like her?

Back then, she was really chubby and saw herself as unattractive. He looked like the type interested in slim and tiny model-like girls, so why her? She couldn't hold it in, so she asked.

"Why do you like me? Besides, we've only met twice." She thought it ws absurd that he said he wanted to court her. 

He was quiet for a while before shaking his head "I don't know. I'm just very attracted to you."

When he saw the confused look on Heya's face, he suddenly laughed.

"Sorry. I guess I am really bad at this. I don't know how to woo a woman. Pardon me"

Heya cocked a brow to look at him in disbelief.

It was hard to believe. He looked like a playboy, in fact, a gigolo. So how could he say he didn't know how to woo a woman?

"So you've never been in a relationship before?" She decided to test him. If he said he had never been in one, then she would know he was planning to mess with her. 

"I have. My parents arranged it." He admitted with a nod, much to Heya's surprise and confusion. 

"So... what happened?" 

"Well, I didn't like her. We only lasted a month and that was it."

"So now, you think you like me? You didn't even ask whether I have a boyfriend or not." She mentioned. 

He chuckled again, "Then too bad."

"Bad for who exactly?" 

"Bad for him. Cause he's about to lose his pretty girlfriend. Sorry, but I do not like to share." 

Definitely brazen! Really nervy!

Something about his attitude at that moment, reminded her of her brother. They were so alike;

the casual way he spoke about his feelings, his possessive attitude, and the way he smiled. He was so similar to Li Muchen. 

"I didn't say I wanted you." She finally said something to him after thinking for a while.

"It doesn't seem like you do not want me though. Tell you what, if I kiss you right now, you wouldn't push me away" He teased. 

Heya's eyes bulged out as she stared at him. 

How could he say something like that so carelessly? Why would he even think about kissing her in this kind of crowded place?

Plus, she had never kissed a person before!

The only thing she could remember ever kissing was her pillow whenever she tried to imagine what kissing felt like. 

He paused and stared at her wide eyes. 

"You've never kissed a man before." It was more of a statement than a question but Heya thought it was best to answer that. 

"I... I ...ha..ve. I have." Heya swallowed hard before letting the words out in a stutter.

"You have not." He smirked. 

"But do not worry, Princess. Whenever you are ready, let me know. I don't want to force you." 

"You are a playboy, aren't you?" Heya voiced out the words in her mind at last. She had a cousin who was one so it wasn't so hard to detect one. 

"Ouch... That's cold" He placed a hand on his chest and made a show of being hurt. 

"You are. Your look, the way you talk, the way you smile." She paused. "You can have fun dancing with me, but do not think about anything else." She said with a straight face even though something kept whispering in her head to shut up and just enjoy the fact that this stud was interested in her. But Heya didn't care about that. She wanted him to know his place and not try to cross the boundary and mess with her.

He remained quiet for a while and continued to dance with her in silence. 

"I probably may have had a couple of flings in the past, but I meant it when I said I wanted to court you. We're still young. So you can take your time studying me." 

He stopped dancing, kissed the back of her hand, and left the dance floor, crestfallen.

She almost felt bad, but she tried not to show it.

Maybe she fell for his charms on that day? Or maybe it was when she bumped into him a few days later and he offered to drive her home. With his kind of attitude, it wasn't surprising that he managed to convince her to go with him. But he had driven them to a beautiful garden instead. Heya followed him around and enjoyed the view.

"I do come here once in a while to think. You should try it sometimes. Look there." He pointed at a wooden bench far away.

"I was sitting right there when I first saw the video of you singing with the boy from the Jin family. You were so pretty and your voice was the nicest I've ever heard in my life. And to be frank with you, I got a bit jealous of that guy singing beside you. I wanted it to be me." He confessed. 

He stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"Can't you see that I like you? I really don't play around like you think." He looked at her confused face with pleading eyes.

"Am... am I ...supposed to.. say something?" Heya asked in confusion because at that moment, she could not think of anything to say. She was twenty and never had a guy confess to her like this before. 

"You like me Li Heya. The feeling is mutual. Trust me." 

He used his hands to cup her cheeks and raised her head a little so she would not avoid his eyes. 

Heya's heart began to beat very fast. This was crazy. Maybe she made a mistake following him? She wondered.

But if she wanted to be frank with herself then, she did like him. He was cool, straightforward, and had a really likeable personality. 

When he noticed she was not trying to deny the fact that she liked him, he smiled.

"I... want to kiss you." He said in a low voice. .

"I'm... not sure I like you enough to let you kiss me." She answered nervously.

He chuckled before pulling her into a hug.

"You shouldn't have a problem with this right? I've always wanted to hug you."

Or maybe that was when she fell for him?

Dating him had been fun. Those years could be said to be the best of her life. Until that moment...

"You do not mean it, Li Heya." He said and tried to touch her but she stepped back. 

"I do. Leave." She looked into his eyes and said it firmly. 

He was quiet. When he finally spoke again, he said quietly, "If I leave... you won't ever see me again. It is... going to be the last time. I will really leave this time." His voice sounded desperate. It was as if he was pleading with her to ask him to stay. For her to say it was a joke. 

Heya clenched her fists and spoke in a broken but firm voice... "Leave."

He was hurt and he didn't bother to hide the hurt in his eyes. 

He took in a deep breath and turned around. Heya made sure to not let him hear her cry. She turned her back to him and didn't spare him another glance as he walked away from there and out of her life. 

Five years later, they were facing each other again. 

Both looked at the other with surprise in their eyes.

"Do you two know each other?" Yan Suyin asked as she linked her arm with Zhu Liang's arm.