Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip

"Are you still nervous because you met my dad earlier?" Reen asked Zichu after they both took their seats beside the barbecue stand by the sea side. This particular side was quite warm since it was also near the bonfire. 

"Uhm.. I think I am trying to recover from it." He said with a nervous laugh. "I.. actually thought he would throw me out." He confessed. 

"Why?" She asked even though she could guess why he thought so. 

"You know..." He shrugged, "You are his daughter. You are precious to him. And I am.. well... just a waiter who serves drinks."

"Well... you are a high class waiter." She said as a way of consolation. 

"I'm sure it wasn't easy securing a job here." 

He nodded in agreement. "We got to know about it through my uncle. He is a director in Wei Corporation."

"A director?" She asked, sounding a bit surprised. If he had an uncle who wasn't just a mere employee but also the director of the company that had built Serendipity and also owned this island, his salary was probably very high. So why was Zichu working as a waiter. 

"My uncle's money isn't mine." He explained carefully, guessing what she was thinking. 

"He has a family to care for, I am not entitled to whatever he has." 

"Fair point." Reen said casually even though she actually felt pity for him. 

Something occured to Reen so she asked, "Earlier, you said 'we' when you were talking about how you got the job." She mentioned.

He looked uncomfortable again as he answered, "Actually... my... older brother also got a job. He cleans the rooms."

"Your older brother? You have an older brother here?" She asked curiously, remembering she knew nothing much about him. "What's your family like?" 

His countenance changed when she asked him that question. 

Reen guessed he didn't want to talk about it and apologized for bringing it up.

"If you feel uncomfortable talking about it, you don't have to answer. I am sorry for asking—"

"I have a father and an elder brother. He is 5 years older. We all strive to make ends meet." He said, shrugging again. 

Reen guessed there was more to that but she didn't push. 

Instead, they talked about other things. He was very tight-lipped when it involved his family so she tried not to push towards that direction. 

She also found out he was in a cheap univeristy where he studies Hotel Management and was due to graduate the coming year. 

The conversation proceeded well until they started talking about her. He already knew a lot about her from stalking her social media but it was nice to directly hear her give him every information he was asking for. 

"I have always been curious... how is it like being the sister of a celebrity?" He asked. 

Reen gave a short laugh at his question. "Well... you can say that her celebrity robs off on me most times. I have a lot of followers on social media, thanks to her. Sometimes, I just see someone walking up to me to ask if I was Joreen's older sister and then they either ask for an autograph from her or ask for my number to be friends with me. I know they are trying to use me to get to her." She shrugged again as she spoke causally. 

"Does that... make you jealous?" He asked. When she shot him a dark look, he quickly explained, "I mean... no offense.. I am just curious. Jealousy is totally a normal thing." 

Reen had never wanted to think to that angle. But it was inherent in man to be jealous sometimes and she wasn't excluded even though she had outrightly refused to become a model since she had the physique. She was only interested in basketball. 

"I don't get jealous of her." She answered even though he could tell she wasn't being truthful. 

"She is my younger sister and I will always support her." 

"Jealousy isn't a bad thing though." He explained. "Do not think it is a crime to be jealous. Admitting it to oneself save them from eventually feeling bitter— I am not talking about you right now. I am just saying it in the general sense."

"It's a cold night. Maybe I should have some coffee?" Reen asked, changing the topic. 

******

Maybe in movies or novels, after meeting Zhu Liang again, things would go smoothly. They would fall in love again and get back together. But this was reality, and it was the fate Li Heya accepted. 

Things wouldn't go smoothly. After breaking up with Zhu Liang, the heavens wouldn't just make things easy for her and offer him back in a platter. Was he going to accept her back? Was he still in love with her? Would his family accept her back? Can she go back to him without feeling insecure? What about his fiancee? 

She had hoped that even if it was a one percent chance, things should work out again. But what she heard from Suyin, she couldn't recover from the shock. They were going to get officially engaged. And after that, they would probably get married this coming year. He'll be married, and she'll be here... waiting and hoping that someone would come who would love her for her and accept her.

She tried to accept her fate but she found herself crying. She thought looking at the kids having fun and dancing would put her mind at ease, but it made her feel awful because it felt like everyone else was happy except for her. 

The more she tried to stop herself from crying, the more tears escaped from her eyes. When she could no longer hold it in, she turned around to go find herself a more quiet area, or probably go to her room inside the resort but when she turned around to leave, she came face to face with Zhu Liang who was staring at her with a straight face. 

His brows furrowed when he noticed the tears in her eyes and a frown slowly began to form on his face. 

She turned the opposite way, where she was coming from and increased her pace. She wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. 

"Li Heya!" He called after her but she didn't stop. She kept walking mindlessly until she noticed she was going further away from lights and it was getting darker. Satisfied she was alone, she squatted and buried her face in her palms, allowing herself cry. 

If only she could turn back the hands of time. If only she hadn't asked him to leave back then. If only she had continued to stay beside him. Why was it hurting so much now? 

It didn't hurt this much four years ago, or three years ago, or two years ago, or last year, or even a week ago. But it was hurting so much because she knew he was going to be taken away from her and she would have no choice but to wish him well even if she wasn't happy. 

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING WANDERING ALONE AT NIGHT?" A voice behind barked at her, causing her to fall from her squatting position from the shock.

She looked up at his face. Even though it wasn't bright, she could see him. Why did he follow her? Did he want her to get hurt the more? If he was agreeing to get engaged with Suyin, wasn't it best for him to stay away from her?

"Why did you follow me?" She asked him while still sitting on the bare ground which was quite cold.

"Do you realise what time it is? If you wanted a quite place, you have a room, use it for goodness sake Li Heya! There may be something dangerous out here."

'Like I care.' She said in her head. If she was attacked by something tonight, she wasn't sure she would even fight back. Maybe it was best if she left this world. 

He didn't wait for her to answer, he was already beside her, helping to lift her from the cold floor. Like a doting mother, he began to dust off the sand from her back but got a shove instead. 

"WWWhaaat are... you ... doing?" She asked in mortification. He had been absentmindedly cleaning the sand off her butt when she shoved him away. 

He sighed deeply. "That's what's important now?" 

"Of course it is!"

He murmured something that made her eyes widen and her face hit up. 

"What... are you.. shamelessly saying right now?" 

"You heard me!" He said before taking out an handkerchief from his coat's pocket, then he handed it over to her. 

Of course she had heard him. How could he say "Acting like I haven't touched it before" when he was going to be getting engaged with another woman soon?

She decided to ignore him and accept the handkerchief instead. Something kept telling her to stay away from him. It reminded her that she was going to get hurt, that was inevitable. So the earlier she cut ties with him, the better for her. But she couldn't bring herself to ask him to leave. Her only consolation was in the fact that she hadn't been the one to go look for him.

When she was done cleaning her face, she stood there awkwardly. At least, she was glad he wasn't asking her why she was crying. 

"So why are you crying?" He asked, bursting her bubbles.