"I am sorry…I didn't mean to lash out like that. Don't know what's wrong with me," she spoke contritely.
"I want you to promise me…just promise me that you will give yourself another chance. It doesn't matter whether things work out or not, I want you to experience a relationship which is not burdened with childhood memories or guilty actions," Li Jie urged her.
Jia Li stooped her shoulders in resignation, "I feel old, tired, weighed down. I keep oscillating between wishing Tang eternal happiness and tormenting myself with the thought that he is sharing his life with another. Then there is Fu. My conscience mocks me when I feel relieved about him having found someone to love him. I don't know if I will ever be free of these albatrosses. How do I find the courage to take a new step?"
"By not thinking about that new step. Do what comes naturally to you. If spending time with Wei feels right, don't stop yourself from enjoying it. Don't you have a right to smile again?" he argued passionately.
She didn't want to talk about the topic any further and steered the conversation about Li Jie's work in Beijing.
Shanghai
"The New York trip seems to have gone well. I heard about the client you managed to cinch," Tang told Wei.
Wei heard the underlying question in his business partner's voice. He knew that he hadn't paid as much attention to work all these past years, partly due to his callous relation with his parents and more so due to lack of a motivating factor. His adult life till date could have been measured by the number of women flitting in and out of it. Not anymore! He couldn't be bothered about any good looking female who came across his way through out this trip. It was as if none of them existed. A pair of bewitching green eyes kept him company during the entire month.
Unwilling to give away much, he joked, "well, it's the new me. I have decided that the old man has worked enough and that I should start operating towards replacing him soon."
Tang didn't react and turned to go.
"So, how is the honeymoon phase coming along. We haven't caught up in a long time outside workspace," Wei enquired, halting Tang's retreating back.
With a sardonic look, Tang replied, "seems like you are the one on honeymoon since I am very much at work and not gallivanting away every weekend to Moganshan unlike you. In fact, I was thinking since you are so passionately involved in the project, I should at least visit the institute once. I am curious to know as to what has managed to hold your attention in that small town which Shanghai's sexy sirens can't lure you away from."
Wei was caught unaware.
Fumbling to reply, he said, "well…it's still in its nascent stages, not much to see yet. Of course you should visit, but let it become fully functional. I shall keep you posted."
He took a deep breath once Tang left the room. The panic that he had felt few minutes ago was less to do with his promise to Jia Li about keeping her involvement a secret and more to do with the frail bond that he was building with her. He knew that Tang won't approve of her involvement with him. He had seen the intense possessiveness for Jia Li in his eyes in his own pre-wedding party.
Also, after he got to know more about them through few snippets which Chung and Li Jie kept providing, he realised that Tang had sung that song "It must have been love" on his engagement evening for Jia Li. The song had spoken about broken hearts and unfulfilled love. The fact that he chose to sing that song while he was getting engaged to another woman, made Wei feel that Jia Li still meant much much more to Tang than anyone else around him. The fact that he was married now wouldn't change anything. Though he hadn't prodded Jia Li for details ever, the basic facts about their relation were pretty clear to him.
Wei needed time…opportunities for her to discover him, to decide whether she could like him for what he was. Hence, it was imperative that Tang stayed away from Moganshan, far away.
Moganshan
"Welcome back. How was your trip?" Jia Li smiled when Wei entered her office.
"Apart from the hot weather, all went well beyond expectations. How have you been? Any issues here?" he asked.
They spent the next hour going over the functioning and expenses of the operations so far.
"I didn't take you for a slave driver. I have been here for ages and haven't even been offered tea, forget refreshments," he complained.
Used to his theatrics, she smiled, "I thought we could go for lunch at your favourite lunch place unless you prefer me to order some food in."
"Now that's an option worth thinking about. Stop being a tough manager right away and take me to lunch. I am starving," with that he got up and pulled her by the hand.