Fortunately, I can no longer hear from Jewel's perspective because to have someone else's thoughts running in your mind continuously is terrifying. So to be spared from this ordeal is a rapid relief.
Jewel had to end the session with me prematurely with the alibi that she was suddenly not well. This old excuse might not work every time, but at least I know she is not lying or trying to. I fawn on the thought she had earlier: 'I need to know what connection she has with Ant Lu. She just resembles him too much to not be related to him.'
Since she knows that my father's nickname is Ant Lu (his real name is Lu Ma-Yi, which sounds like 'Ant'), I suspect her relationship with him. Even if she is not his biological daughter, the relationship between her mother and my father must be not a normal one.
I end up walking around the mall in circles, without that answer in my head. Was Jewel after something? Why did my father tell me that she is his daughter with his former flame, but yet, she admitted to me that she did not have a father?
It seemed just too complex. I was unable to find any information on Jewel's personal life or relationships. The phenomenon, as strange as it was, enabled me to only tap into her mind for a mere five minutes, though it was the longest five minutes of my life. And this five minutes had been as scary as they had been.
Uncle Dou is waiting in the car park as usual. It is six, and most tenants of the mall had already left close to an hour ago. Other than Uncle Dou's rented vehicle, only a few cars remain in a somewhat-deserted looking car park. Jewel Xia also emerges, to which I meticulously dart behind a pillar at the car park to watch her. I obsess myself with the question of why she hasn't left earlier, as her receptionist mentioned that she has a family dinner.
As she enters her car, at the speed of lightning, a dark figure suddenly grabs her arm and pulls her out of the car. It is like I am watching a suspenseful thriller. A myriad of queries fills my mind, and I wonder if her life is at stake. Jewel is a very questionable person herself, and a very difficult book to read. Even her thoughts are direct and focused. So, I wasn't able to tell whether there are other thoughts on her mind, unrelated to me: like if she has a lover, a hidden agenda or if she is working for someone.
From the angle where I am watching the 'show' intensely and somewhat excitedly, I cannot see the man's face, but he is tall and slim. He is wearing a solemn suit that firmly reminds me of the MIB uniform that Cullen Fu's minions were wearing at the Registry.
Could it be that this man is connected to Cullen?
Jewel does not try to escape from her attacker's grip, which hints that she knows him in some way. If this is so, then she is not in any imminent danger, I tell myself. I continue to watch, intending to possibly listen in to their conversation, given the chance to. Perhaps this incident will shine some light on who Jewel truly is.
"I almost succeeded," Jewel struggled. As nervous as she was, she was in a submissive state, which meant that she was afraid of the very person who had restrained her.
"My master will give you one more chance," the man hissed, in a very deep and cold-sounding voice. But that is as much as I can hear of their conversation. He seems to whisper something inaudible into her ear before releasing her rapidly, causing her to fall vigorously on the hard ground.
Her hair is dishevelled and even when I don't feel she is one I can trust just yet, a tinge of sympathy flows through me. The man retreats so expeditiously, that it is as if he has never appeared at all. Jewel clutches her right leg, moaning in pain as she struggles to stand, but I can tell from the agony written on her face that her pain is inhibiting her from doing so.
Will it be the correct approach for me to go over and help her up? I deduce that it would be controversial if I were to appear offering help so abruptly. Furthermore, she is already suspecting my psychological condition to not require professional help. After all, Jewel is a psychiatrist, so this goes without explanation that she is not one to be easily fooled.
If I can reach into my pocket to grab my smartphone, lodged deep inside my pocket, I can make a call to Uncle Dou to help her. But staying hidden is the problem because my hiding place is very narrow and any small movement may cause me to be seen.
Another ten minutes elapse.
Finally, Jewel gathers herself and crawls towards the open door of her car. With her facing the other way, I find this is the right moment to make a call to Uncle Dou for help. I fish out my phone and make a call to the number associated with the digit '2' on my smart-dial settings.
She grunts with discomfort with every step. I watch as she fumbles with her handbag and pulls out an iPhone. She is about to make a call for help.
Her voice is hoarse, but I realise that she is much stronger than she can ever be.
"Mal, I need you to fetch me at Brighton now."
With all her strength, she pulls herself up and tries to ascend the seat in her car, but fails. It was then that I realised that blood is dripping from her ankle. Her scrape looks horrendous.
At my instruction, Uncle Dou makes his appearance and helps her into her car. I take the opportunity to return to Uncle Dou's car unnoticed, which is unlocked. He has also moved the car, which was parked further away earlier, close to Jewel. In the vicinity, I watch carefully as Uncle Dou accompanies her until her friend arrives.
'Mal' turns out to be a six-foot-tall and well-built man, whose presence makes me a bit more curious about her interpersonal relationships. Is this Mal a former flame of hers and why had she been implicated with the dark figure earlier?
This all seems very ludicrous.
The man sounds exasperated as he rushes to Jewel and without wasting a single second, throws his arms around her.
"What happened to you, Xiao Xia? Nothing can happen to you… Nothing!"
She is panting so hard that she doesn't say a word, but slumps inside his arms. I am distracted when I hear the door opening. Uncle Dou enters the car and whispers to me.
"Miss Lu, do you want to go or continue watching them?"
"She might notice us," I answer.
"Not with her current state," Uncle Dou replies. I look towards the couple to realise that Jewel has already collapsed in the man's arms.
Two men had just appeared in the car park and interacted with this woman who I am suspicious of. In a mere thirty minutes, so much had happened.
"Let's just leave," I say.
"Are you sure, Miss Lu? Don't you want to know the answer?"
"She's already fainted. I don't think we can get anything further from her," I state nonchalantly. "I will get my answers eventually. Don't worry."
"Miss Lu, I just have a few words to say, since your father was a friend of mine."
"Oh?"
He started to drive away from the mall.
"Before your father met your mother, he was fooled by a woman during his high school days."
This revelation made me consider if he was referring to Jewel's mother.
"She cheated on him many times with other men. Then, months later, she came back saying she was pregnant with his flesh and blood, but he did not believe her. After that, she disappeared."
I take a deep breath and swallow hard. Even if my father's former love was pregnant then, there was not ample proof that she was my father's child. Especially when she had been involved with others.
But if not, why was my father so keen on reconciling with Jewel's mother and why did he insist that she was his child?
"You are referring to Jewel's mother, the woman he is with now?" I say calmly, although, in my heart, I know the answer.
"Yes. I understand why you are investigating her," Uncle Dou stops just before a red light. "Miss Lu, I know that you may find it hard to accept now, but your father's decisions and actions are his own. He has to face the consequences of what he chooses to do."
"Why is she after him only now?" I mumble.
Uncle Dou just smiles.
"It's complicated."
My heart feels heavy all of a sudden.