It was Sunday afternoon, Li Na having slept like a log of wood after the event of yesterday woke up feeling like she was hit by a truck. She felt groggy. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Wrinkling her forehead she winced when she felt mysterious axes hacking at her forehead. With a groan, she buried her face back into her pillow to block out the light flooding into her room. This was the first time in ages she has slept long without waking up from nightmares or battling insomnia.
Inhaling the scent of her just washed pillow she suddenly remembered the business event she went to yesterday, wait! She met Lu Li Jun her student at the party, The Lu Corporation CEO.
Raising her head with a jolt, bits and puzzles of her memory come together
"shit! He…he entered her car. Drove her home, He kissed her. Shit… This is serious" She thought.
Already fearing the worst she jerked up straight and moved dizzily from her bed with her head suddenly splitting with a headache. "Ha! , did I just tell him he smells like red camellia, LiNa! LiNa! you seriously need to schedule an appointment with Dr. James. Red camellia of all things".
Closing her eyes for some seconds she moved towards her cozy little bathroom as the image of the kiss they exchange appeared in her mind, touching her lips dreamily she walked into the stall of her bathroom and that woke her up from her daze into reality. Rushing into the bathroom, she climbed into the hot shower, taking all the time to regain her sanity, not caring in the least about her water bill.
While taking time to dry her hair little bits of her memory kept returning reminding her of some of the things she said to him about her parents. Feeling anxious and embarrassed she scolded herself for getting drunk on two glasses of wine and getting lose mouth.
Standing up from her couch, she went towards the refrigerator to get a can of cold drink to calm her nerves down. Her phone rang, thinking it was her mom she rushed to pick it.
"Li Na my Girl! How's the Business party? Did you snag a hot CEO or Lawyer? " Xiu asked with a chirpy voice
"Really Xiu, it's an event for making deals, not a match-making party," said LiNa in a bemused voice while taking a seat on her green two-seat couch.
"Your mother didn't think so, she thinks LiNa's Prince charming is destined to find her in the party" Xiu replied in a singsong voice.
"I tried calling my mother some minutes ago but she was not answering likewise my father, "she said changing the topic of their conversation.
"Ha! Mama and Papa Xu are experiencing one of their famous; I'll not speak with my daughter until she's reasonable episode. Hey, LiNa it's okay, you know they will call when they think you are ready for another lecture right. It's okay, don't dwell on it, you know you will just grow some wrinkle on that pretty face of yours and that's not good for the market at all" Xiu said jovially while trying to improve the mood of her friend.
" LiNa, I heard that the mysterious Lu CEO attended the party, was it true? Did you see him?" she inquired.
LiNa kept quiet for some time before answering. "Yes he attended the party and I saw him." She said slowly.
"Wow! really, Was he handsome?, answer LiNa, I need details," Xiu asked impatiently.
"He is more than handsome if possible," LiNa said while blushing.
" Really?"
"Yes, Xiu he drove me home in my car while I was drunk . An…And I kissed him… omg Xiu he's my student. I Kissed my student" she said with a panic tone.
"You did what? Tsk-tsk LiNa you a Bad girl… so it was true that The Lu CEO was admitted as a student in the horticulture department, this is juicy." Xiu said.
"you know what I'll hang up the phone. I need to attend to LeLe's needs. Don't think you can keep the details of this juicy event to yourself; I'll need to hear what went down. You go, girl! Bye! See you on Monday." She laughed evilly while she hangs up the phone.
Feeling drained after her friend's call, LiNa consoled herself with the thought that the kiss was just a drunken mistake and she will convince LI Jun to forget about it.
----------------------------------------------
At the same time in the Lu's Estate, "Come on." Li Jun's sister heaved at his side, pulling to a stop and shaking her head at him. "Enough," she ordered.
Halting, Li Jun sucked in air as sweat soaked at his back and neck. "One more lap," he pushed. "You could've made it one more lap, Jia Li."
She breathed and walked over to the edge of the path covered by the canopy of old oaks lining the garden in Lu's estate. "it's afternoon, It's too hot for this. Gēge!." she bit out as she put her hands on her hips and bowed her head, trying to catch her breath.
Grabbing the towel hanging around his neck, Li Jun wiped the sweat off his forehead and face. "Well, now you don't get the card I wanted to give you for shopping." He shrugged, bringing up the bribe he'd offered to get her out for an exercise on a Sunday morning.
"Forget the card," she shot back. "I should've stayed in bed. Transferring from school to school is already hard enough, and I need the rest."
He dropped his towel to the ground and gestured toward her. "Go on," he urged. "Lie down."
Walking over in front of him, knowing better than to argue. She had enough and wanted to get the workout over with, Jia Li lay down with her knees bent, while he sat on the ground and did pull-ups.
Jia Li watched her brother keep doing his exercise routine rigorously.
He was always working – texting, e-mailing, organizing, meeting – and it always had to do with the company or something about his school project. He was driven, committed, and controlled, Jia li thought.
According to studies, firstborn children were reliable, conscientious, and cautious, and her brother was certainly all of those. As the last child and only girl of her parents, she thought of how her brother with the help of their grandparents had helped her to be the person she is today.
Moving close to her brother. "I'm proud of you, you know?" she breathed out, looking up at him. "I admire how you decide to pursue your love for horticulture at master level despite all the problems that arose after the death of our parents and you managing the company."
"Yeah." He grinned, still doing exercise as he joked, "What do you know?"
Jia li had just started her first year at Peking University. When her parents incident occur, if not for her brother, her grandparents, and her Lovely course counselor that consoled her she would have been depressed by the death of her parents. "Ha! How she missed Professor Xu," she thought.
She remembered the day her father's assistant called her and told her about the incident three days after it has occurred. She was going to meet her course counselor concerning her elective courses.
Hearing the news she was shocked and she collapsed at the door of Professor Xu.
Waking up at the school hospital, she noticed this elegant and beautiful oriental lady smiling at her. Remembering the news she received she was shocked and she started crying. Consoling her, Professor Xu stayed with her and asked her what happen. Recounting the details of the call to professor Xu though she was a stranger she felt comforted by her smile and how she consoled and reassured her to take heart.
Professor Xu visited her throughout her three days stay at the school hospital becoming her first friend in university. Before going back to Taiwan two weeks later she heard that Professor Xu had transferred from the university to another university feeling disappointed she promised herself that she will search for her and enroll in Professor Xu department just to see her and ask her to become her friend and mentor.
"Gēge, I don't want to return to Beijing to study, I can transfer to National Taiwan University to further my education." She said pleadingly.
"I don't want to leave you, pa and ma just to go and study at another country. Please let me just stay here and continue my education." she continued persuasively, ignoring her brother stern look.
"I still feel like something will happen if I should just hop and go back to school at Beijing. Please let me enroll in NTU and continue my education…hmm" she pouted blinking softly at her brother.
"Okay, do whatever you want. Just tell me when you will get admitted so that I can send you the money you will need to purchase some of your school needs " fed up with her antics, Li Jun rolled his eyes and stood up while walking towards the Large ancient building. Feeling happy that what she wanted had been approved she ran after him and entered the house.