Some minutes later, they were at the gym.
"There's no way your mom is going to let you come out here at night multiple times a week," Xiu said, putting on her sweatshirt even though it wasn't more than slightly chilly.
The converted warehouse James Wu, Albert's brother used as his studio was a brick-faced building that was formerly used as a warehouse for storing car spare parts.
The space was vast, and the massive metal delivery-bay doors offered no exterior clue as to what was taking place inside. Li Na and Xiu sat in aluminum benches, watching a half-dozen combatants on the mats below.
"Ouch." Li Na winced in sympathy as a guy took a kick to the groin. Even with padding, that had to sting. "How's my mother going to find out, Xiu?"
"Because you'll land in the hospital?" she glanced at me. "Seriously. This kung- fu stuff is brutal. They're just sparring and it's full contact. And even if the bruises don't give you away, your mother will find out somehow. She always does."
"It is not kung-fu, it is self-defense skill. I'm not telling her about this when she's not even picking my call."
"Oh, savage Li Na. With just one word she will have you spilling everything to her" Xiu snorted.
"Even if I tell her, she won't understand. She'll think it is another waste of time, or I'm trying to be uncontrollable, and she will give me grief about it. She won't believe my main interest is exercise and stress relief."
She propped her chin on her palm and watched James take the floor with a woman. He was a good instructor. Patient and thorough, and he explained things in an easy-to-understand way. His studio was in a rough neighborhood, but Li Na thought it suited what he was teaching. It doesn't get more "realistic" than a large, empty warehouse.
"That James guy is really a fine-looking man," Xiu murmured.
"He has a wedding band mark on his finger."
"I noticed. The good ones are always taken. Well, I can't wait to see his brother."
James joined them after the class was over, his dark eyes bright and his smile brighter. "What'd ya think, Li Na?"
"Where do I sign up?"
His sensual smile made Xiu reach over and squeeze the blood out of Li Na's hand.
"Step this way."
.......
Li Jun was driving home from work. It was a little hectic at work today, although on some hectic days and days he had engagements with other businessmen, he let his driver drove him back home.
While he was driving, he thought about his last meeting and with Li Na, that was when his cell phone vibrated. He blindly dug out his phone from his trouser pocket.
Hey! What's up" Li Jun snapped as he parked at the roadside.
"I'm sorry, man," Chen Guang hesitated. "It's Daiyu. One of the caretakers at the France apartment called to tell me that she overdosed on hard drugs which she bought at a nightclub. They couldn't stop her from taking it. She became unconscious, and they have to rush her to the hospital to pump it out of her."
Li Jun's heart dropped. His mouth went dry. "I'll—. I thought she was okay when she was at the rehabilitation center. Did the caretaker say what triggered her to use the drug?"
"The caretaker says that after receiving a call from you. She was kinda depressed, and she was aggressive, shouting that you are ashamed of her visiting you in Taiwan. Bro, What did you say to her to cause such a reaction from her"
"Shit! She told me that she wished I was here with her and that I should visit her. I told her that I'm busy. That her health is her priority and if her health is not clean and stable enough she can't stay with me in Taiwan. I told her to give it some time until the doctor gives her a clean bill of health, that's the time she can come and stay in Taiwan." Li Jun recalled.
"Shit, she's crazy, selfish, and stubborn. I told you, that you should not pamper her that she's just manipulating you. You are not at fault for her sister's death." Li Jun retorted
"Don't talk about her sister. It is penance, and I'm ready to pay for it."
"How will you explain that to your secret lover…"
"How do you know?" Li Jun asked.
"What? It was obvious. Yesterday, you were absent-minded and smiling during the stakeholder meeting. Such a thing has never happened. This morning, You receive a message alert during the conference, then you suddenly cut off the conference, and you told your employees to have lunch at around 11:30. And you, The work addicted Li Jun remembered to eat in the office. That's an event that has never happened. You were less cranky, angry, and it was a splendid and startling sight."
Hello! Should I keep going with my observation list of Li Jun falls in love? So tell me who is it?" Chen Guang probed.
" No! You tell me how we went from talking about Daiyu's health to my secret affair, hmm?"
" Oh come on, I'm happy if my friend is happy," Chen Guang said good-humoredly.
Li Jun closed his eyes and shook his head. "When it is time I will tell you. Have you called the doctor?"
"No, not yet, I …" Chen Guang said.
"All OK, all right." Li Jun lifted his arm to stop him out of habit, given the fact that he couldn't see him. "Contact the doctor's office to see if she'll be accepted to the rehabilitation facility once she's recovered. I'll call her and speak with her." Li Jun sighed tiredly.
" You better tell her to stop acting like a brat and get her act together, it's her life. You are just the kind of person that feels guilty at little mistakes." Chen Guang said indignantly.
"Yeah, it is those little mistakes that spoil a fine and healthy-looking garden. See you tomorrow"
"It's Sunday tomorrow. You're a jerk "Chen Guang hung up on him before Li Jun could retort with a snide reply.
He needed to go home, lie down, and breathe until he calmed down. Then he was going to need something else, something stronger to calm his urges. As Li Jun continued his journey home, dragging him painfully away from the thought of his past mistakes and Daiyu's health, Li Jun sighed and started playing a song.
He looked at his side and picked up his cell from the seat he discarded when he felt it vibrate: a text. It was Li Na. Find time to eat dinner. Don't overwork yourself, health is wealth. Good Night.
Li Jun smiled as he drove back home.