"The library is closing shortly. What would you have done if I hadn't arrived?"
She looked around, slightly confused. "Well, I will sleep over right in the office."
"If no one noticed that the office light was on when they checked this floor, you could have been locked in the office all night. Without any food." His smile slid off his face at the mere idea. "What are you going to do to ensure that doesn't happen in the future?"
She looked around quickly to check if everything is intact. "so you are worried that I won't eat right? Don't worry, I will set the alarm on my phone? Or I can call you 30minutes before taking my nap" she shrugged at him.
"Li Na, will you really call me?" He took a step closer as she picked up her bag with one hand and cleared the desk of debris with the other.
"Yes?" she smirked at him.
"For real, come on Li Na, we've been exchanging texts, can I call you?"
"No."
Their eyes did not meet for long, but warm and somewhat soothing smiles were exchanged on both sides.
He waited patiently for her to put everything in order before he stood aside and waved his hand toward the hallway. "After you."
She thanked him, and as she was passing, he reached out his hand and grasped the handle of her bag, brushing against one of her fingers. Li Na pulled back instinctively, dropping the bag.
Thankfully, he caught it. "This is a very fine bag. I think I should like to carry it for a little while. If you don't mind." He smirked at her, and she blushed.
"Thank you," she murmured. "I really like it. It's perfect."
Li Jun made no attempt to engage her in conversation until they were at the entrance of the department building.
The cold wind blew on Li Na's exposed arms and she kept rubbing her palm as she started shivering lightly.
"Are you feeling cold? Li Jun moved to grab her hands as he started rubbing and gently caressing her hands making Li Na groan slightly.
"No…not really," she said shyly with a blush tinting her cheeks.
And with that, Li Jun removed his hands from hers and gracefully pulled his green woolen sweater over his modest dress shirt and head and handed it to her. Li Na accepted it as she gently pulled on his generously-sized sweater.
"Better?" he smiled, trying to smooth his now mussed hair.
"Better." She smiled, feeling much warmer and very comfortable, blanketed in the warmth and scent that was Li Jun. She folded up the cuffs considerably because his arms were much longer than hers.
"Will you be less busy by Wednesday? I want to submit my proposal to you" He asked.
"No, I'm having some students present their project to me throughout that day. Why don't you tell me about your proposal by Thursday?" Her tone immediately became businesslike and professorial as she saw some students pass by them.
"Okay, I will do that" Li Jun frowned at the students.
As they walked by, the school speaker was blaring some music, when Li Jun heard the song too and softly began to sing to himself, almost under his breath, something about Lonely rain night flowers.
Li Na was struck by the eerie relevance of the words. But then Li Jun stopped, suddenly unsure of himself, and began focusing his attention on the street light. She glanced over at him with a dropped jaw. She didn't know that he could sing. And to hear his perfect mouth and voice sing those words…
"That's a beautiful song. Who is it by?"
"It's called love Flowers by Teresa Teng, a Chinese musician. Did you catch that line—the one about Lonely rain night flowers? I guess we know which term applies to each of us."
"It's beautiful but sad."
"I've always had a terrible weakness for beautiful but sad things." He looked at her carefully before turning away.
Li Na saw him blushing and just as she wanted to tease him she was interrupted by Li Jun's phone.
The ring tone sounded like the clanging of cymbals. He lifted a finger to indicate Li Na should excuse him while he glanced down at his iPhone's screen. Something disturbing flew across his face.
"I have to take this. I'm sorry." Li Jun stood up and answered his phone in one swift motion. "Daiyu?"
He walked further away from Li Na, but Li Na could still hear him. "What's wrong? Where are you?" His voice grew muffled.
Li Na busied herself with her phone as she waits for him to finish his conversation, wondering who Daiyu was. The name sounded familiar. Li Jun had looked deeply troubled when he saw whatever it was that he saw on the phone's screen.
Daiyu? Is she his ex-girlfriend? Or is he just messing with me? Li Na felt insecure and alarm as she thought that may she was being played.
Li Jun returned about six minutes later. He was agitated in the extreme, pale-faced and almost shaking.
"I have to go. I'm sorry. Are you with your car? He asked hurriedly.
"No, I parked it at home, I can walk." Li Na leaned over to collect her bag from him.
He held his hand out to stop her. "Absolutely not. Not late at night on the Street by yourself." He moved towards her. "I will wait here and call the taxi over and see to it that you are picked up. Okay"
"Okay, Um, your Sweater." She moved as if to remove the sweater, and he gave her a trembling look.
"Please, Li Na. Not now. You can return it when next we meet" He was rubbing his eyes with one hand.
She felt sorry for him so she decided not to argue.
"I'm sorry I have to leave you. I…"
He was sorry, very sorry, about something. He was in anguish, groaning involuntarily. Without thinking about it, she slipped her hand into his, a movement of compassion and solidarity.
Li Jun didn't flinch or throw her hand back at her but he appreciates the comfort and reassurance she gave to him.
He squeezed her fingers immediately as if he was grateful for the contact. He opened his eyes and looked down at her and slowly began to move his fingers across the back of her hand, caressing her lightly. It was all so comfortable and sweet. As if he'd done it a thousand times. As if she belonged to him. He pulled her hand upward, close to his mouth, and stared at their connection.
"Life is slippery. We all need a loving hand to hold onto," he whispered. Li Jun kissed her hand reverently, but it was his own hand he was staring at. "Goodnight, Li Na. I'll see you on Thursday."
Li Na nodded and watched him call his driver and break into a run as soon as his feet hit the sidewalk.