Jia Li stood up and smiled jovially as she walked towards Li Na who just came out of her brother's room and winked at her as she kept on chewing a pack of chocolate.
"So….Li Na you are now officially my brother's girlfriend, right?"Jia Li confirmed as she looked up at Li Na who was slightly taller than her.
"Hmm, yes' Li Na kept on staring at Jia Li's puffed-out cheeks, thinking to herself that, despite Jia Li's deceiving adorable appearance, she should have asked her and Li Jun about their relationship status before springing it on her grandparents.
"Cool, that's cool. It looks like fate. This is a lot to take in and I understand it and know how love does work, but all I do want is that you take care of my brother and he may seem strong but he is fragile in the heart. He can get a little bit compulsive in trying to know every little detail about you, a result of experiencing something in his past. I know he will tell you details of his past soon."Jia Li said as she grabbed Li Na's hand.
" Jia Li, what are you gossiping about?" Li Jun called as he got out, dressed from his room, startled, Jia Li dropped Li Na's hand and looked up.
Li Na was surprised to see that he was dressed as if he was going out. She shot him a confused look before she moved around to kiss and hug Jia Li goodbye.
'I'm coming with you?' Li Jun called out, and both Li Na and Jia Li's eyes swung to him.
'What! I don't think that's necessary?' Li Na said in a steady, almost bewildered tone.
Li Jun blew out a breath. 'You didn't bring your car and it's not convenient for you to see a cab around this corner,' he informed her, not even sparing his sister a glance.
Li Na sniffed. "Don't worry about it, I just feel like strolling,' she returned calmly, as she made her way to the door. 'And anyway, I intend to get something before going home.'
Suddenly he threw his hands up. "I'm still following you, 'This area may seem calm but It's dangerous to be walking around alone. It's not safe." he said, crossing his arms over his chest,''
What if she got attacked? since Li Na had told him about her past with her ex. He has been feeling as if something is going to happen soon, so he made a decision to follow her back to her house.
'Well,' Li Na had turned away from him, not fully expecting him to take her back to her apartment.
Suddenly a laugh was let out and Li Na turned back to see that it was Jia Li laughing.
"What is it? Why are you laughing, hmm?" Li Jun squinted at her angrily.
She took another wrapper of chocolate as she perched on the chair and looked at the two lovebirds. "Chill-lax Gege. We both know that we live in a safe area," Jia Li scoffed at him.
"This is what I'm talking about Li Na, he is too paranoid" she pointed out.
" I can see that Jia Li " Li Na smiled as she looked at the siblings arguing with each other.
"what are you talking about? I'm not paranoid. I'm taking precaution, precaution, Li Na. Don't mind this brat. Let's go" Li Jun said as he make his way to the door.
"Brat? well, both of you are behaving like an old couple and it's funny to watch."Jia Li continued.
"So?"Li Jun grumbled.
Jia li suddenly turned to Li Na as she pleaded with her with a adorable scrunched up of her nose."Li Na let him go with you please so that I can invite my own boyfriend, pretty please?"
"Don't you dare turn my house into a love nest, Jia Li! I'm warning you" Li Jun warned her.
"Pssh! Don't worry Gege, I'm just following in your footsteps, Love is a beautiful thing. Ah thank God I have my own sweetheart. Bye! Li Na. I will see you this weekend."Jia Li shrugged as she picked up her phone and started pressing something on the screen.
"Make sure you and your friends don't turn my house into a minibar," Jia Li heard Li Jun say just as he closed the door after him and Li Na.
......
'Um … thanks for the ride…' Li Na trailed off after Li Jun had taken her to the mall to buy things she needed and brought her back to her house. For his part, Li Jun continued to watch her as he jumped out of his car, and went around to open her side door for her.
'See you this weekend and don't be late for my class,' she muttered under her breath as she got out of the car.
'Yes, prof, I'll call you and pick you up, okay.' he said, then turned to retrieve her shopping bags from the back.
As she wanted to collect the bags, Li Jun insisted that he will carry them to her apartment as they kept on walking towards the path, Li Na stumbled a bit.
As a result of the pavement which was slippery with ice, and despite the fact that she was wearing sneakers, their grip had long since worn away, so she slipped when her feet hit the ground, falling face-first into Li Jun's chest.
'Excuse me, I'm sorry,' she muttered into his chest before pushing against him and taking a necessary step back. Unfortunately, she still had no footing on the ice, and both of her feet shot out from beneath her, flailing her arms as she began to slide backward. A muscular arm around her waist dragged her back up into Li Jun's body before she could kiss the ground.
He nestled her into his side and mumbled under his breath, "It's okay, Professor," as he straightened them both up and walked towards her front door, Li Na at his side. He took the elevator with her and followed her to her apartment as they arrived.
"Thank you …' she trailed off as she dug around in her bag for her keys and he stood watching her with his arms crossed over his chest. But before she could unlock the door she noticed the familiar brown-colored envelope tucked in black and red rose flowers similar to the one she saw in her office. It was placed in front of her entryway.
Li Na froze. Automatically she reached for the envelope and saw that there was no name on the card that was in it.
She took in a shuddering breath, trying to get a handle on the cold fear that had invaded her body. When Li Jun saw her reaction, he raised his eyebrows in a silent question. And he saw that she wanted to tear the envelope in pieces. Before She tore it into pieces, Li Jun collected it from her.
When she glanced over at Li Jun, who was trying to unseal the envelope, she saw that he was also feeling baffled by seeing that the sender's name was not filled in.
"Have you been receiving such notes?" He asked her in an authoritative manner.
'Yes but it was at my office,' Li Na told him, and left it at that. The last thing she wanted was to start making herself feel paranoid. No doubt he would think her a freak for her overreaction about the note.
'Get inside and lock your door. Dream about me, professor' he returned as a smile started tugging at the corners of his lips. She huffed out a breath and finally unlocked the door.
'Right … well … I better get inside, Goodnight to you too." she smiled at him.
He jerked his chin at her in response and, assuming this was his non-verbal form of saying goodbye, she flashed him a small smile before slipping inside and closing the door.
Some minutes later, Li Jun stood at her front door for some time and listened as she turned the locks.
He stepped over to the elevator, and retrieved the roses, and threw them into the dustbin. He took the envelope and the card, before tucking them in the inside pocket of his jacket.
Turning back to the door, he felt his fists bunch at his sides, resisting the urge to hit something as he thought about some stalking and being a threat to her.
He had the almost overwhelming urge to punch something but stifled this with the knowledge that Li Na would not have wanted him to worry about such things.
He took in a deep breath through his nose and let it out through his mouth, leaning his forehead on the hood of the door of his car for a moment, pain etched across his features. After a couple of minutes, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
His phone was already clamped to his ear and he was waiting impatiently for his call to be answered.
'I have something I need you to do,' he snapped when the ringing was finally cut off.
'Hello to you too, Boss,' Yìchén's voice said eagerly. 'I'm allowed to come home now? I don't want to watch over this Daiyu or whatever her name –.'
'I need you to do your research on Xu Li Na and Chen Yinian.'
'Hmmn. Sure? What happened? But I'm free to come back to Taiwan? Boss?
" No, still stay there and keep watching her. "
'Shit! Boss, I can't handle this Woman. She's crazy, Man"
'I'm paying you enough to be on the lookout for her,' Li Jun clipped, losing patience. "I need the information ASAP. Okay?"
"It's not a problem, Boss. But, My dear young master, this isn't an ordinary industrial snooping around, right? Is there someone or something threatening you? Is this about the hard drive your father mentioned before he disappeared?"
Li Jun rubbed his eyes and sighed. "No, I just … I just need to know more about their background. Her background."
"Ah! It is a 'her'. Okay, I think I got that Yichen's voice was now annoyingly laced with laughter, but Li Jun was relieved so he didn't mind his tone. "I'll try my best."
'Thanks, Yìchén; I owe you, one." Li Jun told him firmly.
Then he hung up the phone he got into his car and drove off.