บท 274: Cousins
"Brother Long was looking for you." Han Meixiu gently said before sipping the warm tea.
Her gaze was focused at the woman who seemed to be dispirited and wasn't paying attention to her.
Han Meixiu received her cousin's call earlier today. Although she wanted to bombard her with questions, she noticed her voice over the phone wasn't right.
Something must have happened.
After telling her husband about the call, she decided to meet Han Mingxia in a private restaurant partly owned by Liu's. She wanted privacy and make her cousin feel at ease.
Originally, Liu Zijian and Han Meixiu wanted to inspect a certain property somewhere in the southern area and they will be back the day after tomorrow.
But after receiving Han Mingxia's call, she asked if she could accompany her cousin instead as she wasn't really needed during the inspection.
Liu Zijian who was in LCG that time finishing some work so he could have an extra day free, agreed. Han Meixiu seldom asked this kind of favor. Besides, he was also curious about this woman as his brother was a bit affected by her.
The original 3 days inspection trip was revised and it became an overnight schedule since he would be going alone. The extra side trip was normally cancelled.
"Mingxia..." Han Meixiu called the other woman again placing back the teacup on the saucer.
'She wasn't really listening'. Han Meixiu thought as she looked at the person across her.
Han Meixiu sighed. "What happened to you?"
Seeing that was still no reaction, Han Meixiu stood abruptly and clapped both of her hands loudly in front of the woman.
"What?!" Han Mingxia reacted finally.
"Mingxia, I've been talking here and you're not paying attention at all. Why did you ask me to meet you if you will just immerse yourself in your own thoughts?"
Han Mingxia sighed, supported her face with her right hand and looked outside. The restaurant was located on the third floor and was overlooking the busy street below.
It took a while before she spoke again. "I'm lost."
"Do you need a map?" Han Meixiu sarcastically asked. If Han Mingxia was in normal state, she would have retaliated.
Instead, Han Mingxia softly shook her head.
"I finally met Daniel's family..." She said in a voice coated with melancholy and pain.
"You left Brother Long's side because you found them?"
"In a way, yes." Han Mingxia answered. It has been a week since she bid her goodbye to Red, or to be precise, David.
For the past week she tried to stabilize herself after their conversation. She couldn't forget his words and the more she repeated them on her head the more she get depressed.
"Shouldn't you be happy?"
"I thought I would. But meeting his only brother confused me more than before."
"Aren't you easily confused?"
"That's not the point. The thing is, the majority of what I ought to believe seems to be only illusion I created to satisfy myself."
Han Meixiu really wanted to applaud her cousin. Her subtle provocation didn't make her reply like she usually did. "Illusion, like what?"
"That Daniel loved me. That my goal was justifiable. That I was really an important individual in this world...That... I am needed...I have a purpose..." Han Mingxia's voice was getting smaller until Han Meixiu could barely hear them.
Han Meixiu opened her mouth but couldn't say a single world. The depressing thoughts seemed not to come from this woman. "He died to save you, didn't he? Wouldn't that explained his feelings?"
Han Meixiu thought that the first sentence was the most relevant, thus she tried to refute her statement.
"It was probably because of guilt. The mission to approach me was relatively too easy for someone like Daniel. He was one of the best. He didn't need that kind of mission. But you know why he took it? It was because Chen Dewei requested it. And he needed something from him. A record of his birth mother." Han Mingxia reiterated what Red told him.
Originally Daniel wanted the record as compensation but before he could ask for it after the mission, he died. It was Red who took it when both of them infiltrated Chen Dewei's mansion.
"He never kissed me. He only held my hand." Han Mingxia continued with unfocused gaze on the crowd below. Red told him that when they were younger, there was a girl his brother dated and kissed. Red knew because she visited them twice and he saw their intimate action.
But the two broke up after she found out that Daniel was involved in something shady. After her, he wasn't involved with anyone else.
"Just because he didn't kiss you he didn't love you? It might be because of guilt, too. Even though he probably loves you, he can't just casually touch you. His initial reason to approach you wasn't normal to begin with. If he kissed you with the current situation you both were in, don't you think he's taking advantage of you? You said he's a good man. Then his action was understandable. He's respecting you."
"Mingxia, intimate actions aren't proof of someone's feelings. He probably loved you in his own way. He was probably guilty of deceiving you thus even though he wanted you to be by his side, he's too ashamed to do so. Didn't you say he was watching you from behind after your divorced?"
Han Mingxia moved her gaze slowly to the woman talking without inhibition. She was uttering so many words that made her emotions swelled up making her eyes moist and eventually her vision blurred.
Han Meixiu who still wanted to continue explaining her own analysis, abruptly stopped after she saw her cousin teared up. Her lips stretched into a warm and smile full of gratitude. It showed relief and unbasked happiness.
"Meixiu... you're really...." Han Mingxia said while she took some tissue and wiped her face. Her smile was plastered on her face while her tears continued to stream down. Those words might be blurted out by her cousin from her own observation and stories she told her.
The words might be biased as she's her cousin that's why it was relatively different from Red's analysis. But Han Mingxia had to admit, those words made her happy.
After taking a sip of her tea, Han Meixiu cleared her throat. "Mingxia. I'm not Daniel nor I know him like you do. I am merely saying what I think based on his actions from your stories. Although his brother could be closer to him than I do, he might also wrong. My point is, both of us aren't one hundred percent correct. We are just saying reasonable words from an outsider's point of view."
"I know. But I like your analysis better than his brother. He might still has a grudge against me as his words were quite painful."
"Mingxia, don't you think you shouldn't worry about this things?"
"What do you mean?"
"Daniel is already dead. There's no point of analysing what he felt. Can you just be grateful that he saved you? Treasure your life and live happily? Don't you think that's what he wanted? I don't think he wanted you to confirm his love for you."
"Whether he loved you or not, the fact that he sacrificed his life to let you live is more than enough proof that he treasured you. Whatever the reason behind, he placed you prior to himself...In short, you're important to him. Whatever reason behind his action isn't really relevant now. Be it guilt, remorse or love, just be grateful you're alive!"
Han Mingxia's smile widened. "I get your point. I was just devastated that my firm belief was shaken."
It was like she was swimming in a vast ocean after a shipwreck and found an island in the distance. It became her goal and salvation to continue swimming.
But after exhausting all her strength to reach the island, she realized it was only a pigment of her imagination. Reality told her harshly that she was still alone in that endless body of water.
She couldn't help but feel depressed and didn't want to move any of her limbs.
"Imagine, if Liu Zijian..."
"Don't include my husband here. He's not part of our conversation. We're talking about you." Han Meixiu firmly interrupted her words.
"It's just an example..."
"Use someone else." Han Meixiu answered. She could still remember the time Han Mingxia included her husband in her conversation and gave her a ridiculous situation. It didn't turn out good. This cousin of hers wanted her imagination to run wild again. She simply didn't like it.
Han Mingxia sighed. "Fine. Nevermind then." She gave up. There's no one she could use as an alternative example that would make Han Meixiu understand what she's been through.
"What's your next plan? The fact that you're here means that your ex husband's brother didn't want you to entangle with him, correct?"
"Yeah." Han Mingxia answered. She offered her help but Red declined her flatly. She understood. Just what kind of help she could give for someone like Red? In terms of resources and ability, she's simply behind him. "Like what I told you earlier, I'm lost. I just don't know what I should do next. I don't have a goal."
Hearing the same statement with different tone made Han Meixiu smile. It seemed that her words indeed help her cousin. Although she's not a good adviser, having someone to tell you good things while experiencing that your world is surrounded with negativity and hopelessness means a lot.
Wasn't that what Liu Zijian usually did? She has a lot of shadow roaming around her carrying negative energy. But everytime she opened up her issues and concerned to him, they sounded irrelevant. His words might not be articulate like a professional advisor but their simplicity and directness were more than enough to soothe her grieving soul.
Not all people will probably agree with her that humans in general needed a warmth of another human being to continue his or her journey. Life isn't easy, but with the help of someone, it will become easier.
"How about going back as Han Mingxia? You really don't need to come back to Q City. You can live here. Just find a decent work."
"That's possible."
"To make it easier, why not go back to Brother Long? Liu's are good employers."
Han Mingxia simply nodded.
"That's right. Why did you just disappeared? Was it really too much to inform Brother Long that you're leaving? Besides, you should return what you stole."
"What? Stole? I didn't steal anything... As for why I didn't inform him, I didn't have much time. Also, sooner or later he would receive the notice of 92's death."
Han Meixiu more or less guessed the process of Han Mingxia's dismissal thus she didn't probe further. "Are you sure you didn't steal anything?"
Han Mingxia blinked her eyes as if she couldn't believe that her cousin was doubting her.
"I didn't..." She normally wanted to defend herself more but...
'Holy Sh*t! I indeed stole something.' Her eyes bulged as she remembered. Those expensive snacks and the personal travel kit that included expensive toiletries were taken by her when she left.
"Why is your brother in law so petty! They're so rich but he can't even let go of small things?!?!" Han Mingxia exclaimed in frustration.
"Small or big things, the fact that you stole them is something unacceptable. Pay for them and apologize. Don't tell me you're short of money?"
Han Mingxia didn't answer. She wasn't really short of money as her compensation when she was under Liu Zilong was generous. Honestly, she wanted to work under him again.
Aside from the attractive salary, her job itself was exciting as she would change her persona from time to time. There's also traveling in different places. In short, the job was truly enjoyable.
"Hey, if you really need financial assistance, I can help you. No, not just financial. If you need help, just tell me. Our home is always open. Just use the proper entrance to avoid suspicions."
Han Mingxia snorted with her eyes beaming with appreciation.
By the time the two walked out of the restaurant, both were in a good mood. It was totally in contrast when they came in.
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