章節 7: Long Yat-sen
Shao Lin could not remember when she went to sleep, but she remembered feeling a warm caress brush her cheek at one point in the night, and a penetrative stare that kept her feeling protected until her eyes fluttered open.
From the bed, she lied on, she saw him through the slits of her gaze. He was sitting down, wearing a white dress shirt, tucked in tight-fitted trousers, one leg propped over his thigh. He stared out the window from the side, a hand holding his set jaw and chin as the wind blew and tousled strands of his raven-black hair. Her heart nearly stopped. What was Long Yat-sen doing here?
She rubbed her eyes, sitting up, and when she looked back up at him, he was staring at her directly. Her stomach dropped. Long Yat-sen's eyes weren't kind but he regarded her curiously.
Shao Lin gulped as she glanced away and down at her clothes.
Her eyes widened, checking her body. She was wearing a deep royal-blue nightgown, not the dress she was wearing the night before.
Shao Lin looked up at Long Yat-sen, knowing she was going to regret what she was about to ask.
"Where are my clothes?" she questioned.
Long Yat-sen was silent for a moment, but then his mouth quirked slightly, fighting back a grin. His expression tightened. "You woke in a room you've never been to before while you were out cold the entire night with a stranger in front of you now, and the first thing on your mind are your clothes?"
His voice was coated with honey and smoke and it held some amusement. She felt like she could hear him speak all day.
Shao Lin was speechless. "I…" realization sunk in. "Where am I? What happened to me?"
"It's good to see some sense had returned to you now," he replied.
Shao Lin was annoyed. He was treating her like she was an idiot, but she couldn't blame him for it. She looked and acted like a fool.
Long Yat-sen looked away before he spoke again. "You are in one of the private rooms of one of Song's Medical centres. You had a mild allergic reaction, but you mostly passed out from lack of water and sleep and you drank too much alcohol in a single night. As for your dress, it went for dry-cleaning." He paused, then went on. "My sister was the one that changed you. So do not worry, I have not touched you, nor do I have any desire to."
Shao Lin could not help but feel a tinge of ache from his last statement. Was she that plain that he did not want to touch her? But it may have also been to assure her that as a man, he would never touch her inappropriately and not without permission. Whatever the case was, Shao Lin was grateful his sister had been the one to help her change. She felt comfortable with what she was wearing now, but she felt embarrassed for overwhelming her body to the point that she passed out in someone's arms and not just anyone; it was Long Yat-sen of all people.
Shao Lin wondered where his sister was now as she wanted to meet her. The night goddess she never saw up close. She wanted to apologize for the trouble she may have caused Long Xiatian, and thank her for the help.
"I'm sorry—" Shao Lin began, but Long Yat-sen cut her off, "Why have you not been sleeping properly?"
The question caught her by surprise. It seemed personal. It seemed like he cared, but she knew a man like him was not capable of it. She also remembered she was told to stay away from him, shortly after talking to her mother about her father.
She tried to carefully choose her next words, but she could not help but be honest. Shao Lin looked at him, at his handsome face, with an expression so raw, opened, and honest. "Grief," was all she said.
Long Yat-sen nodded, accepting the answer. Shao Lin was not sure if he'd ever felt what she had felt. He had four siblings all alive and well, and his parents seemed to be present in his life. Did this man ever feel pain? Sorrow? Emotions? She wondered.
A noise interrupted them and Shao Lin looked up to see the silver-haired woman with folded clothes nestled on her arms. She held a polite smile on her face when she glanced between them, "Sorry for interrupting, but I'm glad to see you are doing better Shao Lin."
"Xia, thank you. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."
Long Yat-sen looked at them, puzzled. Most likely wondering how they knew each other.
Xia settled the clothes on the bed while Long Yat-sen stepped outside with her to give Shao Lin some privacy.
As she changed, she could hear Xia arguing with him in hushed whispers, but Long Yat-sen barely spoke.
She finished and it was only Xia that re-emerged in the room.
Shao Lin displayed a grim smile. "I'm sorry if I caused you and your boyfriend so much trouble."
Xia's face paled, almost with something like disgust. "Oh no, honey," she said. "We are not like that. Never. Ever. The idea makes me queasy. I think I'd vomit."
Shao Lin tilted her head, wondering what their relationship was. "Is he that frightening to be with?"
Xia's eyes widened, realizing what she said may have been a mistake. "No, dear, please don't misunderstand me." She sighed. "Yat-sen is a good man. He and I grew up together. We are family, blood and all, but that's all I can tell you."
Her blue eyes assured Shao Lin that Xia was telling the truth. That colour—winter-blue—dark like the depths of a frozen lake were familiar. Like his.
Shao Lin, however, could not understand why she knew nothing else about her, like her full name. And Xia had said Long Yat-sen was a good man, but being his relative, she may be obligated to say that. Shao Lin didn't know him. But she did know that he brought her here. Had helped her. He made sure she felt better, and she didn't know what to think of it.
"Where is he?"
"Yat-sen?" Xia questioned, surprise flickered on her expression and her mouth quirked upward, triumphantly, but Shao Lin did not know what caused that smile. Her then smile faltered. "Well. He's a busy man, he had to go."
Shao Lin frowned slightly. "I didn't get to thank him." But then he probably didn't want to stick around much longer after she woke. She most likely ruined his night after what happened.
Xia gave her a wry smile, grasping one of her hands. "I'll be sure to tell him," she said softly.
Shao Lin was grateful for her kindness.
"Well, you're all better now. You can see a nurse if you want before you go, but Yat-sen ensured your condition was stable throughout the night," Xia then took a step closer, pressing Shao Lin's cellphone in her hand. "I left my phone number on your contact list. I hope you don't mind. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to call."
Shao Lin gave her a thin smile, guilt welling up inside her. Xia was kind but Shao Lin knew she had to stay away from her, avoid her as much as she could until she figured out what kind of person Long Yat-sen was. And if Xia were to know Shao Lin's intentions against her relative, she might hate her for it, and she didn't want to risk making a friend she'd lose.
"Thank you," Shao Lin responded. At that, Xia left with a smile and a wink before she stalked out of the room.
Afterward, Shao Lin released a breath. Her mind clouded with thoughts. Thoughts of vengeance, thoughts of guilt, thoughts of something blue.
She then gathered her things and went home.
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