67 Change of Plans

"Did your date not arrive, and you are blaming me?" She then added cheekily. 

"You! You are a jinx!" Han Jun said in annoyance. This also proved that she was right. 

"Hoho! You can't blame any of that on me!" Han Jie said as she placed a hand over her heart as if hurt. 

Han Jun snorted at her, then he walked towards them, sat on the available chair, and ate Han Jie's dinner. 

"You probably cast a bad luck spell on me or something." Han Jun told his cousin as he reached into the desserts tray for a piece of chocolate. 

"That is not- Oy! Ask first!" Han Jie said, slapping his hands away from the tray. 

"Never!" Han Jun said as he snatched up the whole plate of chocolates.

"Hey, that's mine!" Han Jie said, getting up to chase her cousin and grab the whole plate of chocolates back. 

"Enough." Han Feng suddenly said, who just appeared in the living room. He was wearing pajamas and probably was already sleeping before they caused them to wake. 

Immediately, Han Jun and Han Jie stopped acting like kids for a moment. Yet, it did not take long for them to start, glaring at each other, and cursed without making any sounds. 

Jonah reached for another cupcake, as he was hungry. He also was invited to eat earlier, so there was nothing wrong to continue doing so, right? 

Han Jie glared at Jonah when she noticed him being casual, not defending her even as he took another leisure bite on a dessert.

"Jie'er, thank your cousin. He will go to City S tomorrow. He needs energy." Han Feng said. 

"But I can go there too! He was just available tomorrow." Han Jie said, glaring at her cousin. 

"Thank him, and no. He has work to do in the office, but he is the best person to go there, and he can keep himself safe." Han Feng said with authority.

"But Jonah was there to protect me!" Han Jie said, pointing at Jonah. Gone was her reluctant obedience from earlier. Probably she ate too many sweets already, and the sugar was making her energetic and hyper. 

Jonah choked on his cupcake, coughing, when he heard her. There was no way he would volunteer to go to City S. 

"I know that Jie'er, and we already talked about this earlier." Han Feng said, tolerant. 

"But, but..." Han Jie said defiantly. 

Han Feng glared at Han Jie, "No buts! Thank you, him, and you all can go to sleep." He demanded. 

"Thank you." Han Jie grudgingly said as she sat down and stared longingly at the plate of chocolates.

"Good. Jun, go back to your room and sleep. You have a lot of things to do tomorrow." Han Feng said, leaving the room. 

Han Jun stuck his tongue out at Han Jie asked her left the room too. Han Jie glared at his back. 

'Now who's the child?' She thought, as if comparing if she could do better than him.

"I'll get back at him." Han Jie muttered to herself. She really will. 

Han Jie sat on her bed, staring at her drawing book. Her pens were scattered around her on her well-made bed. She was staring out the window of her room. 

'MaeMae, what is going on with you?' Han Jie hated the way her worries was showing up worse case scenarios happening with her sister, playing insider her head, repeatedly. 

Han Jie grabbed her phone and started calling Han Mae again. Just like her recent attempts, her calls were routed to voicemail. 

'I really need to go to City S. How to sneak out without father passing out after, though?' She continuously wondered. 

Ring.Ring. Her phone suddenly buzzed an incoming call. It was from Suzuki Kyou. 

"Hello?" She answered weakly as if she just woke up. 

"I woke you up? Sorry." 

"Oh… It's alright." Han Jie hurriedly said. She had been drawing Master Shu for years, and she would have never thought that in her life, he would apologize. She also never wrote it that way. 

Years. And she had been obsessed with him. What would the owner of the body think? 

Han Jie shivered at that. When she finally managed to calm herself, she asked softly, "Is there a problem?"

She heard him hummed, "Nothing. I just need you to appear more with me in public. Do you have any important plans this week?" He asked seriously. 

"None…" Han Jie answered, unsure, but she almost felt like crying inside. She really wanted to go to City S! 

Han Jie had a feeling that her father had talked to Suzuki Kyou to call her and make sure that she won't do anything stupid. 'Master Shu, you are supposed to work on my side!' 

In the end, Han Jie needed to give up the idea of sneaking out. She also knew that there was a slim chance that she could find Han Mae on her own in City S. 

Suzuki Kyou quickly bid 'goodnight' and hangup, before she could even speak. 

It was also not bad to have more time with him, but her sister was also important, right? 

She was still thinking about this and did not notice that it was already one am. Han Jie couldn't still sleep. 

Han Jie knew that if she slept, she was going to have nightmares because of worry for her sister. 'I am really going crazy.' She thought sarcastically, as she kept staring out the window. 

***

Han Jie woke up with a start. She looked around the room wildly before settling down and breathing in. 'It was only a dream, relax.' She tried to appease herself as she remembered her dream vaguely, but it was all about her sister. 

Han Jie had been too scared to sleep, and now that she had slept, she had slept badly. Her nightmare had ruined her night, just like what she had expected.

She had looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand by her bed. 

'7 am, barely slept. Good. Time for breakfast.' Han Jie thought her thoughts were coming abruptly thanks to her lingering fear from the nightmare. 

Han Jie got up slowly on unsteady legs, pushing her sketchbook away from her duvet cover so it won't go down as the duvet was about to. She then hobbled to the bathroom to take a shower and wash away the rest of the nightmare. 

As she passed the mirror, she winced as she stared at her face. 'I did forget my make up on yesterday.' Han Jie realized. 

Han Jie sighed and undressed. She was going to take a long and hot shower to clear her head. 

After her shower, Han Jie wrapped herself up in her towel, and she had brought hers simply because she didn't trust the towels in the hotel. She wrapped another one on her washed hair. 

When she was done, she picked up a towel and wiped the foggy mirror. She stared at herself for a while. Her eyes had black,, blue bags under them, screaming how horrible her night was. 

Han Jie winced at the sight of her face. She dressed quickly in another pair of pajamas before going back to the bathroom. 

She then applied a generous amount of concealer under her eyes before smiling in satisfaction. 'Father wouldn't notice a thing.' She thought to herself, smiling tiredly. Han Jie really didn't need him to worry about her when he had other things on his mind. 

Han Jie strolled out of the bathroom and glanced at the alarm clock again. '8:15? How long did I spend in there?' She realized as she let herself out of her room. 

Jonah stood at her door, his hand poised to knock. "Good morning, miss." He said, smiling softly. 

'She looks tired.' Jonah observed. 'Maybe she also had a terrible night like I did.' 

"Good morning Jonah." Han Jie said, smiling up at Jonah. 'If anyone could read me, it would be him, and he looks tired too.' She thought. 

"Are you ready for breakfast, miss?" Jonah asked quietly.

"Of course, I am Jonah. Why don't you take a break today?" Han Jie said as she began to move towards the dining room. 

"A break?" Jonah asked, clearly surprised. He then frowned and looked at her suspiciously. 

"Yes, Jonah, take a break. Yesterday's excitement would last a week." Han Jie said, stopping just before entering the dining room. 

"But what if you want to go somewhere, miss?" Jonah asked, disturbed. 'I think she wants to go somewhere and not bring me along.' He thought, and this was highly possible. 

***

Author's Note:

If you also have free time, please check out my other books, while waiting for the update: 

- Beneficial Union: Chasing A Rogue Wife

- Marriage Right's: Billionnaire's Forgotten Wife

- Baby Contract: Forced Deal with a Dragon 

- OtherThoughs (For Announcements and Oneshots)

From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much!