CH 24

Misunderstanding and Heartache

After breakfast, Ou Tingyun suggested, "What happened yesterday, shall we talk about it?"

Yi Zhize was curious, "It's Monday, Dr. Ou doesn't need to work?"

"I don't consult on Mondays, I'll just take a day off." Ou Tingyun asked rhetorically, "What about Mr. Yi? Shouldn't you be late at this hour?"

"Yes."

"Then how about not going at all? Didn't you tell me earlier that your law firm doesn't have a strict schedule of work?"

"Even so..." Yi Zhize had a strong work ethic and skipping work on a weekday was a serious anomaly for him: "there's a regular meeting on Monday mornings."

"Don't go." Ou Tingyun decided for him, "I'm your doctor, you have to listen to me."

"Okay."

The two of them went to the consulting room and Ou Tingyun closed the curtains.

The room suddenly darkened and Yi Zhize sat down on a soft white chair, "Mu Xin, I think, is an old acquaintance of my father's." After a pause, he added, "Or perhaps, more accurately, an enemy."

"Why do you say that?"

"He told me yesterday that he loathed him." Yi Zhize frowned, "And, he believed that the car accident was not an accident."

"What do you think?"

"I'm not sure."

"He's a typical psychopath," Ou Tingyun said reassuringly, "and his words may not be credible at all. Let's wait a little longer and see if there's any news from the police station."

"En."

"What did you remember last night?"

Yi Zhize's breathing stalled for a moment, and it took him a while to calm down before he spoke slowly, "I remembered, the image of my mother's death."

"What else?"

"Unlike before, this time, I really saw it in all its details." his voice began to tremble despite his efforts to restrain it, "Her blood poured on my face, on my clothes, on my hands, everywhere."

"Zhize," Ou Tingyun soothed, "it's all in the past."

"They, forever and ever, cannot be washed away." Yi Zhize said softly, "Teacher, thank you."

"Thank you for what?"

"I was able to see you, in the illusion."

"What did you see?"

"You held the umbrella for me, and you told me," Yi Zhize's throat rolled, his voice husky and gentle, "that the rain had stopped."

"It has been raining for so long, and it is indeed time for it to clear. Isn't it? Zhize."

"En."

"Teacher," Yi Zhize repeated, "thank you."

"Have I ever told you that I don't like you saying that word?"

"But I'm really..."

"Shh, Zhize, behave." Ou Tingyun whispered coaxingly, "Between us, there is no need to be so formal."

"Tingyun, I think maybe...."

"Hmm?"

"What you said was right."

"What did I say?"

"As soon as a connection is made, it's like a spider's web that can't be categorised one by one." Yi Zhize looked at him, "What should I do? I owe you so much that I can no longer repay you."

"Then don't pay it back." Ou Tingyun smiled calmly, "I will allow you to borrow from me indefinitely. I will treat you without a bottom line and without regard to principal or interest."

It was as if a hot, warm current had flowed abruptly into the heart, easily melting the cold pool.

Yi Zhize pursed his lips, not knowing how to reply.

Ou Tingyun rubbed his hair: "All right, let's stop here for today."

Yi Zhize's breath caught: the places he touched rose up in a way he hadn't felt before.

Burning.

———

Afternoon, A City, Yuanfan Building.

Yi Zhize arrived at work at Ruizheng Law Firm.

Just as he entered the office, he heard a pleasant voice ring out, "Surprise! Yi Par!"

Par is short for partner, which is usually used to address a law firm boss or partner.

Looking at the person in front of him, Yi Zhize had a vague headache.

Victor was dressed in a sophisticated Italian suit, with a mature and classic side-back haircut. With three-dimensional features, deep-set eye sockets and a high nose, he had typical mixed-race features: "Why didn't you come to the meeting this morning? It's not like you. I mean, in the past, when you were at UCL Law School, you never missed meetings."

"Because of some personal matters." Yi Zhize put his briefcase on the table, "Your case in England, are you done with it?"

"Of course," Victor's blue eyes were full of grievance, "Yi, aren't you happy to see me?"

Yi Zhize sat down in his seat, "What's there to be happy about?"

"Oh! My heart!" Victor quipped, "Why? My heart is bleeding!"

Yi Zhize sighed helplessly, "Stop acting, are you busy today?"

"Forgive me, I can't help but get emotional when I see old friends." Victor leaned against Yi Zhize's desk, "We haven't seen each other for a long time. I want to, invite you to dinner this evening."

Yi Zhize was just about to refuse.

"Don't refuse me!" Victor's pale blue eyes were full of sincerity: "I knew you were going to refuse me, I had a hunch. An told me that you are very keen to socialise these days and often have dinner with a client. So why can't I?"

Why did An Rong say everything outwardly? Yi Zhize made a silent note in his heart: "She misunderstood, I don't."

"No, I can feel it." Victor moved a little closer towards him, "You're not the same as before, not anymore. What has changed you?"

"You're overthinking it, I'm still me."

"Oh! The serious Yi, the strict Yi." Victor persevered: "May I have the pleasure to dine with you this evening? For the record, not all of it is personal, I have a case I would like to discuss with you. Of course, if I may, I would like it to be our own, completely private event."

"What kind of case?"

"An international criminal case! You're good at international law, I know that." Victor said, "For the sake of the English I once taught you, help me out? Oh, you were so young back then."

"Don't talk about that," Yi Zhize clearly didn't want to remember that past, "I agree to it."

At around 8pm, Yi Zhize and Victor went to a western restaurant.

"Although I like Chinese food," Victor said, "the first time you and I reunite, it has to be in such a setting in order to bring back memories of our old days together."

"You're still the same as you used to be." Yi Zhize commented, "What a lot of nonsense."

"Thank you for the compliment." Victor smiled brightly, "This way, Sir."

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

After taking his seat, Yi Zhize felt that an unmistakable gaze fell on him.

He looked up and, to his surprise, saw Ou Tingyun.

He was very close to him, not far away, by the window.

Beside him was a lady, whose face could not be seen.

Yi Zhize was suddenly a little flustered.

He tried to avert his eyes, but could not move a single inch.

They stared at each other like this, neither of them saying anything.

Victor interrupted, "Yi, what are you looking at?"

Only then did Yi Zhize withdraw his gaze: "Nothing."

Victor said, "How about a drink, a glass of wine?"

"En." Yi Zhize was so distracted that he couldn't help but look at Ou Tingyun again.

He could only see him talking in a low voice with the lady.

An inexplicable emotion enveloped him.

Yi Zhize didn't know what was wrong.

All he felt was that his heart flushed with a tingling pain.