Ten Thousand Books, But Only One You

27 The Shape of Water

Chapter 27: The Shape of Water

In Ji Kai's fictional short story titled "The Shape of Water" which explores the world of espionage in the Chinese Republican Era, there was an opulent hotel located at the Shanghai Bund, in the International Settlement, known as "The Bonham House Hotel". Entering through the revolving glass doors, one would find a French restaurant to his right. Dining at La Lune Bleu required patrons to make a reservation months in advance, otherwise one would be apologetically turned away at the entrance.

Walking into the restaurant, I instantly felt as if I had walked onto a drama set at Hengdian World Studios. Diners dressed to the nines revelled in the elegant art deco glamour in their surrounds with classical jazz playing in the background, engaging in merry conversations, savouring their food and clinking glasses with the finest libations.

"This place is famous for its entrecôte steak. You can select their signature butter-based sauce or the classic black pepper sauce." Ji Kai remarked as he described the menu which was either in French or traditional Chinese characters to me. I could read the latter but I didn't wish to interrupt his enthusiasm.

My eyes scanned the words printed on fancy paper, finding the whole experience more and more intriguing. "And what are you getting for your main course?"

"Probably the duck confit," he said with a smile before raising his hand elegantly to call a nearby waiter: "Sir, please."

As Ji Kai recited our orders, I looked at him in surprised. I had forgotten that waiters would always check with diners how they would like their meat to be cooked. To think that Ji Kai actually ordered the doneness that I had stubbornly sworn to stick by for life.

With happy indifference, he lifted his glass of wine, sniffed it before taking a small sip. Feeling my awestruck eyes on him, he gazed at me through the glass.

"Sorry, are you alright with a medium steak? I had just ordered it because I thought that you would only ever eat that." He set down his glass and inquired belatedly.

"Yes, but how did you know?" I asked in a low tone. Only my family and friends with whom I had had beef steak dishes with would know of my staunch dislike of raw meat.

Ji Kai folded his hands on his lap and swallowed. As if he had known that this moment would come sooner or later, he drew in a deep breath. "Your best friend, Zhang Xiaorong, told me about it about two years ago."

"Xiaorong?" I frowned in disbelief. "Since when were you friends with her? Back in high school, the both of you barely spoke at all."

He scratched the side of his head, unable to maintain eye contact with me. "Somehow we are connected on Diandian?"

I looked at him with increasing astonishment. Zhang Xiaorong was a friend that I made in the second year of high school and had became my closest friend ever since. We even went to the same university, albeit different courses, and even rented a flat together. When she discovered that I was well-acquainted with Ji Kai in our third year of high school, she joined the one-member fandom for Ji Kai and I to end up in a relationship one day. She had never turned back since.

"She has never told me that she has been in contact with you!" I exclaimed, but lowered my voice when I realised the setting we were in. "You cut off all contact with me, but you've been talking to her this whole time?" I felt a sense of betrayal from Xiaorong for keeping me in the dark for so many years.

"No, no—no! Don't misunderstand," Ji Kai straightened and shook his head in alarm. Suddenly becoming aware of our surroundings, he quickly lowered his volume as I did earlier. "She has just been sending me regular updates about you for the past few years. I've read them all but I've never replied any of them."