When He Comes, Close Your Eyes [Ding Mo]

18

Jian Yao leans on the wall that faces his bedroom door. She knocks gently on the wall.

It’s been three months. 

He looks much the same.  He is sitting on his bed, working.  When he hears the knock, he looks up and sees Jian Yao.  He puts down the stack of documents in his hands and walks toward her.  

    Jian Yao is still wearing her apron and long rubber gloves.  Her long hair casually tied back. There’s even a bit of stain on her cheeks.  

    Bo Jinyan walks up close to her.   She can smell the laundry scent from his clean, white shirt.

    His eyes sparkles. With a shallow and arrogant smile, he speaks with the deep voice she has not heard in months: “Liar.”

    Jian Yao feels as if her heart has missed a beat.  Her cheeks start to burn.  But she calms herself down quickly.  

- Remember, he held your hands just to let you lie down on the killing machine.  There must be a ‘non-romantic’ reason for all his suggestive gestures.   

    So she asks: “What do you mean?"

    Bo Jinyan answers proudly: “Obviously, you already treat this apartment like your home."

    He comes back to see her cleaning the house, even having her lunch here.  So he assumes she has finally ‘come to her senses’ and decides to move in with him. 

    Just as she is about to explain the whole situation, he points to the table: “Present.  It’s on the table.” 

Present?

  

    Jian Yao walks over to the table.  Next the stack of documents, there’s a small rectangular box.  It’s blue in colour with a white ribbon around it.

She takes her gloves off and opens the box. 

    -

    Jian Yao holds the box and walk out to the lounge. Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa drinking the flower tea.   

    She is quiet.  So he speaks first: “ So, do you like it?” 

    Jian Yao answers truthfully: "Yes, it’s very nice." She looks inside of the box: A platinum necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, trimmed with diamonds.  It’s sparkling brightly under the lights.

    "But ......" she did not get to finish her sentence, because Bo Jinyan suddenly takes out his mobile phone.

    “Susan, she likes the gift.  Goodbye.” He tells the person on the other side, then puts the phone aside.

    Jian Yao asks: "Who did you call?"

    Bo Jinyan stands up from the sofa: "FBI Behavioural Analysis Unit Assistant.  She chose the present.  She insists that I call her after you receive the present. She wants to know what your reactions will be.”

  - So that’s how the present came about.  He asked his assistant to buy a present on his behalf.   That person must have misunderstood her relationship with him.  Therefore the present is an expensive heart-shaped diamond necklace.

    Jian Yao gives the necklace back to him: "Thank you, but it’s too expensive, and it’s not necessary."

    Bo Jinyan lifts his eye to look at her: “Just because the present is from me, you want me to be responsible for gift exchange too?”