Jingzhe insisted on driving i i ho after they left the civil affairs office. Given his determination, she was expecting to see a surprise party. However, to her surprise, there was no surprise party waiting for her. All the guests were gone, as were the servants. The house was empty--even the pets had been taken away.
It was very quiet, unnaturally so that i i felt as if sothing was missing. Jingzhe led her to the backyard and she gasped. There was a surprise indeed but it looked like a private surprise.
Fairy lights had been hung on the trees and the fence. A table for two sat under a tree and one of grandma Jun’s tea pots was sitting on it along with two cups and two crystal glasses.
All around the table, candles had been placed around to form the shape of a heart.
"Is this a date?" i i asked him.
Jingzhe nodded. "I wanted to do sothing special for you to celebrate your divorce. I searched my brain for ideas, wondering what I could do and I realized that I could give you a mont of peace. A mont to process your emotions, to unload you burdens, to laugh or cry without worrying about anyone else bothering you."
He wanted to give her an evening that was theirs. No Mingzhu, no ow ow, no frogs, spiders, nosy relatives, giggling maids and all the other chaos of their daily lives.
He stretched his hand out, "Smart devices, smart watch and everything that you use to communicate, hand it over. Unless the world is on fire, you are on a break from everything."
She obediently turned in all those things.
Jingzhe gave them to the robot butler and they sat down. He poured two glasses of jasmine sparkling tea into the crystal glasses--one for himself and one for her.
i i thought they would be drinking wine. The tea threw her off balance for a second. But, she did not question it and she just soaked in the gentle heat emitted by the evening sound, closed her eyes, upturned her face and smiled.
The joy she was feeling was not easily explained. It was an understated joy, like the kind a farr felt when they watched their seedlings sprout and turn green. The beating of her heart was undecided, it was neither too fast nor too slow. She thought about the last ti she had enjoyed such peace. It had been many years.
Her ex, Mo Liang had truly taken the sun and warmth out of her life. One docunt was all it had taken to bring it back. There would be no more dark days.
"Would you like to toast?" Jingzhe asked her.
i i opened her eyes and raised her glass. "To freedom."
He shook his head. "To you," he corrected. "When you say freedom it ans all freedom, not just yours but his. This mont is not about him. The rest of your life is not about him. It is about you."
i i grinned. "You are right, it is all about ."
They tapped their glasses together gently and sipped tea.
i i gestured at empty table. "I have to ask, where is the cake?"
Jingzhe chuckled. "I feel like you have eaten too much cake ever since my mother and I moved in with you. We have the usual daily cakes which are always on the fridge. Then, we had i i’s tea party and there was more cake. The day that followed was Lian’s birthday and again we ate enough cake to digest for a month. Part of my duty as your boyfriend is taking care of your health." He pointed at his chest and said, "I, doctor boyfriend Jingzhe who graduated with honors in the bachelor of liking Jun ilin declare that Jun ilin should not eat anymore cake for a while to prevent stomachaches, aching teeth and questions like ’do I look fatter than ow ow?’"
i i gasped. "How did you know...." She rolled her hand and slapped the table. "Mingzhu. I should have known that her itchy mouth cannot keep a secret. When did she tell you about this?"
"As soon as you left for work." he replied.
i i groaned. "Did she tell everyone?"
Jingzhe nodded. "When ow ow hears about this, she will not be very pleased to hear that she has been called fat. I don’t know if that that bat is truly intelligent but I think she understands when people are talking about her."
He stood up and turned on the music, inviting her to dance along to so vintage music. His other plans included dinner in front of the fire place, a horror movie [so that he could prove he was not scared of zombies], cuddling under a blanket as they drunk so hot tea and ate that chocolate caral popcorn she loved and a kiss under the moonlight. Then it was off to bed.
***
In the house next door, which had been emptied out a week before, i i’s guests had moved in. Grandma Jun had purchased the house so that they could all be nearer to i i and Mingzhu. Also, with a family as large as theirs, having another house in the area would do them good.
At the mont, everyone was gathered in the living room watching a scowling, wing flapping ow ow that was roosting upside-down on the roof of a bat cage that been moved inside.
It’s top had been pushed up so that everyone could get a full view of ow ow which the bat both loved and hated, depending on what was happening at the mont.
Dr. Jun Liping, Ringo and Cherry’s daughter who was a vet was waiting to examine the bat. Jun Yi turned on so very calming spa music, Chi Mi Mi brought fruits and with the help of Mingzhu and Lian, they started putting the fruits on skewers.
Grandma Jun held the cara, smiling like a dotting proud grandmother.
Jun Liping extended her hand to examine ow ow’s stomach and the bat hissed.
"Co on Miss diva, we do this dance every week." Liping reminded ow ow. "You have missed all your appointnts after moving in with i i and you have been eating a little too much. You are looking overweight."
"Take that back," ow ow hissed in flawless echolocation. "I just ate so extra fruit, mango nectar and a few sweets."
Doctor Jun Liping did not understand bat, she had no idea what ow ow said. She just donned her gloves and adjusted her goggles. Then, she leaned in and started the exam.
"Congratulations ow ow, we finally have a clearer picture--triplets."
Grandma Jun squealed. "I told you that she is a Jun."
Everyone applauded.
Everyone that was, except for the expectant mother.
ow ow’s eyes were narrowed. "Triplets! triplets! Why was I struck with your family curse? I wanted one. Just one. I have seen Chi Lian and Jun Muyang running away from their triplets. I am not stupid, I know triplets are trouble."
Liping laughed. "Look at her, she is so excited."
ow ow covered her belly with a wing. "Now you know why I have been getting fat, it is not extra fruit. And this is not what excitent sounds like."
Jun Yi was the only one that seed to understand ow ow’s dilemma. She tried to comfort a the bat with a mango slice and the hormonal bat slapped it away with a wing-thwack of righteous indignation.
None the less, Jun Yi comforted the bat with words. "It will be okay ow ow, you have . I will help with the babies."
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