55 Du Lu enters the picture (2/2)
”My last name.”
”Also Richard's last name.”
”Yeah. So?”
”I just wondered.”
”I used it in my business dealings. To differentiate myself from my father.”
”You don't have to explain.”
”I'm not,” An Ning shrugged indifferently. ”Where's Moira?”
”We put her in the room next to mine,” Sam said, entering the room. ”What happened to her, Du Lu?”
”Let's go see her, shall we?” An Ning cut in. ”Sam, can you mind the kids? I don't want them to see Moira just yet.”
”Sure,” Sam said then went out.
”It seems everybody is already here except Richard and Valerie,” Du Lu insensitively said.
”Hmnn…” An Ning said, ignoring his attempt at humor.
Moira was sleeping when they entered the room. An Ning wasn't even surprised to see how dreadful she looked. She looked almost half dead, her hair drenched with sweat and plastered close to her skull. She had lost a lot of weight.There was a look of look-at-me-I'm-dying quality about her that was difficult to ignore. An Ning stared at the tiny dark veins that dotted her skin. They looked like dried blood caught in mid-flow. No wonder Du Lu was frightened. He knew he was staring death in the face which was why he called An Ning.
”Can you help her?” he asked quietly.
”Let's see how really powerful my blood is, shall we?” she quipped humorously.
She took a small knife from her pocket, flicked it open and cut a long line on the skin of her palm. Blood trickled out. An Ning parted Moira's lips with her fingers and allowed the blood to trickle on her tongue. She watched as Moira's tongue wakened and slowly licked at the moisture. An Ning waited until the dotted skin cleared up before withdrawing her hand and wrapping gauze around it.
”She'll be okay now,” she said, turning to Du Lu. ”You said something about someone trying to steal her soul. What did you mean by that?”
”I've seen the same thing happened to a child I once bought. I brought her home and watched as she vanished while eating a piece of chicken.”
”You bought a child?” An Ning was shocked.
Du Lu waved his hand.
”Long story. Anyway, the child had the same symptoms as Moira. And this dotted veins on her skin...it was kind of a jolt to see it again.”
”I don't know what happened to her or why someone would steal her soul or something. But it is unusual. But why say someone was trying to steal her soul?”
”I don't know. It fits somehow. Those grey veins looked like they were about to pop out from her skin. The first time I saw it, it seemed to me like the child was possessed. Then it happened to Moira.”
”I'm glad you were there to help her though. If it weren't for you she'd be dead right now.”
”She's okay now?”
”Yes, she's okay.”
”What about you? Are you alright?” Dulu's brows were knitted. He looked as if he was angry about something.
”I'll be okay. It doesn't take that much to get my strength back every time someone drinks my blood,” An Ning said, trying to sound jaded by it all.
”That's not what I meant and you know it.”
An Ning looked at him in surprise.
”You mean Richard? Yup, I'm okay. I'm not suicidal or anything like that,” she laughed. ”What's with you? You sound so serious all of a sudden.”
”Richard and Valerie are going to be married next month.”
The words had the same effect as an atom bomb. It silenced An Ning and wiped the smile off her face. Her gaze turned to Moira, who seemed to be breathing easily now in her sleep. An Ning searched herself. Honestly and truly asking herself what she felt about the bombshell news. Richard and Valerie. Those names she had tried so hard to ran away from. Even her mind had retreated from acknowledging the hurt and pain but now...she felt nothing. Richard or Han...she didn't know both men. She had thought she lived with Richard then Han and yet all that time she had felt like she was living with a stranger who made her feel good in bed but nothing more.
Perhaps it was she herself who have undergone such drastic changes. Sometimes, she found herselfthinking about the past. What was it? Was everything really just the result of Yu Yan's malice? She knew she had loved Richard since they were kids but why can't she remember the feeling? Why can't she remember anything of their past together? She told him she loved him, or she told Han she loved him, but was it really true? As for Han, who was he?He died so suddenly he didn't even leave an image or a word in her heart. She only knew that the brothers looked alike but what should she be feeling when she can't remember a single thing?
”I'm glad,” she finally told Du Lu who looked surprised.
”Why?”
”Because now my life is my own and my future will no longer include the names Richard and Valerie.”
Du Lu seemed to understand what she meant because he nodded his head. He looked at An Ning and seemed to hesitate.
”What is it?”
”Will you allow us to stay here for a couple of months?”
An Ning was surprised.
”What about your work? Aren't actors supposed to be busy with appearances and autograph signings and things like that?”
”I'm too important to sit around and sign autographs,” he said haughtily.
An Ning laughed.
”You opinionated, arrogant fop,” she said. ”Of course, you and Moira can stay. I don't know where to put you though.You can stay in my mother's house in the meantime until we find you a place.”
”How about a house?”
”You can rent one, yes,”
”What if I want to build one?”
An Ning frowned.
”Why do you want to build a house here for?”
”Why not?”
”But why here?”
”Why? Don't you like actors?”
”Don't be stupid. I'm just asking, that's all. Besides, you're too famous. If your fans find out you live here, we might be overran by crazy people.”
”Isn't that rather discriminatory?”
”I suppose so but who cares? This is my village. I run things around here and my word is law.”
”Arrogant, opinionated fop,” he replied, using her own words to taunt her.
An Ning burst out in laughter.
”I have to talk to my advisers before I can answer your request,” she said, still laughing merrily. ”But they might not agree though. I told you, you're too famous. Saravia is a quiet village. I don't know how to contain the crowd if they find out you're living here.”
”I'll take care of that part. Just let me pitch my tent here, okay?”
”Your tent is going to be as big as a mansion,” she pointed out then sighed. ”Oh, well. Let me see what I can do. I'll let you know.”
Moira groaned, which immediately distracted An Ning's attention. Du Lu watched her with unblinking eyes. The afternoon light played on his handsome face and it looked for a moment as if his eyes had softened.