“I’m fine.” I lowered my eyes and looked at the wound on my hand.
My heart hurt.
So I couldn’t even feel the pain in my fingers.
Ming took a band aid out of his pocket and put it on me. He accused me, “you’re a designer. The
designer’s hand is as important as the face.”
I looked down slightly.
Ming seemed to realize my frustration. He patted me on the head. “Can’t you forget him?”
I didn’t speak. I didn’t even change my face.
But my heart couldn’t fool me.
Ming held me in his arms and patted me on the back. “I know I’m not him, and I can’t be him, but I will
do my best to you. There will never be a third person between us.”
This was the best promise for me.
There would never be a third person between us.
It was like a sarcastic remark about Sean and me.
There was always a third person between him and me.
So our relationship was so crowded and awkward.
Ming could always find a good point and let me persuade myself to let go.
I was in his arms.
The warmth of Ming was like the sunshine at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. It was
warm but it didn’t burn me.
Maybe this was the best.
I made up my mind and hugged him, “give me time. I will certainly forget him.”
“Take your time.”
With that, I felt a kiss fall on my head.
It was very light.
I shivered a little, but I didn’t refuse.
When Ming was cleaning up the debris underground, I looked at the black coffee cup. I thought about it
for a while and decided to put it aside on the cupboard.
In case Sean came back, then...
Oh, he said he would not come again.
My hand holding the cup was hanging in the air. I didn’t know whether to pick it up or to put it down.
“Is this Sean’s cup? I’ll take it back to him when I have time.”
Ming came up and took the cup in my hand and put it back in the original box.
He always seemed to know what I was thinking.
I saw his face swollen. I thought Sean just hit him. I walked quickly and put my hand less than a
centimeter from his face. I asked him with concern, “does it hurt? Let me help you with some ice.”
The refrigerator in the studio had ice making function.
I took some ice out of the fridge, and then I took Ming’s handkerchief and laid it for him.
He sat on the sofa and I sat by. I applied the ice carefully.
He frowned slightly and I quickly took it away. “I’m sorry. I’ll be gentle.”
“No, I just want to see if you care about me.” Ming looked at me. His eyes were soft and clear through
the lenses.
I blushed a little.
I slowly put the ice on for him.
But because it was summer, the ice soon melted and soaked the handkerchief, and the cold water
drops came down from it.
“I’ll change some.”
I got up and went to the sink. I pour out the ice in my handkerchief. Then I went to the fridge and
decided to get some more ice.
Ming suddenly came up and put his hands around my body. He put his chin on my shoulder.
“Ming…”
I was stunned and stopped.
His voice came from my ear, “I used to humour Sean, but I will not humour him about you from now
on.”
His voice was as soft as ever.
But it was firm.
I hesitated and said, “OK, Ming.”
It was time for me to forget the past and embrace the future.
“Happy broken pupa, gorgeous new impulse...”
As he held me, my cell phone rang.
Only Murray would call this mobile number except Ming.
He was here. It must be Murray.
Was something wrong with Lester?
I nervously broke away from his arms and went to pick up my cell phone.
“Mom.”
I heard Lester’s childish voice as soon as the phone was connected.
“Lester? Why don’t you go to class?” Today was Thursday. Lester was supposed to go to kindergarten.
Lester said unhappily, “I have a little cough today. Grandpa Moore asked for leave for me.”
He pretended to cough twice.
I knew he didn’t want to go to kindergarten and Murray doted on him, so he helped him cheat.
I frowned and said, “if you really have a cold, just...”
“Mom, when are you coming back? I miss you so much.” Lester, of course, knew I was going to teach
him a lesson. His voice was a bit weepy.
I knew he was pretending, but he must be a little sincere. After all, I had never been away from him so
long.
I frowned and said, “Mom will be back in two or three weeks at the latest.”
“Two or three weeks. Mom, did you abandon me?”
Lester was crying on the phone.
“Mom...”
“Let me talk to him.”
When I wanted to talk to Lester, Ming reached out and pressed the handsfree button.
He said to the phone, “Lester, your mother is with Uncle Jessop now. Shall we go back to see you in a
few weeks?”
“Uncle Jessop?” Lester stopped crying as soon as he heard Ming’s voice. He was silent for a while
before he said, “well, Uncle Jessop, I’ll give you my mother.”
“Well, don’t worry.”
“Then you should remember our agreement.”
“Don’t worry.”
They talked for a while and then hung up.
After he hung up, I looked at Ming suspiciously, “what’s the agreement?”
“Nothing. It’s just an agreement between two men.” Ming looked at me. There were some secret smiles
in his gentle eyes.
He raised his hand and patted me on the head. “I’ll go back first. You can work. I’ll go back to see
Lester with you in a while.”
“OK.”
I didn’t ask about Ming’s face.
There were many ways to deal with it when he returned to the hospital.
I sat down and turned on the computer. He stood by me and said, “don’t stay up late, or I will come to
see you every night.”
“...”
Before I could speak, Ming added, “or do you want me to come and see you every night?”
This sentence made my face completely red, “no, I will go to bed on time.”
He sighed and patted me on the head. “OK, I’ll go first.”
With that, he left.
I looked at Ming’s back and had a little ripple in my heart.
If I decided to be with Ming, we would have a further relationship.
I couldn’t help but feel a little flustered when I thought of this.
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