Love Me if You Dare: Pristine Darkness

Jian Yao slept until it was quite late*. When she opened her eyes, there was no one by her side. She lifted her head and saw a familiar figure in the yard. The sky had cleared up.

*T/N 日上三竿 (ri shang san gan) – the sun has risen to the height of three bamboo poles (竿) above the horizon i.e. it’s late.

She unexpectedly laughed in relief. She also felt more at ease.

That guy, with injured legs, deep in the tiger’s cave, nevertheless could not sit still. Who knows what tricky manoeuvre he was contemplating in the early morning.

Sure enough, not long after, Bo Jinyan walked towards her using the wooden stick for support and said, “We should go and meet them.”

Jian Yao stiffened.

Under clear skies, the little town seemed to be somewhat more lively. There were more pedestrians on the streets, and the houses and trees seemed fresher and cleaner. Although they looked at Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan with great curiosity when they met them, they were nevertheless quite friendly. From outward appearances, they really looked like typical ordinary people from a poor and backward mountainous region. Moreover, they once again met several people carrying water back home. Jian Yao had been continuously observing the people they met on the road, but could not tell who belonged to Buddha’s Hand, or where they could be hiding. Could it be that they were on the upper floor of some building spying on them?

They reached the doctor’s clinic very soon. Jian Yao wanted to get some more gauze bandages and topical medicine so she could change Bo Jinyan’s bandages herself. Supporting Bo Jinyan, she pushed aside the curtain and entered the clinic, only to be startled.

There was a patient in the clinic today.

A stout and solidly-built man was sitting behind the consultation table. He was wearing camouflage and black boots, and was sporting a crew cut. He looked rough and fierce. Jian Yao observed that he had a callus between his thumb and forefinger, and there was a bulge at his waist. When he turned his body, she realised that it was an empty gun holster.

The man turned his head to look at them and went rigid, while his expression became guarded. Very calmly, Jian Yao guided Bo Jinyan as they walked over and sat next to him. Bo Jinyan also looked utterly unperturbed.

At this point, Wen Rong pulled back the curtain to the inner room and walked out. When he saw the three of them sitting there, he also started before saying to the man, with a smile, “Your medicine is here.”

The man took the medicine, then took out some money and put it on the table. He eyed Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan next to him obliquely before lifting his chin to ask, “Who are they?”

Wen Rong replied in a leisurely manner, “They are backpackers just passing through, and are also patients.”

The man seemed convinced by his words. He nodded and gave Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan another side glance before standing up and leaving.

At this time, the curtain to the inner room was pulled aside once again, but it was Qiu Sijin, the girl from the previous night, who walked out. Her cheeks were flushed, and when she saw them, she said, very happily, “You’re here again? Don’t worry, Dr Wen’s medical skills are the best; you will definitely get better in no time.”

Wen Rong laughed and reached out a hand to pat her head. “Go drink some water,” he said. Qiu Sijin nodded obediently and left.

Jian Yao explained their reason for coming. Wen Rong got the ready-made gauze bandages and other items from the cabinet and gave it to them, as well as enough oral medicine to last several days. Jian Yao accepted these with a smile.

“Do you often have patients?” Bo Jinyan asked out of the blue.

Without looking up, Wen Rong replied, “It’s hard to say. Sometimes there are a lot, and sometimes there are only a few.”

Bo Jinyan asked, “What are your patients like?”

Wen Rong smiled and said, “All sorts of people. A doctor can’t choose his patients.”

“You also have criminals like that guy just now?”

Wen Rong’s hands paused what they were doing. Looking up at Bo Jinyan, his gaze was clear and deep, like water, and it was impossible to tell whether he was angry or happy. He asked, “Who are you?”

Jian Yao stared at them without speaking.

The corners of Bo Jinyan’s mouth lifted slowly as he said, “What kind of people  can come to this place?”

Wen Rong was momentarily silent before saying, “Whether it’s a good person or a bad person, I am a doctor. Since I’m already here, I just want to save lives.”

Neither Jian Yao nor Bo Jinyan spoke further.

Before leaving, Bo Jinyan asked Wen Rong, “What should we do if we want to leave this small town?”

Wen Rong went quiet. He replied, “You can take a boat from the dock. The dock is the property of Boss Sun.”

Bo Jinyan asked, “How do we find Boss Sun?”

Wen Rong said, “He also runs a guest house, it’s in the west-most part of town.”

Bo Jinyan nodded and said, “Many thanks.” Qiu Sijin noticed that Wen Rong was seeing them off, so she returned to the inner room to do whatever it was she was doing. Supported by Jian Yao, Bo Jinyan took two steps forward, then paused and turned his head to say, “Doctor, please take good care of yourself.”

Wen Rong froze for a moment, seemingly moved. Then, he smiled, nodded, and said, “Yes, you guys, too. If you need any help while you’re here, remember to look for me.”

After they had walked for a short distance, Jian Yao said, “This guy seems pretty okay.”

Bo Jinyan did not say anything, so Jian Yao did not continue the conversation.

Slowly, they walked to the west-most part of the small town. They saw an old building with grey walls and white roof tiles, looking somewhat cleaner and fresher than most inns. The eaves were full of green plants which added vitality to the scene. On the signboard was written ‘Ruyi* Inn’.

*T/N 如意 (ruyi) – as one wants, according to one’s wishes. One of the most popular Lunar New Year greetings is 万事如意 (wan shi ru yi) which roughly translates to ‘may all that you desire be achieved’.

They stood on the street corner and looked at the inn. The walls on both sides of the inn were like a pair of hands, extending backwards into the distance, as if sheltering everything within, or concealing it. From the outside, the inn looked very quiet, with only an occasional glimpse of a figure. Nothing could be seen clearly.

Jian Yao said, “Are we really going?”

“Yes,” Bo Jinyan replied coolly. “The most important means of transport in this small town is via water. If Buddha’s Hand is here, then transport routes will inevitably be under their control. Since they have noticed our arrival, with the meticulous and ruthless way of doing things their organisation has employed for many years, even though they may not have confirmed our identities, they will not let us off so easily. If we don’t do anything, we might as well sit and wait for death. However, have you forgotten the identity I came here with?”

Jian Yao stared at him.

Bo Jinyan smiled and said, “Smiling Snake narrowly escaped death and personally brought the information to Buddha’s Hand, why would you kill him?”

Jian Yao hesitated for a beat before exclaiming, “It’s too risky!”

He said, “A child who takes risks will have sweets to eat.”

Jian Yao was momentarily lost for words. Then, she said, “Be careful with everything. If anything happens, stand behind me. Whether for better or for worse, right now, my skills are much better than yours.”

She had repeated his previous words. Bo Jinyan squeezed her hand and said lightly, “Ok.”

They walked into the inn. However, even though they were perceptive and intelligent, they had no way to observe what went on both inside and outside the inn. How many pairs of eyes, whether ruthless, suspicious, contemptuous, or curious, were trained on them at this time?

Through the entrance was a living room set in a garden*, and there was even a bridge installed over a little stream. Several men were sitting on one side of the veranda, playing cards. Upon hearing them enter, they all turned to look at them. Sitting behind the bar counter against the wall was another man with his drink half-raised. He looked at them with slightly narrowed eyes, and suddenly smiled.

*T/N 花厅 (hua ting) – lit. flower hall. Refers to a living room outside the lobby of an old-style home, usually set in a yard or a garden.

The atmosphere in the living room had abruptly become several degrees more tense and awkward. It was as if the usually tranquil waters of a lake had finally been disturbed by a breeze, and everyone’s reflection had become blurred.

Bo Jinyan walked to the bar counter and said, “We want a room.”

The man behind the bar counter was about 34 or 35 years old, tall and pale, and wearing spectacles. His face was beaming, and he looked very refined. He said, “Ah, ok, for how many days?”

“Three days should be enough.”

He did not ask for their identity cards but simply took the money, assigned them a room instantly, and gave them the room card before smiling faintly and saying, “I hope you have a pleasant stay here.”

Meanwhile, Jian Yao had been very calmly observing everyone present. Fang Qing had once said that the ‘qi’* of highly skilled experts was always tangible. At present, Jian Yao was gradually sensing this. She could feel that all the people in the room were not simple characters. If taken all together, she was totally not their match.

*T/N 气 (qi) – vital energy, life force. In traditional Chinese belief, qi is the vital force forming part of any living entity, the flow of which must be balanced for health. Read more here.

Bo Jinyan said, “Thanks.” Holding Jian Yao’s hand, he took two steps forward then turned his head to say, “That’s right, I wonder if you could carry a message for me.”

The pale man looked up at them.