Chapter 47 - I Will Leave
UNEDITED VERSION
Even after ending their discussion regarding marriage and family, Wan Yi Jun couldn't quite agree with Ming Yue words as he thought more about it.
He had already finished eating his food, but he refused to leave the dining table as if he wanted to get a clarification from the girl who just told him that she wasn't interested in getting married.
When he heard her talking about family and children, he thought she was someone who gives importance to marriage and relationships. No matter, how emotionless she seemed, he believed that deep inside her heart, Ming Yue also had motherly affection and undying hope of owning a family. However, her opinion literally contradicted whatever Wan Yi Jun guessed about her, and he couldn't help but probe more like a gossipmonger.
It was his first time meeting a girl who never cared about having a family or being in a relationship.
Almost every woman he met so far, even his mother and Zhi Lan, had dreams of getting married and raising children when they were the same age as Ming Yue,
"You don't want to get married?" Wan Yi Jun asked in a doubting tone, slightly worrying whether he sounded too offensive and pushy.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn't accept her decision, especially since Ming Yue was a poor orphan with no family or friends whatsoever.
But Ming Yue didn't even care for a bit as he wobbled her head in denial.
"No? When I heard you speaking about family and children, I thought you are-" Even before he could finish, Ming Yue interrupted Wan Yi Jun with her reasons for choosing such a decision.
"Family, children- I'm not meant for that, master." She stated in a voice so clear and unflinching, "We, courtesans, are only meant to be someone's mistresses, not the madam of a house." Ming Yue reminded once again about her upbringing and the life she lived so far.
Even though, history documents describe courtesans as entertainers who existed to meet the needs of upper-classmen by providing company and often sexual pleasures to those who could not respectably be seen to visit a lower-class prostitute.
But the time has changed, now. Imperial no longer hosts a Courtesan house nor allows a woman to become a courtesan.
"That's not a reason."
"People do care about social statuses, master. Especially men, they can never accept a woman from such an upbringing and have questionable past."
"But your lady got married,"
"They never married. Master used to be my lady's Patreon while we were in the courtesan house. Apart from all the physical relationships, they had an emotional bond that allowed them to stay together and have a baby."
"Oh, they were in love?"
"A damsel in distress and a Knight in silver armour, they were made for each other."
"Do you have a knight in silver armour?"
"I used to be a damsel in distress, but right now, I'm my own knight in silver armour."
"Huh, I understood. You hate the idea of being in a relationship, don't you?"
"Didn't we tell that we will not-"
"Oh wow, so there is someone whom you like?"
"No."
"Don't worry. I will not ask anything more about that special someone unless you want to talk about it."
"If I had a special someone, do you think that I would go looking for work in a brothel? I have never experienced any romantic feelings in my life. They taught me to serve and entertain people for money."
"Didn't you tell me that you have never been a courtesan? Then why do you bother about it? You can live however you want. You can fall in love with someone, marry him, have children and grow old together. You can do everything a woman does in this world. There is no need to cling to your past. Let the bygones be gone."
"Master, I think you are in the wrong career. You should have become a lawyer. You are too good at twisting facts and creating new truths."
"Creating new truths? Whatever I said was normal things that people do."
"Then why aren't you doing these normal things?"
"Miss Meng, I think you have every quality to become a lawyer. It's not late yet, why don't you try finishing high school?"
"Master, I wanted to ask you earlier, why are you so obsessed about sending me to the school? Are you feeling already burdened by me so that you are ambiguously looking for ways to fire me?"
"Hmm, understood, master."
"Master and maid never eat at the same table."
"Why did you make these many foods? I can't finish this alone."
"I will remember to make fewer quantities next time.
"One thing I hate is eating alone. So please,"
"It's delicious."
"It is just a simple meal, master. You must have been hungry to call it delicious."
"No...I have been eating out or delivering food, all the time. I'm having homely meals after a long time. So thank you."
"You never cook at home?"
"I used to cook my meals before I joined ETF."
"ETF?"
"Emergency task force."
"I thought you are a normal detective."
"I used to be a normal detective, but I got promoted last year to the emergency task force."
"How's it different?"
"ETF specializes in direct action, special reconnaissance and surveillance, hostage rescue, protective security, foreign internal defence and other high-value tasks."
"Wow, I didn't understand a single thing."
"Hahaha, If I'm in the military, my position would be somewhat equal to a commando."
"So your job is risky."
"Well, is there any easy job? every job is risky if look from a different angle.."
"Hmm, but yours is a bit riskier since you handle high-risk situations that can be dangerous to one's life?"
"Yeah...but, don't worry, our country is not that dangerous to live in."
"Then why did you say that you don't become a father?"
"I wonder how both of them are related?"
"I heard somewhere that some animals won't think even think about mating unless their environment is safe."
"I don't understand."
"You are someone who does a dangerous job. Someone who has every chance to die in a mission, one day. What's the point of having a family or becoming a father if you know that you won't be there for them. Isn't it the reason?"
"Do you want to marry me, miss Ming?"
"What?"
"Marriage, you know two people-"
"I know what's meant by 'marriage', master."
"Do you want to get married, miss Ming?"
"No, absolutely not...ah....you are asking me the same question that I asked earlier, aren't you."
"You are smarter than I expected,"
"Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"Feel free to accept as you like, miss Ming. But please do, answer."
"I have no intentions to marry you or any other man in the world, master."
"Why?"
"Didn't we promise each other that we won't cross our boundaries and show interest in our personal lives?"
"You were right, miss Ming. I fear that I might end up like my father if I get married and have a couple of children."
"Well, not everyone ends up like their parents, master. Some people might change because of the environment they grew up in."
"Excuse me, sir. I'm Feng Tian Wei." The woman introduced herself as soon as Fei Yan asked her to come inside.
"You are Shu Li Li's roommate, right?" Lao Yating who was quick to recognize the woman asked her to take a seat and volunteered to inform their captain.
"He is not here yet?" A voice so deep and profound doused in sarcasm rang in the room, gathering everyone towards the man who appeared at the doorstep,
As everyone expected, it was Han Ze Min, that too holding a coffee carrier in his hand. It was a bit odd to see a person like him, bringing coffee for everyone like an errand boy. Though he was a new addition to the eagle team, by his rank and service history, he was superior to any of them in the room.
"No, captain Wan is in the resting room. I will get him." Lao Yating quickly replied and almost rushed in the direction of the resting area for the police officers.
"How long have you known Shu-Li Li?" He took a seat opposite to her and asked without wasting any time.
"More than three years, sir. I met her when I came to the university. Even though we belonged to different departments, we ended up becoming best friends through the collaborative projects we had to do. I'm a photography major, and she was a fashion designing student. Most of the time, we used to help each other." Feng Tian Wei replied in a crystal clear voice.
"I assume that both of you are from the same place."