My dearest Jia Li

I hope you have clicked open this mail and are reading it instead of deleting and tras.h.i.+ng it. How have you been? Is London treating you well?

I know that I am probably the last person whom you wish to hear from, but I can't help it. You see, you are the ONLY one whom I want to hear from, look at and talk to. It feels like an eternity since you left. I am sure you miss home as well! Let me begin by giving you some news about what's been happening here in your absence.

Summer season has arrived in full glory, slaying all those who stand in its path. Some new, unexpected friends.h.i.+ps have been formed; some old, rotting relations have been severed. I have moved out of Xie Mansion and am living a happy bachelor's life (no, there are no women included in this phase, before you leap to any wrong conclusions!).

The plants at your Moganshan house are in full bloom. They miss you…

My mother has reinvented her persona and you need to see her to believe it. I am loving the new her. I am sure you would too. Our little Chu has finally decided to marry her journalist beau. G.o.d save Ethan!

Jia Li, I know I hurt you and I should have been the last person to do so. I will offer no justification for it, because there is none. I only hope that one day, someday, you will find forgiveness in your heart and come back to claim what belongs to you… always has.

Will write to you soon again… with the hope that you don't block my email id:)

Yours always

Tang

P.S. London seems to suit you. You look gorgeous.

Jia Li looked up startled. She got up from her chair and swivelled her head in all directions, looking for him. Realising her foolishness, she sat down and took a deep breath. Her heart had been galloping since the time she had opened the mail, but it started to somersault when she read the last line.

"When did he see me? He came to London to find me? Did I cross paths with him and not even realise it?" she wondered wildly.

She didn't know what to make off the mail. She didn't know how or what to respond to it. She didn't even know whether she WANTED to respond to it. She had so many questions now which she needed answers to. Which old relations had been severed? Why did he move out of his house - was it because of her? What did he mean by plants at her house were in bloom? She had put up that house for sale before she left and had received notification from her lawyer last month that it had been bought by someone. Had Tang bought it?

"Argh… I don't want to know anything. I don't care. Why should I care? I hate him… just hate him," she thought fiercely.

The day which had begun mildly, suddenly turned treacherous. She had believed herself to have moved on from her past and its trappings. What a lie had she been living!

It was almost evening now and Jia Li had still not recovered from the morning's shocker. The last thing that she wanted to do was make polite talk but there was no way that she could wiggle out of her social commitment that evening. Eric had already called her half hour ago and told her to be ready by 6 p.m.

Few hours earlier, Earthly Matters Laboratory

"What? You asked her to do what? It seems to me that you have completely lost your common sense. Why should she treat us? I am the one who caused the accident and the discomfort to her. Shouldn't it be me treating her?" Hui bellowed at Eric.

"Exactly my point. But did you do it? Or were you planning to ask her out anytime in the near future? Don't bother answering. The expressions on your face are enough for me to figure out your response. Do you think women are a mathematical problem to be solved? My dear friend, you may be a genius but there have been many others before you who were better. They all failed when it came to figuring out these mystical creatures. So, err, don't sit and twiddle your thumbs in the lab," he finished on a huff.

He was upset for being shouted at!

Hui looked at him in consternation and replied in a milder tone, "where is the fire, Eric? I have just discovered my, uh… my feelings for her. I haven't even properly a.n.a.lysed them yet. Why do I need to jump into the sea, right now? It's not like that she is running away anywhere."