Chapter 144: Awakening of Consciousness (1)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Lu Jia’er was still interested in the uniqueness of his body. While knowing that this was risky, Jin Xiangdong had an idea that maybe, he could take advantage of this uniqueness to restore intimacy with her. After all, on that day that they met for the first time, she was looking at him exactly like right now.
Jin Xiangdong grinned. “Do you want to find out?”
“Yes, I do!” Lu Jia’er saw that his lips, after being bitten by her, had stopped bleeding and were healing quickly. Naturally, she was curious.
Her answer rekindled hope in Jin Xiangdong’s heart. He asked her in a low-pitched voice, “Have a drink with me and I will tell you!”
Hearing Jin Xiangdong’s proposal, Lu Jia’er hesitated. “A drink?”
Jin Xiangdong nodded. “Yes!”
Lu Jia’er thought for a second and then nodded as well. “Okay!”
Receiving confirmation from her, Jin Xiangdong smiled. “As always, you are adventurous!”
Lu Jia’er was taken aback. Those words sounded familiar. The first time she met with Ian, he said something like this to her when she rescued that girl from a stranger. Ian asked her then if she would take risks often. Remembering this, Lu Jia’er asked Jin Xiangdong. “What are you saying?”
“Are you not afraid that I am a shady man?” Jin Xiangdong joked.
Lu Jia’er gave a direct answer. “A man that knows limitations is not that shady!”
Jin Xiangdong’s smile grew wider. Lu Jia’er, who was gazing at him, felt her memory becoming faint for a second. Ian’s face, surprisingly, overlapped with Jin Xiangdong’s face.
Was she getting drunk before drinking? Or, was Jin Xiangdong right? Was she avoiding him because she was afraid she would fall in love with him?
No, it could not be. The man she loved was Ian. She was not a person of two minds.
Even though she did not have a crush on Jin Xiangdong like she did with Ian, Jin Xiangdong did manage to successfully get her attention.
Who was he? Why was he so special?
Jin Xiangdong took Lu Jia’er to a bar.
There was no loud, noisy music here and no s.e.xy dances, only a soft song being played on the piano.
The two of them chose a seat by the wall and sat down. Though Lu Jia’er let Jin Xiangdong take care of ordering their drinks, the wine he ordered was a brand and vintage that she liked. The dessert was to her taste as well.
After the waiter left, Lu Jia’er turned to Jin Xiangdong. “Have you had people look into me?”
Jin Xiangdong denied it. “No, I haven’t!”
“Then how did you know that I like this brand of wine and my favorite dessert?” Lu Jia’er questioned.
“Telepathically!” Jin Xiangdong used this one word.
Lu Jia’er was speechless when she heard his answer. “Have you always been so frivolous?”
“You are the first person to use frivolous to describe me!” Jin Xiangdong laughed.
“But am I wrong? You took such crazy actions with a stranger and you stole kisses from me, twice. All those behaviors can be considered as hysteria. I suggest that you go to a psychiatrist in time. Do not prolong your illness!” Lu Jia’er replied.
“Hysteria?” Jin Xiangdong could not help but find it hysterical to hear Lu Jia’er’s diagnosis.
“The occurrence of hysteria is mostly caused by mental factors, such as major life events, internal conflicts, emotional excitement and suggestion or autosuggestion. All those factors can lead to mental illnesses primarily characterized by Dissociative Disorder and Conversion Disorder. Your condition is consistent with the symptoms of Dissociative Disorder, otherwise known as Hysterical Psychosis. Due to partial or complete disruptions or breakdowns of ident.i.ty and memory of the past, a patient can suffer from narrowing of dimension of consciousness, selective amnesia or outburst.”
She finished using all those professional terms. Jin Xiangdong did not feel vexed. Instead, his smile grew wider. “Why don’t you look at it this way? Maybe you are really my girlfriend.” Jin Xiangdong stated his view calmly.
“I stand by what I said. Do not conceal your ailment and refuse to consult the doctor!” Lu Jia’er said.
Jin Xiangdong smiled but at the same time, felt speechless. “Fine. Let us say that I have hysteria. You are a professor in psychology. So, help me.”
“That is the right att.i.tude. But I cannot be your psychologist. That being said, I can introduce you to an expert in hysteria.” Lu Jia’er replied.
“But I want to appoint you as my psychologist.” Jin Xiangdong said.
“My intention of coming here with you is not to discuss this. Please tell me the answer.” Lu Jia’er changed the topic of their conversation.
“Our drinks have not been served!” Jin Xiangdong said.
Hardly had his voices faded away, had the waiter come and poured them wine. Then, the waiter placed the bottle on the table and left.
Lu Jia’er threw Jin Xiangdong a look and picked up her gla.s.s.
At this, Jin Xiangdong picked up his gla.s.s as well. “I can see that you are eager to find out the answers, right?”
“You have kept me guessing for all this time. It is the right time to unveil the answers now.” Lu Jia’er remarked.
“Take your time. After we have enjoyed our wine, the answer will be revealed!” Jin Xiangdong clinked his gla.s.s on Lu Jia’er’s gently.
Lu Jia’er had no other choice now that Jin Xiangdong was unwilling to tell her. After taking a sip of her wine, Lu Jia’er said. “Then, before the answer is revealed, tell me about your girlfriend!”
“Are you interested?” Jin Xiangdong was surprised.
“Even if I cannot be your psychiatrist, I can learn about the basics so that I can introduce you to the most suitable psychiatrist!” Lu Jia’er replied.
So, it appeared that Lu Jia’er was really treating him like a patient. That being said, as far as Jin Xiangdong was concerned, the fact that she was not escaping anymore was a good sign. Why didn’t he take advantage of this chance that she had created herself?
“I am not a fan of blabbering about my relationships to others. However, if you’d like to hear, I will let you know.” Jin Xiangdong said.
Lu Jia’er nodded, ready to listen with respectful attention. She had come here with her because she found him interesting. She had never met someone like him. Who was he? What was his story?
The story-telling commenced. Jin Xiangdong went on in a pleasant voice. “It was in the afternoon. I wanted to invite her to join my research team. So, I went to the university where she was teaching. I was the last to go into her cla.s.sroom and I sat in the last row. I saw her there, in a white top and a blue skirt, just like what a female student would wear in the Republic of China. She was standing on the platform. At that moment, I fell in love with her, at first sight. My heart was pounding as I gazed at her and listened to her voice, and that, had never happened before.”
As Lu Jia’er heard his story, she was sure that Jin Xiangdong’s “love at first sight” stemmed from “love schema”. Men and women each store the characteristics of the partner of their dreams in their brains, just like how data is stored on a floppy disk, and this is referred to as ́ ‘love schema’. This schema is first established based on the parents, and is constantly being revised and supplemented by external factors. The older one gets, the more specific the schema is. When by some chance eye contact is made for the first time, the eyes capture the other’s height, shape, look, hair color, hairstyle, style, and clothing, and transmits it to the brain through the optic nerve at a speed of more than 400 kilometers per hour. The closer the other party’s characteristics match the stored schema, the stronger the information generated by the brain will be. As such, the “chemical factory” in one’s body will switch into high gear to produce excitatory substances in large amounts. Hormones that can induce happiness will be released into the brain, which will cause accelerated heartbeats, sweaty palms and flushed cheeks. One will feel thrilled, which is interpreted as “love at first sight”.
“Her voice was pleasant and the way of her teaching followed no set form. I was not familiar with her major but I became obsessed. That day, in cla.s.s, a student declared his affection for her. When she finished her cla.s.s, I went to the parking lot to wait for her. She walked toward me, with a white bag and several books…”
Lu Jia’er’s facial expressions shifted a bit when she heard this. Jin Xiangdong picked up all the subtle signs. He asked on purpose, “Are you okay?”
Shock was raging in Lu Jia’er’s heart after she heard Jin Xiangdong’s story because what Jin Xiangdong said was exactly what had happened to her.
But how did he know about this? Who told him this?
Lu Jia’er pressed down the turbulence in her heart. “I am okay. Keep going.”
Jin Xiangdong stared at her with his deep eyes. “I don’t think you can expect this but when I finished introducing myself to her, the first thing she said to me was: Will you be my boyfriend?”
This time, Lu Jia’er could not keep still any longer. She glared at Jin Xiangdong coldly. “Are you making this up?”
Jin Xiangdong replied with a composed mind. “For you, this may be a story. But for me, this is a cherished memory!”
Lu Jia’er just sighed inside and told herself that he was really sick. He could make the story she told him his. “And then? Do continue,” she said.
She was eager to find out what else he could say.
“We went to a j.a.panese restaurant to discuss our cooperation. After dinner, she accidentally saw a girl being dragged away by a stranger. Despite the danger, she threw herself into the breach and saved that girl. It was a touch-and-go situation there. That scoundrel seized her. But at that critical moment, she managed to persuade him to put down that sharp blade. Till this day, I did not know what she said to that scoundrel that could be so effective,” as Jin Xiangdong went on, he kept observing Lu Jia’er’s expressions.
Just as he had expected, Lu Jia’er was in a completely astonished state. Then, she glared at him. “How on earth did you find out about this?”
“Those are all the details that my girlfriend and I experienced together!” Jin Xiangdong was telling the truth.
But Lu Jia’er was not convinced at all. “What is it that you want to achieve really?”
Jin Xiangdong gazed at her. “There indeed is one thing that I want to achieve, and that is, her hopefully coming back to me!”