Dinner On The Sailboat

   When Rui and LiMei walk into the galley LiMei stares hungrily at the fish frying in a sizzling hot pan. The white fish is covered in spices and the oil is bubbling. LiMei smiles brightly, “Mr. Yang, the fish smells delicious, is there anything I can do to help?”

  “No. Well, if you want to set the table. The dishes are in the cupboard on the left and the chopsticks and napkins are in the drawer underneath.’

   Big Gu is busy chopping cucumbers when he sees Rui. He has a complicated expression looking at the couple. Rui is wearing a casual dark blue linen shirt which exposes glaring red marks on his neck and scratch marks on his collarbone. When LiMei notices Big Gu’s strange look she slaps her cheek, “Rui, there seem to be mosquitos in here too.”

   Rui frowns looking at the small red handprint on her cheek but plays along, “Chenxi, I got bitten to death in that cabin. They seem to be in here too.”

  Yang Chenxi continues to watch the fish cooking, ignoring Rui’s ridiculous statement. Brother it is obvious your little wife got frisky..she obviously feels embarrassed and you are covering.  

  Ignoring Rui he Tells Big Gu, “The dressing for the cucumber salad is on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.”

  Rui lazily pours LiMei a glass of wine and takes a beer from the refrigerator. He hands Big Gu the dressing.After Rui takes a gulp of beer he asks, “Did Jack take the message to the Island?”

  Yang Chenxi flips the fish and sprinkles red pepper on top. “He should have delivered it by now.”

  Rui glances at LiMei sipping her wine, “Baby, go get your sweater”

  “I’m not cold.”

   “You will be.”

   “…” LiMei obediently goes to the cabin and Rui approaches Yang Chenxi. “What did you write?”

 “We will arrive tonight or tomorrow.”

  “Nothing else.”

  “If you are wondering if I mentioned Feng LiMei, I didn’t. I want to enjoy the shocked expression on Su Wanqing’s’ pretty face when she sees you with the beautiful little fairy. Should be priceless.”

  Rui gulps down the ice cold beer, “It would have been better for the bitch to be told I was bringing my wife.”

  “You think so? I don’t. Why give the vicious woman time to prepare and act innocent if a calamity strikes on your way through the forest. This way Master Wong will be there, once he accepts your marriage she won’t dare act too rashly.”

   Rui takes another beer from the refrigerator. “Makes sense. I hadn’t considered the possibility Su Wanqing might set a trap using her fucking poisonous snakes in the forest.”

   LiMei only hears the last part and her face pales, “Ru..Rui there are snakes in the forest?”

   He wraps his arm around her slender waist, “Baby, every forest has some snakes.Don’t worry you have me.” He hands her the glass of red wine, “I have a special medicinal powder, snakes won’t come close to you.” He inwardly sighs, but that vicious woman’s hybrid snakes..who knows…they might be immune to the effects of the repellant.

   LiMei shivers and gets goosebumps on her thin arms, “Oh..that’s good.” She swallows the sweet wine then holds out the glass for Rui to pour another glass. “I was bitten by a very poisonous snake when I was a little girl. I can still picture the black viper’s beady red eyes glowing, they narrowed into slits as it coiled in front of me. I was frozen in place from fear and couldn’t move. I remember I opened my mouth to scream for help but no sound came out. I just helplessly watched as the hideous looking thing sunk its long needlelike fangs into my leg. My grandmother said if Fatty Sun hadn’t carried me back so quickly I would have lost my leg. She was angry because she told me not to play by the river and Fatty and I snuck there to catch loaches.”

LiMei sips her wine and laughs, “The poor kid was huffing and puffing when I woke up and cursing me. I told him if he wasn’t dawdling while picking berries I wouldn’t have been by the snake hole. Hahaha Fatty… I wonder how that little fat man is now?”

   The three men stare at LiMei recounting the story and then look at Rui who is in a daze.

  Rui has a strange expression, this story doesn’t sound fabricated, is LiMei remembering her past as Qin Daiyu? He anxiously hugs LiMei, hesitant to ask questions but curious if her memory is returning, “So your grandmother took you to the hospital.”

 “Huh?…Umm…Hospital?” LiMei shakes her head, “My Grandmother is a doctor. The nearest hospital is really far away from our village. She sets the table then says, “Mr. Yang, is there anything else I can do?”

  “No have a seat, The food is ready.”

   Rui has his eyes riveted on her face for any sign  that she is Qin Daiyu.  Is a doctor? Aren’t her mother and grandmother dead? Fuck should I probe a little? No..I will let Master sort it out. I’m afraid she will faint again if I pursue the subject anymore.

   Yang Chenxi puts the savory fish on a platter and Big Gu carries the cold Cucumber Salad and rice to the table. After he places the dishes on the table he grabs the bowls of rice.

   LiMei watches the two big men while drinking wine. Suddenly another scene pops into her head staring at Yang Chenxi’s broad shoulders and narrow waist as he plates the fish. She and a strange man are cooking in a similar galley. He has a delicate face but a very cold aura full of killing intent. The man looks like an Immortal, his features are not like a mortal man, with a certain ethereal beauty, Peach Blossom eyes and his fair complexion is flawless. He is frying fish and she is chopping vegetables by his side. The man towers over her and bends down, “Daiyu, if you keep chopping like this we will have the tip of your bloody finger in with the vegetables.” He takes the knife from her small hand and shows her how to slice away from herself in a slanted fashion. 

She snaps back to reality when Yang Chenxi places a bowl of dipping sauce in front of her and she clearly sees his face.

   Rui notices her infatuated gaze while staring at Yang Chenxi and lifts her chin with his finger, “Do you think Yang Chenxi is handsome?”

   LiMei’s face turns red, “No..no..well he is very good looking… but I wasn’t thinking about him.”

    “Who were you thinking about then?”

   “No one..nothing..I was looking at the fish..yes..the fish..I am so hungry and the fish smells so good.” LiMei’s mind is foggy…why was I thinking about some strange man..why did he call me Daiyu? She smiles at Rui and puts her hand on his cheek, “Husband, you are the most handsome man I have ever seen” She softly kisses his lips and has a flirtatious tone to her kittenish voice, ”Why would I look at another man?” 

   He has a faint smile recalling her antics in bed and whispers in her ear, “Little bunny, best you keep your eyes only on your husband.” He reaches under the table and his hot palm slides under her dress. LiMei reacts to him caressing her thigh, red clouds form on her cheeks as his hand gets dangerously close to her sensitive area. She presses her legs tightly together, then she leans into his body and in a low voice she whispers in his ear, “Only my husband…now stop.”

   When Yang Chenxi and Big Gu sit down at the table LiMei drools looking at the fragrant dishes, “You guys worked hard. Thank you. If we are still on the boat in the morning I hope you will allow me to make breakfast.”

  While feeling the wave of cold air coming off Rui’s body, Yang Chenxi’s eyebrows jump from the icy atmosphere, he replies in a polite tone, “No need. You and Rui are my guests, it is what I should do.”

  LiMei smiles and her eyes bend into a crescent shape, “The next time you visit Pushong City I will fix you dinner to return your gracious hospitality.”

  “Thank you Feng LiMei. I will look forward to that.”

   Rui tightens his fingers around his bottle of beer staring at her mesmerizing smile, it is good that you won’t be visiting Pushong City any time soon.

  LiMei clips a piece of fish then puts it to Rui’s mouth, “Taste, the fish is so flaky and the spicy flavor is perfect.”

   After the four of them finish the flavorful meal LiMei offers to do the dishes but Yang Chenxi refuses. “You should go to the upper deck the sun will be setting soon.”

LiMei’s eyes light up,” Oh that must be beautiful. Rui do you want to go and see?”

Rui kisses LiMei then agrees, “Sure.” He buttons her sweater then picks up a bottle of red wine and two glasses. LiMei excitedly follows him up the stairs, “Rui do you have your phone so we can take some pictures?”