Where the Moon meets the Sun

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jackson felt very happy to be able to see his brother, Dylan, recovered.

When he visited him at his home along with Kang, they caught him having breakfast with his parents, and conversing with his Father about their family in Sichuan.

They joined that meal and decided to hang out with him longer, playing NBA on the playstation, as Uncle Jia Shu and Auntie Yu Yan said they're meeting a friend for lunch before they leave Beijing tomorrow.

DiDi showered and asked them whether they would like to come with him to the barber.

They agreed thinking that was all there was to it.

He did not expect that he and Kang will rope themselves in a conversation that he hopes could have happened when the man was stronger.

But Dylan has always been headstrong and an hour ago, he told them that they really cannot stop him.

"If you want to make sure that nothing bad happens, you can come with me."

And now here they are.

Il Ristorante at The Bulgari Hotel.

Nian Zhen arrived looking like he himself just came out of the hospital – off color, dark rims under his eyes, and his hair tousled rather than coifed (which is his normal go-to look).

He had his head hung low until he raised it and saw the three of them.

His eyes almost popped out of his head. "I didn't know they were going to be here."

"They wanted to come along", Dylan offered with a shrug as the other man sat down, "You know them, anyway. Whatever we talk about is going to remain with all of us here unless you yourself share it to others."

Nian Zhen's eyes flickered with a hint of irritation.

"You said you wanted to talk about Yue."

OH HERE WE GO.

"Yes."

The waiter was about to walk towards them to ask the new arrival about his order but Kang waved him away.

"Did she send you to talk to me?"

Dylan shook his head. "She doesn't know about this."

A little of the annoyance he saw abated somewhat.

"Are you going to help me then?"

"No", his brother declared, "I'm actually going to ask you to stop."

The chill that enveloped all of them after that exchange felt like it came from the Antarctic.

"Stop?" Nian Zhen's voice became higher.

"Remember when I told you to never hurt her?"

He remembered the discussion.

It was during a basketball game that almost crippled the other man with the beatdown.

Dylan had no compunctions in causing him pain then.

"How could I hurt her by wanting to marry her?!?"