Claire P. O. V
Chen Lien handed me a plate piled high with crepes, grilled sausage, tacos, a sandwich slice, and a soda. It felt like too much food, especially since he had a meal.
“Why just stare? Dig in! At least if you’re full, you won’t be tempted to do something silly like wandering into the woods.”
“I’ve done that plenty of times.”
“You might know where you’re headed, but you have no clue about the dangers lurking around,” he replied, taking a bite of his sandwich.
I watched him as a few strands of his long hair danced in the breeze, and his jawline looked striking from the side. I’ve seen a lot of Asian guys on TV, and they’re definitely good-looking with those soft features, but I never imagined they could look this stunning up close.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
I was caught off guard when Chen Lien noticed me staring. I quickly turned my head, but then he shot me a grin, showing off his dimple on just one side.
“Do I seem like a stranger, or maybe a bit sinister?” he asked.
For a second, I considered it. He seemed dangerous and unfamiliar.
“I’ve watched Ethan take out a few people right before me. I’m not sure what you’re up to, but yeah, you give off a dangerous vibe,” I replied without thinking twice.
Chen Lien chuckled with his mouth full, trying to chew his food while keeping it all in.
“So you just followed him here without a clue about what he was up to?” he challenged.
I frowned a bit, feeling a twinge of offence. “We’ve only met him once, right before my whole family was wiped out. Then he brought me here. Do you think that’s enough to ask about his job?”
“So you can’t figure out what he does just by watching how he handles that revolver?”
“What do you want from an assistant nun like me?”
“Oh, so you’re a nun?” Chen Lien perked up at that.
He paused his meal, turned to face me, and sat down with a playful sparkle in his eyes. Something a bit off about his look made me feel like I was talking to a kid.
“W-what do you want?!”
“So, you grew up in a convent?” he asked, that glimmer still there.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Was it like an orphanage, too?”
“No! It wasn’t an orphanage; it was just a convent dorm. There weren’t any abandoned kids or orphans around. The only ones were Vicky and Andy, and Sister Alberta found them while she was at a church in another town,” I clarified. That’s just how it was.
Chen Lien’s bright smile faded in an instant. This time, she gave a wry grin and returned to munching her sandwich. This definitely piqued my curiosity.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Just curious. But you’re lucky because the sisters looking after you seem really good.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Just from the way you talk about them. It’s clear you had a good upbringing.” He said this with a laid-back vibe.
Even though it’s my first time meeting Chen Lien, I can tell he’s way better at expressing himself than Ethan Randall, who always seems stiff.
“Are you part of the church too?” I asked, getting that vibe from his laid-back look. To my surprise, Chen Lien nodded while munching on her sandwiches.
“Yeah, but I’m not from the church. I grew up in an orphanage.”
“Seriously?”
“Why? Do I not look like an orphan?”
“No, you seem to connect so well with the Alpha of such a big Pack. It feels hard to believe,” I replied, stumbling over my words, worried I might say the wrong thing. But instead, it made Chen Lien chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
“Of course, it’s hilarious. Do people who vibe with an Alpha Pack come from the same background? Not at all! It’s purely business, and Ethan Randall needs my expertise, so we seem to know each other.”
I was taken aback by that. An Ethan Randall, the Alpha of such a primary Pack, actually needs a Chen Lien? What kind of deal could they possibly be working on that required someone like Chen Lien, who seemed ordinary?
As he wrapped up his sandwich, Chen Lien watched the folks strolling through the park that afternoon. He kept chatting about the Pack, sharing everything he knew, and his tone was surprisingly friendly-way better than I had expected.
“Are you from Hong Kong? I think I heard that from Lucy,” I asked, curious since Lucy mentioned earlier that you were from there.
Chen Lien shook his head right away, answering my question without hesitation.
“Not at all. I grew up in Parsonia Pack, a tiny community near the Norwegian border. I was still determining my birthplace, parents, and origins. My childhood was spent in an orphanage, filled with harsh words, punishment, and all sorts of rough treatment. I remember being sold to strangers about five times, and that’s when I really started to see the world and met Ethan.”
I was left speechless by his story. It sounded terrible compared to my life, which was filled with love from my sisters, especially Alberta.
“Then there’s Chen Lien, the name I picked recently because I thought it sounded nice. Growing up, everyone just called me ‘Pho.'”
“Pho?”
“Yeah, they were just messing around with the word’ poop.’ It stung a bit when they started calling me that, but honestly, I didn’t let it get to me.” He grinned.
Chen Lien smiled while saying all that. It was kind of unsettling, especially considering the awful stuff he was talking about. Should I admire him for his attitude or be wary of him after hearing such dark things?
But then he mentioned how lucky I was to have Sister Alberta take me in, which hit home. I felt terrible for what Chen Lien had gone through. Still, our experiences weren’t so different after all. We both had our struggles, just in various forms.
I chuckled and shook my head, my eyes landing on the sandwich Chen Lien had handed me. It looked like he caught my little smile.
“You don’t really buy all my stories, do you?” he asked. I shook my head, not confirming or denying anything.
“I was caught off guard by how someone could suddenly be so open and chatty with me, especially after dealing with so many lies in my life. It made me think that this was the real deal.
“You really can’t seem to reach me.”
“Does that mean I’ve got a bit more life experience than you?”
Chen Lien laughed, his dimples showing again. He paused momentarily as if he didn’t know how to respond, then started munching on the sandwich he had picked up.