2 Questions Every Girl is Asking Herself

Chapter 14

While I was eating and chatting, I was seriously debating whether to contact Han. On the one hand, he was the only person I knew in Chengdu. On the other, based on my keen observations in Lijiang Old Town, he seemed to be a bit of a womanizer. Would I become "victim" to his trained pick-up tactics? And heaven forbid, fall in love with him?

It was a Saturday night. It certainly didn't look like I was going to meet anyone at this joint. Ushered by the twin devils of boredom and loneliness, I texted Han, letting him know I was in town. Period.

It had been a month since Lijiang, and we'd had minimal contact in the interim. Would he even respond?

I went back to eating my dessert -  an egg soy pudding in a dark red sauce, and continued to chat with the shao mai lady while she knitted pants for her grandson.

'Ding...Ding' my cellphones announced excitedly the arrival of a text message. Much to my surprise, Han wrote back right away and warmly offered to show me around town.

That night, he took me to a trendy nightclub, got bottle service, introduced me to his friends, and somewhere along the way, picked up a bunch of pretty girls. Han is such a restless womanizer. I doubt if he could stay still for one whole evening without making an attempt to pick up a girl or two. It's so easy and natural for him. It's his number one hobby and addiction. For most people, self-actualization is achieved through doing good deeds for society. He achieves self-actualization through picking up women. It's where he derives meaning for his existence. 

I couldn't tell if the girls worked at the club, or if they were actual patrons. He then bought every girl a teddy bear, and me, a bouquet of roses.

Sometimes I really don't understand him. Was this his pick-up tactic at work again? Showing me how popular he is with the ladies, demonstrating his generosity, and making me feel special by giving me a teddy bear and a bouquet of roses?

Was this supposed to make me want to have sex with him?

At the end of the night, we went out to eat, and while we were waiting for food, Han did an appalling thing. He asked for another girl's number, in front of me. I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment. I tried my best to conceal my feelings, and was straining my face to keep it expressionless that it felt like stiff rubber. I wasn't sure if he was getting her number for himself or for his good friend who had been hitting on her all night long. Regardless of the reason, I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible without making a scene. So immediately after we'd finished eating, I told him I was going back to the hotel. He insisted that I stay. I insisted that I leave. Seeing that I was so persistent on leaving, he did something very strange.

He started listing all my flaws, "I notice you never raise your glass to drink with people. And you're kind of pretty, but not as pretty as some of my other girlfriends. Why is your skin so rough?"

I couldn't hold back my anger any longer, "Why do you have to put me down like this? If there are so many things you don't like about me, why do you want me to stay? Why am I even here in the first place? Why don't you go hang out with your pretty girlfriends? You know what, go hang out with them now!"

I turned around to leave. Han grabbed my wrist and said, "Do you really want to know why?"

I nodded, glaring at him in anger and curiosity..

"I will tell you if you promise to stay," he negotiated.

"I would only stay if you promise to sleep on the couch." I demanded
.

"Ok fine. I'll sleep on the couch," he promises.

"Ok, so what is it?" I ask.

Han paused, cast his eyes down for a moment, then lifted his head to look at me, "It's because you're too good."