51. No Backing Down

-Jian-

I sit on a log watching Stefan’s blond head as he carefully dusts off something that looks like a wooden box. He sets it aside with patience I do not possess. He does not open it, but moves instead, to pick up another artifact and clean it. It's unnerving to watch how exacting his movements are, almost loving, even reverent.

"Jian, did you know your name means 'to see?'" Stefan's tone is casual and conversational. I look at him as he bows over whatever he holds in his hand.

"What? Did you find that in one of my ancestor's artifacts that you pulled out of the ground?"

Stefan lets out an appreciative little laugh at the annoyance in my voice. His eyes still focus downward as he carefully removes dirt from a crevice in yet another wooden box.

"No. I looked it up on the internet."

I stare at him open-mouthed. "You're cyber-stalking me?"

"What?! No!" His gaze whips up to meet mine. Then he smiles and he's even more good-looking than before. The si