365 Jealousy
“I heard from Sicheng that Han Nanxian was in the city, “An Xiulan said after a while. “I was thinking of inviting him home for a meal but he invited me first.”
Her parents had met Han Nanxian in Boston and he had left a favourable impression on them. They would certainly be glad to invite Han Nanxian to their home for a meal.
Hearing Li Sicheng’s name, Han Zixin’s face turned sour. His expressions looked so bad that one would think he was forced to chew lemons. He could feel himself getting drowned in the barrel of vinegar. If there was one person that he did not like, it would certainly be Li Sicheng.
Han Zixin could not understand why out of all the places in the worst, Li Sicheng had to choose Boston to study. Surely, there were more universities out there but that boy deliberately chose the one where she would be studying.
An Xiulan called it a coincidence but he knew better than anyone to call it a coincidence. There were no things as coincidence. Everything was planned. He had heard from Han Nanxian how Li Sicheng was planning to ask An Xiulan for a date. That boy had always liked this woman and was merely looking for a chance to keep her with him in Boston.
But he, Han Zixin, would not let it happen!
“You left Boston. Why are you still in contact with that boy?” Han Zixin asked. She was never going back there to stay, she told him this. What was the need to keep in touch with friends from there? It was a waste of time and effort, wasn’t it?
In a fit of jealousy, Han Zixin could no longer recognise his unreasonable behaviour. Jealousy made a man foolish and it was evident in his case.
An Xiulan turned to look at the man she no longer recognised and asked, “What kind of question is that? We are still friends. How can I not be in contact with him? When I left China, did I forget you? No. We were still in contact, weren’t we?”
“But I was your best friend, “Han Zixin said. His justification was not valid. Hell, even he couldn’t feel justified enough. How could it work on her?
“Zixin! You are behaving unreasonably now, “She said. She could see that he was acting jealous. He never behaved like this. She must have hurt him so much to have him behave like this. But what does she do? How could she ask him to not be jealous when she acted the same sometimes? How could she forget that she acted the same when he brought that injured girl to his house? She later found out that the girl was an injured officer who got hurt in a mission but it still was not enough to suppress her jealousy. She felt guilty for thinking that way but it was what it was. She knew that jealousy as an emotion was very strong and it was very hard to control it.
“Compared to him I am unreasonable and less important, “Han Zixin sulked as he tried to walk away. He felt so desperate and miserable while throwing this tantrum that he wanted to be alone for a moment. He didn’t know how to meet her eyes after behaving this unreasonably. He didn’t even know what he was doing at this moment. Why was he behaving the way he was? Or how he could stop behaving this way?
He wanted to act normal but it was so difficult to act like that around him.
An Xiulan held his arm tightly and made him look at her, “Why are you saying this? You know that you are the most important person to me after my mom. I will never call you less important. If I hurt you by making you feel this way, then I am sorry. Please don’t be angry at me.”
She just wanted him to feel that he was very important to her. She didn’t want him to feel insecure. If apologising to him would make him believe that she would not shy away from it.
His heart melted instantly and he felt bad about throwing a tantrum. He felt even more miserable now. He hugged her and said, “I am wrong. And I know this. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I was throwing a tantrum for nothing. It’s not your fault that I am feeling this way. You never made me feel this way. You have always been vocal about what I mean to you.”
“Really?” An Xiulan asked.
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“Shall we go inside?” An Xiulan asked him with a smile. “We have been talking for so long that we forget why we were here in the first place.”
“We are early. They haven’t reached yet, “Han Zixin said, looking at the time. “When I texted him, he said they had yet to leave.”
“They?” An Xiulan furrowed her brows.
Han Zixin bit on his tongue for spoiling the surprise. “I mean him and his secretary.”
“Oh, “An Xiulan responded. “Then, what will we do inside? He made the reservation. Let’s wait here.”
“Let’s go there, “Han Zixin said as he pointed at the ice cream stall.
An Xiulan laughed like a happy child. She nodded her head, holding his hand. They crossed the road and went to the ice cream stall in front of the restaurant. He brought ice creams for the two of them. Leaning against his motorcycle, they were enjoying their ice cream and making small talk.
“Did Wang Yuxi go back?” An Xiulan suddenly asked.
“No, he is on a long holiday, “Han Zixin answered.
“How was it to work alongside him?” An Xiulan ended up asking.
“He is a pain in the ass, “Han Zixin answered.
“I can imagine him annoying you, “An Xiulan said. Since they were in front of the restaurant where they would be meeting Han Nanxian, they could see anyone entering that restaurant.
“Is it Yan Ge?” An Xiulan suddenly asked, pointing at the man entering the restaurant.
“It seems like it, “Han Zixin muttered. But his gaze was less on the man and more on the woman walking with him.
“And that’s Shen Yue, “An Xiulan whispered. “What’s going on between the two of them?”