Because I Cannot Hurt You

At one of the high-end restaurants in a mall, Liang found Zhiyuan already seated on a table. He gently put his hand on his shoulder. "Zhiyuan."

Zhiyuan faintly smiled. "Hey."

Liang sat opposite him. He observed his bummed-up demeanor. "You sounded down. What happened?"

Zhiyuan clasped his fingers too. "That is the problem, Liang. I don't know what is happening. Xinyi and I…we kissed last night accidentally."

Liang widened his eyes in shock. "What? Wait, wait, wait. This is too sudden. Tell me everything from the beginning."

Zhiyuan recalled everything that happened between them. Liang raised his brow, feeling curious. "So it wasn't an accident the first time, but it was the second time."

Good job, Siying, Liang praised the little bun in his mind.

Zhiyuan coughed.

"So why are you acting like a teenage boy? For God's sake, you two are married. You are kissing your own wife, not some other woman."

Zhiyuan glared at him. "That is true but you know about how our relationship is. And now this is happening I-"

"You were really gonna kiss her or should I ask...you wanted to kiss her?" He cut him off mid-sentence.

Zhiyuan froze. He didn't lie. "I wanted to. I don't know why. Ever since the cruise trip, something feels…"

"Changed," Liang interjected.

He pursed his lips. "Then Siying started sleeping with Zizi, so suddenly the distance between us is all messed up. I have become too conscious of her. She has become too conscious of me. And I think Xinyi isn't liking this. No. I know she isn't liking this because she...is still thinking of him."

He felt as if somebody twisted his heart as he said those painful words.

Liang blinked his eyes. "Who him? Her crush? How do you know that?"

Zhiyuan clenched the coffee cup in his hand. "I saw her staring at a page in her diary this morning. It was the same page I told you about where she wrote about her feelings for a guy in college."

Liang narrowed his eyes in deep thought. Last night they kissed and today Xinyi was reminiscing about her past love. He understood where Zhiyuan was going with this.

"I asked her about him. He is a guy named Qin Fuhua."

Liang furrowed his brows. "I faintly recall that name. I think sometimes Zizi and Shuang used to talk about him just like other guys. He was their classmate."

Zhiyuan nodded. "He was... Xinyi said that it was just a crush but I don't think so. And ever since our conversation this morning, I feel really uncomfortable. Liang. I feel Xinyi really disliked our... kiss. But she doesn't want to hurt me, maybe so she is lying. I could clearly see how she was evading the topic."

Liang carefully studied his friend. "Why is it affecting you this much? Your marriage is based on respect and friendship, not love."

Zhiyuan stiffened.

"So why do you want her to like the kiss? Why does it affect you to know if she still thinks of Qin Fuhua?"

Liang wanted to ask him another question. He clearly understood that it was faint and still the beginning, but Zhiyuan was getting jealous of Qin Fuhua. That was why he wasn't liking this.

And being jealous meant that their relationship was growing more than just respect and friendship. 

Have you started having feelings for Xinyi?

---

Xinyi, Ah Cy and Caihong along with their kids first headed to a stationery and book store for Xinyi to buy her drawing stuff. Later on, Ah Cy dragged them to every shop she could find to buy everything she could see.

Leina, Siying and Chyou had formed their own group for their super important discussion.

Leina excitedly asked, "How was it? The plan worked right?"

Siying hopped up and down. "I made Mama and Dada kiss! You know! Mama ran away after kissing Dada."

Leina brightened. "That means she was feeling shy! Grandma showed it to me. Ladies blush and run away when they are shy!"

Siying furiously nodded.

"How was it for Chyou?"

Chyou giggled. "Leina is super cool. Mama agreed to sleep with us! And you know what?"

Chyou proceeded to say everything that she saw last night.

"Mama was taking care of Dada!"

Leina's small face in happiness. "I knew it! My plan cannot fail! Now we have to keep going like this! Then your Mama and Dada will not fight anymore and leave!"

They nodded at Captain Leina.

Ah Cy curiously asked, "What are you three discussing so secretly?"

Xinyi said, "Won't you tell your Mama, Siying?"

The kids stiffened.

Leina pouted. "It's between us! We cannot tell you!"

Siying nodded. "It's a super important secret!"

Xinyi giggled. "So cute."

Seeing the puffed-up cheeks of the adorable buns, Caihong was also unable to hold her smile. 

But they didn't take them seriously because they thought they must be talking about kindergarten stuff.

Ah Cy said, "Since we are here already, let's go to a medical shop. Their brand has a partnership with Xu Pharmaceuticals and I have some work with its manager. Then we will go and fill our bellies!"

Caihong nodded. "Sure."

At one of the biggest pharmaceutical stores in the city, Ah Cy got busy discussing with some manager. Xinyi said, "Let me stock up Siying's allergy medicine too."

Chyou raised her hand. "I will come with Aunty too!"

"Me too!" Siying said.

Caihong was casually browsing through the shelves when her sight fell on the shelf where they kept painkillers. She recalled what happened last night and the strange bottle of pills that she saw in Xiaosi's bathroom cabinet.

Caihong checked through all the medicines but she didn't find the one that she fed Xiaosi last night. She frowned.

It was a simple painkiller, right? Then why isn't it here?

"Boo!"

Ah Cy giggled as she suddenly appeared before her. Caihong sighed. "You are not a kid anymore to do that."

"The kid in me will always be alive!" Ah Cy grinned.

"Is your meeting done?"

"Yup. All clear. Let's go for lunch now."

"Wait!" Caihong pursed her lips. 

She didn't know why but it was bothering her since last night. Xiaosi's pale condition, his strange medicine, and how he seemed evasive to talk about it - she couldn't put a finger on it, but something felt wrong.

Ah Cy said, "Do you want to buy something from here? Don't worry. It will be on the house," she proudly said.

"No. Not that. I want to ask you about one medicine."

"Sure. After working in Xu Pharmaceuticals with Liang, I know my way around a bit about medicines."

"That is…"