Because I Cannot Hurt You

"It has nothing to do with you!" Panic filled Xinyi's heart. As if a knot twisted her stomach, she felt pain and hurt.

Xiaosi pouted. "Why not? I mean Zhi is my best friend, isn't he? How could I let him be in the dark?"

Xinyi turned pale as if all the color drained away from her body.

"And Zhi doesn't like to know everything? He hates being lied to. And here his wife is hiding such a big secret from him? I wonder how disappointed he would be? But well he is an adult. Maybe he will understand. What about Siying?" He amusingly tilted his head.

Her heart raced in trepidation and tears finally slid down her cheeks. 

"How will that poor boy feel? He will be devastated."

"No! You will not tell him anything!" She breathed heavily, feeling suffocated. "You-you will not tell him anything…" she sniffled.

"He...he is just a child. You cannot hurt my son like that...I won't let you!"

Xiaosi yawned, feeling bored. "Chill Xinyi. Don't worry. I won't tell him anything."

Xinyi stiffened.

"For now that is…" he added at the end.

"You…"

He straightened up to leave. "I just wanted to let you know that your well-guarded secret isn't a secret anymore. Maybe if I will need your help in the future…" he narrowed his eyes, "I expect Mrs. Han to help me out."

This was a clear threat. He wasn't taking any action now because it wasn't the time yet. But if the need arose, he would ask Xinyi to do something for him in exchange for keeping the secret to himself.

"So take a deep breath, Xinyi. Your secret is safe with me. My lips are zipped," and he made a sign with his fingers. "See you again, Mrs. Han."

He left, leaving Xinyi helplessly standing there as she cried out. She quickly wiped her tears and calmed herself.

At least for now, the situation was okay. She didn't know when or how Xiaosi would make a move. But right now she could only think of taking it one step at a time. For now, he would not tell anybody anything. 

That was enough for her. Whatever the future held, she decided to deal with it then. But now she didn't want anything to happen that would hurt Siying's smile at any cost.

Xinyi's phone buzzed and she saw an incoming number. She cleared her throat and said, "Hello?"

"Xinyi! It's me! Qin Fuhua!" His chirpy voice echoed in her ears.

She widened her eyes in surprise. "Qin Fuhua?"

"Yup. I got your number from Ah Cy. Hope you don't mind."

"No. I don't. How did you suddenly call me?"

"That's because I need your help! Only you can save my sorry ass out of this mess. In the name of our beautiful friendship, I humbly request your sincere help!"

Her mouth twitched.

What beautiful friendship? You only used to bully me in college…

She sighed. "Alright. What is it?"

"Are you free right now? Please say yes."

"I am. Now, will you tell me what happened?"

"Great! Text me your address. I will pick you up from your spot."

Ding….

He hung up. Xinyi's brow violently twitched. Instead of giving any clue to what help he needed, he simply hung up the phone.

He hasn't changed a bit. Always going at his own pace.

As she waited, she got another call from Zhiyuan. "Zhiyuan," she bit her lip. 

"Hi Xinyi…" he sounded a little nervous and hesitant. "Is your work done?"

"En."

"I see. Um...I…" he couldn't gather his words for a long time. "I was wondering if we could…"

"If we…?"

She heard him taking a deep breath. "If we could go on a-"

*Honk!*

Qin Fuhua arrived in his posh Lamborghini stopping in front of her spot. He honked twice. "Hey, Xinyi! Let's go!" He waved his hand at her.

"Ah-ah yes! Just a moment."

Xinyi said, "Zhiyuan, what was it you were asking?"

But there was no response on the other end.

---

A few minutes earlier.

After his important meetings got over for the day, Zhiyuan was free for the rest of the evening. After much thought, he decided to take Xinyi out for dinner. Siying was also going to stay at the Liang villa for the night with Leina and Chyou for a sweet kids' night out. So, tonight, there was no responsibility for taking care of Siying which was the perfect chance to spend some time with Xinyi.

He realized that he shouldn't mope around Qin Fuhua anymore and get all depressed thinking about Xinyi and her crush on him. The past was the past, and he determined himself not to dwell on it anymore. The present was what mattered and what better chance than tonight to take the first step?

Zhiyuan knew that after her work in Shuang's company was done, Xinyi would also be free for the day. So he didn't waste any time and booked a reservation in one of the best five-star hotels. Not only that, he made some arrangements to have privacy and a nice atmosphere to have their date.

He smiled in satisfaction and dialed Xinyi's number.

"Hi Xinyi…" he sounded a little nervous and hesitant. "Is your work done?"

"En."

"I see. Um...I…" he couldn't gather his words for a long time. He combed his fingers through his hair in nervous anticipation. Suddenly he didn't know why, but he felt afraid of asking her out.

Damn it. I hope she doesn't find it too weird.

 "I was wondering if we could…"

"If we…?"

He took a deep breath as his heart beat faster than ever. "If we could go on a-"

*Honk!*

He heard a sharp sound of the horn from the other side. 

"Hey, Xinyi! Let's go!"

Zhiyuan froze. He clearly recognized that voice. 

Qin Fuhua?

His mind turned blank and he sat rooted in his seat. He couldn't comprehend why Qin Fuhua would be there where Xinyi was. The thudding of his heart now increased more but for a different reason now.

At first, he was nervous and excited for Xinyi's answer. But now as if a bucket full of ice-cold water was poured on top of him, Zhiyuan felt frozen.

"Ah-ah yes! Just a moment."

He heard her asking, "Zhiyuan, what was it you were asking?"

Words failed to escape his mouth. He didn't know what to say at this point. With her response to Qin Fuhua, it was clear that she had agreed to go with him wherever they were supposed to. So she wasn't free like he had imagined.

That meant that his whole dinner plan and arrangements for spending some time with her went down the drain. Instead, she was going to be with Qin Fuhua.

"Zhiyuan?"

He snapped out of his daze and jolted. "Yeah...I am here…"

"She asked, feeling concerned. "What's wrong? You sound zoned out. Is everything alright?"

He clenched his fingers as he felt a sharp pain twisting his heart. "Yes, yes I am. Just tired from all the meetings."

"You shouldn't work too hard Zhiyuan. You will fall sick," she gently chided.

"I know…"

"You were asking something right?"

He stiffened. His smile faltered as he stared at the empty space ahead, feeling torn. "Oh, that...yeah what was I going to ask… Sorry Xinyi, I forgot. I troubled you for nothing."

"Of course not Zhiyuan. Don't apologize for such small things," she softly said, "Call me again if you remember."

"...Sure."

He wanted to ask if she was really heading out with Qin Fuhua? Where was she going? How long would it take? 

Now that she met him again after so many years, would she...stay in touch with him. That thought pricked his heart like crazy. He didn't want to let her go, especially not with him.

But he couldn't ask her in the end. He couldn't stop her.

"Okay. Bye." Xinyi said.

"En."

He hung up the call and dumped his phone on the table. He blankly gazed at the ceiling with a million torturing thoughts swirling in his mind. His head started to ache at that point as he pressed the space between his brows.

Zhiyuan picked his phone again and dialed a number again. "Han Zhiyuan here."

"Sir. Just like you said, I have made all the arrangements for your dinner."

"... Cancel it. Cancel my tonight's reservation."

---

The dinner at the Han villa was extremely silent today. Usually Siying's chitter-chatter would liven up the time, but he was at the Liang villa. Xinyi hadn't returned yet either.

Han Guang said, "I must say Zhiyuan. I cannot believe that you could be so heartless. Even after knowing the truth about my niece, you just sit back and do nothing," she sneered.

Zhiyuan paused. He narrowed his eyes.

"Caihong went through such a hell, yet you are allowing her to stay with that hideous man. Some deep love you claimed all those years back. How could you watch the woman you love still stay with the man who assaulted her?"