Because I Cannot Hurt You

Yunru was stupefied to hear this earth-shattering news. He stumbled in his seat and almost fell off.

"Dad, are you drunk?"

"So disrespectful!" Soo Enlai fumed. "What do you mean by that?"

"You tell me. What is this engagement ceremony you are talking about?" Yunru almost had a heart attack.

"Oh of course! You have been so busy in your case since yesterday that I didn't get the time to tell you. Hoho! Good news, son. Elder Han and I have fixed your engagement with Zizi!"

He sprung up on his feet. "Why!? Where did this come from?"

"Why are you asking such stupid questions today? You and Zizi love each other so much. Of course, as the elders, it is our duty to take things forward. We have seen it with our own eyes how intimate you two were," he coughed.

"Oh God Dad! Are you still hung up on that day you saw me and Princess together in my room?"

"Idiot son! What about the time at the terrace when you were kissing her?"

He widened his eyes.

Kissing? When did I kiss Princess?

Suddenly, that night in the Han villa flashed past in his mind. He had talked to Zizi on the terrace and for a few moments, they were extremely close because Zizi's chain was entangled in his button. From the outside, that angle would definitely look as if…

He shut his eyes in despair. "Dad, what were you doing sneaking on us?"

Silence.

"Dad, I know you are on the line! Speak up!"

Soo Enlai coughed in embarrassment. But he refused to admit his mistake. Instead, he accused Yunru. "You! Do you have any respect left for me? Is this the tone you will use now for your father who single-handedly raised you and Xinyi when I lost my dear wife? Do you know how hard it is for a single parent? And now you use this tone with me..."

In the end, his voice tapered off to sound too pitiful and aggrieved.

"You have no idea how difficult it was for me to deal with the loss of your mother and then steel myself to raise you two all by myself. Yet you talk as if I am your enemy. Also, Elder Han and I quickly left during your intimate moment. How could you be so mean to your aged father?"

Yunru's mouth twitched hard. "Dad-"

"I don't want to listen to anything! Come quickly so that we can discuss the engagement. I am with Elder Han so come to the Han villa directly!"

And he hung up.

---

Today, Zizi had decided to clear all the misunderstandings Soo Enlai and Han Huizhong had about her and Yunru. It pained her heart, but she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it for long.

She straightened her back and steeled herself. A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it off. Today would end everything between them once and for all.

Zizi walked down to the luxurious living room where Soo Enlai and Han Huizhong were already seated, eagerly discussing the arrangements.

Soo Enlai's gaze fell upon her and he brightened. "Zizi, my dear! Come here," he patted the space beside him on the couch. "We are discussing your ceremony only. Join us."

Her heart thumped in fear, and she slowly walked towards them.

Han Huizhong dryly said, "Why are you walking like a tortoise? Come quickly!"

Zizi stammered as she spoke, "U-Uncle... Grandpa…I need to tell you something…"

"Of course! It's your engagement, after all. Your wishes will come first," Soo Enlai warmly said.

She trembled to see his doting gaze, and her eyes stung in tears. It ached her heart to realize that Soo Enlai and Han Huizhong would be so disappointed to know the truth. They were so excited about this engagement. Now when she would finally spill everything, she couldn't imagine how heartbroken they would look.

Her fingers fidgeted against each other, and her palms felt sweaty. She took a deep breath and said, "Yunru and I are-"

"Dad."

Zizi froze. She turned stiffly like a mechanical doll and saw Yunru coming towards them. Her heart leaped in her throat, seeing his tall figure entering the villa.

Han Huizhong said, "Ah there is Yunru too. Great. Everybody is gathered now."

Soo Enlai nodded. "Yes. Now that you are here too, let's quickly fix the engagement date."

Yunru gritted his teeth. "Dad, what is going on? How did you two fix Princess and my engagement? And you didn't even tell me about it!"

"Well NOW you know, right?"

He glared at him.

Soo Enlai fumed. "You are being so rude. I mean we told this great news to Zizi last night and she ran away feeling all shy. And just look at you!"

Yunru froze. Startled, he looked at Zizi, aghast. Zizi felt his sharp stare upon her and she almost collapsed as she felt her knees go weak. Her heart loudly pounded in fear and adrenaline rushed in her blood. She had an urge to run away from his accusing stare.

Han Huizhong sighed. "Don't scold Yunru so much. We snatched their chance to confess their relationship to us. Instead, we surprised them, hoho. Of course, he is mad at us."

Soo Enlai grumbled. 

Yunru slowly said, "...Princess, can we talk?"

Zizi jolted. Her face turned pale.

Han Huizhong nodded. "Sure! You two would have your own plans for the engagement, right? Discuss it and let us know. We will be here only."

---

Zizi tremblingly walked into her room with Yunru right behind her. As he shut the door, Yunru stared at her, making her break into a cold sweat.

"What is going on, Princess?"

She bit her lip.

"I don't understand so can you please explain it to me?"

Zizi clutched her dress in her fist. Her lips quivered as she spoke, "T-that last night...I got back home and Uncle Soo and Grandpa...they suddenly told me about our e-engagement…"

"But that is a misunderstanding! Whenever they saw happen between us, we both know that it wasn't the truth. Princess, you know about this since last night. Why didn't you tell me anything?"

She quickly said, "I-I did call you last night but you were busy…"

Yunru widened his eyes.

"So that's why you called me?"

She shakily nodded.

Yunru pressed the space between his brows. "Princess, even if I wasn't available to talk, why didn't you clarify everything to them yourself?"

She froze.

"You should have told them last night itself that it's all a misunderstanding. We have nothing going on between us. First, Dad caught us in my room and then he and Grandpa saw us on the terrace and thought that I was kissing you."

Her eyes flew open in shock.

So that's why…

"Why didn't you say anything? You know I have a girlfriend. This misunderstanding has been going on since yesterday, and they still don't know that we aren't dating at all! Why did you keep quiet about it?"

Tears pooled in her eyes.

"This misunderstanding is causing a whole lot of a mess! It's not just about our relationship, but just look at how happy they are. What are you giving them false hopes for? Do you understand how much they would feel hurt the later they realize the truth? And my girlfriend. If she came to know about this, how would I explain it to her? This engagement is serious business, and we cannot fool around by taking our own sweet time in clarifying it. We will just get stuck into it even deeper!"

Zizi choked as his harsh words stabbed her heart. With his voice and his expression, she felt how disappointed and angry he was with her.

Yunru combed through his hair in frustration. "Princess, I didn't expect this from you. What was stopping you from telling the truth?"

He was met with silence as Zizi didn't respond.

He felt a headache coming. "Anyway. What's done is done. I will tell them everything right away. We cannot stretch this any longer."

Yunru turned his back on her and walked away. He held the doorknob and twisted it.

"...you."

He paused and heard a soft, trembling voice. He turned and was shocked upon seeing Zizi whose tears were streaming down her cheeks and whose thin figure was shaking at her spot.

"Princess?" He quickly rushed to her spot and gently held her shoulder. "Princess you-"

"...I love you."

Yunru blankly stared at her. She slowly lifted her head and faced his stunned gaze, looking at him with her tear-stained eyelids.

Her shivering lips parted to say, "I love you, Yunru."

He froze. There was a long stretch of silence in the room. With Zizi's sudden confession, he felt unable to respond.

The dam in her heart finally broke apart and overwhelmed by all her gushing emotions of love, pain and heartache, she confessed her true feelings to Yunru without holding anything back. She finally let the tears escape her eyes as she spoke, gathering all her courage,

"I love you, Yunru. I really…" she softly gasped, "really do. I love you very much."