Because I Cannot Hurt You

The atmosphere had become too frigid and tense as they stared at each other. 

Liao Yuan chuckled. "I know my limits, Han Zhiyuan. I remember the past too. You don't have to remind me. I was just talking to Xinyi as her good friend. Or do you mean to say that she cannot have any friends?"

"Of course she can. I am nobody to stop her and I am not. I am stopping you. You are welcome to be her friend as long as you remain within the boundary of friendship," he narrowed his eyes. "Considering your gaze just a moment ago and how you were holding her wrist, it seemed you were overstepping that."

Liao Yuan said nothing.

From the corner of his eye, he saw his grandfather leaving in an extremely bad mood. 

He smiled at Xinyi. "I will leave now. Grandpa seems a little disturbed."

"O-Oh okay."

Liao Yuan passed by Zhiyuan but not before whispering to his ear, "Zhiyuan. You should be careful. You have made a lot of mistakes that have hurt Xinyi. Just make another one and I won't hesitate to discard that "Zhi" from her life," he smiled. "Then only "Yuan" would remain in her life, wouldn't it?"

Zhiyuan's black eyes looked extremely frosty as he silently stared at him. He was clearly provoking him, and Zhiyuan would have surely punched him in the guts for making that statement, but he remained calm.

As he left, Xinyi finally let out a sigh of relief. "Zhiyuan! Why do you always have to argue with him?"

Zhiyuan stared at her with a serious gaze that made her jolt a little. He stepped towards her, and she couldn't help but take a few steps back. He trapped her within his arms, resting his palms on the bridge's railing.

"Why do you think that I always argue with him?" He tilted his head.

His face was so close that she felt her breath stuck in her throat. Somehow, the words couldn't come out of her mouth. The intense gaze with which he stared at her, made her slightly tremble. Instinctively, she averted her eyes.

But Zhiyuan lifted her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Tell me. Why do you think that I fight with him? Why do I get angry when I see him?"

Xinyi softly bit her lower lip.

A faint voice within her was giving her the answer.

Zhiyuan felt jealous of Liao Yuan.

Jealousy...a feeling that would only erupt in a relationship when your partner had feelings for you.

Years ago, it was Xinyi who felt envious and slightly jealous of Zhiyuan. 

But today it was Zhiyuan.

Jealousy was a sign that he loved her and that notion made Xinyi stagger a bit.

Love me…

It felt like an impossible dream that could never come true, yet Zhiyuan's intense gaze was forcing her to accept that conclusion.

"I...I don't k-know…"

"Hm? You don't know?" Saying that, he took a step further and slightly pressed his body against hers. She felt his incredible heat enveloping her that brought a tinge of redness to her face. She softly gasped and had the urge to run away. But Zhiyuan's arms had blocked her way.

"Everybody would be w-waiting for us…" she stammered and quickly wanted to escape from Zhiyuan.

"I don't care. I want to hear your answer first," Zhiyuan was stubborn.

She glared at him in grievance. "Y-you leave my way. I was just talking to him."

"Of course I don't mind you talking to him. But I mind when that other person holds any designs for you," his gaze narrowed, bringing a streak of dangerous storm and darkness in his eyes.

"I already told you that-"

"You rejected him," he smiled. "Clearly, he doesn't seem to have gotten the message yet…" he clenched his jaw.

'I won't hesitate to discard that "Zhi" from her life. Then only "Yuan" would remain in her life, wouldn't it?'

That was an open challenge for Zhiyuan. It was obvious that Liao Yuan wasn't going to give up on Xinyi, and here she was thinking that everything was over with her rejection.

He pinched her chin and leaned closer to her until their lips hovered at a dangerous proximity that threatened to brush against each other. "Why do you think I get angry every time I see him?" He narrowed his eyes.

A gulp passed through her throat as Zhiyuan pressed his fingers on her waist, teasing her to no end. His lips inched closer which were finally touching the edges of her lips.

"Should I give you the answer?" His warm breath fanned and tickled her cheek. His fingers sensually traced the outline of her jaw that went back and entangled themselves within her silky hair. She shuddered as he softly chomped on her earlobe. 

"It's because I feel jealous."

She froze.

"Why would I pick up fights with him? To be honest, I don't want to have anything to do with him. But he keeps on coming and approaching you with questionable intentions in his mind."

From her earlobe, he moved down and pressed his lips on her neck, making her shiver. His teeth but upon her skin as an uncontrollable desire to possess her ignited within his body.

"Zhi-Zhiyuan…"

She felt extremely hot at that spot where Zhiyuan was passionately kissing and biting, bringing tears of pleasure in her eyes.

"Now why do you think I will feel jealous?"

She shivered.

"If you do not answer me in the next second, I will bite you again," he threatened.

She jolted. "I-I don't know!"

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't admit that his jealousy was due to his love for her.

"Wrong answer," his deep voice declared.

As her punishment, he darted his tongue out and flicked over her burning skin. The sudden wetness on top of the heat that was left by his kiss made her feel dizzy. Her trembling fingers clutched his coat for support as her knees wobbled.

"The answer is because I love you."