Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Liu Hai smirked. “For that matter, what are you and Siying waiting for? All couples should be on the dance floor!”

Siying and Nuo blushed like teenagers and flustered. Jinhai’s gaze went dark, and he shot pointed glares at Siying.

Siying felt a chill at the back of his neck.

Why are fathers like this? Be it Uncle Jinhai or Dad!

On the other side, Jun felt a sharp silence ring in his ears. He ever so slowly turned towards Liu Hai, his last words making an impact on him akin to a bomb blast.

More than reacting to dancing with Shui, the part that hit his nerve the most was how Liu Hai asserted Ai to be his future granddaughter-in-law.

Granddaughter-in-law meant that she was supposed to become his grandson’s wife. But whose?

Jin’s?

Was that why they were dancing together?

Jun guessed that Ai came to this banquet to give his gift to his parents, feeling unjust for him. Which was true._.

But then how did things escalate to this point?

Liu Hai cheerfully whistled and brought Jun to Shui’s side. She turned and almost stumbled, seeing Jun appear out of nowhere. Jin had told her that he wasn’t coming tonight. Guilt filled her heart because she knew she was the reason behind him avoiding the family gatherings.

“…Jun?”

“Hahaha! Aren’t you thrilled, Shui? Jun gave such an awesome surprise. Now, you won’t have to feel lonely seeing all the couples dance. Your boyfriend is here, hohoho!”

Jun snapped his head towards her with a sharp questioning gaze.

You didn’t tell them about our breakup?

After their confrontation on New Year’s eve, Jun assumed that Shui would reveal it to her family which would naturally reach his family’s ears too. There was no doubt about Jin and Shui’s feelings for each other.

So why would she keep her silence?

Shui sensed the question his eyes conveyed, and she lowered her gaze. He felt the conflict behind her expression. Something was bothering her.

Liu Hai watched the two and harrumphed. “What are you still standing here for! Look, Nuo and Jian are already on the dance floor. Get going.”

He made Jun hold Shui’s hand and gave them a light push. The light focused on them, and everybody clapped in delight.

—

It didn’t come any less of a shock to Jin and Ai either realizing that Jun was here.

Bro Jun came…?

Ai’s pace to match Jin’s steps slowed down as she bore her eyes into him. Typically, she would have tried to hide herself from him as she never wanted Jun to know about her visit here.

But watching Jun and Shui dance with such closeness erased all the questions and apprehension from her mind.

Questions like why is Jun suddenly here?

What if he sees me and gets angry for meddling in his business?

She kept staring at them unblinkingly until her eyes ached. Then she slowly swung her head to face Jin again with an unreadable expression.

Jun, who held Shui in his arms, lightly hung onto her, creating a distance between them. His feet danced in rhythm with her, but his dark gaze was only focused on Ai.

Not just her but Jin’s hand that was holding onto her waist, her palm clutching his shoulder, her hair fluttering on his coat, his face that was too close to hers, their chests that seemed to almost graze against one another, their eyes who looked at each other – he burned every one of those actions in his heart.

Silently but surely.

Shui, too, like Jun, couldn’t help but throw frequent glances towards Jin and Ai. Every time she did so, a strange painful feeling blocked her senses completely. She would forget where she was as if the canvas was all blank. The distance between them along with Liu Hai’s declaration earlier made her difficult to breathe.

She suddenly felt a tightening pressure on her fingers. “O-ow…” she softly yelped. “Jun, you are holding my hand too tightly.”

Jun realized and eased the pressure.

“Sorry,” he said with a flat voice, not really sounding apologetic

She watched his gaze which seemed familiar to her. His expression didn’t look particularly angry. But she still sensed the deep disturbance from him.

Jun was extremely calm. At least, it seemed so from the outside.

But she knew.

Jun was the deadliest when he was the calmest.

It was this feeling that he gave off which made her uncomfortable at times around him. Like something was looming upon you which threatened to cage you in his prison forever.

The music hung in the air, and the couples danced.

Jin didn’t fail to notice the change in everybody’s demeanors. He himself stared at Shui and his brother the way Shui was looking at them.

But he knew that their relationship was no more now. This was just a perfunctory dance to keep appearances.

What puzzled him more was Ai and Jun’s reactions.

Jun was definitely watching Ai and Ai until now, was staring at Jun and Shui with a complicated expression.

It reminded Jin of the accidental kiss he had witnessed.

“How close are you with Bro Jun?”

His sudden question startled Ai. She blinked at him. “What?”

“You heard me,” he smiled.

Ai wasn’t sure of how much to reveal. “We are-” she paused for a reason unknown to her, “…not really close.”

Jin tilted his head. He thought she would fluster and dismiss even knowing Jun.

“We just see each other at the library every day due to our work. Nothing more than that.”

“Yet you came this far to give his gift to Mom and Dad,” he didn’t pull any punches. “Seems far more trouble for just acquaintances.”

She said nothing.

“Do you look at bro Jun? He has been staring at you quite intensely. Something I cannot conceive happening between just two acquaintances.”

Ai stared at him. “Then can you explain why Shui was peeking at us? Or why were you looking at her? Something I cannot conceive happening between you and your supposed future sister-in-law.”