After office, Aanya was standing near the park waiting for Zain. It was already night, and under the soft yellow lights of the park, she looked restless. Then her phone rang. Seeing the name "Daichen" on the screen, she took a deep breath.
Aanya said with a faint smile, "Hello!"
Daichen said over the phone with excitement, "Aanya! Where are you right now? Huan Jing and I have already arrived, but you're not here. If you want, I can come pick you up?"
Aanya said softly, looking up at the sky, "No, no... I was waiting for a taxi. Once I get one, I'll come. Till then, you both talk. I'll come soon."
Daichen said, "Alright!" and hung up.
Aanya kept her phone down and saw that Zain was standing near his car window, leaning in, eyes narrowed, listening to her conversation. Aanya got startled seeing him and stepped back.
Aanya said in a low, frightened voice, "You! What are you doing?"
Zain said with a hard face, burning inside with anger but calm on the outside, "You're going to have dinner with that 'D'?"
Aanya stammered, "Y-yes... I'm with my friends, Daichen and Huan Jing. He especially arranged it for me." She felt a bit uneasy seeing Zain's reaction.
Zain folded his arms and said sarcastically, "He arranged it for you? Then you better not go."
Aanya made a face and pleaded, "It's just a small reunion party, please boss, let me go." She held Zain's hand lightly and shook it a little. "You're such a good person! A good husband and boss!"
Zain laughed coldly, "Oh! When you slapped me, I wasn't a good husband and boss then? I was a wolf, huh?"
Aanya got annoyed, "Sorry! I won't do that again, please let me go."
Zain paused for a moment, then said firmly, "Then... come with me!"
Aanya widened her eyes, "Where?"
Zain said, "To the reunion party."
Aanya frowned in worry, "Then it'll be awkward for them!"
Zain took a deep breath and gave up, "Alright, I won't come. Now sit in the car."
Aanya felt instant relief, "Yes!" She quickly sat on the passenger seat.
Zain started the car.
Zain said while driving, "By the way, where are we going?"
Aanya said, "To Blue Café."
Zain pressed his lips together, "Your favorite place... wait, how does he know that?"
Aanya smiled happily, "Yes! But it's his favorite too. We both have quite similar choices."
Zain clenched his fist in his mind, thinking, 'Similar choices? What nonsense!' He felt jealous but stayed calm outwardly. "Hmm…"
They arrived at Blue Café. Zain stopped the car.
Aanya opened the door and stepped out, "Alright, I'll call you."
Zain rolled the window down and said firmly, "Call me. I'll come to pick you up."
Aanya said, "Yes, I won't forget." She waved her hand and walked toward the café.
Inside the café, the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Daichen and Huan Jing were sitting at a comfortable corner seat talking.
Aanya went inside and smiled. Seeing her, Daichen smiled immediately and gestured to her to sit beside him. Aanya sat down.
Daichen laughed, "We thought you wouldn't come. Without you, I would've felt incomplete!"
Aanya and Huan Jing both glared at him.
Huan Jing widened her eyes, "What do you mean?"
Daichen raised his hands in defense, "I mean... my party! Aanya and Huan Jing!"
Aanya put her bag down, "You two didn't order anything yet?"
Daichen said, "No! How could I order without you!" He called the waiter. "One hot pot that..." He looked at Aanya. "...don't add coriander in it!"
Aanya's eyes sparkled, "You still remember? I don't like coriander!"
Daichen smiled confidently, "I remember all your likes and dislikes."
Huan Jing whispered in Aanya's ear, "I think he still likes you."
Aanya got startled and nudged Huan Jing with her elbow, "It's not like that, we're just friends!"
Huan Jing winked, "If your husband was at the party, he'd be red with anger!"
Aanya calmed down and said sadly, "He never gets jealous because we're just husband and wife in name only."
Just then, suddenly, Zain came in. He stood at the door, a little hesitant.
Zain said with fake surprise, "You all here?"
Daichen, Huan Jing, and Aanya all stood up.
Daichen said, startled, "Yes! How come you're here, boss?"
Zain coughed lightly, pretending, "Well... I was just... I came here to eat. Because my wife went to have dinner with her friends, I thought I'd have dinner here too." He deliberately looked at Aanya. "Can I join you all?"
Aanya and Huan Jing were both shocked. Aanya swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
Aanya thought nervously, 'I told him not to come here! Still? What if he reveals our secret in front of Daichen? I wanted to tell him myself!'
Huan Jing whispered excitedly in Aanya's ear, "Your husband is really clever! You're so lucky!"
Zain smiled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes, "By the way, Daichen, can you sit next to Huan Jing? I feel a bit suffocated here." He wanted to sit directly in front of Aanya.
Daichen said quickly, "Yes, yes! You can sit."
Zain sat down there. Aanya was looking at him suspiciously.
Zain acted politely, "You all don't feel awkward, right? Not because I'm here... I just don't want your little reunion party to be ruined."
Daichen said happily, "No, not at all! With your arrival, my party will be even more fun!"
The four of them started eating the hot pot. When Aanya took a bite, Zain immediately interrupted.
Zain said, "That soup might have coriander! You eat this." He pushed his own bowl toward her.
Daichen reacted quickly, "No! I didn't have coriander added in that. I know all of Aanya's likes and dislikes." He looked at Zain and asked, "By the way, how do you know?"
Zain held back his anger, "Because she is my..."
Aanya immediately interrupted, looking at Zain sharply, "I'm his employee, and everyone in the office knows I don't like coriander, that's why boss knows too."
Zain looked at Aanya and gave a fake smile, "Yes!"
Then Daichen placed a piece of meat in Aanya's bowl and said, "You like this."
Zain's face tensed as he thought, 'Is he trying to die? Flirting with my wife right in front of me!'
Huan Jing looked at Aanya and smiled, thinking, 'Aanya, you're done for today.'
Daichen looked into Aanya's eyes, "By the way, Aanya, do you remember we made a promise? That we'd work together and always stay together!"
Water spilled out from Zain's mouth; he started coughing.
Aanya immediately got worried, stood up, "Boss, are you okay?" She rubbed his back gently out of concern.
Zain's coughing slowed down. Aanya gave him water.
Aanya said softly, "You should eat carefully."
Huan Jing widened her eyes happily and thought, 'Wow! Zain has fallen in love with Aanya because he's jealous! Aanya can't see it yet, and the boss can't express it.'
Zain's coughing stopped. He looked angrily at Daichen, then tightly held Aanya's hand and said, "Let's go home!"
Daichen stood up in surprise, "Why will Aanya go with you? I'll drop her off. You don't need to worry about her." He held Aanya's other hand.
Zain pulled Aanya's hand free from zain s grip and, possessively, said, "That's not necessary. I'm here for her. Her house is on my way." He held Aanya's hand tightly and walked out of the café quickly.
Huan Jing was stunned seeing that. 'Wow! What an attitude! Just like a Korean-Chinese drama! Wow! I wish I'd find someone like that!'
Zain took Aanya near the car. The night breeze was slightly cool.
Aanya said in pain, trying to pull her hand away, "Boss! It hurts! Let go of my hand!"
Zain released her hand and said in a hard voice, "Sit in the car!"
Aanya, angry, stood in front of Zain and said, "What you did inside wasn't right. You were the one who told me to keep our marriage private, then what was that? What will he think about us now?"
Zain stepped closer to her, pinning her lightly against the car.
Zain looked into her eyes and said with suppressed emotion, "You care about what he'll think, but not about what I'll feel?"
Aanya said firmly, "He's my friend. Nothing more than that."
Zain said nothing, just took a deep breath. He lifted Aanya and made her sit in the car, then started driving and said, "When will you tell your friend about our marriage?"
Aanya looked toward the window and said with determination in her voice, "Never. Because what's the point of telling anyone about a marriage that's bound to break soon?"
Zain didn't reply, but he felt hurt by her words. In his heart, he said, 'Why do you think I'll leave you?'
Aanya looked out the window and smiled. 'You were jealous! That means... you like me? But until you tell me yourself, I'll keep doing this — I'll keep teasing you on purpose. When you finally confess your love to me, I'll tell you, "Yes, I love you too." But until then, this secret must stay hidden.'n
Huan Jing stayed at Tiang's house so that his niece, Zhao Jing, wouldn't do anything rash. The two of them were pretending to be an ideal boyfriend and girlfriend.