"What?" Jin looked at her, incredulous. "I should join you in...Shui's art therapy sessions?"
"Yup."
"A-Alix...! What are you talking about?" Shui demanded an urgent answer too. Continue reading on m_v--novelhall.net
She shrugged. "Yeah why not? It's boring to be all by myself. I will enjoy some company. Also, I believe Liu Jin would find it beneficial too."
"...How will I find it beneficial?"
"Everybody has troubled hearts," she smiled. "It would be nice to use art as a medium to express yourself."
He stared into her eyes with a hint of warning. "I am not troubled."
"Sweetheart, that's what everyone wants to believe about themselves."
"Don't call me sweetheart."
She chuckled. "Why, you want somebody else to call you sweetheart?"
His brow twitched.
This woman...
Shui quickly said, "If Jin says that he doesn't n-need it then, we shouldn't force him."
Alix frowned. "You don't want to help your childhood friend?"
"Of course it's not like that! Don't put words into my mouth!" She glared at her.
"Then what's the problem? It's a nice way to connect for all of us and understand each other's feelings."
They stiffened.
Understanding each other's feelings was exactly what they didn't want to do.
"Liu Jin has returned after six years and will now take over the company's responsibility. It can become overwhelming, you know. It will become so even more now~"
"Don't talk like you know me," his gaze darkened.
"Do you want me to spill the specific reason why you would feel even more overwhelmed?" she asked, sneakily eyeing Shui.
His warning gaze turned even more severe which Alix casually ignored.
"You don't get to reject it anyway. I am the winner of the competition and we have agreed to the terms."
How would I know that you were planning this!? I would have refused! Jin screamed internally.
Alix laughed, reading his mind. "It's too late now. It's a pleasure to have you on board."
He clenched his jaw.
"It's a good deal, you know. You don't look too far ahead, Liu Jin. Isn't it a good chance to know more about Shui and Kang Yuze's relationship?" She lazily stretched her arm.
"...I don't want to know about them."
"Don't fool yourself, honey."
"Don't call me honey."
"Why, you want Shui to call you honey?" Alix hit it straight to the heart this time.
The veins continued to pop on his forehead.
Alix said, "Do you care about your own heart more than Shui? What if Kang Yuze is not a good man for her?"
He immediately straightened up. "What do you mean not a good man?"
She lied about the next part without any qualms. "Kang Yuze could have his own intentions in getting close to Shui. Shui is from the Han family after all and compared to her family, the Kang family is only well-to-do. Perhaps, he is taking advantage of Shui and Xiao's friendship to weave his place in her heart."
"Which could be said about the Ren family too."
"Don't forget that Xiao brought in Shui first and introduced us," she sneered. "I am just saying to be alert~"
He pressed his lips inward, a small seed of discomfort growing root in his heart. He grabbed the now empty plate and stormed out without saying anything.
Alix felt a tug on her dress and she looked down at Ailun watching her curiously. "Is Uncle Kang bad?"
"Who knows?" she shrugged.
"You don't know?"
"He should be a good man I guess, but who cares?"
He gasped. "Does it not mean that you lied to Uncle Jin?"
Alix raised her brow. "Sometimes lies are what gets you out of your predicament, you know. Lies are not bad, provided you know how to use them effectively."
"But Uncle Jin will misunderstand Uncle Kang. It can cause fights and Grandma says fighting is bad," he nodded.
"Do you like to see your Aunt Shui with Uncle Jin more or Uncle Kang?"
"Uncle Jin!" He said it in a heartbeat.
"Then we are onboard," she smiled.
"You will teach a kid to lie?" Ailun held his waist.
"I will teach you to be real in the real world. So buckle up. It's gonna be a long road ahead."