IS THIS WORTH THE SHOT?

"What the hell was that? Did you just harass a customer?"

"Wha--? No!" stunned by her brother's accusations the moment she got back. Xu Lili stammered. She drinks her coffee to ease and relax her mind.

"Then, why the hell did you talk to someone you don't know? It looks like you are interrogating him. That's rude, Lili!" Wan Li nags that made Lili roll her eyes in exasperation.

On the side, Liu Yang could not help but giggle while gobbling on some chocolate cake.

"That man," Lili points in the man's direction, "said he knows Sister Yang. But I think he is sketchy. He keeps on ogling at her for a while now. I think he is a creep. We should report him."

Lili fishes out her phone to dial 120 but Liu Yang stops her.

"Hm? Who? Where?" Liu Yang intriguingly also looks in the direction Xu Lili is pointing while putting her glasses on.

"There. That one in a gray tee. That handsome man."

The man is looking away from them so it is hard to tell.

"I think I know him?" Wan Li blurts out, making the two turn their heads to him. "Oh, my gosh! And I am correct!"

Liu Yang and Xu Lili revert their heads once more. They just saw a woman arrive and sit with the man.

"Who is that?" Xu Lili asks Liu Yang but the latter did not answer and keeps her eyes glued on the two people not far from them.

There is only a safe distance between them. With the help of her glasses, Liu Yang could clearly see them now.

It is him – again.

And Amy is with him this time. There is no mistaking it.

What is even more surprising is that Amy suddenly turns her their way. She locks eyes with Liu Yang and without hesitation, waves her hand at her Editor.

Bewitched, Liu Yang raises her hand and waves back, forgetting the people with her.

"Hello! Liu Yang to earth!" Wan Li flicks his hand to her face.

"Oh?" Liu Yang blinks several times. "It's…it's Amy and you know, t-that man." She stammers while finding some excuse for her being absent-minded just now.

"Yeah, I can see that." Wan Li eyes her knowingly as if something is weird with the way she is acting.

"Uh-oh, I think they are coming our way," Lili warns. Clumsily sipping on the drink, looking like the teacher caught her doing something suspicious in class as she settles in her seat and straightens her back.

"Sister Yang! What a coincidence meeting you here!" Amy greets Liu Yang - showing her best smile. Her eyes squint, knowing that this is a staged meeting. Her stupid cousin is the culprit.

She could not understand why the hell she agreed to this in the first place.

Liu Yang beams at her – the silhouette behind Amy never slips her line of sight. How can she not notice? The man has a broad chest and is tall.

Lili eyed the newly arrived uninvited guests. She knows something is definitely fishy with the situation – watching the naïve Liu Yang talk and entertain Amy.

Or maybe Liu Yang is only pretending to know nothing?

Coincidence?

Maybe not?

Lili raises her brow in an arch, looking at Guan from head to toe. The hostility that she holds towards him never escapes Guan's sight.

Her eyes tell him that Lili is and will be watching his every move.

Guan only smirks and accepts her challenge.

Xu Lili silently gasps. This is making her livid.

Meanwhile, the other three are happily interacting with each other.

"What brought you here today?" Liu Yang asks - her neck starts to hurt from looking up at Amy.

Guan is waiting behind Amy, still standing in front of the three.

"Ah, Second Brother invited me for coffee so I suggested the place. You know, cousin bonding and such."

Amy almost barfed with what she said – well, so is Guan. He is starting to get bored from standing and waiting for some miracle to happen.

"But then again," Amy continues, she briefly glances at Guan before continuing, "we were bored talking to ourselves. So, I had this brilliant idea of joining you guys! We can, right?"

She looks at everyone at the table, hoping to get a positive response.

"Ah-ha~" Wan Li dryly laughs. "Of course, Ms. Amy. Who are we to decline." He offers the seat next to Liu Yang.

"What!? Why did you do that?" Xu Lili whispers to his brother in protest.

"Be good, hm?" Wan Li replies through gritted teeth. "These two are considered our employers. We can't afford to offend them."

"So? They don't own the company - their parents do. And, duh! We don't have to be always at their disposal. They're not some royalty or something?" Lili retorts back.

"Just shut up!" Wan Li shuts his sister up with his hawk-like eyes but the latter glares back.

There are only four chairs available. Liu Yang offered the chair next to her, occupying her bag, to Amy.

Guan had no choice but to ask for an extra chair from a staff.

And now, their seating arrangement is rather awkward.

Liu Yang puckers her lips in discomfort. She could not grasp how did they gather all together at this table right now.

Across her, there is Wan Li and Lili; on her left is Amy, and on her right is…the man – she forgot his name – whom she had an awkward encounter at the hospital.

"So, Ms. Amy," Xu Wan Li speaks first knowing how uncomfortable the air is, "how was the progress with your book?"

"Oh, it's going well, Editor Xu. Thanks to Sister Yang and her team it is doing better now." Amy answers with a smile.

Another awkward silence…

"By the way!" Wan Li talks again, this time startling everyone in their seats. "Oh, sorry. Anyway, this is my sister, Xu Lili."

Xu Lili introduces a hand to Amy with a curt smile.

"Nice to meet you." Lili barely touches Amy's hand and folds it back to her chest.

"Ha-ha~ Nice to meet you, too." Amy dryly laughs at the hostility given to her and pays it no mind. There is a bigger task at hand. "Oh, and this is my Second Brother, Niu Guan Ning."

"Pfft!"

"Lili, what the hell?!" Wan Li shouts at his sister.

Lili spats her coffee onto the table and Liu Yang, soaking and staining her white blouse – although not that much, just a bit of splatter.

All of them scramble to their feet, thinking of what to do.

The other people inside the café turn their heads in their direction, checking what the ruckus is all about.

Guan pulls some tissues nearby, passing them to Liu Yang.

"Here."

"Thank you," Liu Yang says without realizing who handed it to her, dabbing the tissues directly at her blouse.

Guan passes her some more but it looks like the stain is not going any minute unless you use water or detergent.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry, Sister Yang!" Lili utters and helps Liu Yang wipe her blouse with clumsy hands.

"It's fine. It's not that much. I can easily erase it later when I get home." Liu Yang assures Lili to stop her from panicking.

"Ish! Why did she even tell his identity at a crucial moment? I didn't know he is the son of some big shot?! And I have even mistaken him for some pervert! But he does really look shady earlier. Hay~! Whatever!" Lili murmurs to herself while still helping Liu Yang out.

Liu Yang snickers at Lili mumbling to herself, crouching in front of her.

A staff came, enquiring if the problem had been solved as they were causing a bit of commotion.

"No worries, it's just a minor problem."

Guan was the one who talked to the manager and assures them everything is fine.

They all decided to leave, thinking they were obstructing the business and causing inconvenience to the other patrons.

"Why don't we all have dinner together?"

Amy suggests when they are outside.

"What do you think?" she asks again after not hearing a reply, turning her head to them.

Amy gapes at Guan towering behind Liu Yang with hands in his pockets. He has not said a word since. It is starting to make her pissed. Why did she even agree to this?

It seems like her Second Brother is of no use. She expectantly looks at the other three people.

"Yeah! Let's go have dinner." Lili declares.

Her statement earns her a sarcastic look from her brother while Liu Yang blinks innocently – more confused about her answer.

"Right? Come on!" Amy cheers, pulling Lili to her car which surprised the latter.

The three are left there standing, tongue-tied. They never even got the chance to reply and now they are already gone.

Guan berates Amy in his head for leaving him in the air like this. He scratches his chin, rehearsing his speech inside his head over and over.

Clearing his throat first, he says, "We could use my car. I think it's more convenient that way," trying to articulate every word.

He shyly puts on a smile that surprised him. He had never done that!

Gladly, Liu Yang and Wan Li easily agreed.

Guan generously opens the door to the passenger seat, expecting Liu Yang will be the one sitting next to him, only to be dismayed by Wan Li.

"Oh dear, well, thank you. How gentleman of you," Xu Wan Li sweetly smiles and winks at Guan, entering the car while he holds the door for Wan Li.

"My pleasure," Guan presses his lips in a flat line.

Liu Yang, on the other hand, opens the door of the backseat by herself, entering the car hassle-free. Guan watches her, sighing as he turns the engine on and enters the traffic.

"You know where we're headed, right?" Wan Li asks in the middle of the ride.

"Of course. Amy told me earlier." Guan answers. Glancing at the rearview mirror, he sees Liu Yang silently looking outside.

She had not said a word to him once – not even a smile and it baffles him. She talks to the others full of interest but not to him.

Why though?

Is he unapproachable?

Or does he really look like a pervert?

Whatever.

Guan shakes the thoughts out of his head.

The truth is, this dinner is already premeditated. Guan had already talked about this with Amy the other day. Coincidentally, everything goes with their plans. Although the measures of how it came to fruition are a bit…drastic?

He feels guilty about this. It feels like he is being manipulative doing this.

Guan hopes this is all worth it.