THIS IS HARDER THAN I HAVE EVER IMAGINED

"Oh, can you please pull over? I have to buy something from the convenience store over there." Wan Li points at the convenience store on the way.

"What? Let me come with you." Liu Yang pushes the door open but Wan Li stops her.

"It's fine. I'll be right back. Stay."

Liu Yang is confused and suspicious of the way Wan Li stared at her before he left.

Damn it! she didn't want to be alone with this man. And up until now, she still doesn't want to call him by his name.

But why, though?

Guan puts the car on hazard, patiently waiting for Wan Li with Liu Yang. He fiddles with his fingers, thinking of topics to talk about with Liu Yang.

"Ahem. Is it not tough working with Amy?"

Liu Yang looks up at the man in the driver's seat with a deep and captivating voice.

Their eyes meet through the rearview mirror but Liu Yang immediately looks down.

"Ah. It's not that tough. She may be a little demanding and clingy at times but she is very professional, especially when it comes to her book."

Guan smiles and nods. "That's good to hear, then."

Then, they are shrouded in another silence.

'Why is it so hard to have a proper conversation with her?' Guan thought while tapping his finger on the gear.

"What's taking him so long?" Liu Yang mumbles without realizing she is talking out loud.

"You're right. Wonder what he bought?" Guan replies, startling Liu Yang.

Liu Yang bit her lips. She never realized that he would hear what she said. Her face starts heating up as she bows her head lower.

"Hello?"

She hears Guan answering a phone call - it must be Amy.

"Yeah. We're almost there."

Liu Yang looks outside to check if Wan Li is already out of the store and he never disappoints. He has a small plastic in his hand, although Liu Yang can not clearly see what is inside.

"Sorry, I took too long, right?" Wan Li apologizes the moment he enters the car.

Guan: "It's fine."

Liu Yang: "Yeah, right."

The two said in unison which left them both stunned.

"Wow!" Wan Li utters. He, too, is surprised at the harmony they just made while he is away.

Guan clears his throat and says, "Let's go," as he starts the engine and speeds away.

Liu Yang, on the other hand, bites her lower lip once again. This time, not only her face is heating, but also her ears.

What the hell?!

This is the most uncomfortable ride she had ever been on!

----

They arrive at the restaurant a bit late.

Amy and Lili are already eating when they entered the private room.

"Hey, what took you so long?" Lili asks Liu Yang and Wan Li while stuffing her mouth with food.

"Traffic jam," Wan Li casually replies, sitting beside his sister.

Liu Yang sits beside Wan Li while Guan sits beside Liu Yang – leaving a single chair empty between Amy and Guan.

The round table is not that wide and only six chairs are surrounding it at about a five-inch distance. So, it is easy to brush each other's shoulders whenever someone moves.

'If this intention is not clear, what more does Sister Yang needs to see to make it clearer?' Lili thought as she watches the scene in front of her.

Liu Yang inwardly sighs. She feels a bit uncomfortable sitting beside Guan. It is not that she dislikes him, it is just that, this is their first official meeting and she doesn't know how to communicate with him or entertain him.

She is not socially inclined when it comes to strangers especially if it is a man. And, she is not that dumb not to know the real intention of this dinner, or them 'coincidentally meeting' at the café earlier.

What to do?

"Ms. Liu, here."

Liu Yang cuts her train of thought hearing the man beside her give her a pair of chopsticks.

Did he just say, Ms. Liu?

How formal.

She tears a smile and accepts the chopsticks. "Thank you, just Liu Yang will do," Liu Yang utters.

"Oh, right!"

Amy suddenly blurts out startling Liu Yang in her seat.

What is with all this startling since earlier?

"Ah. You never had a proper introduction, right?" Amy points at Liu Yang and Guan. "Hm, sorry about that. Anyway, Sister Yang, this is my Second Brother, Niu Guan Ning."

"And, dear Second Brother, this is my beautiful and humble Editor, Liu Yang." Amy finishes the introduction with a big smile on her face. It's as if she did something great.

On the side, Lili winks and puts her thumb up at Amy – indicating a good job.

Lili had been briefed on the situation by Amy earlier when the latter snatched Lili from everyone. The unfriendly demeanor toward Amy was replaced with excitement but it does not mean that she is not skeptical towards Guan.

In the end, Lili let the situation be. She will follow and respect Liu Yang's decision after all.

Wan Li saw all of these and felt unbelievably amused at his sister's 360-degree turn of sides. She was just unfriendly towards Amy a while ago. What just happened?

Guan and Liu Yang bow at each other stiffly.

Amy wants to throw her hands at Guan for acting domesticated right now. He used to be slick when it comes to women as far as she knows, what is this kind of behavior?

This is supposed to be a joyous encounter, why all the long faces? These adults and their complicated world. Amy scorns them both in her head. Whatever, at least she earns a new friend today – thanks to her Second Brother.

Amy leans her head on Lili's shoulder out of the blue.

"What's wrong?" Lili asks, pushing Amy's head away.

"Nothing."

Starting tonight, she will leave everything to Guan's powers when it comes to approaching Liu Yang. Helping him drained her energy.

The dinner ended with Guan and Liu Yang barely talking to each other. They did interact a little but just for something trivial like passing sauces and such. Their hands even accidentally brushed each other, making them flinch in surprise, but that was it.

Guan takes a side-eye glance at everyone while footing the bill. He is actually looking at Liu Yang and asks himself – is this even worth it?

He had been asking that questioning himself the entire night.

He sighs and takes his card and thanks the staff at the counter.

"Everything settled?"

Guan nods at Amy when he arrived.

"Mr. Niu thank you so much for tonight." Wan Li bows at Guan as a sign of gratitude.

"Thank you, Mr. Niu," Liu Yang simply says, bowing lightly with a curt smile.

"It's my pleasure. And please, you can call me Guan." Guan responds, giving an enigmatic smile with eyes glued to Liu Yang.

"Oh, please, how can we call you that?" Wan Li utters, trying to liven up the air between them.

But they were pushed to the side by Xu Lili. Standing in front of Guan, she bows her body at a 90-degree angle, shocking everyone, especially Guan.

"I'm really, REALLLLLY, sorry, Mr. Niu! I did not mean to harass you earlier at the café! But you really are shady and look like a creep at first glance. I'm just a bit overprotective towards the people who are special to me since I have a prior experience with creeps. I hope you forgive me."

Lili's long speech left them utterly speechless. She still has her body suspended at a 90-degree angle.

"Uh," Guan did not know what to do. This is all too sudden. "You don't have to worry about it. You can stand now."

"Pfft!"

Amy and Wan Li are heard giggling on the side while Liu Yang is covering her mouth, preventing a laugh.

"Oh, gosh! Lili, stand up, please." Amy pulls Lili up and snakes a hand around her shoulders. "There is nothing to be sorry about. He deserves it."

"Ha!" Guan sneers at Amy's comment. He nods, saying, "I do believe I deserved that kind of treatment, too. And you don't have to change your impression of me just because you have known my identity."

Lili nods. "Still, sorry."

Guan stops himself from patting her head. She looks just like Amy, no wonder they hit it off instantly.

----

They arrive at the Publishing five minutes before nine in the evening. Wan Li's car is still at the Publishing's parking lot, and Guan thought that it would be rude to send them directly to their respective homes.

"Thank you once again, Mr….uhm, Guan." Wan Li bows together with Liu Yang and Lili.

"Anytime." Guan grins his eyes secretly glancing at Liu Yang.

*sigh* 'Why is she aloof? Is it in her nature?' he thought, the grip on the wheel tightened.

*pip! pip!*

Amy blows her horn to catch their attention.

"' Til next time!" she waves at the three standing on the sidewalk.

Liu Yang giggles. "Of course, we will meet again, silly! I'm your Editor, we still have a long way to go to finish your book."

"Ugh! Don't remind me of that Sister Yang!" Amy whines, making them laugh at her cute pouting face.

The two cars left them still standing on the sidewalk in front of the Publishing. They watch as their cars fade in the night.

"So, what do you think of him, dear Sister?" Lili interrogates Liu Yang with a smirk on her lips. She has her fist in front of her mouth, pretending as if she is holding a microphone and is interviewing her.

"Oh! Our dear Liu Yang does have a suitor after a long time!" Wan Li hugs her waist and kisses her on the cheeks.

The siblings squeal in unison making the people nearby look at them with knowing eyes.

Liu Yang shakes them off and walks ahead of them.

"Who are you? I don't know you."