Comfort

"You should have seen her face when I handed Lily over to her before I left. She looked so smug…" Sun Mei told Yu Zan over a bland cup of tea. She was not even drinking the tea. She just wanted something to keep her hands busy so that they wouldn't tremble.

"Did Mr. Wu say anything to you?" Yu Zan asked her.

"No, I… I kind of left without saying goodbye. I slipped out when he went to change. I just left Lily with Jenny and told Veronica I was leaving."

"Who's Veronica?"

"Mr. Wu's assistant. I liked her. She seemed to hate Jenny as much as I do."

"You found a new BFF?" Yu Zan looked almost hurt.

"What? No! Is this really the time for you to be jealous?" Sun Mei asked incredulously.

"No, you're right. This is your jealous day."

"I'm not jealous, I'm just…"

"Disappointed? Wounded? Devastated?"

Sun Mei sniffed. "All of the above."

"Sorry," said Yu Zan, who was now biting her lip.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I kind of encouraged you to jump into Mr. Wu's arms, so now I feel a little guilty."

"You should feel very guilty."

"Okay, that's a bit dramatic. Are you sure you don't want something stronger than tea?"

Sun Mei narrowed her eyes. "It's 3 o'clock."

"And yet you are already crying."

"Touche... I think I'll have some soda."

"Wow, you are going really hardcore on me today!" Yu Zan started laughing.

"Hey, you are being mean."

"That doesn't work on me. Go exercise Lily's tactics on someone else."

"I regret telling you everything."

"You love regretting telling me everything."

"I regret loving telling… You know what? Forget it. I'm already confused enough as it is."

"Yeah, I'd stick with soda if I were you."

Although Sun Mei did stick with soda, she soon found herself speaking as openly as if she had consumed truth serum.

"I didn't even want to go out with Michael!" she admitted. "I was just flattered and curious to see Mr. Wu's reaction."

"I figured."

"And now I feel guilty because he drove me to the hospital and I haven't even texted him ever since."

"Has he texted you?"

"A couple of times."

"Did you answer?"

"Yes, but I said polite, forced things and I have not tried messaging him first."

"Oh, trust me. He must have gotten the message."

"Is the message that I'm a horrible, insensitive, cruel human being?"

"Actually, I would call you oversensitive, over-analyzing and irrational."

"Thanks a lot."

"Happy to help!"

Sun Mei returned home at 11 that night. After drinking tea and soda with Yu Zan, the two of them decided to engage in some shopping therapy. Now that Sun Mei had money and some free time to spend it, she couldn't see why she couldn't splurge a little to cheer herself up.

Her family at home wouldn't complain if she didn't send them her whole salary for once. Her mother always told her that she sacrificed too much for others. In return, Sun Mei said that she took after her.

Yu Zan picked out two dresses for her and Sun Mei bought them without a second thought. Then, she suddenly craved some comfort food and they decided to have some soup at a nearby restaurant.

By the time Sun Mei got home, she believed that both Mr. Wu and Lily would be asleep.

She was wrong...