Is that okay?

She blinked. The words that flowed from his mouth were as sweet as honey and were so enchanting that she almost blushed again.

Any woman in her position would melt at those words, especially when it came from someone as excellent as Fei Huangjin. After all, who wouldn't want to be protected by their man?

But to Ying Yue, his words were just words. They were empty and meaningless, and were the kind that were said by a man to capture a woman's heart.

How many men said that to women, only for the latter to be left when things got tough? Maybe she was being cynical, but she was being realistic. Right now, she had no reason to fully trust Huangjin.

Slowly, she withdrew her hand from his grip, giving him an apologetic smile.

She didn't need to say anything; Fei Huangjin could already sense her doubt and distrust. He sat back, clenching his jaw.

"Huangjin," she glanced at him with a frown, "I can be with you, but don't ask me to trust you."

His nostrils flared and his jaw was ticking in irritation, embarrassment and anger -- not really because of Ying Yue. But because he allowed himself, the master of Dragon Club and the CEO of Fei International, who regarded women as annoying and a waste of time, to act this way.

He acted like a lovesick schoolboy confessing his feelings only for it to be unreciprocated. His pride was bruised.

But he couldn't help it. He wanted to keep her by his side.

He didn't know why and didn't understand it, but he liked her a lot.

After a while, his lips moved, and his voice was low and faint. "Okay."

She thought she heard him wrong and her eyes widened. "You… is that okay?"

His lips thinned in exasperation. Did she expect him to run a mile away?

Before he could answer, the waiter arrived to set their food on the table. He merely stared at her, his gaze unreadable. Ying Yue wasn't sure if he was mad at her or not. But even if he was, she didn't think she did anything wrong. She was just being honest. It was true; she really couldn't trust him right now.

The perfectly seared salmon on her plate, beckoned to her. It was a reminder of their earlier conversation, wherein Fei Huangjin had aptly pointed out what she always ordered here. Her mouth turned upside down and she suddenly didn't have much of an appetite.

The pair ate their lunch in silence.

When they finally left the restaurant, Ying Yue couldn't help but grimace at the awkward lunch date they had. Fei Huangjin didn't say anything for the rest of the meal. Was he mad at her or holding a grudge at her for saying she didn't trust him?

As if reading her mind, he turned to her and said, "Ying Yue, I'm not mad at you."

She raised her eyebrows at him incredulously. "You're not?"

"I'm not." His lips were pursed and his brows furrowed at her question.

They were walking back together to the company. The weather was cloudy and the wind was cool. It was a perfect day to be outside. Fei Huangjin carefully pulled her closer to him, sliding his hand from her wrist to thread his fingers between hers.

"Huangjin," she started to say.

He glanced at her briefly, "Do you want me to let your hand go?"

The suddenness of his question threw Ying Yue out of loop and she blinked repeatedly before feeling his hand pull back from hers. It was too late to tell him she didn't want it to happen.

The hand he held a while ago began to get cold and she slipped it into her coat pocket to keep herself warm.

He didn't look at her for the rest of their walk.