The next morning An Xiulan woke up quite late. If she didn’t have to go to the office, she would have stayed in her bedroom and not come out at all.

When she came downstairs for breakfast, she heard laughter coming from the dining area. Were Gu Shangyan and Lu Xuan back for breakfast? What could she say? Her brothers were lazy people. They would rather drive here to get meals than go out to eat. Not that she blamed them as she would have done the same thing if she had moved out.

An Xiulan gaped at both of them. She didn’t ask him to come to pick her up. Hell, she was avoiding him but she could not tell her mother about this.

“Mom, am I even your daughter?” An Xiulan asked.

“No tantrums, “An Qinyan pointed out and An Xiulan pouted.

“We have spoiled you too much, “An Qinyan sighed. “Now take a seat and eat your breakfast.”

An Xiulan looked at Han Zixin who was quietly enjoying his breakfast. He was so smart. He was sitting next to her seat so she would not sit away from him. He had planned every step it seemed. What a smart man!

“Zixin, how is work?” Gu Yanxi asked.

An Xiulan was eating her breakfast while hiding her face in the bowl while Han Zixin was calmly answering all the questions.

Her hair was almost covering her face. At one point, her hair was going to fall into her bowl, given the way she was eating. He heaved out a sigh and held her hair back and let her eat in peace.

A hue of red crept on her neck and face as he held her hair back but she refused to give in that he was affecting her. Everything was fine. Nothing was wrong. She was not blushing. Her stomach was not flipping on its own. Yes. Yes. Everything was just perfect. She and he were not awkward.

What could a kiss even change? Yes, what could a kiss even change? She was going to be brave and meet his eyes and tell him that she was not awkward at all!

As she turned her gaze to look at him coincidentally he looked in the same direction and their lips touched accidentally, making her eyes widen in response. She shook her head frantically making him leave her hair and turned her head away. No. No. No. It was just so awkward.

All the exchange that took place between them was not seen by anyone else. Gu Yanxi and An Qinyan were making questions and he was calmly replying to them.

“Your grandfather was talking about hosting a guest, “An Qinyan mentioned. She felt something unusual about Han Qian as he was repeatedly talking about a guest that he was hosting at the house and how she was only Han Zixin’s friend.

Han Zixin nodded his head. “He must be talking about my friend. We both were in the same unit before. She got injured on a mission. Since she is from another province, I asked her to stay with my family until her parents come to take care of her.”

As An Xiulan listened to this, her ears perked up. Friend? Oh, he had a female friend other than her? She wondered who this female friend was.

“You did right, “An Qinyan said. “It’s not easy serving the nation. Is she gravely injured?”

“She will be fine in a month as long as she follows the medical treatment, “Han Zixin answered.

An Qinyan turned to look at An Xiulan and asked, “Where is Xueyun? I haven’t seen her since that day. Is she living in her parent’s house?”

“I think she is living with her Aunt, “An Xiulan said. She scratched her head and added, “I forgot to ask where she is staying.”

“She is your friend, “An Qinyan sighed. “How could you forget? Song Yifei mentioned that the house is not good to live in right now. Song Xueyun’s parents have been travelling for so long. The house needs renovation and deep cleaning. If she keeps staying there, she will fall sick. I know kids these days want privacy and she is a working woman, you should at least ask her if she needs help in house hunting.”

“Mom, who is your daughter?” An Xiulan pouted.

“You love caring about others but feel jealous when I do the same, “An Qinyan sighed.

An Xiulan hihihihed. She looked at her stepfather and added, “Uncle, your wife is in contact with her ex-husband’s present wife. Isn’t it suspicious?”

Gu Yanxi laughed. “Little Xiu, don’t pull me under the bus.”

An Xiulan pouted.

“Auntie, you like Xueyun a lot, don’t you?” Han Zixin ended up asking.

“I really do, “An Qinyan sighed. Xueyun and Xuan would have made a beautiful pair but fate had something else planned.

Han Zixin could read the thoughts on An Qinyan’s face but before he could say anything, someone beat him in it.

“Quit pairing my heartbreaker brother and my sweet Xueyun, “An Xiulan said. “They are not a good match. Also, I’m playing cupid in her life.”

“What about you?” Gu Yanxi asked. “Who will play cupid in your life? Han Zixin?”

Han Zixin looked at the man with wide eyes. “Why would I put an axe on my foot?”

The two elders turned to look at him while An Xiulan groaned inwardly.

….

A/N: They are cute but frustrating. Right?