Han Zixin did not say anything but she could read in her eyes that he did not like this plan that much. She sighed as she looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, "He lied.

She did not know how she knew that he was lying. She just knew that he was lying. He did not seem in favour of going on a date. It could be because he had to go on a mission or he had something planned for the evening. She didn't talk much to him these days and she did not know anything about his schedule. Now she felt bad about not asking him before if he was even free this evening. He might have important work to do later this evening. She was so lost in herself that she did not even ask if he even had time for her. She was so absorbed with meeting him tonight that she did not think about any basic thing at all.

"Don't lie, "She said. She did not like when he would change his plans just for her. She wanted him to tell her if something was not possible. Not everything needed to be forced. She could understand. She was a pretty understanding girlfriend, wasn't she?

"I am not lying, "He said, not meeting her eyes.

An Xiulan looked at him and said, "I know you are lying. If you don't stop lying, I will get mad. If I get mad, it will turn into sadness. And maybe, then my sadness, tiredness and other two three emotions would come together and cause waterworks. Do you want to see me crying?"

She felt bad about guilt-tripping him but what did she do? She wanted him to express his opinions. She did not want him to agree with whatever she said. He should say no to what he could not do. He always did what she asked him. It was fine that he loved him very much but he should not love him to the extent that he did not even care about his life.

Han Zixin panicked suddenly. If there was something, he would never wish to see it was her tears. He would rather die than see her cry because of him. She was the person he wanted to always see smiling, not the other way around, "No. No. Don't do that."

An Xiulan asked then, "Tell me, are you having other plans this evening?"

He sighed and then nodded his head.

See, she knew that he had other plans but he was not telling her. All he had to do was tell her but he was so hesitant about it.

In a very easy tone, she said, "You should have told me that. If you can't go on a date with me, it's fine. We will plan it another time."

"Okay, "He said with a smile. He literally looked relieved and she felt guilty for making unilateral plans.

After a while, she asked, "May I ask where you will be busy?"

Although she was not mad about it, she still wanted to know what he was planning or what he had already planned for himself. Where would he be busy? She wanted to know all of it.

Han Zixin hugged her and said, "Here."

"What?" She did not understand what he was trying to say.

Han Zixin smiled and looked at her while hugging her and said, "This is my plan. You are my plan."

An Xiulan looked at him in confusion and asked, "I don't understand…"

Han Zixin answered her by saying, "A date night sounds okay. But this is better. I can hug you like this. Touch you. Keep you close to me. The dinner date will be too formal. We will have to follow the rules of a formal setting. I don't think that I can do that. I miss you just so much that I just want you near me all the time."

An Xiulan just looked at him, unblinking her eyes. "I don't understand."

All this while he was thinking about this? Her eyes watered and she had the urge to hug him tightly and cry her heart out but another part of her wanted to jump around in happiness.

Han Zixin held her hand and said, "Baby, why don't you follow me to my place? I will cook us a nice dinner. Then, we will cuddle and watch a movie? Doesn't the plan sound better?"

An Xiulan replied, "Only on the condition that you will let me help you in the kitchen."

Han Zixin wanted to decline but he couldn't. In the end, he ended up nodding her head. Wasn't it just helping? She would help him so much by just accompanying him.

"Let's go, "An Xiulan said after this.

Han Zixin nuzzled his nose against her shoulder and murmured, "Let me hug you like this for some more time."

She laughed, "Okay!"

Clingy Han Zixin was very cute. She liked seeing this side of him often.

"I really missed you a lot, "Han Zixin said in her ear.

"I know, "She said with a helpless smile. She was dying to see him too.

Han Zixin asked her, "Is that what you should say?"

"What should I say?" She pretended to be oblivious of what he wanted her to say.

Han Zixin stressed, "You know what I want to hear."

Once again, An Xiulan played dumb and asked, "What do you want to hear?"

Han Zixin asked her, "Why are you cross questioning me?"

She laughed and hugged him. "I love you."

Han Zixin froze for a moment. His system crashed and restarted suddenly. He was not expecting her to say this. But whatever she said meant the world to him.

_____

A/N: My end semester examinations are going on. It took me an entire semester to get settled here. Finally, I can write in peace. I will be going home after exams and I don't know what the change in environment will bring for me. While pausing this book, I wrote three other books and when I finished one and paused two to write this, I realized that I should not have paused this one as it is my mood booster. I have to give this book an ending but I don't want to because my mood depends on this book. What should I do? I am so confused.

Being a writer is so hard and if you are a student, it is double hard.

Anyways, I am enjoying writing An Xiulan and Han Zixin's romance currently. Won't be pausing it for anything.