The air around them immediately turns awkward.
Yan Ran clears her throat that suddenly feels as dry as the Sahara Desert.
"Ah Wei… I mean Mr Jin. What are you doing here?" she asks without thinking.
"Well it's a restaurant so obviously I'm here to eat. What about you?" Wei mocks gently.
"What I meant is I didn't expect that you actually eat at places like this one." Yan continues clumsily.
Wei's facial expression immediately changes.
He smiles sardonically. "Ms Yan, do you think you actually know me that well?"
Run Shan is shocked that someone can speak to Yan Ran this way. Who is this person?
Meanwhile Yan Ran feels that one hitting a very tender spot in her heart. She makes up her mind not to let her emotions get the better of her.
She can understand Wei Lan's anger but she just cannot handle it right now.
Something twists inside of her and she responds warily, "Yeah, you are right, my mistake. I actually don't know you well. I'm sorry."
Somehow the fact that she agrees so readily with him irritates Wei Lan. There's also a little feeling of disappointment. At one time she had been the closest human being to him.
Wei clears the lump that's lodging in his throat and he awkwardly tries to change the subject.
"So how is the new album coming along?"
Honestly he wanted to call her to apologize for his behaviour at the club. Justified or not, his behaviour had humiliated her and put her in a potentially bad position. If his dad had not interfered, the results would have been grave. A scandal when she is just about to enter the entertainment market would have been appalling.
"Mr Jin, thank you for your concern. Everything is going well. Now if you will excuse me. I have people waiting for me." Yan Ran is not trying to be rude, but after incident in the club she feels that being in the same place as Wei Lan might not be a good thing.
Wei Lan sees his opportunity to apologize about to fly out of the window. She might not want to meet him again
He extends his hand trying to stop Yan Ran from leaving. In her extra sensitive current state Yan Ra instinctively avoids his touch.
Wei's lips twist. Are things that bad between them? Does she find him repulsive now?
He shifts uncomfortably.
"Please may I speak to you privately for a moment?"
Yan Ran is about to refuse and he adds quickly.
"I promise not to take much of your time."
Yan Ran sighs and turns to Ru Shan.
"Please go on ahead. I will be there in a minute."
Ru Shan hesitates. She senses that things are not harmonious between her boss and the good looking man.
Wei Lan almost rolls his eyes impatiently.
Yan Ran knows Ru Shan is just trying to protect her.
"It's ok. He is an old friend. I will be done in no time."
Wei Lan feels bile rising from his gut. He is just an old friend?
He knows he is being unreasonable. Of course she cannot just tell every other person that he is her ex- boyfriend, can she? But another part of him that he is not examining closely, wants her to acknowledge that he used to be an important part of his life.
After shifting her eyes between the two grim-looking people several times, Ru Shan reluctantly leaves.
Wei Lan clears his throat once again.
"Would you like to sit somewhere?" he starts.
"No it's okay. Let's talk here. I have people that I'm hosting. I can't neglect them for long."
Wei Lan shifts uneasily then lifts his eyes to look at Yan Ran.
"Yan, about what happened at the club… I'm really sorry. I cannot excuse my behaviour that night."
Yan Ran feels her heart fill with distress. Compared to what she had done to him, what he did was nothing.
"No,no, you don't need to apologize. I understand completely."
For some reason, that also doesn't sit well with him.
His eyes narrow. "What do you understand exactly?"
The quick shift in mood startles Yan Ran. Why is he getting upset again?
"I mean I understand your anger…"
"Oh, really? How can you understand? Has anyone ever left you suddenly without a word of explanation?"
Yan Ran feels her throat tighten. She has no rebuttal for that one.
Clearly Wei Lan hates her. She had expected this, but reality is another matter.
Her eyes water and she bows her head down. Her lips tremble.
Wei Lan can see her forehead veins popping up and knows she is trying hard not to cry. He immediately regrets his vicious statement and sighs in exasperation.
Why does he always lose his cool in her presence?
He runs his palm over his forehead. "Look Yan, I didn't mean to upset you. Believe it or not, I really wanted to apologize for what I did to you on Saturday. I was out of line again. I don't know why I keep acting like this."
Instead of making her feel better, his sincere apology makes her feel much worse. She had done worse but could not even offer him a reasonable explanation.
Now what is supposed to say? That she forgives him? She was not even upset with him in the first place.
In the end she just shakes her head.
Wei Lan continues. "Although there are a lot of unresolved issues between us, you are still Ying Yue's best friend. She is happy to have you back. The least we can do is to try and get along for her sake."
Yan Ran knows that even though sometimes Wei acts like Ying Yue is an irritant, he loves his sister and wants her be happy. She admires that he would sacrifice himself for her happiness.
She smiles understatedly "You are right. Let's try and get along for Ying Yue's sake."
She feels like puking but holds it in.
She forces a bright smile. She feels her lips are about to crack.
"Ok then, let me go back to my guests. I have left them for too long. Let's talk again soon."
She quickly turns and leaves Wei Lan gaping at her.
Wei Lan feels a bitterness he has never known in his heart spring up like a well. Years ago he would never have thought they would end up like this.