The day of Christmas.
Han villa.
It was a grim atmosphere at the breakfast table. A certain father was in an extremely bad mood.
Han Xinyi, Shui's mother, looked at her husband and rolled her eyes. "My dear husband. Will you stop leaking that deadly aura?"
"You don't realize the gravity of this situation."
"Because there is no gravity to realize in the first place," she stated.
Han Zhiyuan, ex-CEO of the Han Corps and Shui's father, glared at his wife, aggrieved. "Why don't you try to understand me?"
"Because that's not really good for our daughter's life. I know what you want to say, but she is grown up now."
"That Liu Jun must have definitely planned a date with my Shui!" He banged his fist on the table.
"It's obvious. They are dating."
"Don't say that!" He cried. "I won't ever accept him for my daughter."
"You should start doing it already," she smiled.
"Hey! It's not just me! Liang also refuses to accept Liu Jian for his daughter, Leina!"
The Xu family was one of the close family friends of the Han family. Xu Liang was the CEO of a pharmaceutical company and Han Zhiyuan's best friend. His daughter was Xu Leina, who was dating Jun's elder brother, Jian.
Xinyi was stupefied. "Oh my God! You men still haven't disbanded the 'I won't let my precious daughter date anybody' group? I need to talk to Ah Cy," she shook her head.
Xu Ah Cy was Xu Liang's wife and Xinyi's best friend.
"T-that's not important right now! What if…what if that Liu brat is planning to…"
Xinyi curiously leaned. "Planning to what?"
"You know what I am talking about! Shui is only twenty. As if I would allow any physical relationship when she is so young!"
Shui and her elder brother Han Siying came down just at that time.
Siying chuckled. "Dad is being Dad again, I see."
Xinyi sighed. "Talk to him."
"Dad. Don't be like this. Well…" Siying cleared his throat. "I have asked out Nuo tonight too."
Xinyi beamed. "You are finally confessing to her?"
"That is the plan," he scratched his chin in embarrassment.
"Oh my! All the best," she kissed his cheek. "We will be waiting for the good news. Don't forget to bring Nuo here, okay?"
"That would happen only if Uncle Jinhai would allow her in the first place…" his mouth twitched.
"Haha. You don't need to worry about that. Nana will handle him. You just focus on giving me the good news," she grinned.
"I just hope he doesn't send a bunch of his Underworld men behind me with guns."
"Again, Nana is there to handle him," she chuckled. "Shui, my dear. Why are you so quiet?"
"Ah?" She awkwardly smiled. "Nothing."
Zhiyuan brightened. "Do you not want to go on a date with that brat tonight? It's okay. Daddy fully supports-"
One glare from his wife, and he immediately quietened down.
Xinyi smiled. "What's wrong? You were going to celebrate Christmas with Jun in a club tonight, right? Haha, you are like your Aunt Zizi who likes clubbing so much."
"That was the plan…but I am not sure. Jun is a little busy," Shui lied.
Zhiyuan's expression turned ugly. "Excuse me. Who is he to ditch my precious daughter on Christmas Eve? How dare he?"
"Zhiyuan, I don't understand. Do you want the date or not?"
"Of course, I don't. But only my Shui has the right to reject it!" He indignantly exclaimed.
Xinyi smiled. "Zhiyuan. You are too annoying just like Liang."
"..."
Siying was curious. "I don't believe this. Bro Jun never misses any event to spend time with you. He might not have time for anybody else, but he always has time for you. Now he is busy on Christmas Eve when it's supposed to be a romantic evening for any couple?"
"Eat your food, Siying. You are talking too much," Zhiyuan forcefully stuffed the roll into his son's mouth.
"Mmpf!" Siying protested.
Xinyi lovingly brushed her palm along her daughter's hair. "Aish, don't feel bad. Maybe something might have really come up. You can celebrate it with your Mom and Dad tonight!"
Zhiyuan wholeheartedly agreed.
Shui smiled. "Thanks, Mom. You are the best."
She found it too difficult to raise the subject of her breakup with Jun and explain the many questions that would be asked to her.
I cannot tell what happened until I talk to Jun properly. I need to talk to him once more.
She typed on her phone and dropped a message.
—
Liu villa.
Jin laid on his bed, staring at the wall, thinking about the incredulous news he came to know.
He broke up with Shui. How is this possible…?
After all these years, your love for Shui cannot possibly end so abruptly like that, right? What has changed you, bro?
There were so many questions swirling in his mind, but there was no answer for any of them.
Nana came in, smiling. "Jin, why are you alone in your room? It's Christmas today!"
He hugged his mother and rested his head on her lap. "Mom, I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?" She brushed her fingers through his hair.
"I sometimes chat with a group online," he lied. "There is one friend of mine who is in love with a girl. But he has a brother who…loves her too. A lot. They were dating, but now they broke up. What should the brother do?"
"Well, does the girl love him back?"
"...He doesn't really know?"
"If she does, then he should confess to her, maybe after they heal from their breakup and move on. I know it would be a delicate situation because her ex-boyfriend is his brother, but if two people love each other, they should be together," she smiled. "He has to give it time and approach the matter cautiously. Relationships are complex, after all."
Jin's gaze flickered. "But if he confesses, then his relationship with his brother would end."
"That's why I said he has to think about it calmly. His brother and the girl, both are equally important to him. If his brother genuinely gives his blessings and wishes to them, then it's all good.
But if not, then he will have to make a choice. If he chooses the girl, he will hurt his brother. If he chooses his brother, he will hurt himself and possibly the girl if she has feelings for him. He will have to decide one day. Who is the one person most important to him that he absolutely cannot hurt at all?"