"You don't have to be sorry," Jinyong responded.
Fang looked at him and uttered, "The last time you were here, you didn't have anything; you promised to do that the next time you would be here. Here you are, so what do I offer you?
As a reminder of that, Jinyong managed to put a slight smile on his face as he responded.
"What if I repeat what I said the last time I was here? Are you going to do anything about it?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I need you to talk to me about us. That is my purpose for coming here in the first place."
"What about us? You're beginning to sound like we have something going on between us. Anyway, what do you want us to talk about?"
"Fine. We aren't dating, and talking about us does not necessarily mean that we have to be in a relationship first before we can do that."
"Can you just go straight to the point? You are getting me bored already, and you know what that means."
"Fang, I noticed you've been avoiding my calls. I've been feeling a bit confused about recent events. Can you help me understand where we stand as friends?" Jinyong requested
"I'm lost. I already apologized for not taking your calls and not returning them either. But what other recent event are you talking about?"
"Don't act naive about what I am talking about. The changes in your behavior towards me are noticeable.
I thought we were close, and now I'm beginning to notice that something is going on that I don't understand, and you trying to be dramatic by not knowing what I am talking about is getting me more pissed."
"Jin, if you are not ready to spill whatever you have been observing, you'll leave me with no other option than to walk you out of my house. We are both grown-ups, and I see no reason why you are battling with words trying to express how you feel." Fang reacted angrily.
"You don't have to be like that; I found out Chang has your number. Can you tell me what's going on between you two?"
Wang Fang quickly fixed her gaze in Jinyong's direction, looking all surprised, like she didn't see this coming after all.
"Ooh.. Chang? You do know change?"
"Yes, of course, Chang is my best friend. I once told you a friend of mine is your new neighbor, right? That was Chang I was telling you about."
"So tell me, how did you find out my number was in his phone?"
"I was here to see you last week, and you were not yet back from work. It was already late, so I decided to spend the night at Chang's house. I asked him to help me out with his phone just to reach you since you don't take my calls.
Just when I was punching in your number, I discovered your number was already saved on his phone." Jinyong explained to Fang Calmly
"Yeah. I still recall you once telling me that your friend lived here." Wang Fang said
"I'm glad you still remember. So can we talk about what is going on between you two? I mean, what led to you giving him your number?"
"There is nothing much to talk about. Chang and I are just friends, nothing more."
That was a relief for Jinyong; he was already feeling tense since he had been questioning Fang about Chang. He became more tense when Fang yelled at him for beating about the bush with his words.
Now, Fang said that Chang was just a friend, and nothing more was a little relief on Jinyong's side.
"So how did he get your contact information?" Jinyong Inquired.
"You sure want to know everything. Well, I'll tell you. That's not a problem.
I was on my way to the market to get some items when he intercepted my movement and introduced himself, and I did the same.
He asked for my number, which you didn't give him.
He kept Stalking me and I wasn't finding it any funny. I initially thought he was paid by my ex to stalk me, probably to know if I was seeing someone else already.
I talked to my friend about it, and she suggested I give him my number so he could stop stalking me, then I got to find out if he was sent by someone. So that was how it started." Wang Fang narrated.
"What an interesting story you're trying to make up here. Well, I do believe you. I don't think there would be any need for you to tell a lie to cover up anything."
"You can doubt for all I care; I don't owe you any explanation as to how I live my life."
"I know you don't, but you should have contacted me first before giving him your number."
"Excuse you!? I should have contacted you first before giving him my number. As to what exactly? Do I even owe you any explanation in the first place?
Secondly, why do you feel entitled to my life?"
"It's not what you think. I just care so much about you. I love you so much, Fang, and I can't afford to let go of you."
"Now, you are beginning to sound pathetic, and I don't like it! What exactly do you want from me? In fact, what do you guys want from me? You and your friend are up to something, and I didn't see this coming."
"I know you may be thinking I set him up to know who you are, but the truth of it all is that I didn't do that, and I don't see myself trying such."
"Whatever! I am not interested in a
relationship with you, nor am I interested in being with your friend."
"Is there something you are not telling me? You said you were just friends; does that mean he's interested in you as well?" Jinyong sounded emotional.
"What do you expect? Should I lie to you and say that he's not asking me out? He is asking me out, and I already told him I am not interested in him the same way I am not interested in you as well."
Jinyong became cold; he developed a swing mood immediately after he heard that Chang was also interested in Wang Fang.
He was confused as to how he was going to convince Fang to be with him. Chang was such a sweet guy who could easily get any woman of his choice. What if he succeeds in winning Wang Fang's heart?
"I'm not asking you to lie, and I have not said you lied to me. Fang, I asked you out first. I made my intentions known to you before Chang came into the picture."
"No. You didn't ask me out first; Chang did. You only gave me signals that you were interested, but Chang spilled the words before you did.
He not only spilled first, but he also added action to words to make me understand that he was serious.
Nevertheless, that doesn't give him the upper hand over you, nor do you have the upper hand over him."
"What then are you saying? Fang? "
"All I am saying now is that I can't be with either of you. You guys have been the best of friends, and I wouldn't want to come between you two."
"Can we talk about this over dinner tomorrow?"
"There's nothing to talk about. I have already made myself clear to you, and that's my final decision on this."
"Please don't say that to me. I'm feeling bad already. I need us to talk more over dinner."
"I would rather we talk on the phone."
"You know you've been avoiding my calls, and you expect me to believe that you're going to take my call when I call?"
"It's a promise; I will answer your call. But keep in mind that you and your friend are in a friendship zone. I can't be with either of you."
"We'll talk more later in the evening. I will be calling you by 9 p.m."
"Alright then. I'll be expecting your call."
He Jinyong left Wang Fang's house heartbroken. Initially, he was fine when Fang told him that Chang was just a friend to her. His mood swung immediately as he heard her say that she wouldn't be with him.
Immediately after he left, Fang picked up her phone and called her friend, Zhang Min.
************
"Hello, Min?"
"Don't tell me you are not coming again, and what kept you so long from calling?"
"I had a visitor. He just left my house now, and I don't think I can still make it to your house."
"Who was your visitor, and why the change of mind about your coming?"
"Min, please; you have to be the one to come. I can't even walk to my bus stop to get a cab. I'm so weak and exhausted at the same time. Unless you want your friend to collapse on her way to your house."
On hearing that, Zhang Min quickly left whatever she was doing and took a cab to Fang's house. Fang knew those words of hers would make Min rush down to her house.
She always has a way of making Zhang Min compromise her decision.
"I won't be surprised if I am told one day by a prophet that you are possessed. You act like it all the time. How can you just be having things done your way?" Zhang Min uttered it immediately after she got to Fang's house.
"You talk too much. You can't even wait to get inside before you start talking. Sometimes I do wonder if I am a friend to you. You'll be behaving like a market woman."
"You've gone berserk. I thought you told me over the phone that you don't have the strength to come out; look at you talking so energetically."
"Ooh, just tell me you were expecting to see a weak girl crying for help when you get here."
"Please... Keep those words of yours to yourself. So what's up with you?"
"My dear friend. I don't know what's going on with me." Fang Sounded pathetic
"I don't understand. How do you mean?"
"Jinyong was here.".
"Who is Jinyong?"
"This is the problem I have with you; you forget things in a hurry. Jinyong is the guy I told you brought me back from Li Wei's office."
"Ooh, I remember now. I didn't remember initially because that was not important. Mind you, I don't forget things in a hurry; I only forget things that are not relevant to me."
"That's your business."
"So what's up with you? Why was Jinyong here?"
"Jinyong found out that Chang has my number on his phone, and they are friends. You know he's indicating interest in me, and the same applies to Chang.
So he was here to know if something was going on between Chang and me."
"I don't understand. Why is he so interested in knowing? After all, they are both nothing to you but just friends."
"My point exactly—that was what he was here to find out.
He said he loves me and wants me to be his girlfriend.
Chang is saying the same thing too. According to Jinyong, I have been avoiding his calls lately. He was here last week, and he didn't get to see me, so he decided to make use of Chang's phone to reach me, and he found out that Chang has my number already."
"Interesting movie. You three are acting. So did you ask me to come here to tell you which of them you should date or what?"
"Not that. I was just confused. I don't think I want to be with either of them. They've been best friends just like the two of us, so I wouldn't want to come between them."
"So is Chang aware of what is going on? Does he know Jinyong is interested in you?"
"Yes, I told him already. His response shocked me. He said, I should forget about Jinyong and that he can do away with their friendship because of me."
"This is serious. So what is Jinyong saying?
"He's such a perfect gentleman; he didn't say much. He only said he had always wanted to be with me. But, Min, I feel Jinyong is more genuine, and Chang is just a playboy."
"Don't say that at all; you can't just conclude because Jingong looks gentle and calm.
You can't judge a book by its cover." Min advised.
"I know. But what do you suggest I do now?" Fang asked worrisomely.
"I think it is still too early for you to be contemplating who to give your heart to, and I won't ask you which one you like best because it is already clear to me that you prefer Jinyong over Chang. I still feel you are being sentimental here." Min Stated.
"I'm not being sentimental. I know what I am talking about, Min." Fang responded.
"You may know what you are talking about, but I still suggest you wait and watch them both closely. You never can tell who is better off." Zhang Min suggested
"Okay then. Jinyong promised to call later in the evening, by 9 p.m. I would want you to be around to listen to what he has to say if you don't mind."
"You know I would do anything for you, so I am staying."