A few hours later...
After college...
Mingyu's POV...
The last class of the day finally came to an end. Xiaoliang and I decided to walk together through the hallway as we make our way to the college. Some students still stared at me with dirty looks, yet completely changing their faces to look sweet when they turn their visions to Xiaoliang. Looking at their actions, I'm not surprised though. I've met too many people like them. I am used to the nasty glances since middle school, where people would gave me deadly stares but pretended to act innocent when they see Junhao.
As the two of us continue to walk, I decided to invite Xiaoliang for dinner at the noodle shop. I remembered I promised him that I'll treat him my homemade noodles next time, during our first night out together (I guess I could say it as a friendly date). Yet, he told me that he has to meet up with Yifei after college, which kinda surprised me. I didn't expect him to meet up with Yifei all of a sudden.
"Oh I see," I say, as my gaze looks down. Somehow I feel an odd feeling in my chest which made me feel uncomfortable. I don't know if I could say this as disappointment, when I don't feel like I have the rights to feel disappointed anyway. But as much as I wish to deny it, I guess I can't lie about something I understood since I already experienced it. Through my life, disappointment have been like my everyday dessert. Even on a fine day where I tried to avoid all my problems, somehow disappointment always finds it way back to me.
I noticed Xiaoliang's face turned slightly awkward when he noticed my small smile has faded. I'm not trying to show how I feel right now, yet my face can't lie. I'm not really good in pretending to be fine, literally that's why my mom always thought that I wasn't happy when she thought I was suppose to be happy. It's both weird and mentally exhausting. I don't want to add more trouble in my mind by having to look happy all the time when I'm not. Nevertheless, I'm not gonna go around town talking about my problems to everyone. From what I learned, people are not here to give you solution to your problem. They are literally just here to give you more problems. I got that answer after getting bullied for years. By that, I won't tell anyone my full life story if I don't really trust them. Till now, the only person who knows every detail about my life is Junhao. As for Xiaoliang, he only knows a bit for now. Though I trust him enough to actually get closer to me, he doesn't know anything else other than the fact that my parents divorced and that I have anxiety (which was pretty obvious).
"Umm..yeah. So Yifei actually gave me a job offer, in which I accepted. That's why we'll be meeting up after college," Xiaoliang says while looking awkward.
I turn my visions to see him looking awkward with the situation. I had no idea that Yifei had offered him a job, since I thought he was still working at the restaurant he once told me about. More than that, I felt a bit awkward that he had to tell me the details of him meeting Yifei tonight. Though I was curious as hell to what he has in plans with her, I feel like I don't have the rights to know, and that he didn't need to tell me all of this. With awkward getting mixed with guilt, my mind starts travelling whether I should have been better in hiding my disappointment. I should start practicing to portray a poker face.
"Ah, no worries. I totally understand," I say to him, not wanting him to worry about my feelings.
Xiaoliang takes a deep breath. I could tell from his eyes that he felt sorry for me. Honestly, I didn't want him to feel this way, since I feel like I should be the one to feel sorry that I made him feel worried about me when he has other things to do. The walk became awkwardly silent as both of us are at lost of words, until we eventually reach the college exit.
"So...I'll see you around," Xiaoliang says, his voice sounded guilty and awkward.
"Sure, see you tomorrow," I say, while trying to form a small smile. I wouldn't wanna keep looking disappointed when I know it will only worry him.
With my final words, Xiaoliang slightly nods, before he stares into my eyes for a moment. His eyes always looks so mesmerizing whenever I have the chance to stare at them, giving me a certain warm feeling.
"Yeah, see you," Xiaoliang says.
Xiaoliang waved goodbye at me, before he walks over to his car. He drives off  and leaves college, leaving me standing in front of the building. My thought travelled for a moment when I watch him walk away from my sight. When he looked awkwardly uncomfortable, why did I feel like I needed to be the one to comfort him? I want to remind myself that it wasn't my problem, especially since I already have enough problems with my mental health. I shouldn't try to make people feel better before I make myself feel great, but why did it all changed when I saw him feeling uncomfortable? Yeah, in a way, we're getting closer these days, but was it really the reason why I start to consider him a close friend in which any feelings or emotions he has could affect mine? All these thoughs are starting to make my head hurt all of a sudden.
A few hours later...
At Yifei's house...
5:40 PM...
Xiaoliang's POV...
I could feel cold sweat starting to come out of my body as I stood in front of a fierce-looking middle-aged man sitting in front of me as his eyes gives me a sharp look, making me feel more nervous. He had been eyeing me from up and down since I first walked into his big office room, along with Yifei. She told the middle-aged man that I am the new chauffeur, yet the way he kept staring at me made me question myself if I was really prepared for whatever's coming. She had introduced the man to me as her father. The way he scanned me from head to toe could make anyone in my position feel intimidated.
"So how old are you?" the man ask with a stern tone, before moving his vision back to the papers on his desk. When I entered the room, he was in the middle of reading some papers. I think I just interrupted him.
"I am 18, Sir," I say, while trying to look professional. Hopefully he won't notice that I'm nervous.
He glance at me while raising his eyebrow. His eyes are filled with doubts of my presence. I guess he was surprised when he found out that Yifei had trusted a college student to apply for the job. He didn't say a word but instead continues to scan me.
Meanwhile, Yifei, who had been standing beside me while playing with her phone, eventually notice the tension between her dad and I. She puts her phone back in her small black leather sling bag.
"Well, dinner is about to start. Xiaoliang, you should join us for dinner," she says with a big smile on her face. Suddenly, she grabs my arm without warning, making me feel more awkward since her dad is now staring at us with confusion. For the first time since I entered this massive office room, this middle-aged stern looking man looks speechless.
"Let's go," Yifei says as she pulls me away from the sight of the man.
"Yifei, I need to have a word with you," the man suddenly says with a stern tone.
Yifei turned her head to see the man still reading the papers on his desk. Even when he's not staring at me, his presence already makes me feel intimidated. As weird as it sounds, but there seems to be something in his eyes that shows both fury and stubborness. To add more, the way he stared at me showed clearly what he thought of me. He didn't seem to be sure of my professionalisme, maybe because I am still young. One thing for sure, this man is definetly not someone you wish to mess with. His deadly stares could calm even the wildest tiger.
"Alright, Pa," Yifei says to her dad, before turning her head to face me.
"Wait in the living room for me," Yifei says, in which I nod.
Not long, a man wearing a suit who looked like he is around his late 30s who had been standing next to Yifei's dad, escorts me to the living room, leaving Yifei and her dad in the office room.
At the office room...
"What was that suppose to mean?" Yifei's dad ask his daughter who is standing in front of him with her arms crossed.
"I need a new chauffeur, Pa," Yifei says in a chill yet confident tone.
"And out of all people, did you had to choose a kid with lack of experience? Chen Yi Fei, I doubt that kid is even good for the job," Yifei's dad says in a stern tone while looking at his daughter in the eyes.
Yifei stares back at her stubborn-looking father with a calm manner, though her eyes are filled with burning flame of ambitions. She is always told by others that she looks like the mini version of her mother, yet if there was one thing she inherited from her father (other than his business empire), it would be her stubborn personality. Since young, she always believe that if she wants something, she has to get it no matter what.
"He can drive, Pa. I saw him a few times driving to college. Besides, he just lost his job. I want to give him this opportunity," Yifei says, while staring back at her father.
"That's none of my problem. I don't want to trust someone who doesn't look suitable for the job," Yifei's dad says, before putting his papers away.
"He is suitable enough, Pa. I am old enough to choose who I want to hire," Yifei says. She puts her hands on her hip, while waiting for her father to respond.
"He doesn't look eligible and I will not accept someone who doesn't meet the requirements!" Yifei's dad slightly raise his voice at his own daughter.
Not choosing to fear her stubborn father and obey his rules, Yifei had learned to speak her mind since a very young age. She didn't care about his thoughts, she only cares about what she wants.
"I don't care, Pa. You can dislike him all you want, but that won't stop me from hiring me," Yifei says.
"You can't hire him without my approval," her father says in a strict tone.
"I don't need your approval. If you won't approve, I'll just ask for mom's approval," Yifei says, before walking out of his office room, leaving the middle-aged man to sigh at his stubborn daughter's action.
At the living room...
Xiaoliang's POV...
After escorting me to the living room, the man in the suit asked me to take a seat on the maroon couch, before walking away from my sight. As I wait for Yifei to finish her talk with her dad, my eyes couldn't help but mesmerize the beautiful interiors of the massive living room. The interiors are dominated with the colour white, while the ornaments are dominated with the colours of gold and maroon. Everything looked like they cost a fortune, which gives the room a posh vibe. I couldn't help but get lost with the beauty of this room.
My mind starts wondering, and as ridiculous as it sounds, a part of me actually wondered if one day I could actually afford to give my grandma a better life. I want my grandma to spend her remaining years with a healthy body, in a beautiful house, without having to worry about money anymore. She is my whole world. I'm willing to do anything just to give her a happy life. Just when I was in the middle of wondering, I felt someone suddenly tap my shoulder from behind. I turn my head around to see Yifei standing behind the couch. She gives me a smile while staring at me.
"Hey! Hope you didn't wait too long," she says with a smile.
"Not at all," I reply.
"Let's have dinner and I'll introduce you to my mom," she says.
"Ok," I answer. I feel nervous knowing that I'll be having dinner with Yifei's family, since this means I'll be seeing her dad again during dinner. But well, it's not like I have a choice. Besides, I haven't meet her mom yet. I just hope her mom won't be too intimidating.
Yifei leads me to the dining room, where a middle-aged woman wearing a long sleeve black dress can be seen sitting while enjoying her cup of tea. It's pretty obvious that the woman is none other than Yifei's mom, since she looks like a more mature version of Yifei.
"Ma!" Yifei calls out the woman, making her turn her head to face Yifei, before she turns her gaze to me, with a slightly confused look.
"Child, you're home. And who is this young man here?" the woman ask in a calm tone. Her voice sounded very gentle.
"This is my friend, Xiaoliang. I invited him to join us for dinner tonight," Yifei says. She then links her arm around mine, making me feel awkward since her mother is now moving her gaze between both of us.
"It's very nice to meet you, Madame," I say as I strech my hand out to give her a hand shake. The woman just smiles as she shakes my hand.
"Ah, Yin, can you please prepare the dinner now?" Yifei says as she approaches the maid who is pouring tea for her mom.
"Sure, Miss Yifei," she says, before heading back to the kitchen.
"Xiaoliang, please take a seat," her mother says as she gestures me to take a seat.
I eventually take a seat next to Yifei, in which she was happy. It didn't took long for the maid to serve various dishes on the table. From pork knuckle, vegetable soup, to baked potatos. Just as Yifei was in the middle of talking with her mother, her father suddenly walks in to the dining room. His sharp gaze glance at everyone in the room one by one, before finally landing his gaze on me, which again, made me feel nervous.
At Mingyu's house...
9 PM...
Mingyu's POV...
I'm in the middle of doing homework. While doing that, I also plugged in my earphones and play some tunes on my phone. In a way, everytime I'm doing my homework, I find it to be more fun when I listen to music. It just makes my mind more relax in doing in it, so I feel not much pressure. But tonight, somehow I am still unable to put my best focus together even with the music playing on my phone. Somehow, my mind just keeps coming back to my wondering thoughts earlier when Xiaoliang told me he'll be meeting Yifei.
No, there's no way that I could be jealous of him. For crying out loud, we're not even dating, and we only see each other as friends and nothing more. People like us have a lot more to think about other than being jealous of someone we're not even dating. Yet, why did I suddenly feel an uncomfortable feeling that is similar to disappointment? Why should I feel disappointed when I knew he'll be with Yifei? That girl is way more than I'll ever be. Not only is she fortunate, but she is also good-looking and has a charming attitude. Compare to her, I'm nothing. If Yifei even likes him and thought about getting closer to him, I shouldn't even feel worry that she's better than me, because she literally is. I should just support them, even if she does like Xiaoliang. Back to earth, Mingyu! You don't stand a chance against her.
But as weird as it sounds, and even after reality woke me up, I couldn't help to feel a cut in my heart. Though the mind only wanted to go with reality and accept it without understanding, the pain stings the feeling deeply that it made me think if expectations can be change, and that disappointments could be avoided.
To be continue...