Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Chyou stared at the small packet in Yating's hand. Her thoughts circled around for how long Yin had been hiding this from her. She couldn't trace her answer because it seemed like never.

"Chyou, i-it is not how it looks…I just…"

Heaving his chest back and forth breathlessly, he combed his hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn't find the right words to explain himself.

"Then what does it look like?" She quietly asked.

She looked at Yating with an unsaid hesitation. "I am sorry you happened to get involved in this."

Yin clenched his jaw.

He didn't happen to get involved by mistake. He is doing it on purpose! He is getting between us to break us apart!

He threw a deadly glare at him.

He must have known that Chyou was here. That's why…

Yeah that's why he put up this act of confronting me. He wanted to embarrass me in front of Chyou!

Yating didn't know what to say. He balled his fist, angry at himself. He didn't want Chyou to hear any of this. He precisely met up with Yin in the alley privately to talk to him and bring sense to him. Chyou trusted Yin and…

I don't want the trust to shatter.

He parted and closed his lips and after a long thought, only an apology was what escaped his lips.

"I am sorry, Chyou. I really didn't want you to…"

Chyou pressed her lips and asked, "Can I please talk to Yin alone?"

He glanced at Yin, whose face was bubbly with fury and disdain for him. Yating didn't care about any of that as long as he remained truthful and honest to Chyou. He didn't want what he was going to say, but he wished Yin would apologize to her instead of deceiving her once again.

Yating turned and left with quiet footsteps.

Chyou stood where Yating had and faced Yin. "Yin."

"Chyou…Chyou please believe me…" desperately filled his gaze, "It's not like…"

"It's not like you to not be able to even complete his sentence. Please Yin. Tell me what is really going on. You swore to me that you had left drugs for good," she slowly held his hands and gave a gentle squeeze, "What is really bothering you? I am not mad at you. I just want to know about your problems and help you, Yin."

The nauseous, sinking feeling lessened from his heart seeing how Chyou still expressed her concern. He assumed he was done for.

"I…I just…" he couldn't meet her gaze as he bit down on his lower lip.

Studying the reluctance in his eyes, Chyou asked herself, "Is it because of Yating?"

He froze, which she clearly felt.

She stiffly smiled. "So it was that only…You are uncomfortable seeing Yating and me together."

"N-No that's not it…"

"That's why you suddenly left for the restroom, right? I didn't think much about it, but somebody made me realize that I look at ease with Yating which might have…"

Yin blinked.

Somebody?

He lifted his gaze and finally met her eyes which were filled with awkwardness and guilt.

"Was that what stressed you out to take drugs?"

"No, Chyou! It's not like that…I trust you! I-It's not your fault. It's all me. I am being unnecessarily insecure about this even though you have assured me that there is nothing between you and Yating. But…"

"I didn't do a very good job, right?"

"No, please," he urged and held her face. "I don't blame you for anything. It's just…Gu Yating."

"Yating?"

"To me, it looks like he definitely…feels something for you."

Chyou widened her eyes. "That's not it, Yin."

"I knew you would say that Chyou, but Yating, he really does look at you more than just a friend!"

She stared at him, trying to find her words. "I mean to say that Yating doesn't like me in that way. And I am not invalidating your concern. It's just that I know for sure. He already loves somebody else."

That took Yin aback.

"A-another woman?"

"Yes. But…" she looked dismal, "it's sad to see that she doesn't return his feelings. She is really happy with somebody else. I know that other man too very well. They are perfect for each other. But that also means that Yating has to step back. And he did. But I also know that she is still in his heart. You understand, right? It's not easy to forget your love and move on. But he is doing his very best."

Yin failed to respond.

Gu Yating likes another woman?

"That's also why we talked about how it wouldn't work between us. Yating and me. He had somebody else in his heart and so did me. I know the thought that we were set up for a marriage meeting is uncomfortable for you. I completely understand. But trust me, there is nothing more than friendship. He was hiding his love for her while initially, I too, was doing the same regarding you. So we just naturally became friends because we understood each other."

"But then this makes my point even stronger. If he loves somebody else and is now trying to move on, he could be…also wanting to use you to get over her. People do that all the time. Find a new love to forget the old one."

Chyou released her hands from his, making him stiffen. She spoke calmly but firmly, "Yating is not like that. I have felt the love he has for her. He would never use another woman to get rid of it. He does want to move on, but he would never choose such a cheap way."

He froze.

"Y-you…you don't understand, Chyou. You should have seen how he was confronting me! That wasn't friendship. There is definitely something more there!"

"Yin, if tomorrow, I find that Yating's girlfriend is into drugs, I would have done the same as what he did tonight. Would that mean I confronted her because I love him? No. We are friends. We care for each other. But why does it need to have a romantic meaning behind it? Yin, it's not like you don't have female friends. You hang out with them, but I have never doubted their feelings for you. So why is Yating facing this unfair bias?"