After they arrived at a seat close to the glass wall of the coffee, he placed the tray on the table then they both took their seat and sat opposite each other.

"Thanks for the coffee, it would be my treat next time," Yu Yan said as she picked her coffee from the tray and sipped it.

​​

"So there is going to be a next time, I am glad to hear that but just take it as my repayment for the trouble I put you through last night," he smiled gently.

"Still, thanks,"

After they both sipped from the cup of coffee, they placed it on the table.

"Why are you keeping your relationship a secret?" he hopes she would confide in him even though he has already accessed the situation, it would only prove to him that she is already taking him as a friend.

"Do you think I will tell you?"

"Yes, because you already promised to treat me as a friend and since your boyfriend doesn't think he has to hide it from me a new surgeon he just met then I don't think you have anything to lose if you tell me," he sipped the coffee again. She raised one of her brows and scoffed, he always has his ways with his words and somehow he always manages to justify himself.

"I guess so, well since you have seen his parents earlier and you know my social status then I will just be straight forward, his parents want him to marry someone who is in the same social class as he his, someone like Xiaomeng, the girl you met earlier so we have to keep it a secret from his parent," She disclosed, she felt comfortable telling it to him even though she is not someone who would ever tell it to anyone else.

"Are you planning on keeping it a secret forever, I don't mean to intrude your personal life but..."

"You are already intruding it," she interjected straightforwardly, he chuckled seeing her back to her normal self.

"Then I will continue, do you really plan on keeping it a secret?"

"No...but I have to wait for him, for him to tell his parents himself,"

"And do you think that is going to happen anytime soon, I am sure you saw him back there, I was looking at the both of you and you seemed...disappointed," her face froze when she heard him say that, she wanted to pretend she didn't see him all tensed up when his mother mentioned her and relieved when he knew she didn't find out about them.

"I---I,"

Ting!

She glanced at her phone.

{Can we talk, I have something to say to you,}

"I guess he is the one, Yu Yan, I have only met you for more than a month and even though we always seem to bicker every time, I think of you as a friend and I hope you can do what makes you happy," he picked his coffee and stood up from his seat, she raised her gaze.

"I guess we will see each other next week then," then he turned to leave, her face turned downcast when he left, she was already pondering on his words when Chen Kai suddenly appeared in front of her.

A moment ago.

Han Chen was about to leave when he met Chen Kai standing afar watching them.

"I really like iced coffee, I guess Yu Yan has the same taste," Han Chen randomly remarked then he sipped his coffee and walked past him with a smirk.

She forced a smile on her face.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would be with the chief surgeon now," she questioned, trying very hard to maintain her fake smile.

"I have already seen all I need to see, the person I need to be with right now is you, Yu Yan," he answered sentimentally as he took his seat where Han Chen previously sat.

"Oh,"

"Why didn't you reply to my message?"

"I didn't check my phone, as you know, it is an old habit," she brought out her phone from her pocket and scrolled through it, pretending to check his message, he sighed and held her hand.

"I saw you check your phone earlier and I am sure you already saw my message, are you angry about something, we were still okay last night?" he feigned confusion even though he already knew what it was all about.

She removed her hand from his then she pushed her hair back and smiled.

"Chen Kai, you know how much it kills me to keep my feelings bottled up, firstly, you were already here a while ago you saw me check my phone but you didn't come to me, why is that?" her tone and gaze looked interrogative, He leaned closer to her.

"Yu Yan, don't misunderstand me, I just thought I shouldn't interrupt you two so I came here as soon as he was gone," he tried to hold her hand again but she moved it further from him.

"Really. You already told him you are my boyfriend so why do you think you have to wait for us to finish talking before you let me know you were here, you don't trust me, do you?" the look in her eyes...she is definitely angry at him, one of the things she hates when someone close to her distrusts her.

"It is not what you think Yu Yan, I-I just thought..."

"You just thought we might have something between us while you were gone, just so you know, Han Chen appeared just one or two months ago and he is Jia Yu's brother so, to me, he is a friend, nothing more than a friend, the first thing you do when you arrive is distrust me....". He held her hand and lowered his head then he raised it again with an appealing gaze.

"I do trust you, it is just that he seems like someone with bad intentions so I was worried...about you,"

"You don't have to, he doesn't mean anything he says, trust me,"

"I do,"

"Other than that, there is another thing I would like us to discuss,"

"What is it?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't talk about introducing her to his parents cause he isn't ready for it...at least not yet.

"I want you to introduce me to your parents on the day of your welcome party, I managed to make a good impression on your mother before you arrived, she wouldn't disapprove of me," she held his hand tight with an expecting smile on her lips.

"Yu Yan I..."

"I saw you...the look on your face, you were scared," she leaned closer on the table, holding his hands tighter then she leaned her face to the side of his face.

"Chen Kai...I can assure you if you don't introduce me to your parents during your welcome party..." she moved away from his ear with her face almost touching his face.

"We are done, I have waited long enough, I love you...too much but I don't plan to keep my more than five years relationship a secret anymore," she sat back on her seat then she picked up her phone and walked away from the cafe'.

He watched her back as she left then he turned back and buried his face in his palms, if he chooses her then he will fail to meet his parent's expectations, that might mean the companies and all the inheritance will be going to his half-brother but he also can't let go of his inheritance especially when his father plans on giving his company to one of his sons very soon.

{I must find a way to coerce her}

"Yu Yan, I am not losing neither you nor my inheritance," he clenched his fist and stared into space with a determined look in his face.

After work, she returned home, by the time she got home, she met her family seating around the dining table.

"You are back, Yu Yan," her mother said as she walked into the dining room and took her seat on the dining.

"I am really stressed, mom," she remarked then she placed her bag on the chair next to hers.

"You do look tired," Li Jing remarked and sighed.

"I told you not to work too late but you wouldn't listen,"

"Dad, do you think I have a choice?"

"Where were you last night, Aunt?" Li Na who had already been brewing dirty thoughts since Yu Yan didn't return home last night questioned.

"Why are you asking?"

"Cause I want to know?" her mother answered instead, as she placed a piece of kimchi on Li Na's plate.

"Mom, I just dropped Chen Kai at the hotel then I went to another friend who is living close by," she served herself then she started digging into her food.

"A friend?" her mom and Li Na chorused, she glared at Li Na who seemed really enthusiastic in finding out about everything that happened last night.

"Yes, just a friend so you don't have anything to worry about," she drank the chicken soup then she started picking the braised beef on the plate.