Hw.a.n.g Meilin stood up and left the director's office.

However, she did not go home. She stayed with her father's secretary outside until it's time for employees to go home.

It was raining outside. Most of the employees did not bring umbrella with them. Chen Linyun was one of them. That morning it was still sunny.

The common carpark was located across the buildings and offices. With the heavy downpour, even the fastest runner would have been drenched completely before getting to his car. Most of the employees stayed at the entrance while waiting for the rain to subside.

Chen Linyun sent out a WeChat message to Xue Jinxu. 'Dear, I'm almost going home, but it's raining. Still at the office. Waiting for the rain to subside a little.'

Xue Jinxu replied. 'I'm outside too. I enrolled myself in a cooking cla.s.s this afternoon. Brought my car, how 'bout I pick you up?'

Chen Linyun replied, 'Are you driving now? Pull over first before you send out any more messages. Be safe.'

Xue Jinxu replied. 'Stuck in traffic. Be there in a few minutes.'

He sighed. 'Well, I married a headstrong woman.' He thought.

"Don't have an umbrella?" Chen Linyun turned to his left and found Hw.a.n.g Meilin already by his side.

"Didn't bring one." He responded out of mere courtesy. The normal course of conversation was to return the inquiry. However, he did not ask Hw.a.n.g Meilin anything, instead kept his silence.

"How's work at the ministry so far?" Hw.a.n.g Meilin would like to prolong their interaction, and to have more sensible conversation with him. Most probably so, this is her only opportunity to get close to him, and to keep him for herself.

"I'm only starting, so…" Chen Linyun trailed off, intentionally leaving it hanging for the audience to fill up. He's not interested in talking, in general, and moreso, to her.

'Jinxu's coming any minute now.' He's starting to panic. 'How am I going to make her leave my side?'

All his muscles were tense, and he was sweating profusely. The young lady noticed it.

"Oh, you're sweating. Are you okay? Here." She fetched her hanky from her bag and was in the process of wiping his sweat from his forehead.

"Humidity." Before she could reach his forehead, Chen Linyun grabbed her wrist tightly before slowly lowering it down to her side. "Thanks but no thanks."

With his other hand he swiped across his forehead.

From a distance across the street, he noticed a familiar car parked. 'Oh no, she's here. Did she see?' He was frantic. He did not realize that he was still gripping her wrist. He abruptly threw it away.

"Hey, it hurts. That's rough." Hw.a.n.g Meilin said, then ma.s.saged her wrist.

Xue Jinxu flashed her headlights once, signaling her presence. Then she did a U-turn to reach their side of the street. She halted the car in front of them.

"My wife is here to pick me up. I'll leave first." Chen Linyun stood up and walked away.

The entrance of the building was near the edge of the street. Without alighting from the car, Xue Jinxu exclaimed, "Love, why don't we give Miss Hw.a.n.g a ride home. It's raining hard. We can't just leave her here." She said exrtra sweetly, albeit already fuming with rage. She gave out her sweetest grin, her dimple on her left cheek peeping, but her almond eyes were so sharp that it could cut through like laser.

Chen Linyun gulped. 'I'm dead. Spare me, Jinxu.'

"Mhmm? Love..." Xue Jinxu was waiting for his response.

"No, I'm fine. You go ahead." Hw.a.n.g Meilin declined, her face sour from Jinxu's term of endearment.

"You heard her, dear. Let's go." Chen Linyun seconded.

Xue Jinxu tilted her head a bit, quite theatrically. "Are you two hiding something, or, guilty of something?" She stared at the young lady first, then at Chen Linyun.

Chen Linyun was sweating profusely now. 'Why am I in this situation again?'

"We don't have anything to hide." Hw.a.n.g Meilin found her confidence at the sign of weakness from Xue Jinxu. She could sense her jealousy, and would want to ride on it, aggravate it. "Alright, well, thanks Jinxu-jie for the offer. I'm obliged to take it." She smiled, then went inside the car towards the backseat.

Chen Linyun did a face-palm.

"My love, won't you go in? Let's go, dear."

He seated himself at the pa.s.senger seat. Once seated, Xue Jinxu kissed him pa.s.sionately, seductively, even – an expected reaction from a threatened lioness that she was. "Missed you, my love. It's been a long day." Then she secured his seatbelt for him, ever so slowly.

'Jinxu's overdoing it.' He thought, still nervous and quite red on the face. He went on loosening his neck tie.

Hw.a.n.g Meilin who was seated at the back withdrew her gaze at their display of affection. Her face was crumpled like paper, in such a frown.

Xue Jinxu even wiped Chen Linyun's lips with her thumb, a smile still lingered on her own lips.

Soon enough she started the car and drove off.

Hw.a.n.g Meilin started her attack. "Jinxu-jie, even if you're already married, you should still keep yourself presentable. Yun-ge might look at alternatives elsewhere if you don't." She was taunting her.

Xue Jinxu gritted her teeth. She had forgotten how she looked. Since it was a casual trip outside, she didn't dress up much. She was just wearing loose clothes, leggings and flats, and her hair was in a messy bun. She didn't wear make up, and was a bit pale. It was kind of presentable though, although borderline unkempt.

Xue Jinxu smiled a half-grin. "I don't think it matters to Chen Linyun what I wear or how I look. Does it, dear?" She gave Chen Linyun a side-glance.

"Truth betold, his favorite is when I don't wear anything at all." She looked at the rearview mirror, straight at their guest at the back. She feigned a giggle and acted shyly.

"Jinxu!" Chen Linyun scolded her.

"What?" Xue Jinxu reacted innocently at Chen Linyun's protest. "Tell her, dear. Or else she'll think I'm just making it up."

'Who will you side with, Chen Linyun?' She thought, and threw him the same meaningful look. She could only give out glances since she's still driving.

Chen Linyun touched the bottom rim of his gla.s.ses his thumb and index fingers, covering half of his blus.h.i.+ng face. He was so embarra.s.sed with this conversation.

"It's true." Chen Linyun admitted.

Xue Jinxu's triumphant smile slowly spread across her face. 'Good job, hubby.' She thought. Honestly, it did not matter whether Chen Linyun was speaking the truth. What matters was that he stood up for the wife.

The young lady at the back was speechless, and was quite blus.h.i.+ng hard. She was frowning and looking down at the car's flooring. This conversation made a maiden like her uncomfortable. She was utterly defeated. She was clenching her fists and nearing tears too. She wanted to get as far away from them as possible.

"You can drop me off here. I remembered I still have a dinner appointment." Hw.a.n.g Meilin pointed to a spot near a restaurant.

"Oh, here? You sure?" Xue Jinxu asked her, still feigning innocence.

"Yes, thanks." The soonest the car stopped, Hw.a.n.g Meilin descended from the car hurriedly.

Xue Jinxu drove a little distance more, then pulled over. It wasn't raining anymore.

"Drive." She alighted from the driver's seat and went over to the pa.s.senger seat. She waited until Chen Linyun opened his door, alighted the car and went over to the driver's seat.

"We're not done yet." Xue Jinxu said, then ignored him altogether. They drove in awkward silence. Chen Linyun broke into cold sweat.