After a few minutes he reached the apartment complex and went straight to Apartment 301. He rang the doorbell. *Ding* *Ding*

"Coming." A lovely voice was heard from the inside.

Teng Man Rui opened the door. She was surprised to see Chen Linyun.

"Mister Chen Linyun, you're here. Xue Jinxu isn't here though. She's still at the shop."

"I know. I went here for you. Can we talk? Let's have a short chat in the restaurant at the ground floor."

"Okay." Teng Man Rui obliged.

At the restaurant they were awkwardly seated across each other. Both were silent at first, tentatively gaging the situation.

'Perhaps he's here to ask about Xue Jinxu.' Teng Man Rui thought.

"Miss Teng Man Rui." He started. "How's Xue Jinxu lately?"

'As I thought.' Teng Man Rui said in her mind.

"She's getting better although most of the time, it's just a façade. She added some child-friendly features in her shop. It actually worries me that she's voluntarily engaging herself into getting surrounded by kids on a daily basis, and subject herself into misery."

"I also caught her reading articles about pregnancy."

"She's not over it yet."

"Although the crying and emotional outbursts were past this point." She added. "She could smile and laugh albeit in most cases, only superficially."

"Mhmm… I see." Chen Linyun broodingly acknowldeged her report.

"Miss Teng, I'll get straight to the point." Chen Linyun looked her in the eyes with such seriousness. He decided to confront her tonight. He's so worried about Xue Jinxu, that all this time she's living with a snake, a traitor.

He knew that with the fragile state of his wife, another betrayal of someone she holds dear would do the last blow to her. She might not survive it. As his husband who still loves her and cares for her well-being, it's still his duty to screen it and to prevent it from happening at all cost. Hence he decided to meet up with Teng Man Rui right after knowing her little secret.

"What is your relation to s.h.i.+ Fan Hai?" He asked straightforwardly, still looking straight in the lady's eyes.

Teng Man Rui started quivering. "He's my ex-boyfriend." She withdrew her gaze which eventually landed on the floor.

"Ex? You mean boyfriend. I had been researching about him on my own. It turned out he's been visiting Hangzhou frequently, but never did I find out what or who he's been meeting with. Was it you?"

Teng Man Rui was still quivering. With gaze on the floor, and fists clutching her dress on her lap, she answered sofly. "Yes."

"We were done! It's an on-off relations.h.i.+p but now we're officially done!" Teng Man Rui defensively shared.

"Doesn't matter. Does your best friend know?" Chen Linyun probed.

"No."

"Do you plan on telling her?"

"No." Her mouth twitched.

"Do you know of s.h.i.+ Fan Hai's involvement in Xue Jinxu's miscarriage?"

"Yes. That's why I'm living with her now! I want to take care of her! I'm so guilt-stricken that my boyfriend had a partic.i.p.ation in it. I was so hurt as well! I don't know if you believe me… I hope you do…" She trailed off.

"I'm not so sure whether it's appropriate for you to be anywhere near her. You're s.h.i.+ Fan Hai's woman."

"I'm also her best friend! We're like sisters!"

"All the more you should be open to her." Chen Linyun pressed.

"I'm trying so hard to be neutral." Her brows furrowed. She was so anxious with how the conversation turned out. It seemed that Chen Linyun was getting suspicious of her.

"Please, don't tell her. Knowing it won't benefit her in any way."

"How can you prove that you can be trusted?" The husband asked.

"I was trying so hard to persuade s.h.i.+ Fan Hai. But he never listened to me. Anyway it's not important anymore. We're over."

"If you're concerned of my relation to him, you shouldn't. We don't communicate anymore. I have cut ties with him.

"How can you prove that you can be trusted?" The husband repeated.

The lady got fl.u.s.tered even more.

"Can you be loyal to us – Xue Jinxu and me?" Chen Linyun probed. "If you're going to stay by her side, can you update me of her progress? I should know."

"I can do that but Xue Jinxu might not like it." Teng Man Rui shook her head. "Isn't that gesture itself already a betrayal to her?"

"I'll handle it. Just do it. As for you, I'll be watching your every move. If anything happens to Xue Jinxu, you're the first suspect."

"So Teng Man Rui, which side are you on?" Chen Linyun was still not finished in his questioning.

"I don't have to pick sides, do I?" Teng Man Rui refused to answer. "As I said, I'm neutral. I'm trying to be unbiased so I won't choose."

"I'm sorry I fell in love with the wrong person. But I'm still rational. I'm still capable of distinguis.h.i.+ng right from wrong. Please don't misjudge me." This time she lifted her gaze and looked into his eyes, trying to make him see her good intentions.

"No matter how messed up the circ.u.mstance is, I'm trying to balance both sides. I cannot lose both. And even now that we are over, I doubt that I can stand seeing him hurt."

"I know both of you are blaming him for your loss, and I too did that, but at the end of the day he's human too, who needs understanding. I cannot expect you to do that, but still. Please spare him."

"If we can prevent any clash of both sides, can we prevent it?" She added pleadingly.

"I'm sorry Miss Teng. The loss that we have incurred is far beyond mending through any diplomatic means. I cannot promise you anything."

"If you really love Xue Jinxu, then stay by her side like a good sister. I promise that you won't be implicated in whatever's brewing. That, I can promise you. For the sake of my wife."

"Still, I'll be watching you." Chen Linyun warned while standing up. He bowed slightly and left.