Because I Cannot Hurt You

Everybody was thrilled when they got the news of Jack and Shuang dating now.

Newly married Zizi beamed and hugged her hard. "I am so happy for you."

Shuang rolled her eyes. "Don't be so emotional."

Yunru smiled, watching her face lit with genuine happiness and joy. Shuang seems to look lost after they broke up. But once Jack came into her life, she slowly found her vigor back. Her eyes shone with gleam like they always used to. He could see that Shuang had wholeheartedly accepted Jack as her boyfriend without any emotional baggage weighing her down.

He grinned. "I am so happy for you."

Shuang choked. "Wow, dude. Marriage seems to have changed you. You two speak the same things now."

Zizi blushed. "We are a married couple now, so…"

Caihong, on the other hand, gave an expression like 'Finally, these two are dating.'

"Gosh, Shuang. The day has finally arrived. I told you, right? You and Jack are meant for each other. It was just a matter of time that you two got together. And that time is finally here!" She squealed. "Mom and Dad will be so happy!"

Her gaze flickered for a moment.

Ah Cy, Xinyi, Zhiyuan, Liang and Xiaosi were grilling Jack on the other side.

"So, how did you confess to her, aye?" Liang elbowed him teasingly. "I want to know how romantic it was."

Zhiyuan snorted. "It cannot be more romantic than how I had confessed to Xinyi."

Xinyi - "..."

Liang glared at him. "My confession to Ah Cy was the most romantic!"

Ah Cy - "..."

Xiaosi ignored both of them and poked him. "So, Jack~" he put his arm around his shoulder and smiled. "You bastard. You hid it from me. You best friend. How dare you! Don't you share everything with me?"

Xiaosi felt happy for them just like Yunru. After all, he knew Shuang's feelings for him. He always blamed himself for making Shuang waste her seven years. He didn't know if she was over him or not, but somewhere or the other, he thought himself to be the reason for her lack of a relationship.

Jack said, "Well…I had confessed to her on Zizi and Yunru's wedding day."

They gasped.

Xinyi's eyes sparkled. "That's so beautiful! And such a perfect occasion to confess!"

Ah Cy furiously nodded. "So, so! Tell the details! Did you only confess? Or did you kiss her too?"

Liang's mouth twitched. "Ah Cy, is that important-"

She glowered at him dangerously. "Juicy details are the most important! You still don't know me even after living with me for so long?"

"..."

Jack grinned. "Well, I had kissed her. And she was dumbfounded."

"Oooo."

Xinyi blinked. "Wait, Shuang got speechless? Can she even do that?"

"Hey! I am a human! I can get dumbfounded at times too! Especially when somebody suddenly confesses after playing games with me!"

Caihong laughed. "That was the perfect moment that Jack chose actually. You are in your best mood when you play games. Jack knows you in and out~"

Ah Cy chimed in. "How much 'in' do you know Shuang?"

Liang and Xiaosi choked. "That is too…" 𝘧𝒓e𝑒𝑤e𝙗𝚗o𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝐜𝐨ｍ

"Juicy details! Juicy details are what makes the world go around!" She harrumphed. "You are such boring people."

Caihong chuckled. Then she eagerly held Shuang's hand. "You should quickly head over to Dad's place and tell him this good news yourself! Gosh, I cannot imagine how happy he will be."

Zizi rolled her eyes. "I think he will definitely start decorating his grandchild's room first."

Xiaosi said, "But they are only dating yet."

Zhiyuan waved his hand in dismissal. "Do you think Uncle cares about that? He will be like - 'You can date all you want, but first give me my grandchild with the bluish-grey eyes that I always wanted.'"

That cracked everybody in laughter.

Liang clutched his stomach and rolled hard. "Ah I can so imagine him saying that. He is obsessed over Jack's eyes."

Jack watched Shuang in silence and smiled. "Of course, I will greet her parents. It's only natural that I officially introduce her as my boyfriend."

"Cooooool," they whistled.

In the evening after everything settled down, Jack, who was having dinner at Shuang's place, asked, "Are you thinking about Uncle An?"

She paused. Then she let out a sigh. "I left the house thinking that I won't be back for a while now. But…" she narrowed her eyes and stared at him accusingly. "It's because of you that I will have to go back again."

Jack smiled. "Then you should thank me because I am pretty sure that Uncle An would be missing you so much. I can imagine him jumping to hug the moment he sees you stepping into the residence."

"...I know. I just…"

He kept his chopsticks on the table and placed his hand over hers. "Shuang. I understand what you are going through. It's tough, I know. But had you thought for how long you would have kept your distance like this?"

She mumbled. "Just for a few months-"

"No," he shook his head. "Once you left, you would have never truly come back to them. After months of distance, you would have felt even more left out to think of returning."

Shuang exhaled. "Jack. It's not that I really want to leave him. But I cannot bring myself to interfere in his life anymore. Mom is in prison. Aunt Yueqin is back. I don't know why I should be…"

"That's why I am telling you to thank me. I broke your resolve. We should meet them, and you will know for yourself if you are needed or not."

—

The next day at An residence, Shuang stood in front of the villa gates.

It has been hardly a month and half and I am already back…

She once again accused Jack.

"Hey. You will thank me later on, trust me~"

She rolled her eyes.

"Shuaaaaaaaang!"

She jolted upon hearing an eager voice whose source was running straight at her. He enveloped her in a big hug and sobbed. "My daughter is back!"