Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Between Two Fernds

Yun Hao's every bite of the meat in front of him was like being trapped in heaven. Heaven because the taste of the food was nothing like he had ever tasted before, especially the magic beast stew that seemed to tickle his tongue as it melted right inside his mouth. It also seemed to have an effect on his broken arm as well, as it felt warmer and warmer with each bite.

And trapped because he was currently in between two friends, glaring at each other as if there was some sort of hammer in the middle of them, and the one that would blink would be privy to the hammer's strike.

"The food will get cold--"

"Shut up, Yun Hao."

"..." Yun Hao could only raise his eyebrows as Song Jian slammed the table, "Why exactly are the two of you fighting?"

"Do you want to know why?"

"We're not fighting!" Song Jian once again slammed her palm on the table, causing the plates to slightly bounce. If it wasn't for Yun Hao securing the stew pot, it would have surely been thrown to the side.

"Can we just eat first? Then the two of you can work whatever is going between the two of you… without my presence?"

"This involves you, Yun Hao!" Song Jian then pointed her finger right in front of Yun Hao's face.

"...Why?"

"Because she likes--"

"B... because she is trying to recruit you to her family!" Song Jian raised her voice before Huang Yi could finish her words, "Why else do you think she would invite you to a fancy meal?"

"Because we're on a date?" Yun Hao casually said.

Huang Yi crossed her hands, gesturing to Yun Hao to stop whatever it is he was saying, but alas, it was too late.

"D… date!?" Song Jian's eyes could not help but twitch, "You? Don't you already have a fiance!? Why are you involving Yun Hao with your affairs!?"

"Let's all calm down," Huang Yi said as she slightly chuckled, "And that marriage is being forced upon me. And yes, I am trying to recruit Yun Hao to my family… I sincerely apologize for deceiving you, Yun Hao."

Huang Yi then bowed her head towards Yun Hao, "But I did like spending time with you."

"T… that's," Song Jian could not help but take in a gulp as she heard Huang Yi's words.

"It's alright," Yun Hao let out a long and deep sigh as he gestured to Huang Yi to raise her head, "I kinda had an idea already. But still, a date is a date, right?"

A smile slightly appeared on Huang Yi's face as she nodded, "Right."

"But I have already said this before, as far as affiliations go, I am flying solo for now."

"Of course, I respect that," Huang Yi nodded, "Unlike someone else I know."

"W… what? I respected his decision earlier than you," Song Jian quickly said as she saw Huang Yi glancing at her.

"Oh? Are you sure it wasn't because he was injured and you thought he wasn't worth recruiting anymore?"

"Never! Yun Hao is--"

"Yun Hao is what?" Huang Yi smirked.

"Yun Hao is…" Song Jian's face slowly became as red as her hair as she took side glances at Yun Hao, "I have always seen his potential, even when my clan did not. I wouldn't have invited him many times if I didn't."

Seeing the small droplet of water wanting to fall from Song Jian's eyes, Huang Yi could not help but let out a sigh as she decided to stop teasing her anymore. She was perhaps the only one who knew of Song Jian's one-sided crush on Yun Hao. No, perhaps it was even more of a crush, it was bordering towards idolization as she even set Yun Hao as her wallpaper once… maybe even stalker-ish.

She remembered how she rushed to her when Yun Hao got into an accident, crying her eyes out that she couldn't protect him. Yun Hao was like a celebrity to her, it was sort of ironic, now that she was thinking about it.

Yun Hao, on the other hand, could not help but smile from hearing Song Jian's words. Even though he did not really know Song Jian that much, it was true that she saw him in a different light even after she was injured.

When he got out of the hospital, Song Jian was the first person to approach him. But he was too broken to even respond to her, even shouting at her to leave him alone.

"Thank you, Miss Song Jian. I really appreciate you… appreciating me."

"R… right, don't mention it," Song Jian quickly looked to the side as her words slightly stuttered, "And please don't use honorifics, I am just two months older than you."

"Oh, how did you know I am only two months younger than you?"

"I know everything about-- my family did a background check on you when they tried to recruit you, how else?" Song Jian muttered as she drank a whole glass of water in one gulp.

"...I see."

None of them knew how long, but there was an awkward silence between the three of them after that. But finally, after who knows how long, Huang Yi cleared her throat as she grabbed a chopstick and started eating. After that, Song Jian also split her chopsticks and casually started eating.

Seeing this, Yun Hao finally nodded his head in satisfaction as he too dug in the food. Who knew all it took was an awkward silence for the two to make up.

"I'm really sorry for taking Yun Hao on a date, Jiji," Huang Yi muttered.

"W… what? Why are you saying sorry to me? Yun Hao can date whoever he wants to," Song Jian stuttered.

"Really? So you don't mind us going on another date?"

"..."

"I am just kidding," Huang Yi chuckled, "You are right, I need to sort out my arranged marriage first. You know how papa and mama are, they are traditionalists."

"Right," Song Jian let out a sigh, "I remember how they are now."

"How about the two of you try to go on a date then?" Huang Yi suddenly opened up.

"Yes… what? Why? Why?" Song Jian almost dropped her chopsticks as she glanced at Yun Hao, who was also looking at her, causing her to quickly look away.

"I think Yun Hao is interested in seeing our school. I told him I will tour him there on our next date, but since I will be busy, you can do it in my stead, right?" Huang Yi blinked at Song Jian as if telling her that this was her chance.

Before Song Jian could even say anything, Yun Hao already opened his mouth.

"That sounds fine with me," Yun Hao shrugged his shoulders, "That is if it is fine with Song Jian?"

"I need to check my schedule first," Song Jian stiffly said.

"Oh, then I suppose--"

"It's clear. You can visit tomorrow afternoon, I will just pin you the location."

"...Well alright then," Yun Hao could not help but let out a chuckle, "It's a date?"

"D… d… d… d… d… d… date!?"