That Woman

After eating dinner, Pan An has volunteered to do the dishes, Shu Xian, taking Wan Wan out for a short walk in the neighborhood as he believed that the dog needed exercise, not only being let out in the front yard for a potty session.

Shu Xian was adamant that she would do the dishes, but instead, Pan An and her had talked about their share of housework at least with the dishes so Pan An would still get to do something since Shu Xian already does the cooking and the laundry—with the exception of his underwear, of course…

Pan An wouldn't want Shu Xian to wash his undies…

As soon as Pan An finished washing the dishes, he wiped his hands on the nearby towel and hung the apron, already leaning on the kitchen counter as he blankly stared at the table where he and Shu Xian ate and conversed.

He then recalled the days that they were together—letting out a small scoff, followed by a grin on his face as he realized that in the short days that they were together since the other day, a lot has happened.

Pan An wondered if ever he had not been jogging in the nearby park, what could ever happen to Shu Xian?

Pan An didn't like the thought. Instead, he sighed, already shaking himself from his thoughts as he remembered instead what happened last night. What Shu Xian told him was something that he did not believe, not wanting to get that drunk again.

They say people don't actually forget the things that they were doing when they're drunk—their mind is just doing it defensively because the person knew that he or she was doing something embarrassing.

Pan An only remembered a few of what happened last night. If what he knows is actually true, then what he did to Shu Xian was something embarrassing for him indeed to have made him forget this much.

The professor sighed, also remembering that Shu Xian spoke to his mother. With that in mind, Pan An got his phone from the table and dialed his mother, the phone already ringing.

Pan An waited for his mother to answer. The phone rang for roughly five seconds, Cai Li now answering the call and then greeted her son Pan An with a surprised tone.

"Pan An! Dearie! How are you?"

"I'm fine, mother," Pan An replied, hearing her mother giggle at the other end of the line making him smile a little. "I guess you're doing good?"

"Oh, I am, dearest," Cai Li replied, "With my son unexpectedly calling me, how could I not feel this happy?!

Pan An didn't say a word for a while, his smile slowly disappearing on his face. He then let out a sigh, making Cai Li wonder as she asked him what's wrong.

"What's up, dear? What's with the sigh?"

Pan An's lips turned into a tight line. Pan An didn't know how to ask his mother, somehow knowing that whatever Cai Li called Shu Xian about, it is something private.

"Mother," Pan An started, now scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "You see, it's about Shu Xian—"

"Aaaah…"

It's as if Cai Li now understood, interrupting her son.

"You heard about the call that we had late at night? Oh, I don't know if I told her not to tell you," she added, Pan An, now having the courage to ask her the question since she has brought it up.

"What do you want to talk about, mother?" he asked, his hand now holding the counter he was leaning on. "Is it something…"

Pan An didn't know how to answer her question. With him remembering how she talked to the previous girls who were setting themselves up adamantly with their family, Cai Li was cold to them, only being warm to people whom she chose—not those who volunteered themselves.

Also, he suddenly remembered Ruo Xi. When she suddenly passed through his mind, his grip on the counter tightened, remembering that her last encounter with Ruo Xi had prompted the girl to leave him for good…

Without even saying a word of goodbye.

With Pan An not finishing his sentence, Cai Li already understood what he was worried about. Sighing, her voice sounded gentle, wanting her son to understand that her intentions are not as bad as he thinks it is.

"Pan An… after not dating for such a long time and with you declining my matchmaking with other nice ladies, it's only proper for me to want to know what's taken you to fancy the girl you're living with now, no?"

Pan An actually wasn't convinced. He remembered his mother saying almost the same thing when he was talking to Ruo Xi, not sure of what she said to her to make the girl leave him for good.

With that in mind, that made Pan An worry--it made him think if his mother were to be kind to her or not—with Pan An and Shu Xian knowing that both of them are only on a fake relationship.

If Cai Li "threatens" Shu Xian when what they're doing is just fake to keep Cai Li at bay, he wouldn't know what to do if Cai Li has "hurt" Shu Xian when she's only doing this for Pan An's sake.

"Mother," Pan An spoke, snapping himself from his thoughts. "Please, Shu Xian is kind. I—"

"Don't worry," Cai Li interrupted, sounding snappy this time as she didn't like their conversation to go around in circles. "I wouldn't do anything like what I did to that woman," she added, Pan An, understanding that she was already addressing to Ruo Xi.

She never addressed her by her name—ever—and only pertained to Ruo Xi as "that woman."

"Mother…" Pan An spoke again, not liking how his mother addressed to the woman he loved even though they are no longer together. "Ruo Xi is not a bad woman. She's—"

"Goodbye, Pan An," Cai Li interrupted once more, trying her best to control the snappiness of her voice as she did not like talking about his past lover. "Do rest well. Your mother is really tired."

Without bothering to wait for her son's reply, Cai Li ended the call. Pan An then sighed as he ran his hand through his hair exasperatedly, not understanding what she knew to make her treat Ruo Xi this way to the extent that she left him behind.

'She acts pained when Ruo Xi left me… but still, she couldn't mask the hatred she has towards her. I don't understand!'