Embarrassment

Yang Liu woke up with a pounding headache, her memories of last night hazy but still vivid enough to make her cringe. She groaned softly, rubbing her temples as she tried to piece together everything. She remembered heading out with Zhen Lian for what was supposed to be a casual night of drinks. The two had laughed and toasted, enjoying themselves far more than they'd intended. But now, she was paying the price.

"I really need to control my drinking," she muttered under her breath.

As she lay in bed, trying to muster the energy to get up, the door to her room suddenly opened. Her eyes widened in surprise as Han Chen, dressed impeccably in his usual suit, entered the room carrying a tray of breakfast. He walked over without a word, his expression as calm and unreadable as always.

Yang Liu, despite her pounding head, couldn't help but smile playfully. "Is that for me?" she teased, half expecting him to ignore her like usual.

Han Chen didn't respond to her question directly. Instead, he set the tray down beside the bed, then leaned in closer. He pressed his hand gently to her forehead, checking her temperature. His touch was warm, and Yang Liu felt her heart skip a beat.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, his voice softer than usual, though still carrying that distant tone she was used to.

Yang Liu blushed at the unexpected closeness, her voice barely above a whisper as she responded, "Yes, I'm fine. Just... a bit of a headache."

She stared at him for a moment, trying to remember how she had gotten home. The last thing she recalled was being at the bar with Zhen Lian, but after that, everything was a blur. Her curiosity got the better of her.

"How did I get home last night?" she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Han Chen turned his back to her, busying himself with the tray as he answered. "Secretary Jian called me. I came to pick you up."

Relief washed over Yang Liu, knowing that it was Han Chen who had taken care of her. But she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. After all, she had been incredibly drunk, and there was no telling what she might have done or said in that state.

"I didn't do anything... embarrassing, did I?" she asked hesitantly, her eyes searching his face for any sign of amusement or judgment.

Han Chen paused for a moment, his back still to her. When he finally turned around, his expression was unreadable. He didn't answer her question, choosing instead to divert the conversation. "You drank a lot last night. I brought some medicine for the nausea and a bowl of hangover soup. Make sure you eat and take the medicine."

Yang Liu furrowed her brow, confused by his lack of response to her question. What had she done that he didn't want to talk about? Still, she nodded in agreement, deciding not to press him further for now.

As she ate, Han Chen finished getting ready for work. He straightened his tie in the mirror, his usual composed demeanor back in place. Just before he left, he stopped at the door and glanced back at her.

"I'll come home early today," he said, his tone casual but with an odd hesitation in his voice. He looked at her for a long moment before adding, "You should drink less in the future."

And with that, he walked out, leaving Yang Liu alone in her room, feeling more confused than ever. She replayed his words in her mind, trying to decipher the strange look he had given her. Was he... worried about her? That didn't seem like him at all.

Still feeling groggy, Yang Liu decided to take her time. She finished her breakfast, took the medicine as Han Chen had instructed, and then made her way to the bathroom. The hot water from the shower felt like a relief against her aching muscles, and for a while, she allowed herself to relax. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth soothe her pounding head.

But then, out of nowhere, a memory flashed before her eyes. She froze, the image so clear it startled her. She could see herself, standing in front of Han Chen, her face close to his. And then... she had kissed him.

Yang Liu's eyes flew open, and she dropped the soap in shock. "Did I kiss Han Chen?" she whispered to herself, horror creeping into her voice.

The memory hit her like a ton of bricks. Yes, she had definitely kissed him. She could remember now—leaning in after a night of too much alcohol, her inhibitions lowered, and pressing her lips to his. At the time, it had felt like a bold, almost playful move. But now, in the harsh light of morning, it felt like a mistake.

She groaned, covering her face with her hands as the realization fully sank in. "I kissed him..." she muttered again, this time with more disbelief. What must Han Chen think of her now?

Her mind raced as she tried to piece together how he had reacted. He hadn't mentioned anything this morning, and he hadn't treated her any differently. But there had been that look in his eyes—the one she hadn't been able to decipher. Was that why he'd been acting so strangely?

Yang Liu hurried through the rest of her shower, her thoughts spinning in every direction. What if he thought she had feelings for him? What if this changed everything between them? Or worse—what if he thought she was just some drunk fool who couldn't control herself?

After getting dressed, she paced around her room, still trying to make sense of it all. Part of her wanted to confront him, to apologize and explain that it had been a drunken mistake. But another part of her was terrified of what he might say. What if he rejected her? What if their already complicated relationship became even more awkward?

As the hours passed, Yang Liu couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. She spent the rest of the day distracted, her mind constantly drifting back to that kiss. Every time she thought about it, her face burned with embarrassment. How could she have been so careless? Her emotions were a tangled mess—part of her wanted to crawl under the covers and never come out, while another part felt a strange, lingering warmth when she remembered the way Han Chen had looked at her that morning. He hadn't seemed angry or upset, just calm, as if nothing had happened. But that calmness only confused her more.

The more Yang Liu replayed the events in her head, the more she realized that Han Chen wasn't going to bring it up unless she did. He hadn't even hinted at the kiss, instead going about his morning like it was any other day. Maybe, just maybe, he truly didn't care. Maybe it hadn't meant anything to him at all. And maybe... she could get away with pretending it didn't happen.

She sighed heavily, sitting on the edge of her bed and rubbing her temples. "If he's not going to say anything, then maybe it's for the best if I don't either," she muttered to herself.

Yang Liu wasn't typically the type to avoid confrontation, but this situation felt different. The relationship between her and Han Chen was complicated enough as it was—throwing in an awkward conversation about a drunken kiss seemed like it would only make things worse. Besides, what good would it do? They weren't a real couple. Their marriage was one of convenience, and she had known that from the start. Getting wrapped up in emotions or misunderstandings wasn't part of the deal.

She paced back and forth across her room, debating her options. The thought of facing him again made her stomach twist with anxiety, but the idea of pretending nothing happened seemed equally difficult. Yet, in the end, the decision felt clear. Yang Liu didn't want to stir the waters, especially when she didn't know what Han Chen was really thinking.

"I'll just act normal. Like nothing happened," she decided firmly, nodding to herself as if that would help solidify her resolve. "If he doesn't bring it up, then I won't either. Simple."

With her mind made up, she felt a small sense of relief wash over her. At least now she had a plan—one that involved avoiding any more embarrassment. As long as she could keep her cool around Han Chen and not give away that she remembered anything, things would go back to normal. Or so she hoped.