Where’s Yang Liu?

Han Chen arrived at Han Wei's school art exhibition, and the first thing that caught his eye was the lively atmosphere: parents bustling about, proudly viewing their children's artwork displayed across the walls. The place was packed, with conversations echoing from every corner. Han Chen calmly made his way through the crowd, scanning the room for Han Wei and Yang Liu. After a few minutes, he finally spotted Han Wei standing in front of one of the paintings, animatedly talking with a group of kids.

He couldn't help but smile as he overheard his son bragging, "Yeah, it was me, my dad, and my mom who made this painting together." The kids around Han Wei were clearly impressed, their wide-eyed admiration making Han Wei stand even taller.

Han Chen chuckled softly and walked over to his son, wrapping him in a warm hug from behind. "I'm here," he said gently.

Han Wei, surprised but quickly happy, grinned up at him. "I'm glad you came, Dad!"

Han Chen's gaze wandered around the room again, but he didn't see Yang Liu anywhere. Frowning slightly, he asked, "Where's Yang Liu?"

Han Wei, as innocent as ever, casually replied, "Oh, she met someone she knows and went outside to talk."

This raised Han Chen's curiosity. "Really? She ran into a friend?"

Han Wei nodded, shrugging a little, "Yeah, but it's a guy." And with that, Han Wei turned back to his friends, leaving Han Chen alone with his thoughts.

Han Chen felt his chest tighten slightly at his son's words, but he tried to push the feeling aside. It's probably nothing, he reasoned, trying to convince himself. Even if it was something, it's none of my business. He didn't want to think too much about it, but still, the uneasy feeling lingered.

A few minutes later, though, Han Chen's attention was drawn to the door. He saw Yang Liu coming back inside, laughing with another man. He watched them for a brief moment before something stirred within him. Without thinking, Han Chen strode over, closing the distance between them. In one smooth motion, he wrapped his arm around Yang Liu's waist, pulling her gently but firmly toward him. "My wife," he said, his voice calm but with a possessive undertone, "where were you?"

Yang Liu blinked in surprise at the sudden contact but immediately relaxed when she realized it was Han Chen. She hadn't even noticed before how safe she always felt with him around. Smiling, she looked up at him, her expression light and carefree. "Oh, I ran into an old school friend and we were just catching up." She gestured to the man beside her and said, "Jun Hao, this is my husband."

Jun Hao extended a hand, and Han Chen shook it firmly, feeling some of his tension dissipate. It was just an old friend, nothing to worry about. I overreacted, he thought, inwardly relieved.

Yang Liu, meanwhile, chuckled to herself, thinking, You actually saved me by coming over. I barely remember this guy, and pretending to catch up with someone you don't really know anymore is exhausting!

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they parted ways with Jun Hao, and Han Chen kept his arm around Yang Liu's waist as they walked back toward Han Wei. He paid close attention to her, subtly watching to see if she was uncomfortable with his touch. But Yang Liu didn't seem to mind at all, so he allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. He had originally planned to keep a bit of distance from her, but in that moment, with everything feeling so right, he impulsively decided to treat his family to a fancy dinner.

He took them to a high-end seafood restaurant, one of Han wei's favorites. They ate and laughed together, and Han Chen couldn't resist capturing the moment with a photo of Yang Liu and Han Wei with their mouths full, happily stuffing themselves with seafood. Watching them like this, enjoying such a simple but perfect moment, Han Chen felt a deep warmth swell inside him. He hadn't been this happy in a long time.

Later that night, when they returned home, Han Chen showered and prepared for bed, still reflecting on the evening. Once again, as he settled into bed, he found Yang Liu curled up next to him. Her warmth was comforting, and instead of pulling away like he sometimes did, Han Chen took a deep breath and allowed himself to hold her close. He wrapped his arms around her, savoring the moment. As he lay there, his mind began to wander. Should I actually try with Yang Liu? he wondered, Or should I just let her go when the contract is over?

The thought gnawed at him, making sleep difficult. Even though everything had gone so well that day, Han Chen couldn't shake the uncertainty. For the next few days, he found himself wrestling with the same question over and over, unsure of what the future with Yang Liu truly held.