'Else I can't return that bunny tomorrow morning as per my promise.' Was what Zhao Yang didn't say. The guy just kept a stoic face as he spoke so no one could see his thoughts.
Lai Jiayi sheepishly smiled. "Ah, i-is that so.. "
'So, Tianjin doesn't come here. Then, if I don't bump into Zhao Yang, Tan Xinya might do whatever she wants to this guy without fearing Tianjin!'
Lai Jiayi clasped her thigh tightly. The girl touched her left arm and shuddered.
'Thank God I stalk Zhao Yang. Else, Tan Xinya might reap a lot of benefits without Tianjin's presence.'
Seeing the girl didn't talk anymore and was deep in thoughts, Zhao Yang suddenly had the urge to ask. He slowly opened his mouth and mumbled,
"Why...did you come here?"
"Huh?" Lai Jiayi snapped out of her thoughts. The girl blinked her eyes at Zhao Yang.
'Eh, what did he ask me? Did I hear it wrong? Zhao Yang asked why I came here?? That's...so not like him.'
"Mmm…" Lai Jiayi averted her eyes. The girl started to play with her fingers since she didn't know what to say.
'I can't say that I'm here for you, right? I think I already said I come here to have a drink, though…'
Seeing Lai Jiayi didn't answer, Zhao Yang moved his right hand and placed it on the table. Since he moved, his shoulder grazed Lai Jiayi's shoulder, making the girl subconsciously dodged.
"A-ah, that...I…"
"I'm just curious. You– are afraid of men." Zhao Yang sighed. He softened his expression.
'I don't want to frighten her with this question.'
"So, I was wondering why– you come here despite your phobia?" Zhao Yang turned around and looked down at the metal counter table again. The man didn't make eye contact with Lai Jiayi so the girl could relax.
'If I stare at her, she will run away.'
Zhao Yang shook his head.
Lai Jiayi's eyelashes fluttered. The girl squeezed her palms before lying without batting an eyelid.
"I-i thought I should practice being around men. A-and that's why...bar should be the best place?"
'What nonsense am I saying? There's no way I'll visit a bar if not for this f*cking game.'
"Practice?" Zhao Yang subconsciously looked at Lai Jiayi again. The man tilted his head a bit.
'I thought you need to go to a therapist, but why are you practicing instead? Is that what the therapist said?'
Zhao Yang closed his mouth tightly. There's no way he could ask those questions. It would be rude.
"I see..practice." Zhao Yang nodded. He paused for a few seconds before asking again,
"Then how...is the progress?"
'Haha, what am I saying? Wasn't I avoiding her this morning? And then I made her cry this evening? Why would I sound like I care about her?'
Lai Jiayi didn't know what Zhao Yang was thinking at all. The girl just went on with the question. "Mmm...s-so far, I don't have symptoms when I-i am close to a man…"
.
'That's a lie. It only applied to you, iceberg. You are a kind man to the bone. So, I can let down my guard around you.'
Lai Jiayi smiled stiffly, trying to look honest. Of course, there's no way Zhao Yang would see through the girl's lie. But then, he was also a sharp man.
Zhao Yang furrowed his eyebrows. "Really? That's fast. Since when did you can face a man without showing symptoms?"
'Isn't her progress too fast? I don't think this is true.'
Lai Jiayi choked. The girl averted her eyes out of guilt.
'Did he know anything? He looks like he doesn't believe me, ah.'
The girl bit her lips and lowered her head. She muttered in a weak voice, "A-actually, I-i still can't face men…"
'F*ck it. I'll just be honest and see if I can raise my barometer.'
"Then– "
"B-but!" Lai Jiayi interrupted the guy. She clenched her fists and mustered all her courage. "I-i don't have symptoms...w-when I am around you, b-boss."
….hm?
Zhao Yang had a blank look on his face. The guy looked like someone just pressed a pause button on his body for the second time.
'What…? She doesn't show symptoms when she's around me? Is this real? Wait– could this be the reason why she said she likes me?'
Zhao Yang narrowed his eyes and tried to control his face. But then, his ears and neck still turned red a bit.
"Is that so, " Zhao Yang shortly answered. The guy then turned around, avoiding Lai Jiayi's gaze.
'She must have said that because I'm somehow her boss. Maybe just to be polite.'
The man convinced himself that Lai Jiayi meant nothing wrong with her words, but then, the girl pressed on.
"I-i also don't know why it is like that…" Lai Jiayi rubbed the surface of her skirt. "L-lately, when I'm around you, b-boss, I don't feel uncomfortable…"
'That is half-true and half-false. I do strangely feel comfortable around him. But, the symptoms still appear once in a while when I'm with this guy.'
Lai Jiayi glanced at Yaya, and the duck looked like he had the same thought as her.
'That's right. Since this is a new thing, I might as well discover why I'm like this around Zhao Yang. If I know the reason, then I might cure my phobia!'
Lai Jiayi subconsciously grinned, thinking that she would hit two birds with one stone.
'I'll mess up Tan Xinya's plan while figuring out why my phobia doesn't act up around Zhao Yang.'
I really...wonder why.
WANT MORE CHAPTERS?! Unlock using power stones! Every Sunday, I'll count the power stone accumulation from this novel & give bonus chapters depending on the votes.
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