Yu Yan was walking down the streets in broad daylight, which was a change as she had stayed hidden for the past 3 months and moved within the shadows. She also wasn't wearing any disguise or mask that would hide her identity - she was just walking as herself.

"Do I return to Zhong Ji Yi Ban or just knock Ban Dao out in a dark corner somewhere?" she asked herself in a whisper, "The second option is easier and takes less time..."

She remained silent as she continued to walk. The clouds cleared away allowing for the sun to shower its warm rays down below on the people.

"The sunshine feels nice..." she mumbled as she faced upwards while she walked. Her steps slowed down as she smiled under the warmth of the sun that embraced her in a comforting hug. "I haven't been at ease for so long..." she muttered as a sigh escaped her lips.

Suddenly she bumped into someone and staggered backwards a few steps. Without stopping to apologise, she kissed her teeth and pushed past them.

"Youngsters are so impolite these days," a familiar voice remarked, "They all walk around like angry gangsters all the time." The person then huffed haughtily.

Yu Yan stopped in her tracks and tried to remember where she had heard that voice before.

"Hey you, do I know you?" the woman asked as she turned around. She stared at Yu Yan when she turned around and then it hit her. "Ah! You're my nephew's girlfriend, aren't you?" she questioned, "That rude girl who was ready to hit me!" Her face turned into a scowl.
"Ding Xiao Yu's aunt?" Yu Yan exclaimed in a low mutter.
"What's your name, girl?" she asked.
"Jiang Yu Yan," Yu Yan replied.
Ms Ding looked at her, "Do you have time, Classmate Jiang?"
"Why?"
"Let's have a good talk."

Yu Yan sighed and reluctantly followed behind the older woman to her house. She usually wasn't so obedient towards people she was unfamiliar with but at that moment she wasn't in the mood to kick up a fuss about it.

"Have a seat," Ms Ding said as they entered the house, "If you need my help to get to a chair, let me know."
Yu Yan just kissed her teeth and sat down on the sofa by herself. She then waited for the woman to come into the room before she spoke, "I don't remember being on such familiar terms with you, Ms Ding. What could we possibly ever talk about?"
Ms Ding rolled her eyes and sat down in front of her, placing a glass of water on the table for her, "I don't see what that nephew of mine saw in you," she muttered under her breath.
Yu Yan, who had sensitive hearing, picked up her words. She smirked, "I don't see it either," she replied.

Ms Ding huffed before she continued, "You're blind and can't do anything for yourself," she commented, "I really don't see how that boy managed to fall for you. You're also quite rude," she continued before sighing, "Ah well; love is a very strange thing."
Yu Yan leaned back and scoffed, "Did you get me here to insult me?"
"I wish," the woman smiled, "But I want to talk about Xiao Yu."
"His business is none of mine," Yu Yan quickly said and stood up suddenly, "I'm leaving."

As she walked over to the door, Ms Ding grabbed her wrist. "I had a long think over the past months," she began, "And I realised that I should have treated my only nephew better than I did."
"Why do I care about this?" Yu Yan snapped.
"I realised that he needs a mother figure in his life. After one of his friends went missing, it hit me that that boy has lost alot of people in his life but still puts on a brave face," she rambled as her grip tightened, "I've been trying to improve my relationship with him but he hasn't forgiven me and keeps giving me the cold shoulder!"
"What's it to me, old lady?" Yu Yan barked, "You got your karma and now deal with it!"
"Please help me!" she begged now like a crazy woman, "You're his girlfriend aren't you? Please try and get through to him for me!"

Her grip around Yu Yan's wrist tightened even further, causing Yu Yan to wince. Yu Yan tried to pull her arm back but Xiao Yu's aunt was too persistent. "Are you mad?! Let go of me!" she yelled.
Ms Ding cornered her into wall now with tears pooling in her eyes, "I love him!" she exclaimed, "My husband has left me and I'm going crazy in this house alone! Please bring back my nephew!" she cried.
Yu Yan's face scrunched up in disgust as she cringed. Her back was pushed against the wall and she hissed out in irritation, "Saying you love him is an insult to my feelings for him!" she retorted, "You don't love him at all! If you did you wouldn't have treated him so badly!"

Ms Ding then pulled on her hair angrily as she became more and more distressed, "He's my nephew so of course I love him!" she screeched.
"Get off me you crazy woman!" Yu Yan barked, wondering whether it was necessary to use her yi meng on her, "Xiao Yu doesn't need you! He's better off without you! He doesn't need such a cruel person in his life!"

"Aren't you cruel too, Yu Yan?"

The two ladies turned around and Ms Ding let go of Yu Yan the moment her eyes landed on her nephew in the doorway. Yu Yan slid down to the floor after being released and she kissed her teeth.

"X-Xiao Yu?" Ms Ding stuttered in surprise.
Xiao Yu ignored her and walked over to Yu Yan. He helped her to stand back up again and then smoothed down her hair gently with his hand. "You're just as cruel as her, Yu Yan," he said with a small smile, "You've hurt me more than my aunt ever could. According to you, I don't need such a person in my life," he said in a soft voice.
Yu Yan faced away from him, "That's right. I'll leave your life completely soon," she muttered with guilt re-blooming in her heart.

Suddenly she was pulled into his chest and Xiao Yu wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You can hurt me as many times as you want but it doesn't mean that I don't need you in my life," he mumbled into her ear, "And as much as I would like to believe your words, I still do need my aunt in my life," he admitted quietly so that Ms Ding wouldn't hear, "But thank you, Yu Yan," he whispered, hugging her tightly.
Before she could push him away, Xiao Yu broke their hug and slipped his hand into hers. "Promise me you won't go anyway whilst I quickly go do something," he then said, "We need to talk."

"What's with you Dings and needing to talk?" Yu Yan questioned, "I don't have anything to say to you," she spat coldly. Despite her cold words, she found herself waiting for him in the living room quietly, whilst he went to put Ms Ding to sleep for the afternoon. She knew she shouldn’t have stayed, but couldn’t stop herself – she had longed to hear his voice. When he returned, he smiled when he saw Yu Yan sitting there obediently.

"You really did stay," he grinned before placing a plate with a bagel on her lap. "Dig in," he added and he watched her eat slowly.
"What... did you want to talk about?" she muttered quietly as she ate.
Xiao Yu began with a sigh, "I have to apologise for my aunt first," he explained, "Please excuse her for her behaviour just now. For the past couple of months she's been having some mental health issues and her divorce with my uncle hasn't made her situation any better. She can get out of hand and restless sometimes."
Yu Yan didn't say anything and continued to eat the food she missed eating the most. But then suddenly, a thought came to her mind. "How do you know how she behaved?" she questioned.
"I saw it all," he replied, "I came back from school to check on her during lunch break and then saw the two of you going inside."

Yu Yan dropped the half eaten bagel onto the plate and swallowed thickly. Xiao Yu tilted his head at her, "What's wrong?"
Yu Yan quickly pushed the plate onto the coffee table and felt her cheeks warm up, "Then... did you hear...?" she stammered, trailing off.
A smile cracked onto Xiao Yu's face and he chuckled. He curled his hand around Yu Yan's before imitating her voice, "Saying you love him is an insult to my feelings for him!" he screeched in a high pitched voice only to be hit by the girl beside him. He smiled and turned to her, "What did you mean by that?" he asked in a teasing voice. Yu Yan hit him again as her cheeks became tinted in pink.
"Nothing!" she hissed.
"And you didn't deny that you were my girlfriend either;" he pointed out to provoke her.
"Do you want to die, Ding Xiao Yu?!" she exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.
Xiao Yu pretended to sigh and then turned his back to her, "It's okay, I'm just joking around with you. I know you don't really feel the same way about me," he told her, pretending to be sad, "If you did, you wouldn't have treated me so badly," he added, quoting her words.

"It's because I love you that I treated you like that!" she blurted out in her defence before her eyes widened at what she had just said.

Xiao Yu burst out into laughter and then poked her now red cheek, "Oh? Since when did Jiang Yu Yan express her feelings?" he teased.
"You tricked me!" she accused angrily as she blushed, "You! You- You-"
"I what?" Xiao Yu inquired with his eyes glistening with joy.
Yu Yan stood up and exhaled deeply. She clenched her fists and her teeth and tried to calm herself down.

She then felt Xiao Yu cup her cheeks gently, "I'm glad that you're still the same Jiang Yu Yan I know," he murmured before wasting no time in kissing her on the lips.
Yu Yan broke their kiss, "Xiao Yu, I-"
"I don't want any more of your excuses," he interrupted before kissing her again which set off fireworks in both their heart. He felt her smile against his lips which made him to smile as well, causing their teeth to knock into each other. Their kiss was broken again by the two of them bursting out into giggles.

Xiao Yu smiled and pulled Yu Yan into a hug, "I love you," he whispered as he felt Yu Yan wrap her own arms around him. She knew what she was doing was wrong - her father wouldn't let her hear the end of it, but she didn't care anymore. She wanted to chase after her own happiness and be happy with the one she loved. When she was with him, she felt all her worries disappear. She wasn't scared anymore.

Fate really did have its ways of bringing them back together. Jiang Yu Yan’s day was going completely opposite to what she thought it was going to be. Who knew that her evil intentions of crime were going to be subdued by Ding Xiao Yu?

"I love you too, Little Fish," she responded.

I hope you can rest in peace now, Yu Ting, the two thought simultaneously.