Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu-Chapter 1160: Harassment

"Cai."

Cai jumped up slightly, and a plate fell from his hands and shattered on the floor.

"Sorry!"

He immediately bent to pick the broken shards while Lin watched him, puzzled.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!" He looked at him and beamed, his sunny countenance as bright as usual.

Hmm...

"Leave the broken plate. I will clean it up. Can you do something for me?"

"Sure!"

"A woman has just left the cafe. You must have heard a man screaming and creating chaos. I forced him to leave, but I think he still might be wandering in the area to ambush her."

"O-Oh..."

"Just go and see if she is alright and he is not following her. I asked her if she would be fine with you dropping her off, but she denied."

Lin noticed a strange shadow cast across his eyes as he said that and wondered what was bothering him.

On the other side, Shui had packed up her drawing stuff and was about to leave when she saw Cai stepping out too.

"Hey. You’re going out too?"

"Yeah...Bro asked me to check on the woman who just left."

"Oh."

Though Shui didn’t understand why Cai’s gaze anxiously darted left to right.

"That’s a good idea. Your brother is very thoughtful."

She glanced at Lin inside, who was cleaning a table.

"Let’s go together. I’m going in the same direction anyway."

They walked some distance with Cai scanning the area around them looking for the boyfriend. After a while, they caught the sight of the woman in the front.

"There she is."

The woman walked very slowly, almost dragging her feet as if she was being forced to. Her head was lowered and she was staring at the ground. Though her back faced them, Shui could still read her expression crystal-clear.

"She doesn’t look too well."

Then again, her personal life looks complicated...

"Thankfully, I don’t see the boyfriend following her. Right?"

Shui looked up at Cai and found him staring at the woman with a strange, complicated gaze. She looked closely to be more certain.

"Do you know her?"

Cai froze.

"H-Huh, huh? Not at all!"

"..."

He’s terrible at lying.

From the way he panicked and was completely startled by her question, fumbling to answer her, it was painfully evident that he did know the woman from before.

Shui said, "It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me."

"I-I really don’t know her..."

"You cannot even look me in the eye when you say that."

He pressed his lips, hesitant.

She patted his shoulder. "It’s okay. I’m not forcing you to tell me. I simply noticed you looked a little tense."

"Don’t...Don’t tell Bro please..."

She was slightly taken aback and curiosity built up a little within her, but she knew better than to interfere in somebody’s private matters.

"No problem."

Cai took one last look at the woman but within a short span of a minute, the entire world had flipped. Out of nowhere, the boyfriend was back and quickening his pace towards her. His feet moved in response before he knew it and with a few large strides, he stretched his hand and grabbed his shoulder.

The boyfriend staggered back and was stunned to see him grabbing a fistful of his coat.

"What’s your problem!"

He didn’t recognize him but he did recognize Shui, who he had seen just a few minutes ago in the cafe.

Shui glared. "We should ask what’s your problem! We were right. You were following her!"

A crowd had formed and the woman also turned, confused - then stiffened upon seeing her boyfriend again.

"You were following me!?" He gritted his teeth.

"We were doubtful that you would let her go so easily, so thank you for proving your guilt to us," she smiled. "You only made our point."

Cai’s jaw clenched. "Didn’t Bro say to leave her alone!"

Bro? Who bro?

"It’s none of your damn business!"

"You are harassing and stalking her, do you feel ashamed even a little bit!? Get out of here before I call the cops, or before I punch your face," his gaze darkened.

"You..."

Facing a public humiliation for the second time of the day, he had no choice but to leave, but not before glaring at her.

"This isn’t over! You fooled me and cheated on me! I won’t forgive you for this!"

—

Lin flipped the board outside to say it was the staff’s break time when he saw his brother returning to the cafe - along with Shui and the same woman from before. Now she trembled even more anxiously than before.

"What happened?"

"The boyfriend made a dramatic re-entry," Shui grimaced. "She was shaken so we brought her back..."

"Come in," he nodded.

Cai went straight for the kitchen without looking back. "I’ll prepare some drinks."

Shui caught the woman’s awkward gaze, seeing Cai’s blatant avoidance.

Lin pulled a chair. "Please sit. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No..."

Her hands clasped against her back. "H-He stopped him just in time..."

"Then I’m glad I sent Cai to check on you," he nodded. "You should be careful. He doesn’t look like the type to give up. Be prepared to call the cops."

The woman stared into Lin’s sincere and concerned gaze and tears pooled in her eyes. She trembled and broke down into soft sobs.

"I’m sorry..."

Shui’s eyes widened. "Why should you be sorry? It’s his fault for harassing you."

"Not...not that..."

She wiped her tears but they kept flowing out without control.

"M-My family misunderstood you."

They were confused. "Misunderstood who?"

"You," she looked at Lin.

"Me? I don’t know you, nor your family."

She swallowed a hard gulp. "I...I kn-know your brother..."

Lin blinked twice.

"We used to hang out at times here and there..."

"Meaning dating?"

She stiffened. "N-no...Not really...We were just good friends though..."

Definitely more than just good friends but probably didn’t confess, Shui thought.

"I see," he then tilted his head, "Why do you say ’were’ good friends? You’re not anymore?"

She remained silent and lowered her head automatically.

"...We drifted apart...when...when one day I learned about you and that...you were in prison."