A few hours later...

9:15 PM...

Xiali's POV...

I sit in the car with Lucas as he drives me back home after we had dinner together. Turns out he's actually a pretty funny guy. We spend our time joking at nonsense to each other during dinner. It was fun, and I'm glad to meet a new friend like him. The car finally stops as it reach my house.

"Thank you for tonight, Lucas," I say with a smile.

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow!" says Lucas as he forms a warm smile at me.

I nod at his words before I open the door of the car and exit. I walk and enter the house to see that my mom and step-dad are watching TV together in the living room.

After I greeted them, I walk upstairs to clean myself up. I walk pass Winwin's room and see that the door is open. I happened to saw him on his laptop with a bottle of beer on the table. I didn't want to bother him and just pretend like I didn't see anything as I enter my room.

10 PM...

I finish cleaning myself up and is now ready for bed. As I'm about to climb up my bed when I hear my phone ringing. I check to see that it's Ten.

"Hello, dear brother!" I say with a sassy tone.

"Brother? Since when did I became your brother?" Ten ask with a seductive tone.

"Since the day you called me your sister," I say in a sassy tone.

"I don't remember that brother and sister could get intimate," says Ten with a flirty tone.

I start to blush after hearing his sentence. It's a good thing he couldn't see how red my face looks like right now. He would probably just tease me more with his flirtatious words.

"Are you blushing like a tomato right now?" Ten ask with a small giggle.

"No, I'm not," I say with an annoyed tone.

"So can I kiss you again when we meet?" Ten ask with a playful tone.

I start blushing deeper at his sentence, but again I have to hide my feelings. I can't be speechless. "At least not when we're in public." I say with a sassy tone.

"Why? Are you afraid that Lucas will get jealous?" Ten ask before he lets out a laugh.

"No. Besides, why would he even be jealous? We're not even dating," I say.

"Well, it looks like he has a thing for you," says Ten. "By the way, how was the date?"

"For your information, it wasn't a date. But he is a fun person. We laughted a lot during dinner," I say with a smile as I remember the cheesy conversations I shared with Lucas.

"Do you like him, Sister?" Ten ask in a playful tone.

"Only as a friend, Brother," I say with a sassy tone. "By the way, I'm gonna go to bed now. If you forgot, we have to go to college tomorrow morning!"

"Ah, ok. Goodnight, my dear sister. Sweet dreams!" says Ten with a flirty tone. This guy really can't stop being flirty for a minute can he?

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, goodnight, Brother! Have a nice dream."

"I will because I'll be dreaming about you," says Ten with a small chuckle.

I roll my eyes. "Sleep, Ten!"

"Fine. Goodnight," says Ten before ending the call.

Meanwhile, at Lucas and Hendery's apartment....

Lucas is lying down on his bed as he stares into the ceilings of his room, when he sees Hendery entering his room. He didn't have to knock since Lucas had left the door open.

"So, what did you get tonight?" Hendery ask as he sits down on Lucas's bed.

"I got her address," says Lucas as he stares blankly at the ceilings.

Hendery turns his face to look at his brother with a curious look. "Really? Damn, you're a fast man!" says Hendery. "Mama should consider sending you on more missions."

Lucas lets out a sigh. "To get what you want, sometimes you have to give people what they want," says Lucas. "To win the target is to first win her heart."

"Smooth words, Ge!" says Hendery with a cheeky smile. "And did you win her heart tonight?" Hendery ask.

"The love is still in process. You can't force trust, but you can build a connection," says Lucas. "That's what I'm trying to build between me and Xiali."

"That's cool," says Hendery. "Have you told Mama about her address yet?" Hendery ask.

"Yes," says Lucas before he lets out a sigh.

The next day...

At Ming University...

Ten and Xiali are heading to Xiali's locker, when Xiali spots Lucas standing next to her locker. Lucas waves at Xiali as she walks over to greet Lucas, leaving Ten alone as he watches the two interact with each other, which again annoys him.

"Good morning, Xiali," says Lucas as he forms a warm smile. "Let me guess..you're gonna open your locker?"

"Yeah," says Xiali as she opens her locker and pulls out a book, but she realize that she had dropped something when pulling out the book. It was a small paper.

Xiali bends down and grabs the small paper. She didn't remember putting any paper inside her locker. She looks at the paper and see that it has a drawing of a lion.

"Did you put this in my locker?" Xiali ask as she looks at Lucas.

"Yeah. I told you last night I liked lions," says Lucas with a smile.

Xiali starts admiring the drawing. She starts to admire Lucas's skillful drawing. "It's a great drawing, Lucas," says Xiali as she continues to admire the drawing.

Lucas lets out a small chuckle. "Yeah, but I'm actually kind of bored with it. I want to try drawing something new to boost my skills and creativity," says Lucas.

"And what is that?" Xiali ask with a curious tone.

Lucas turns his head away as he smiles shyly at the girl. "How about you?" Lucas ask with a shy tone.

Xiali widens her eyes in surprise, before letting out a small giggle. Ten notice the situation between Xiali and Lucas, and he can't lie that he is irritated. He still thinks Lucas has other intentions, though Xiali had insisted him to not overthink about Lucas since she thinks he could be a "good guy".

This guy is a total flirt. Ten thought.

"You could be my muse," says Lucas as his lifts up Xiali's chin who is staring down at her shoes out while smiling shyly. "What do you say, Miss Zhang?" Lucas ask with a warm smile.

Xiali stare into Lucas's eyes as her smile slowly gets bigger at the sight of the cheesy boy. "Sure," says Xiali.

Lucas smiles and gently removes his hand from Xiali's chin. "I'll be sure to make it a surprise," says Lucas.

"I don't think it's a surprise anymore since you just told me about it," says Xiali.

"Wow, that's true, and clever," Lucas says.

"Anyway, we should be going to class," Xiali says.

"Yeah. I'll race you there! See ya!" says Lucas as he starts running away and heading to class.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Xiali says as she runs off to chase Lucas, leaving Ten walking alone from behind her with an irritated look.

A few hours later...

At the cafeteria....

Hendery decides to sit with Xiali, Ten, and Lucas together during lunch. Though Xiali and Lucas are actually ok with it and are having fun together, Ten is more irritaed knowing that Lucas's brother is now also a part of their group. Honestly he didn't like the idea of other guys trying to get in between him and Xiali. For some reasons, he didn't like the idea of Xiali being too close with other guys than him. Why though? Is it because he is concern about her safety? Or that he just feels irritated every time she gets close with a guy he has no idea about? Or maybe he actually cares about her in a different way? These are questions that Ten ask himself yet still can't find an answer.

After college...

"So the guys are coming back tonight?" Xiali ask as she walks out of the college building along with Ten.

"Yup. That's why I'll be throwing a little welcome back party for them, along with you," says Ten as he gives Xiali a small smile, making her giggle.

"Sounds fun," says Xiali at the thought of meeting the boys again after a while. Though she still don't feel like talking to Yangyang, yet deep inside she is actually a bit glad that she'll be seeing him tonight. She's also exicted to see Kun and Xiaojun again.

Ten begins to stare at Xiali's beautiful eyes, in which she stares back with a mesmerized look. The two get into eye contact for a while, before getting distracted by a loud ringing noise coming from Xiali's phone. Xiali picks up the phone to see who is calling. It's Winwin.

"Hello, Winwin ge! What is it?" Xiali ask.

Ten couldn't hear what Winwin is saying on the phone, but he could tell that it's bad news by the look on Xiali's face. Her face suddenly turns shocked and horrified as she suddenly looks sick. She starts losing control of her body and burst out into tears as she gets down on her knee.

Surprised by what happened, Ten bends down and comforts Xiali. He tries to ask her what happened, but she's too busy crying her eyes out to even give him a simple answer.

The next day...

Today is the day of Xiali's mother's funeral. Tears keep falling down from Xiali's eyes as she couldn't hold back the pain of losing her mother. The person who had cared for her from the day she was born. Besides her relatives, Ten, Kun, Xiaojun, and Yangyang also attends the funeral to honor her mother.

"Thank you for coming today, guys," says Xiali in a low tone.

"It's the least we could do to honor your mother," says Ten as he sees Xiali slowly starts to tear up again.

Looking at his dear friend crying, Ten gives Xiali a warm hug as she cries into his chest. Kun and Xiaojun just looks at them in silence, while Yangyang feels more guilty than ever knowing that he couldn't be the one to comfort his friend during this hard time. Xiali lets go of her embrace and starts wiping her tears.

"I'm gonna go there first," Xiali says.

"Sure," Ten says.

Xiali walks over to her mother's grave and bends down. She starts to tear up again as she stares at the grave scattered with flowers.

"Ma, I'm sorry. I should have told you they were after me," says Xiali in a low tone. "Why did they have to do this to you?" she continues to cry.

As Xiali continues to cry, Winwin approaches her and bends down beside her. He looks at the grave with a sad look.

Winwin's POV..

I turn my head and see that Xiali is still crying from the lost of her dear mother. Today's been a hard day, and even to me who could feel how broken she is inside. Though I was never too close with Xiali or her mom, yet I have to admit that their warm personalities sort of taught me the warmth of affection.

"She was a kind woman," I say as I try my best to hold the pain in my heart.

Auntie, thank you for your affection. I thought.

Xiali didn't respond to me and just continue to cry. Looking at how sad she is actually reminds me of myself. Before I met them, and after I met them, it's like there was always something else in between sadness and happiness.

Meanwhile...

"This person has gone too far," says Kun. "We have to find out who did this!"

"This person is probably associated with the stalkers," says Yangyang. "I swear, I won't let whoever did this get away."

"We have to find them," says Ten as his glance stops at a familiar guy who is approaching them.

What is he doing here? Ten thought.

"Ge, what are you looking at?" Xiaojun ask before he glance at what Ten is staring at.

"Possible trouble," Ten says.

The familiar guy starts walking closer to them with a bouquet of white roses in his hand.

"Hello! I'm here to see Xiali," says Lucas as he holds the bouquet of white roses.

This jerk really can't seem to leave Xiali alone. Ten thought.

To be continue....