Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

When Pei Yu'an woke up, he felt a splitting headache, as if countless needles were pricking his temples.

He sat up with a frown, the dizziness of a hangover washing over him. He held his forehead for a while before slowly looking around.

The familiar bedroom environment made him feel a little at ease, but the next second, fragments of last night suddenly exploded in his mind.

Liu Yunshu's smiling eyes, the plain silver bracelet on his wrist, the sweet scent of fruit wine, and... that impulsive kiss, and the confession he blurted out.

"!!!"

Pei Yu'an's cheeks instantly burned, and even the tips of his ears were steaming.

He suddenly covered his face, his heart pounding wildly, his mind a complete mess.

He actually kissed Sister Liu?! And even told her he liked her?!

What's even more damning is that Sister Liu... she even responded to his kiss!

Pei Yu'an abruptly released his grip, staring blankly at the ceiling.

His fingertips unconsciously caressed the corner of his lips, as if the warmth of her lips still lingered.

But then he remembered Liu Yunshu's words, "Don't talk nonsense when you're drunk, you're still young," and his heart sank again.

Did she take his words as drunken ramblings? Well, she's married, how could she possibly have feelings for him?

His eyes dimmed instantly, and his heart felt like it was blocked by something, making him feel suffocated.

How is he any different from his mother?

Just as Pei Yu'an was lost in self-loathing, the sound of a door opening came from outside.

His eyes lit up immediately. Was it Sister Liu?

His body acted before his mind; he rushed into the living room barefoot without even putting on his shoes.

Before he could speak, Ye Yuwei walked in from the door.

Pei Yu'an's expectant expression froze instantly, and he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

"Xiao An, why are you barefoot?" Ye Yuwei put her bag on the sofa and walked towards Pei Yu'an.

Seeing that he remained silent, Ye Yuwei frowned and looked at him with displeasure, "Why aren't you saying anything? You won't even call me 'Mom'!"

She then smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and her brows furrowed even more. "Where did you go partying last night? You reek of alcohol."

Pei Yu'an took half a step back, avoiding her outstretched hand, and said in a cold tone, "It's none of your business."

"You don't need my help? I'm your mother!"

Ye Yuwei's voice suddenly rose, and the gentleness on her face instantly faded. "I've taken such good care of you, and this is how you talk to me?"

"Take care of me? You haven't been back in ages!"

Pei Yu'an's voice was filled with suppressed anger, "Last time you said you were going on a business trip out of town, but I saw you in front of a hotel in the city center."

He clenched his fist, his nails almost digging into his palm. "You're with a man, behaving intimately—this doesn't look like you're on a business trip at all!"

Ye Yuwei's eyes flickered with panic, as if she wanted to explain something.

"Mom, I already know." Pei Yu'an's voice turned serious. "You're with him."

Ye Yuwei's eyes darted around, then a smile appeared on her face. "Yes, Mom found a boyfriend. I was going to tell you..."

"That person has a family, right?" Pei Yu'an looked at her indifferently, his tone calm and without a trace of emotion.

Ye Yuwei's smile froze instantly, and she subconsciously waved her hand, "Don't make wild guesses, nothing of the sort!"

"I overheard you talking to him on the phone," Pei Yu'an said, his voice as cold as ice. "Tell him to divorce his wife quickly."

Ye Yuwei knew she couldn't hide it any longer, so she simply stopped pretending. "Xiao An, you don't understand adult matters."

"I don't understand?" Pei Yu'an laughed self-deprecatingly, his clenched fist trembling slightly.

"I don't understand, Mom. He has a wife. How is what you're doing any different from being a mistress?"

He thought of Liu Yunshu again, and his heart ached. What he did last night was no different from that of a third party!

With a "slap", Ye Yuwei raised her hand and slapped Pei Yu'an.

The crisp sound of the slap was particularly jarring in the quiet living room, and a red mark instantly appeared on Pei Yu'an's cheek.

"How dare you say that to me?" Ye Yuwei's voice was sharp, her eyes filled with anger and embarrassment.

"Isn't this all for you? Your dad passed away early, do you know how hard it was for me to raise you alone? What's wrong with going to him? He can give us a better life, it's much better than us crammed here!"

Pei Yu'an's head was turned to the side after being hit, and his cheek stung.

For me? What a ridiculous reason...

Ye Yuwei looked at his silent demeanor and then at his flushed face, feeling a pang of heartache.

She then grabbed his hand and began to brainwash him earnestly.

"Xiao An, you're still young. You don't understand that in matters of the heart, it's always the one who isn't loved who's the third party."

Pei Yu'an stared incredulously at Ye Yuwei, who was rambling on.

She's gone mad! Why doesn't she listen to what she's saying?!

Then, I unconsciously started to waver. Was the one who wasn't loved the one who was the mistress?

These words were like a small thorn, piercing into his chaotic thoughts.

He recalled the distance Liu Yunshu showed when she mentioned her husband, and the occasional hint of loneliness in her eyes.

She recalled that her husband had never been to a bar and had never spent time with her.

Was Sister Liu also unloved in that marriage?

If that's the case, then isn't his liking for Sister Liu not wrong?

Seeing his shocked and dazed expression, Ye Yuwei did not restrain herself. Instead, she took his hand and led him to sit down on the sofa.

"Xiao An, what's the difference between a woman staying in a loveless marriage and living like a widow?"

Ye Yuwei patted the back of his hand, her tone slightly seductive.

"In love, there's no such thing as first come, first served; it's only about love and not love. Why not fight for what you want instead of being in an unhappy marriage?"

Pei Yu'an's eyes began to wander again. If she is not happy... then can I also fight for what I want?

"Life is short, only a few decades. You should live for yourself at least once. Happiness is what you hold in your own hands."

Ye Yuwei continued rambling on, her tone full of self-justification and conviction.

Pei Yu'an was completely captivated by her words.

Yes, life is only a few decades long, why be trapped by the "first come, first served" principle?

Why can't we try to fight for it once?

He then shook his head, unsure whether Sister Liu liked him.

What if Sister Liu doesn't mean it that way? If he brings it up again rashly, will he lose her as a friend? Will he put her in a difficult position?

Pei Yu'an scratched his hair in frustration. The handprint on his cheek was still throbbing, but it was nothing compared to the turmoil in his heart.

He stood up abruptly, avoiding Ye Yuwei's hand: "Alright, I don't want to hear this."

After saying that, without waiting for Ye Yuwei to react, he turned around and rushed back to the bedroom, slamming the door shut.

Ye Yuwei watched his retreating figure, gritting her teeth in anger, but there was nothing she could do.

He picked up his bag from the sofa and threw it aside, muttering "ungrateful wretch."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Because of an important programming competition coming up, Pei Yu'an devoted all his energy to preparing for the exam.

He spent every day immersed in the library, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

The screen was full of complex code and algorithm formulas, and he often just ate a couple of bites of bread to get by.

Only in this way could he stop thinking about that kiss, stop thinking about Liu Yunshu's smiling eyes.

They certainly wouldn't get caught up in absurd and torturous questions like "Is someone who isn't loved a mistress?"

Finally, the competition ended. Zhao Lei put his arm around his shoulder and said, "Third brother, let's go! Let's get some food!"

Liu Hai chimed in, "Let's go to that buffet in the west of the city! It just opened. These past few days have been tough; we need to eat something good!"

Lee Jun-hee was stretching when he heard this and his eyes lit up.

"That seafood buffet?" Li Junxi straightened up instantly, all fatigue gone.

"I heard the king crab and salmon are freshly cut; I've been wanting to go for ages!"

Zhao Lei chuckled and patted Pei Yu'an on the back: "Don't just stand there, third brother. You need to relax after the competition. Don't even think about hiding in the library to cram for more problems."

Pei Yu'an was stunned for a moment, and was about to refuse when the three of them dragged and pulled him into the taxi.

Upon arriving at the seafood buffet restaurant, Zhao Lei and his two companions headed straight for the ingredients section.

Pei Yu'an, however, had little appetite. He found a seat by the window and sat down, his gaze unconsciously drifting out the window.

The image of Liu Yunshu resurfaced in his mind, along with the plain silver bracelet on her wrist and that kiss that smelled of tobacco, stirring up his turmoil.

"Third brother, what are you daydreaming about? Come and get some food!" Zhao Lei called out to him, carrying a full plate of grilled meat.

Liu Hai and Li Junxi also brought over king crab, salmon, and various skewers, quickly filling the table.

"Eat up, you must be exhausted from staying up late these past few days!" Li Junxi shoved a peeled crab leg into his hand. "Don't think about those worries anymore, the competition is definitely in the bag!"

Pei Yu'an forced a smile, took a bite of a crab leg, and the freshness spread on his tongue, but he couldn't taste any flavor at all.

As she was picking at the food on her plate, she suddenly caught a glimpse of two people walking into the restaurant: Liu Yunshu and a man.

The man had his back to him, wearing a well-fitting dark gray suit, and stood tall and straight.

He reached out to brush away the stray hairs that had fallen onto Liu Yunshu's shoulder, his gesture carrying a hint of intimacy.

Pei Yu'an's crab leg fell back onto the plate with a "thud," and his heart felt as if it had been suddenly clenched by an invisible hand.

He subconsciously leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the man, his fingertips unconsciously clenching the tablecloth until his knuckles turned white.

Is it him? Sister Liu's husband?