On Friday in City H, a man and a woman were having dinner at a small street - side restaurant. The man was named He Yao, and the woman was Tong Mengdi. They were college classmates and now worked for the same company. Both of them were in their thirties. However, Tong Mengdi already had a boyfriend, while He Yao had been single for years. Since breaking up with his last girlfriend, He Yao hadn't been in a relationship. The reason Tong Mengdi asked He Yao out today was that her younger sister, Tong Mengya, was coming to City H, and coincidentally, Tong Mengdi had to go on a business trip next Monday. So, Tong Mengdi wanted He Yao to take care of her sister for a few days. Although she was no longer single, Tong Mengdi had maintained a good relationship with He Yao since college, which had also drawn dissatisfaction from Tong Mengdi's boyfriend, Zhao Mingkai. Therefore, when Tong Mengdi told He Yao about this, He Yao was reluctant. Because a month ago, Tong Mengdi had fallen ill when Zhao Mingkai was on a business trip. When he came back and saw that He Yao was taking care of Tong Mengdi, Zhao Mingkai was overcome with jealousy, and the two had a conflict. So, to avoid causing trouble for Tong Mengdi, He Yao had to refuse. Looking at his reaction, Tong Mengdi immediately said:

"He's just like that. You know him well. Why do you have to care?"

"I don't care. He can say whatever he wants about me, but I can't stand him doubting you. I feel aggrieved for you," He Yao said.

Tong Mengdi then said, "You don't need to worry about my affairs. I really have no other choice. My sister is coming to report to the new company, and both Zhao Mingkai and I have to go on business trips. What do you think I should do?"

"What about Liu Lian? It would be nice for her, a woman, to take care of your sister."

"She has a husband, doesn't she?"

"Is her husband a man, and I'm not?" He Yao retorted.

"Just for three days. I'll come back as soon as possible, okay? I promise I won't let Zhao Mingkai know."

"All right."

"Thank you." With that, Tong Mengdi picked up some food for He Yao.

"Okay."

After they finished their meal, He Yao sent Tong Mengdi home. When Tong Mengdi got home, she saw that Zhao Mingkai was also packing. Perhaps due to work, they had to go on business trips frequently and were always flying around the country. Moreover, Tong Mengdi wasn't very good at cooking, so most of the time when Zhao Mingkai wasn't at home, it was He Yao who took care of her. Although Zhao Mingkai pretended not to care on the surface, as a boyfriend, which man could easily allow his girlfriend to be with another man all the time? Most importantly, they had been together for quite a while, but every time Zhao Mingkai mentioned getting married, Tong Mengdi always found various reasons to refuse. Seeing that Tong Mengdi came back so late, Zhao Mingkai knew without guessing that she must have been with He Yao again. However, to test Tong Mengdi, Zhao Mingkai still asked knowingly:

"Why did you come back so late?"

"I had something to do outside," Tong Mengdi replied indifferently.

"I saved some food for you. I'll go get it for you," Zhao Mingkai said, getting ready to stand up.

"No need. I've already eaten with a friend outside."

"You've eaten? I've been waiting for you until now, and you tell me you've eaten?"

"I said it was with a friend."

"What friend?" Zhao Mingkai asked.

"You don't know him. I'm too tired. I'm going to take a bath."

"Could it be He Yao?"

Originally, Tong Mengdi wanted to find an excuse to avoid arguing with Zhao Mingkai, but when she heard Zhao Mingkai mention He Yao's name, she immediately stopped in her tracks. In fact, Tong Mengdi and Zhao Mingkai were each other's first loves, and their families knew each other. So, when they grew up, they naturally started dating. Originally, they should have been the typical childhood - sweethearts - turned - lovers and should have gotten married. But all this changed after Tong Mengdi met He Yao. When she first joined the company, Tong Mengdi was a staff member under He Yao. Because He Yao appreciated and cultivated her, she gradually got promoted step by step. Now she was on an equal footing with He Yao and had also become a department manager. However, this had also led to rumors in the company. People thought that there must be an improper relationship between them. Otherwise, with He Yao's position, how could he get to know someone at the bottom level? Perhaps knowing about these things, Zhao Mingkai had quarreled with Tong Mengdi many times. Seeing that Zhao Mingkai was jealous because of He Yao again today, Tong Mengdi explained for the countless time, but there was more helplessness in her explanation.

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"Zhao Mingkai, I've explained to you countless times. He Yao and I are colleagues and friends, but it's definitely not what you think. I really don't want to explain this to you anymore because I'm tired. Do you understand?"

"You're my girlfriend. You're acting ambiguously with another man. Can't I even ask a question?" Zhao Mingkai said.

"Ask? Is that the tone of asking? Ever since I met him, you've been suspecting my relationship with him. You don't have any evidence. Do you want to make unfounded accusations?" Tong Mengdi questioned.

"Friends? Well, can you stop being friends with him?"

"Why? Just because of your baseless suspicion? I have the right to make friends. What right do you have to interfere?"

The two started arguing again. At this time, Tong Mengdi didn't stay at home but left. Originally, she planned to go to He Yao, but she was afraid of causing trouble for him, so she gave up the idea. Eventually, Tong Mengdi went to Liu Lian's place. She knocked on the door, and Liu Lian's husband, Peng Hao, opened the door for her. Perhaps before Tong Mengdi left home, Zhao Mingkai had already called Liu Lian, so Liu Lian was waiting for Tong Mengdi at home at this time. Peng Hao didn't disturb the two of them and went back to the bedroom, saying that Liu Lian should accompany Tong Mengdi well. Perhaps feeling that Zhao Mingkai would definitely call Liu Lian, Tong Mengdi's first words were a direct question:

"Did he call you?"

"Yes, I could tell that he was very worried about you," Liu Lian said.

Tong Mengdi then said, "Does he still worry about me?"

"Mengdi, I really don't understand. You have so many friends around you. Why do you always turn to He Yao when you have something? You clearly know that Zhao Mingkai minds."

"He's just too narrow - minded."

"Narrow - minded? Let me tell you, no one can be magnanimous about this kind of thing."

"But He Yao and I are really just friends," Tong Mengdi explained.

"It's no use telling me. You need to talk to Zhao Mingkai."

"Forget it. I'm too tired today. I'm going to sleep."

Perhaps because she often stayed there, Tong Mengdi didn't stand on ceremony and directly walked into the guest room. Maybe neither of them cared, so although people around them had rumors about the relationship between Tong Mengdi and He Yao, they didn't care at all, not even about the scale of their communication. Although both of them thought that the truth would prevail and they didn't need to explain to others, others didn't think so. Moreover, in fact, Tong Mengdi had a bit of a crush on He Yao in her heart. So, although their communication was likely to arouse misunderstandings among people around them and even bring them trouble, neither of them thought about changing this way of communicating, and the direct consequence of their doing so was...