Chapter 11: Yawang, don’t cry (pt. 1)

Chapter 11: Yawang, don’t cry (pt. 1)

Shu Yawang slides down to the floor as she leans her back against the door. She bites her lips and covers her ears, opening her mouth wide to scream, but no sound comes out.

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The next day, Yawang exits out of the hotel with Qu Wei Ran following behind her. He is back wearing that suit and that pair of rimless glasses, recovering his elegant looks. He bends his waist and rests his arm against the cab window as he looks at Yawang.

“If you want me to take responsibility, call me anytime. If you want to sue me, I will be willing to wait.” The cab driver’s eyes glance over between the two.

“Drive.” Shu Yawang tell the driver coldly. During the ride, Yawang sits idly, her eyes staring blankly at the view before her, feeling lost in her thoughts. She knows she will sue him, she will never forgive him, she have to sue him! But she’s really tired, her whole body hurts, she wants to go home. Home now seems so far away, why is she feeling exhausted? She didn’t notice she arrive to her destination until the driver speaks up.

She gets out of the car and looks at the military compound before her. It seems like she got suck into a time warp as she walks towards the entrance. As she walks down the path in the compound, various scenes pop into her mind. When she was young, she would run down the path with Xiao Tian chasing after her. The two young children laugh and smile as they run in a carefree manner. When they were going to school, they will ride their bicycles together along the path. She will always rest her hand onto his shoulder and tell him to go faster. He will lower his head and laugh, bending his body forward and pedal faster, hearing Yawang’s laughter as she grips onto his shoulder tightly.

When they are separated, Xiao Tian threw his red carnation to Yawang. The red carnation flips in the air before landing onto her hand. She remembers him shouting at her,

“Yawang, you have to wait for me!” She holds onto the red carnation and have his words imprinted in her heart. Yawang, you have to wait for me! She suddenly stops and her tears start to flow down from her face. She stares at the road before her, unable to move. The afternoon sun shines brightly onto her, but she don’t feel any warmth from it.

She crouches down and hugs her knees as she lowers her head. The stone on the ring reflects from the sunlight, making the light shine in every direction. The light pierces her eyes, and she quickly cover her ring and closes her eyes, trying to suppress her pain. No, this feels more worse than pain. It’s mixed with shame, ridicule, and fear that is hitting Yawang in the heart. She can’t breathe, she really wants to die. Once she thinks of Xiao Tian, she just wants to die. What to do? Xiao Tian, how can I face you? You love me so much, you adored me so much, yet now I’m…

She tightens her grip around herself and bites onto her lips hard, digging her nails into her flesh as a wailing sound escapes from her throat. She continues to crouch down on the road, not being able to see or hear anything. She feels she’s going to break down any minute.

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She don’t know how long she have been crouching down until her legs feel numb, yet she don’t want to stand up. Moments later, a car drives past her, then goes into reverse, and stops before her. A pair of white sneakers appears in front of her and a young man kneels down before her, looking at her with a worried expression.

“What happened?” It took some time for Shu Yawang to lift her head and look back at him. The sunlight shines behind him, making him looking like a beautiful and pure angel. She feels her nose turning prickly and quickly lowers her head, not wanting him to see her like this.

“Yawang?” Xia Mu’s voice trembles with worry. “Were you crying?”

“No, I wasn’t crying,” She answers with her eyes staring at the ground, trying to hold back her tears. “Xia Mu, can you carry me home? My stomach hurts.” He turns silent, lowering his gaze at her before turning his body.

“Get up.” Yawang sucks in her breath as she climbs onto Xia Mu’s skinny frame. Xia Mu lifts her up with ease and starts walking down the path in wide strides. The leaves on the trees whistle a tune as the breeze runs past them, the sunlight shining through the gaps of the leaves from the trees. She bites onto her lips and grip onto his shoulders tightly when she feels a pang hitting her heart. Xia Mu’s eyes flash slightly and he purses his lips.

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When Yawang opens the door of her home and is about to tell Xia Mu to leave, her mom quickly walk over and start yelling.

“You bad girl! Not coming home last night, you worried me! What happened? You didn’t even pick up your phone, where were you?!” Yawang looks at Xia Mu and shakes her head.

“No…”

“Where were you last night?!” Her mom shuts the door and glares at Yawang whose head is down.

“Did you know your dad sent people searching for you?!”

“I’m…I’m fine.” She answers, her long hair shielding her empty eyes. She don’t even know how can she deny it so quickly. Xia Mu continues to look at her with worry when she clasps her hands together, turning around to walk to the bathroom.

“I’m going to use the bathroom.” She immediately closes the door and locks it. Her mom knocks onto the door as she continues to shout.

“Yawang, try to see what happens if you don’t tell me what happened last night! You think you’re all grown up now? You’re an engaged woman, what will happen if the Tang family knows about this? Xia Mu, go home first!” She leans her back against the door as she slowly slides down to the floor. She bites her lips and covers her ears, opening her mouth wide to scream, but no sound comes out.

She lifts her gaze and suddenly sees the family bathtub. She suddenly feels cold and starts to shake. As she looks at the bathtub, the memories of that night starts to play in her mind. She reaches out for anything nearby and starts throwing them towards the bathtub.

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“Ah! Ah! Ah!!!” She can’t take it anymore, she starts to scream and shout as she throws things towards the bathtub. Yawang’s mom and Xia Mu look at each other, and her heart clenches, like she seem to realize what happened. She bangs onto the door as she cries out,

“Yawang, are you okay? Yawang, open the door!”

“Yawang, let Mom in. Yawang…” Xia Mu pulls her mom away and starts to kick the door with his leg. The door opens after a few kicks and they see her continue to throw things at the bathtub. Her eyes are constantly wandering and her hands are flowing with blood, she don’t even know how that happened. Her mom quickly wrap her arms around her into a hug.

“Yawang, are you okay? Did someone…did something to you?” Yawang calms down after hearing the question, her tears streaming down her face when she can’t hold them back any longer. Her mom looks at her daughter’s tear-stained face with tears brimming in her eyes. She lifts her daughter’s head up and combs her hair away from her face, revealing a bright, red hickey on her neck. Her mom suddenly feels dizzy, and she is unable to maintain her balance.

“Yawang, Yawang.” She cries as she hugs Yawang, patting her back and comforting her.

“Yawang, my baby, it’s okay. Don’t be scared, Mom is here. Mom will protect you.” Yawang hugs her mom back and wail like a child.

“Mom, tell someone to get rid of the bathtub, get rid of the bathtub!”

“I will, I will have them get rid of it right away.” Xia Mu, who is standing beside them the whole time, clenches his fists tightly with his cold, piercing gaze as he asks her,

“Who was it? Who was it?!” He crouches down and clutches onto Yawang’s shoulders.

“Who did this?!” She shakes her head, she can’t tell him.

“Was it that man? That man that keeps on harassing you, Qu Wei Ran?!” Her eyes widen as she looks at him frightfully.

“It’s him.” Xia Mu confirms. Yawang reaches her arm out for him, he steps back.

“Last night, it was last night.” His eyes burn with anger as he clenches his teeth. Why did he not bring his phone with him yesterday? Why didn’t he pick up her call? Why didn’t he insist in picking her up? Why?! He swiftly turns his body and storms out of their home.

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“Xia Mu, what are you doing?” Yawang stands up and chases after him, following him down the stairs. Xia Mu storms to his home and into his room and opens his private drawer, retrieving something from it. It hits against the wood and makes a dull sound. He takes out a black object and stuffs it into his pocket. He storms out of his room and runs towards the car. Uncle Cheng, who is resting in the car looks at him in suspicion.

“Xia Mu, what are you-” He didn’t get to finish asking when Xia Mu opens the door and pulls him out from the car, sitting himself onto the driver seat. He ignores Uncle Cheng’s yelling and slams the door close. He swiftly turns on the car and steps onto the accelerator, driving away.

“Xia Mu, where are you going? That car cannot leave the military compound!” He shouts as he chases after the car. He stops after running a couple steps, turning suspicious.

“That kid, I shouldn’t have taught him how to drive.” As Xia Mu drives out of the compound, Yawang notices the car and chases after it, her hand hitting against the car to have him stop. Xia Mu didn’t notice her and continues to drive out to the road.

“Xia Mu.” She continues to run towards the car who is slowly disappearing from her sight. When it disappears, she stops and breathes heavily, her sweat running down her face. What to do? Even though Xia Mu is expressionless and looks calm most of the time, when he gets angry, who knows what kind of crazy thing he will do? Especially to that bastard, Qu Wei Ran. If those two get into a fight, Xia Mu will be injured. She runs out to the main entrance and calls out for a cab, telling the driver to go to Hyde Industrial Group after giving him the address. She looks at the front with her fists clenched tight, her body shaking with fear. She regrets telling Xia Mu the address. Xia Mu, please be okay!