CH 22

The same tragedy happened again like three years ago, the only difference is that this time she was beaten more miserably, perhaps because she grew up, so father did not hold back at all.

I can not suppress my voice from shaking, I do not want to cry, but at this time even my hands and feet do not listen to my words, and my tears are falling non-stop.

Li Xin has not opened her eyes, I realized that her cheeks are very swollen, it looks like it was hard to open her eyes.

My parents were shocked at my behavior, and my father, whose temper had not yet subsided, scolded angrily, "What the hell are you doing? Get lost!"

I didn't want to say anything, it was useless to say anything, they never listened to me, despite all the pampering I received.

I went to pick Li Xin up, she was so light and thin, I didn't have to try hard. But my father was furious and kicked me: "I asked you what you were doing. Do you know what she has done wrong? She's fallen prematurely in love and spent money without telling us, and she doesn't know how much money she's wasted!"

He almost kicked me, and my mother was distressed and hurriedly pulled him back, "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

The two argued, I exhaled heavily, human beings are always helpless at such times, I am now in a lot of pain even without being beaten, my tear ducts almost took away all my strength.

I carried Li Xin towards her room, my father tried to hit me again, but my mother stopped him.

I carried Li Xin back to her room without incident and locked the door behind me.

Three years ago she scooted in on her own, then whimpered and grabbed the medicine, now I carried her in and frantically searched for it.

But it had been three years, the band-aids were gathering dust, and some of the cold medicine had expired.

Carrying her back to her room was obviously a mistake, and I cursed myself for being a fool, carrying her back to her room for what? What's the point?

I had no choice but to carry her out again, so I had to take her to the clinic.

Previously, she was injured and stayed at home for a day or two, but this time her injury is quite serious, my father did not hold back at all.

When my parents saw me carrying Li Xin outside, they got anxious, and my father yelled, "How dare you! What will outsiders say when they see you?"

I ignored him, my mother rushed over to drag me: "Li Chen, she will be fine, what's wrong with you today? Put her down."

I said she was beaten so hard she couldn't open her eyes, you're going to beat her to death!

Only then did my mother check Li Xin's injuries, then she too was shocked and turned around to scold my father, "Why didn't you take it lightly? You beat her up to this state!"

How laughable, my mother did not even know how badly Li Xin had been beaten.

I clenched my teeth and held Li Xin and continued to run, my mother did not block me and was still scolding my father.

The clinic in town was far away, but I ran wildly with Li Xin in my arms, causing countless people to look at me, they were all talking about us.

The people in town all know each other, they must be talking about Li Xin. Every inch of my heart is filled with pain, why is this so, ah.

I didn't want them to see Li Xin like this, and even cursed: "What are you looking at? Get lost!"

They were all startled, but I ignored them completely and hugged Li Xin tightly as I rushed to the clinic.

At some point without me noticing, my chest felt wet, it was covered in blood, my sister leaned sideways on me, and there were tears spilling out of the corners of my eyes.

Just for a moment I also began to fall into tears, perhaps she had been crying, but I did not notice, now I notice almost even her strength is gone, and was busy stopping to take a few deep breaths.

My two arms were sore, this princess carry was not romantic, at least not now.

I trembled and said, "Does it hurt?"

She didn't respond, and I picked up the pace and walked quickly, then I ran desperately again.

She was still shedding tears, I never asked again, because talking wasted my energy.

Finally, when I got to the clinic, I rushed in and called the old doctor. He was shocked and hurriedly asked me to carry Li Xin to the inner room.

This clinic was not very big, but everywhere is very shabby, and this old doctor is a good man.

I begged him to save Li Xin, and he told me to go out and wait: "It's okay, she's just heavily bruised, she'll be fine."

I sniffled and looked at Li Xin, then went out and waited. But I did not sit down, the room wasn't blocked, the glass window was transparent, I stood outside to see, the old doctor kind of fumbled trying to get medicine to disinfect Li Xin.

Her wounds had to be disinfected, and Li Xin shuddered, it looked very painful.

I shouted from outside, "Can I help you?" The old doctor was already sweating, he was too old.

I saw him nod and rushed back in, he took the medicine and cotton cloths and told me to disrobe Li Xin.

I was glad that Li Xin was curled up when she was beaten, because the majority of the wounds were on her back.

I carefully rolled her over and undressed her. She seemed to subconsciously resist for a moment, and then let me take them off.

The shocking wounds were exposed, her back was full of blood marks from coat hangers, half of them were bruises, and many wounds were bleeding. (TN: Poor Li Xin…)

The old doctor was also panicked, saying how'd she'd get like this. I begged him to help her quickly, and he handed me the cotton cloth: "You disinfect her, I have to get more gauze over."

He gave me both the medicine and the cotton cloth, I knew how to handle this, just add a little.

I endured the heartache to disinfect Li Xin, she shivered twice from time to time, the pain was unbearable. I whispered in her ear, "It's going to be okay......"

It’s been three years, today is the first time I spoke to her, but I did not expect to say such words.

My hands also kept shaking as I went back and forth to wipe her wound. Then I finally finished, the old doctor took the yellow cloth and treated her largest wound.

I wiped my tears , wiping twice before I realized that there were no tears, I don't know when they had dried up.

Li Xin's face was swollen, the old doctor mainly looked at her face, after some time passed of him being very focused he sighed: "Fortunately, her face is not broken, otherwise it would've ruined the face, go back to take good care of her."

I said that I understood, and the old doctor asked me again who had beaten me. I said it was my parents, and he sighed softly and said sins were made.

When Li Xin's wounds were treated she was much calmer, but was so exhausted that she layed down and fell asleep in no time.

And my mother came over, she seemed to have yelled at a lot of people on the road for a while, and at the moment was furious: "Those people were so nosy!"

I was silent and ignored her, and she came in and looked at Li Xin, then grumbled, "Just hand over the money, won't you?"

I looked up at her furiously, "Why do you want her money? Are you guys out of your mind?"

My mother was shocked, then angry and bitter: "Do you know how hard we worked every day? We had to go to the city at five in the morning to work for others, and we couldn't come back until eight at night, all for your sake! She worked for a year and didn't give a dime to the family, as she should have at least 10,000, where did it go? Can she use that much?"

Not that question, not that question!

I was so angry that I was going crazy, my lips kept shaking: "She never asked for pocket money, she worked for herself and spent it for herself, what's wrong with that?"

My mother, who had never seen me talk back before, was so angry that her eyes turned red: "Think about your future, what about your college? What about when you buy a house or a car? What about getting married and having children? You don't understand how hard we work. Li Xin shouldn't need pocket money since she has a job!"

I quarreled with her in the clinic, outside some time passed and a group of people were watching, looking at us strangely.

The old doctor told us to stop arguing and my mother threw out a little money to him before leaving.

She took and paid for the medical bill with her. I grabbed my heart with a stab of pain and powerlessness in my heart, why is this happening?

I couldn't go back today, the old doctor took pity on us and let us stay in the clinic, only to say don't touch the medication.

I thanked him again and again, and when he went home, he immediately pulled the curtain down, I was fed up with the stares of the people in town. I was tired of the stares from the town.

The clinic was terribly quiet, with all the lights off, and I was sitting next to Li Xin watching her.

She was still asleep, a small wooden bed with only a white cloth, she was lying on her side, not daring to let her back touch the wooden bed.

I placed my entire arm against her backside, and I tried to support her as she slept.

Then her whole body had unconsciously pressed against my arm. I let out a laugh, finally I could do something for her.

I didn't dare fall asleep for fear that I would unconsciously pull my arm back, which would make her very sore.

From dark to early morning, I dozed off several times and quickly woke up, the clinic was silent, in the cold light there was a poor girl.

Then dawn, the old doctor came over, he looked at Li Xin's injuries and then said there was no serious injury, just a few days to recover and she would be fine.

Li Xin has not woken up, and I can no longer occupy the old doctor's clinic, I said I would take her now.

If we don't go now, the people in the town will definitely get up later and run their mouths.

I let the old doctor help, with Li Xin lying on my back.

Her back was seriously injured, I carried her on my back totally fine.

She never woke up, I walked quickly home. The morning breeze in early autumn was already a bit cool, and I got goosebumps.

And walking with her on my back reminded me of the past. Three years ago, that small child, the one who always pestered me to carry her, was now on my back.

I said in my heart, sister, I'm carrying you.

Li Xin did not even move, I looked at her sideways, she was actually very tranquil, her head leaned on my ear, and a little bit of her breath hit my ear.

I whispered sorry, if she was awake I may not have the courage to say to her, but she was asleep, I said sorry many times, and she still slept peacefully.

I thought to myself how pleasant it was now.

When I got home quickly, the house was empty. My parents had gone out to work.

I found the key in the hidden spot by the window, then opened the door and went in, carrying Li Xin to my room.

And she slept peacefully.

I watched her for a long time, and was a little afraid that she would suddenly wake up and cause me to panic. So I went to my parents' room and stole some money and ran out. 

I went over to the market to buy breakfast and came back to give it to her. 

But I came back and found the door to my room was locked. I was so stunned that I silently put the breakfast in front of my room and ran out again.

She was already awake and had locked the door.

I walked aimlessly outside and randomly around town. I wanted to go back to see her, but I was afraid to see her, would she resent me?

I went back until it was almost dark and bought some bread, thinking she was getting better.

When I got home, no one was there, and she was nowhere to be found in my room.

I was horrified, where did she go? I ran out and looked everywhere, it was already dark, there were no street lights around town, where could she go?

I searched all over town, and then ran to the side of the main road, I felt that she was leaving.

And later I saw her standing on the side of the road.

I ran over and stopped again, then slowly walked over. It was getting dark, the last bus was coming, was she leaving?

I walked up to about five meters behind her and didn't go forward. I looked at her fading back, my heart was constricted, I wanted to say something, say something kind?

My fingers had squeezed and released, squeezed and released again, Li Xin did not turn back, she quietly stood there waiting for the last bus.

I finally opened my mouth, and what came out was a cry: "Li Xin ......"

My rhythm was disrupted by the crying, and I couldn't say anything at once. Li Xin momentarily staggered, looking at the distance of the incoming road, her gaze withdrawn.

She did not turn back and just stood there. As soon as the sky darkened, there was a darkness that was as frightening as aliens, and Li Xin was completely enveloped in the darkness.

I still couldn't speak, and waited until two bright lights came on at some point, and the distinctive sound of the bus rang through my ears.

From the first house in town to the highway in front of me, the bus's blinding light swept by, illuminating my feet and then came up to Li Xin.

From the brief moment of brightness, I saw the dead look on the side of her face.

Like a trombone was played, the bus wailed and stopped at the curb, and Li Xin slowly walked over, she still had a very serious injury, and was limping.

I watched her walk away from me, and unsteadily chased after her: "Li Xin ......"

She stepped on the bus, only a few passengers on the bus could barely see me , although no one could see clearly.

The ticket agent called out to me, "Do you need to get on?"

Li Xin has already gone in, do I get on?

Taking two steps and stopping, she loathed me, she must have loathed me, otherwise she would not have left in a hurry, and she didn't even look back.

I shook my head, the bus's door closed, the strong light lit up the road ahead, the bus drove away on the shabby road.

I crouched down and took a breath, the autumn wind of the night was cruelly cold.

Translator Notes: Sorry if near the end it didn’t properly convey the mood of the story… I was having trouble choosing the right words… anyways… poor MC his sister took off and he didn’t properly get to meet with her… hopefully next chapter is better…