CH 11

Chapter 11: Darkness Is a Protective Blanket

Mo Lixin and Xu Qingman lived at two opposite extremes of the city. The drive to had taken her well over two hours.

What she did not know was that on the way to, the cell tower exploded and lost signal connections throughout the city.

She did not know Ji Nanfeng worried crazily and texted her nonstop; she did not know because she believed in her right mind that Ji Nanfeng cared not for her.

“Man Man, open the door!” Mo Lixin knocked on the iron door twice. Because she lived in the basement, the surrounding was darkly lit. Looking at the environment, she felt helplessly distressed. When she married Ji Nanfeng, she repeatedly mentioned that he help her, but because Xu Qingman was independent to the extreme she refused her help. Mo Lixin sighed and had no choice but to give up.

At this moment, the door opened. There was no light in the room, only total darkness.

Before she could see Xu Qingman’s clear figure, something fell on her shoulder. A familiar smell wafted the surrounding air. Mo Lixin recognized that this unknown object on her shoulder was Xu Qingman’s head.

“It’s all right, Qingman… weren’t they arrested? This is the natural cause of good punishing the evil. I believe that uncle and aunt in heaven won’t want to see you like this. They want you happy. If you’re sad, just cry. Don’t worry, I’ll accompany you. When you want to pour your heart out, let’s go eat ice cream. After all, isn’t it you who taught me to turn grief into appetite? Ah, here, come, let’s go sit on the sofa. Look at you, you’re cold all over. So cry, but you’ll cry comfortably.”

Mo Lixin did not flick the lights open. Sometimes, darkness is a protective blanket.

Xu Qingman cried to the fullest hearing her friend’s comforting words. Her heart tore open, shedding the last vestige of her tears.

Mo Lixin saw Xu Qingman’s loving father and kind mother once. They were kind people and they often asked their daughter to give her their cooked meal.

It was warm and loving.

Unexpectedly, she never saw them again.

They were gone; forever.

Xu Qingman bawled for over two hours. She never stopped to breath. It’s as if she dried up all the tears in her life.

Then, she slept soundly.

Mo Lixin covered her with a warm blanket before boiling a pot of hot water. Wetting the damp towel, she gently rubbed her friend’s face.

Looking at her, she looked worse than death itself. Her eyes would be swollen if she awoke.

Xu Qingman slept soundly, sleeping for more than three hours. She was covered by a comfortable towel wrapped around the forehead by a certain friend.

Meanwhile, Mo Lixin tidied up the messy room. She looked at the kitchen full of instant noodles and shook her head helplessly. She could not believe what she saw.

When Xu Qingman awoke, she looked around. It was dark and she was confused. Suddenly remembering something, she cried, “Lixin… Lixin…”

Mo Lixin just finished cleaning up the last pile of garbage when she the sound coming from the next room.

“I’m here!” Mo Lixin knew that when one is at their most helpless and lonely state, the phrase ‘I’m here’ from those close them provide a sense of comfort and security.

“Lixin, I have nothing… accompany me, don’t go anywhere!” Xu Qingman said pitifully.

“Of course, I’ll accompany you! Do you know how long it took for me to get here and to clean your room? I hardly ate anything the whole day. You have to invite me to dinner!” Mo Lixin said, trying to divert attention.

Xu Qingman knew Mo Lixin was trying to comfort her. She squeezed out a smile and said, “Well, I’m hungry too, but I can’t afford to pay a lot so street food?”

“Let’s go!” Mo Lixin said hungrily. She hadn’t eaten since noon having only drank a glass of water before she left the house. She was famished.

Besides, going out for a walk is something Xu Qingman needed right now—a breath of fresh air.