Translator: Helliot
Editor: P’Raikantopeni
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The dim light illuminated Xie Zhenzhen’s fair and smooth skin, the crisscrossed scars that seemed to have been drawn by nails scraping across skin, and even the marks that seemed to have come from a belt, wrapped chaotically around Xie Zhenzhen’s arms, back, and even her chest.
The only part of her skin that was untouched was Xie Zhenzhen’s belly.
He never doubted that Xie Zhenzhen was telling the truth, he just never thought that she would strip in order to prove that fact to him, nor did he expect the injuries to be this severe.
“Look, he knows I’m pregnant so he avoids my belly, but he’ll beat me anywhere else.” She touched her belly, sorrow pooling in her eyes.
Meng Fu’s finger glided lightly across the bruise on Zhenzhen’s shoulder before pulling her clothes back up. “I’ll go buy some ointment.”
“Meng Fu, do you believe me now?”
“Zhenzhen, I’ve never doubted you. I’ll buy you some ointment.”
Xie Zhenzhen latched onto him. “Meng Fu, it doesn’t hurt. He hits me all the time, I’m already used to it. Please don’t go, I’m afraid. I’m afraid that you’ll be gone once I’m awake. Will you stay with me, please?”
Used to it? He could not imagine what sort of life Xie Zhenzhen had been living until now, but Meng Fu had no choice but to push her away.
His hands were still on Xie Zhenzhen’s shoulder, but he could not bring himself to push her away after pulling her clothes back together. He could not just pretend to not have seen the marks. He lifted his hand and wiped the tears from Xie Zhenzhen’s cheeks.
Xie Zhenzhen smiled tenderly. “Meng Fu, it feels like a dream with you next to me… It’s wonderful. I hope I never have to wake up from this dream.”
That night, Meng Fu lay on top of the blanket with his clothes still on, watching Xie Zhenzhen cry until she exhausted herself and fell asleep. Still, Xie Zhenzhen was holding his hand tight, unwilling to let go even in her slumber.
–
Gu Ze was in a good mood, something that Secretary Wang noticed from the slight curve in his brow.
“Chief Gu, did something good happen?”
Gu Ze did not try to hide it. He spoke in a relaxed tone that was rare to see these days. “He called me.” It was just a trivial thing, almost insignificant, but just because it was Meng Fu, it made him happy for some reason.
He thought of the many days when Meng Fu would sit on the sofa, staring out of the window, but it turned out that he was looking at the wintersweets outside. With that thought in mind, he said to Secretary Wang, “Buy a few pots of wintersweets tomorrow.”
“Yes, Chief Gu.”
Secretary Wang was also put into a good mood alongside him. He had rarely seen Gu Ze this happy since He Manyu died, even if… even if Meng Fu was his enemy, but what did it matter?
When the flower shop zoomed past his car window, it barely registered at a glance, but a thought instantly entered his mind. As if he had been bewitched, Gu Ze said, “Stop the car.”
He got out of the car and walked into the flower shop, then he came out holding a pot of wintersweets. He placed them in the back seat, then he said, “Secretary Wang, buy a hundred pots of wintersweets tomorrow.”
Looking down at the pale yellow flowers, he reached out and stroked them gently. If… the living room was filled with flowers, then would Meng Fu smile sincerely for once?
On the way home, Gu Ze looked up at the large wintersweet shrub in front of the villa, then at the one in his arms, he wondered to himself, Gu Ze… what are you doing?
Meng Yi was watching TV alone in the living room, bored, constantly chanting, “Meng-Meng is a meanie, Meng-Meng is a meanie…” While muttering to himself, he kept on changing the channel.
Gu Ze went straight into Meng Fu’s bedroom, then the study, unease springing up inside him bit by bit. Heading downstairs, he went up to Meng Yi and asked, “Where’s Meng Fu?”
All the joy he felt previously was frozen in ice, just like his cold expression.
“Meng-Meng left.”
“Left?! Where did he go?”
“I don’t know… Meng-Meng says he’ll be back in a few days. Meng-Meng went out to play by himself without bringing me. Meng-Meng is a big meanie!”
Gu Ze realized that something was wrong. Grabbing Meng Yi by the collar he questioned him harshly, “Where is Meng Fu? Where did he go?”
“I… I don’t know!” Meng Yi answered meekly, frightened by the gaze in Gu Ze’s eyes.
Gu Ze let him go, wondering to himself whether he could trust this fool or not, then he turned his questioning to Aunt Zhang instead. Gruffly, he asked, “Where is Meng Fu right now?”
“Mr. Meng has gone out.”
“That’s why I’m asking you, where is he right now?!”
Aunt Zhang was so frightened that she subconsciously stepped back. She answered honestly, “A young woman came by this afternoon, Mr. Meng took her out. Mr. Meng said that he has already called to report to you about his absence.”
Suddenly, he remembered the call where the man said that he wanted to go out to see the wintersweets outside.
Turns out it was just a lie. Heh, a young woman? Who? A wave of irritation overtook him. How dare you lie to me, Meng Fu!
Aunt Zhang shook her head, telling him that she was unfamiliar with the woman.
So, Gu Ze turned around and questioned Meng Yi instead. Meng Yi was so scared by Gu Ze’s fierce attitude that he was on the verge of tears. In a panic, he shrank back into a corner of the sofa to hide. “I don’t know, Big Brother. I don’t know. Meng-Meng said I can’t say it.”
Meng Yi remembered Meng Fu’s orders very well. Meng Fu said that he would be home in two days, and he told him not to mention Xie Zhenzhen’s name.
“You can’t say?!” Gu Ze gritted his teeth as anger crawled up his face.
Two words filled his heart—Meng Fu. Meng Fu, you actually dare to run? Didn’t you say you were willing to accept anything? Then why would you run?
He grabbed Meng Yi by the collar. “Meng Yi, you better tell me what I want to know or I’ll lock you up in this house. By the way, you like playing with that Big Brother Ye Yan of yours, don’t you? Well guess what, you’re never seeing him again.”
“Big Brother, aren’t you a good person? Why are you being so scary?” Meng Yi’s tears washed down his face.
Back at the hospital, he told Gu Ze that he was a good person.
“I’ve never been a good person.”
A good person? What a joke.
Seeing Meng Yi cowering and refusing to say anything, Gu Ze let go of him and turned back to Aunt Zhang, giving her a stern order. “No need to leave any food for this fool tonight. Why should I, Gu Ze, take care of an idiot like this for nothing?”
After walking two steps, he saw the small flower pot placed on the flower stand. Feeling that it was an eyesore, Gu Ze grabbed it, sneered, and smashed the tiny pot of wintersweets violently on the ground.
The unbloomed flower buds were mixed with the soil, smothering their fragrance. Gu Ze stomped on the buds and ordered, “Aunt Zhang, get someone to chop down that shrub outside.”
“Yes.”
Gu Ze’s anger was far beyond expectation.
A young employee soon arrived with an ax in hand. Gu Ze stood outside, allowing the cold winter wind to cover him as the sound of chipping wood filled his ears, like pieces of his own head being chipped away, accompanied by an invisible stream of blood.
You should hate him, Gu Ze. You should have hated him.