Love For You - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Becoming a Wild Wolf Forced to Come Home to Sleep

Outside of her heavy academic workload, Miao Jing would occasionally feel anxious and lost, lonely and isolated, and burdened by a lingering confusion she couldn't quite articulate.

Before she could make sense of it, traces of other women began to appear around Chen Yi—the scent of perfume clinging to him, long phone calls, and gifts he received.

It wasn't as if this hadn't happened before. Chen Yi had been popular in school back in middle school. During his vocational school years, young delinquents loved to crowd around him to chat online and play games. Sometimes, when she went downstairs with Daemao to find Chen Yi, Miao Jing couldn't recall what she had been doing then—perhaps she was still hiding in her shell—but at least her heart hadn't felt as strange as it did now.

The winter break lasted half a month. Since Chen Yi had graduated, there was no need for Miao Jing to rack her brains over how to make money. They had a clear division of labor: he provided the money and did the heavy lifting, while she took care of the finer household chores. They took advantage of the New Year to prepare holiday goods and buy new clothes for each other. In a bustling clothing mall crowded with people, Miao Jing saw a girl walking toward her in a massive mirror—her features were plain, and her clothes were simple and baggy.

Even in a key high school, there were many beautiful and dazzling girls. The girls had started learning to wear makeup and fiddle with their hairstyles. Even in the science track, the girls around her would apply a bit of shiny lip gloss and discuss clothing combinations and various pretty, delicate trinkets.

Miao Jing remembered Chen Yi’s teasing remark that she “looked like a noodle” with vivid clarity. After hesitating for a long time, she tried on a light-colored woolen dress. It was nipped at the waist with a slightly flared skirt that reached her knees, revealing her smooth, slender legs. The texture of the dress wasn't particularly good, but she had the advantage of being young and fresh. Miao Jing hesitantly bought the dress, then spent twenty yuan at a small shop to buy a lipstick. The clothing purchase even came with a pair of black silk stockings, but Miao Jing had never worn them before and felt they were strange. Since winter in Tengcheng wasn't too cold and some girls went out with bare legs, she figured she could tough it out bare-legged as well.

The first time she wore this dress was during the Spring Festival, when she and Chen Yi went to an amusement park. It wasn't just the two of them; Bozai and several others were there, and there was an unexpected new face—a beautiful young girl whose eyelashes were so thick they looked like fans. Her entire appearance was impeccably exquisite, and her makeup made it impossible to tell her actual age. Her sweater hugged her body’s curves, and there was a large cutout on her chest revealing a patch of snow-white skin. She wore a large, magenta-red skirt, black silk stockings, and high heels. In an instant, she made Miao Jing look dull and dim by comparison. Of course, Chen Yi’s gaze probably ignored Miao Jing entirely. The girl’s high heels were incredibly tall, and she hung provocatively on Chen Yi’s arm. She didn't pay much attention to the others, but loved to whisper into Chen Yi’s ear.

Miao Jing teamed up with Bozai to play on the Ferris wheel, the carousel, the bumper cars, and the pirate ship. Chen Yi held the girl’s soft waist, and the two looked like conjoined twins, ambiguous smiles dancing on their faces. Sitting high up on the Ferris wheel, Miao Jing only had to turn her head to see people kissing in the neighboring pod—truly offensive and disgraceful. Bozai chuckled, saying Brother Yi had finally given away his first kiss. Cold wind poured in, wrapping around Miao Jing’s slender, numb calves, bringing with it the pain of a cramp.

When they sat down to eat together, the boys were drinking and smoking at the table. Miao Jing was assigned to sit and chat with the girl. The beautiful girl glanced at Miao Jing dismissively and asked if she was Chen Yi’s younger sister. Miao Jing nodded. The girl said idly that since there was no blood relation, she couldn't really be called a sister, could she? She tapped her phone screen with her long, manicured nails, then suddenly remembering something, she turned her head and gave Miao Jing a sweeping glance from top to bottom, revealing a smile whose meaning was unclear.

Miao Jing was left speechless, her fingers curling up in the cold. Chen Yi raised his eyes unintentionally and saw her deathly pale face and bluish lips. She wasn't wearing a coat, and it was rare for her to be dressed in goose-yellow—like a leaf in spring that hadn't yet unfurled. Her shoulders looked exceptionally thin. He took off his own coat and threw it at her, telling her to put it on.

She wrapped herself in the oversized garment, but the girl had already pounced into Chen Yi’s arms, giggling about how hot and warm he was. Chen Yi took a puff of his cigarette, pulled her shoulder into his embrace, and blew a puff of smoke directly into her smiling face.

When they went home after the meal, there was a sense of reluctance to part. The girl intentionally followed him back. Chen Yi vaguely thought about agreeing, but in his hesitation, he saw Miao Jing standing on the side of the road waiting for him. Her hair was down, and her small face was expressionless. Her eyes were wide and vacant. Her expression was certainly not one of happiness. She was wearing his coat, her two arms tucked together, the long sleeves hanging past her fingertips. The hem of the coat reached her mid-thigh, revealing a bit of the curled goose-yellow skirt underneath. Her two legs were thin and straight, flawless and white to the point of being blinding. Only then did he realize why she was so fair; he had always remembered her as the sallow-faced tomboy she was as a child.

Chen Yi, as if possessed, didn't nod. He brought Miao Jing home. On the way, he asked if she liked that girl. Miao Jing was expressionless and asked what that had to do with her. Chen Yi was choked up by her reply. His sleeve brushed against her knee, cold and smooth. Only then did he realize she wasn't wearing pants. Miao Jing slapped his hand hard on the back, moved aside, and bit her lip stubbornly, saying nothing.

By this point, even a fool knew she was in a temper, and as for why she was angry, Chen Yi would have to guess for himself.

The beautiful girl later came to the house to find Chen Yi two more times, secretly sizing up the home that only housed the two of them. Chen Yi didn't have his guard up back then; it was his first time interacting with the opposite sex, and he spoke freely. The girl knew Chen Yi was supporting a “drag-along,” and her attitude toward Miao Jing was obscure and subtle, with a sense of condescension. Miao Jing kept an indifferent expression and conscientiously left the house to avoid them, not returning home until it was pitch black outside.

Only then did Chen Yi notice the two were at odds. He went to find Miao Jing and brought her home. She was sitting on the floor of a bookstore reading, her straight, plain hair blocking her face, her eyes staring straight ahead. When he walked in, she stubbornly turned her head away.

“Why stay out so late?” Chen Yi tugged at a strand of hair falling over her cheek. It was thick and smooth; she looked much more pleasing to the eye than before. He knew that a girl had to eat well and have nice things to grow up pretty.

Miao Jing ignored him.

“What book are you reading? Buy it and read it at home.” He went to snatch the book from her hands. Miao Jing bowed to protect it, hugged the book, and walked away quickly. The bookshelves on both sides were high and dense, like a maze. Miao Jing didn't want to talk to him; she dodged left and right, wanting only to shake Chen Yi off. But he followed her persistently. The two circled around in the bookshelves. Finally, Chen Yi doubled back and stood at a corner, waiting like a hunter. Miao Jing’s forehead slammed right into his chest. Chen Yi gasped in pain, reached out to wrap his arms around Miao Jing’s shoulders, then lowered his head to rub his chest with a smile. When he looked down, he saw water shimmering in Miao Jing’s eyes, glistening and beautiful. He was stunned for a moment, his heart struck by those beautiful eyes.

He remained as cheeky as ever, forcing his arms around her shoulders and walking out: “I know she wasn't polite to you. If you don't like her, then that's that. I don't like that type either; she’s too delicate and annoying. Let’s change to another one, someone prettier and gentler.”

“Do you think this is selecting a concubine?” Miao Jing said coldly, gritting her teeth. “Arrogant.”

His tone was casual and unbothered: “There are so many women. I have the capital, so what if I choose?”

Miao Jing’s blood ran cold. She couldn't help but spit in his face, fiercely shaking off his arm and walking faster. She was grabbed back firmly by Chen Yi, who lazily draped his body over her shoulders: “Stop messing around, let’s go home.”

“I’m not going back.”

If she could leave, if there was somewhere she could go, she would have run away. Who wanted to stay all alone in that house?

“Everyone else has left, if you don't go back, where will you go?” He smelled the fragrance on the crown of her head. He didn't know if it was floral or citrusy, but it was faint and pleasant. He lowered his head to smell it again, the vague irritability in his heart seemingly smoothed over. He blurted out: “Want to go buy something?”

“Buy what?”

“I don't know. Don't you girls love those fragrant, pretty things? Buy some shampoo, body wash, earrings, necklaces, or something.”

“I don't have pierced ears.” She replied coldly. “I don't wear jewelry.”

He looked down and saw that she really didn't. Her small, exquisite ears were hidden in her hair, never seeing the light of day. They were snow-white with a pale red tint, the earlobes round and soft—warm jade without a bone.

He didn't know why—perhaps because he loved the sight of long, dangling tassels swaying gracefully against a slender shoulder—but he suggested: “Go get your ears pierced?”

Miao Jing paused, the corners of her lips slowly flattening. How could a seventeen-year-old girl not have a desire for beauty? She really followed Chen Yi to a roadside accessory shop, got her ears pierced, and picked out a pair of pearl studs the size of rice grains. She peeked at herself in the mirror a few times—it really was very beautiful.

The beautiful girl exited the scene quietly before they could even establish a relationship. Before the wounds from Miao Jing’s piercings had even fully healed, Chen Yi was on his way to his next date.

New scents and new thrills. Men and women interacting was like dancing the tango—testing the waters, flirting, escalating through flirtatious words. It was exciting and fresh. Miao Jing watched him, and he was likely just a butterfly flying into a garden, unable to contain the spring in full bloom.

Life outside continued to be a chaotic blur, and before Chen Yi could fathom all the various schemes of women, Miao Jing suddenly entered her rebellious phase.

Her docility, gentleness, and empathy all vanished, replaced by coldness, estrangement, awkwardness, backtalk, and a sharp tongue.

First, she refused to take the money he handed her. Miao Jing pinched pennies, cutting off all spending other than food. Even if Chen Yi put the money on the desk in her room, she would return it without touching it. Then, she cut her hair back into a short bob and sold her thick, heavy hair to cover living expenses. Chen Yi truly couldn't understand her transformation. Miao Jing also began to argue with him. It was rare for him to finish work and come home at three or four in the morning, but no matter how quiet he was, she would invariably say with a frozen face that he was disturbing her sleep. If he waited until she had left before returning, the next day she would ignore him with a straight face, going on strike by not cooking or doing laundry. When Chen Yi teased her, she would twist her face and hold back tears, saying that one day, she would pay back every cent she owed him and every penny she had spent of his money, so that they would be even. It was a stance of total, clear-cut opposition, even though he hadn't said a thing.

Later on, Miao Jing became unwilling to talk to him altogether. The two engaged in a cold war at home for no reason. At the turn of spring and summer, the weather got warmer, and everyone changed into short sleeves and thin shirts. Miao Jing’s summer school uniform had been altered to cinch at the waist, showing a figure so frail it could be pinched between two fingers. She left one button of the collar undone, revealing her snow-white neck and collarbone. She also dug out her old middle school dress, sewed a few stitches into it, and could still wear it. She had grown taller now; could she really still wear such a short skirt? Chen Yi looked at that sliver of her bare legs, and his expression turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

Then, Miao Jing’s homeroom teacher called Chen Yi to say that Miao Jing’s grades had been fluctuating wildly, that she was sleeping in class and skipping night self-study without reason, and asked the guardian to pay more attention. Chen Yi was furious. He went to school to find Miao Jing and attend her midterm parent-teacher meeting. Miao Jing’s attitude was icy and awkward. When he asked her why she was being so difficult, she would pout and refuse to speak. Then, Chen Yi caught her staying out overnight, chatting and playing games with boys in an internet café.

Their lifestyles were already different, and they barely saw each other once a day. She still wouldn't let him have peace, making him keep an eye on her and causing him endless annoyance every day. Chen Yi’s lungs felt like they were about to explode from anger; how could he have the heart to flirt with anyone?

“Are you still going to study or not, damn it? Are you sick in the head, sitting in an internet café dressed like that? Do you want a beating?”

Chen Yi’s temples were throbbing with rage. He bit his teeth, managing not to blurt out a string of filth in front of her.

“It’s so hot out, everyone else is dressed like this, why can’t I?” Miao Jing’s expression was calm, her tone composed. “I didn't wear it to school; I’m just wearing it casually at home. What’s wrong with that?”

“Fine, wear whatever you want. There are so many men in the internet café. Hmph, just wait until you get drugged and dragged into some alley—you’ll be crying sooner or later.”

“You’re quite experienced, aren't you?” Miao Jing raised an eyebrow. “That kind of human scum should be shot. They’re rotting, festering, and deserve to be torn apart by five horses.”

“Miao Jing!! Are you tired of living?!” The roar shattered the roof. “Do you believe I’ll kill you, damn it?!”

“I believe you, why wouldn't I? You’re the best at fighting anyway. Just beat me to death.” She sat upright on the sofa armrest. “I just don't understand. I didn't do anything wrong; I don't know what you’re angry about.”

“Nothing wrong? You’re not sleeping at home in the middle of the night, chatting with boys at an internet café? What could you possibly be talking about?” He stood heroically in front of her with his hands on his hips, his eyes bulging, the blood vessels red. “What are you talking about?”

“Talking about the stars and the moon, talking about poetry and life’s ideals.”

Her small face was straight as she blinked her eyes: “Don't you also stay up all night, talking to women? Standing downstairs at four in the morning, all sticky, touching and feeling each other—how can you be so sleazy? With a lifestyle so chaotic, be careful about catching AIDS, rotting from head to toe, vomiting blood, and being avoided like the plague for the rest of your life.”

“I, damn it… I just kissed someone, and you’re cursing me like this?” Chen Yi was fuming, his teeth aching as he laughed in anger. “I really have raised you for nothing these past few years. You little ungrateful wolf, you’re exactly like Wei Mingzhen. I must have been blind. F*** her mother.”

The stool beneath his feet was an eyesore. Fired by rage, Chen Yi kicked it, sending it flying into pieces.

When Miao Jing heard him mention Wei Mingzhen, her expression instantly sagged. Her gaze fixed on the shattered plastic stool, icy and cold: “Right, birds of a feather flock together, the upper beam is crooked, so the lower is slanted. I’m just like my mother, so you’re just like your father. Looking at your speed, you’ll probably become a father in some inexplicable way, becoming Chen Libin, birthing another Chen Yi, abusing him, battering him, and making him repeat your life.”

Chen Yi’s body trembled violently. His gaze stabbed at her, cold and malicious to the extreme. His face was taut and ferocious. He raised his hand high and slapped down hard.

She bit her lower lip with her pearly white teeth. Her face was stubborn and cold. Her black, glass-bead-like eyes stared fixedly at him, and her long lashes didn't tremble once. The reflection of his towering rage filled her clear pupils. The hand was raised high, but halfway there, the strength left it. Finally, he grabbed her cheek. He leaned down and sneered at her: “Then you’re also just like Wei Mingzhen, spending your whole life relying on men, finally causing someone’s death, running away with the dead person’s money like a rat, and even throwing your own biological daughter away like garbage.”

“I will absolutely not be like that.” She said, word by word, proudly lifting her chin. “When I grow up, I will live well. I will be true to my word. I will make men chase after me. Everything I want, I will get.”

“Pfft!” He curled his lip in disdain, twisting her cheek to make her feel the pain. “Don't dream. You have nothing right now. If it weren't for me pitying you, you would have starved to death long ago, and you wouldn't even know where you were an orphan.”

“I don't need your pity!” Tears welled up in Miao Jing’s eyes from the pain in her cheek. She reached out to claw at the arm Chen Yi was using to exert force, trying to shake off his shackles. “I’m not a drag-along!”

Long nails left streaks of blood on his arm. Chen Yi frowned in pain, the malice rising again. He swung his hand, slapping her thin shoulders repeatedly: “I haven't even beaten you yet, how dare you claw at people?”

Her shoulders were being slapped by his large palm until she felt they were about to fall apart. A flash of rage darted through her teary eyes. With a sudden burst of energy, she slammed into him, swinging all ten fingernails to claw at his cheeks and neck, teeth gritted as she shrieked: “Let go, don't touch me.”

“Can you f***ing behave yourself, Miao Jing, have you lost your mind?”

“You’re the one who lost your mind, you jerk, you pervert.”

“My face!! Damn it!!!”

Chen Yi, in a rage, pushed the maniac away. Miao Jing stumbled and fell onto the sofa, but she was still grabbing one of Chen Yi’s arms, opening her mouth to bite down hard. Chen Yi frowned and gasped. The two grappled and rolled on the sofa. Miao Jing kicked him with all her might, clawing at him until his heart was filled with restless irritability. He cursed “f*** it” bitterly and pinned his large body over the sofa, using his physical stature to press Miao Jing down until she couldn't move. His chin knocked against her forehead, and her face was buried in his neck. The soft sensation brushed against his Adam’s apple—it was an exceptionally strange and lingering feeling. The sharp Adam’s apple rolled inexplicably, then touched a strange, damp, and cool sensation. He knew it—that was a woman’s lips, Miao Jing’s lips.

Lower down, the rise and fall of her body couldn't be ignored. The bones and flesh beneath the school uniform were faintly perceptible. The short skirt reaching her mid-thigh was bunched up, and the feeling of her smooth skin could be felt even through his trousers. Chen Yi slowly closed his eyes for a moment. His livid expression softened slightly. He braced his hands and rose from the sofa, turned his gloomy face around without looking back, and went into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Miao Jing lay on the sofa, flushed red from being smothered. She pulled at her skirt. After being pressed by Chen Yi’s hot and robust physique, the sense of gravity only faded after a long while. She moved her limbs, turned over, and lay there, opening her wide eyes. Her dense lashes flickered lightly, and her gaze was exceptionally deep and serene.

Once Miao Jing had recovered from the sofa, she also went into her room and closed the door. The door next to hers opened, and Chen Yi came out with a towel, went to the bathroom for a cold shower, and left without a word.

Lately, he had been a bit listless—lacking interest and energy, like an eagle whose wings had just been fully feathered only to be suddenly broken, steel rings on its talons, unable to fly no matter how hard it flapped. Every day, he was dormant by day and active by night, his head full of worries, and with an unruly high schooler at home—what could he do? There were hundreds of young girls at the nightclub, each with her own bizarre story behind her. The upper beam is crooked, so the lower is slanted. In two months, it would be summer vacation, and she would be a senior. If one day Miao Jing were to become a jerk like this, where would he vent this resentment in his heart?

The two didn't see each other all day, and continued their cold war with long faces. Two pairs of chopsticks moved on the dining table without making a sound. Chen Yi spared the energy to secretly keep an eye on Miao Jing’s antics, hiding in a corner with colleagues to smoke, taking a moment to glance at the dance floor where demons and monsters danced.

Two o’clock in the middle of the night—truly the wildest and most chaotic time.

Suddenly, over the walkie-talkie, someone said a girl was looking for him at the lobby entrance. He thought it was some woman he’d been flirting with and went out languidly to take a look. Right at the busy entrance, a young girl stood, looking pitiful. She was wearing flip-flops and a cool, blue spaghetti-strap nightdress. The shimmering, iridescent lights swirled across her porcelain skin, like the summit of a snowy mountain in the moonlight.

His scalp suddenly went numb, his brows knitted tightly. He rushed over in a few steps. Before he could even rebuke her, he saw the two lines of clear tears hanging from her cheeks, her eye sockets as red as a rabbit’s, her face deathly pale, her whole body trembling.

“Why did you come here?”

Miao Jing trembled as she reached out to grab the corner of his jacket, two lines of tears falling down her cheeks. In a weak, thin voice, she spat out a few words: “Someone… at home…”

She cried intermittently, unable to speak clearly. Chen Yi’s expression turned dark. He draped his suit jacket over her trembling shoulders and walked out with her in his arms, only then learning that in the middle of the night, someone with evil intentions had been trying to pry open the doors and windows to commit some wrongdoing.

They found a man’s shoe print, traces of a sharp instrument used to pry the door lock, and a window in the bathroom broken by a rock. Was someone peeping, or did they want to do something else? Logically speaking, that shouldn't have been the case; he was infamous and feared in this area.

Chen Yi sucked in a harsh breath, a ruthless expression surfacing.

Miao Jing clutched his jacket, keeping her head lowered as she wiped her tears: “I’ve been… sleeping at home alone for two years… someone was watching me…”

Damn it, a teenage girl living alone—how could it not be dangerous?

Chen Yi thought it over, truly forced into a corner. He quit his job as a nightclub security guard and became a wild wolf who was forced to come home to sleep.