Love For You - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Preminition That Something Bad Would Happen

Chen Yi did not come to find Miao Jing until three days later.

Miao Jing suffered from insomnia, heart palpitations, and weak legs; her face was pale. She did not dare to hide the daggers in the dormitory and kept them strapped to her body at all times, lying that she had a stomachache—as girls entered puberty, there were always people asking for leave due to stomach cramps, and by coincidence, the head teacher told Miao Jing to rest well in the dormitory and classroom. Her roommates helped her bring back food and water. Miao Jing remained motionless, huddled like a quail for several days.

On the road returning to the dormitory alone that night, Chen Yi caught her and gave her a look. Miao Jing understood and followed him at a distance. The two went to the playground, one after the other. There was a reserved plot of land nearby overgrown with weeds, making it easy to hide someone.

For several days, Chen Yi had been standing in the principal’s office being interrogated. He acted pure and innocent, and since the school leaders could not find any evidence, they let him go, half-doubting. He walked swaggeringly out of the office, returned to the classroom, and acted like a good student, obediently attending class.

Miao Jing stopped behind a cluster of weeds; inside was a small clearing that could hide a person. Chen Yi pressed his finger against her little head, pushing her down into a squat. He went out, circled around, and then returned. The two squatted facing each other, both of their faces blurred in the darkness.

"Where’s the stuff?"

The daggers were strapped to her lower abdomen with her clothes, hidden under her loose school uniform. Miao Jing, terrified, fished them out and handed them to him while trembling slightly. In the dim light, her delicate wrists looked like snow stretched out before him. When he took them, they were warm, toasty and comfortable from being heated by her body temperature, carrying the clean scent of the girl. Chen Yi held them in his hand, weighing them, his dark brows and eyes bright with a smile.

"Thanks."

The little girl in front of him pressed her pale lips together and said nothing. There was a look of haggardness between her brows, devoid of any luster; she was clearly terrified.

Chen Yi thought for a moment, reached into his back pocket, and handed her two red notes: "Take this to buy something to eat. If it’s not enough, ask me for more."

Miao Jing did not reach out. Her face remained grey and dull. Her lips murmured as she whispered, "Are... are you going to fight?"

"Why do you care so much?" He lifted his chin with a rogue-like bad-boy air, his tone vigilant, "Mind your own business."

She did not intend to mind his business. Miao Jing supported her knees, slowly stood up, and turned to leave.

"Don’t want the money?"

She didn't. She shook her head with a dazed expression, stooped over to push aside the weeds, and wanted to get far away from this secretive, desolate place. Chen Yi rolled the items into his clothes and also rose to his waist, letting out a cold scoff: "Fine, don't want it then."

The two walked one after the other. There was only a sliver of light from the playground floodlights here. Miao Jing could not see clearly under her feet, testing her way forward step by step. Chen Yi pushed aside the weeds beside her, passed her, and led the way in front, his head down and shoulders hunched, perfectly hiding her behind him.

After walking two steps, he trampled the weeds underfoot, curled his lips in disdain, and muttered in a muffled voice: "This thing is imported. If I sell it, it’ll be worth a lot of money... Who told you to bring the money over? Making trouble for nothing..."

Miao Jing was slightly stunned.

His pace was very fast, and in the blink of an eye, he had vanished. Miao Jing stood at the edge of the playground, scratching her slightly sweaty neck. Grass seeds had stuck to her face, a faint, itchy, unbearable sensation that would not go away. She turned around and walked slowly back to the dormitory in the opposite direction from him. She threw herself onto the bed, flicked her eyelashes, exhaled slowly and leisurely, closed her eyes, curled up, and fell asleep.

For a long time after that, she and Chen Yi had no interaction. But because Chen Yi had loudly called her "sister" in front of all the boys on the night of the dormitory inspection, this relationship slowly spread. Some people asked if she was Chen Yi’s cousin or foster sister, and some senior girls came over, specifically asking her to help deliver love letters or build a connection. Miao Jing was burdened by the harassment, shaking her head and pretending to be mute. One time, she was surrounded by a few third-year junior high girls asking her questions when Chen Yi happened to catch a glimpse of them. He walked over with a cold face, his jaw tight, his fierce, cold gaze sweeping over them. He grabbed Miao Jing by the shoulder and twisted her back to the classroom like a little chick, and afterwards... Chen Yi acknowledged over a dozen foster sisters in the school at once, and girls calling him "brother" were all over the school.

Miao Jing, the sister who had popped up inexplicably, suddenly lost favor.

With only a few months left until the high school entrance exam, Chen Yi was confined to the school by old Li and not allowed to skip classes, and he had to attend evening study. Occasionally, they would meet on campus. He would pass by with a group of people, acting cool with an expressionless face, his shoulders broad and legs long, moving with an air of ease. Miao Jing would slightly sidestep, her head lowered submissively, yet there were still those who would look at her twice.

"This little junior is quite familiar. Have we met before?"

"That’s Brother Yi’s sister. What are you thinking?"

Chen Yi threw a flying kick: "Watch the road. Are you looking at things you shouldn't? Do you want your eyes anymore?"

"Bro, Brother Yi... which sister is this one? Exactly how many good sisters do you have?"

"None of your damn business."

In June of that year, during the high school entrance exams, Chen Yi’s grades came out. Although his score was not enough for the best city key school, it passed the district key line. Old Li felt relieved when he saw the scores and repeatedly urged Chen Yi to study hard, walk the straight path, and not go astray. Life was long, and his future had not yet begun.

Chen Yi returned home for a rare visit during the summer vacation. He and Chen Libin had not seen each other for several months. This time, there were no kicks or punches. Chen Yi had shot up in height over the past few years, nearly catching up to Chen Libin. The father and son sat at the dining table, eating in silence as usual, quiet and each in their own world.

When they talked about this year’s entrance exams and high school, Chen Libin poured a glass of wine, thought for a moment, took a sip, and spoke in a measured manner.

"What high school are you going to? How much will three years of miscellaneous fees cost? You’ve been causing trouble and hurting people since you were small. Who doesn't call you a black sheep? If you get into another school, there are proper students there. You fight, bring down good students, ruin school discipline, and cause trouble—how many people will you harm? A son’s debt is paid by the father; can I afford to pay for it?"

Chen Libin gripped the wine glass and finished it in one gulp. A strange flush appeared on his refined face: "Go to vocational high school. I’ve already found someone to sign you up and transferred your student status. The school has a mechanical and electrical major. After you study for a few years, I’ll arrange for you to be an electrician at the power supply station. You must always remember what you are afraid of, only then will you not cause trouble."

Chen Yi was afraid of electricity.

His figure froze in the chair, his jawline like an arrow string about to snap. The whole person was like a cold stone statue, filled with hostility. Miao Jing and Wei Mingzhen were sitting at the other end of the dining table, holding their breath and stopping their chopsticks. Miao Jing was afraid to look up. She caught Chen Yi’s gaze, and his deep, black, gloomy eyes collided with hers, suddenly sparking with a needle-like cold brightness. Then, he suddenly surged up and flipped the table—the bowls, chopsticks, and plates on the dining table clattered and slid off. Chen Yi swung a chair and smashed it at Chen Libin. Chen Libin’s face turned leaden, and he dodged to the side, dragging the chair, which hit Wei Mingzhen on the shoulder. Both mother and daughter screamed, watching helplessly as the father and son began to brawl.

"Why the hell don't you die? It wasn't enough to force my mother to her death? You scum, you maniac..." Chen Yi’s eyes were blood-red, his iron fists swinging one after another, "From childhood to adulthood... I’ll kill you one day..."

"You little beast... you mongrel, you bastard, I gave birth to you and raised you... I am your father... You, you follow my surname, Chen. Don't even think about it in this lifetime... Even if I raised a dog, a cat, or an animal, I wouldn't raise you..."

This fight ended with neighbors watching and busybodies knocking on the door to mediate. The falling out between father and son became the subject of gossip for the neighbors to discuss over tea and after meals for a long time.

Chen Yi left with scars all over his body, kicking the door open with a cold, sullen face. Afterward, he never returned to this home again.

Miao Jing was promoted to the second year of junior high this summer. She was good at studying, had few friends, and had an introverted personality. Most of her days were spent at home reading books, but she was always a little afraid—afraid of Chen Libin. Such a refined and gentle person, who spoke in a logical and organized manner and appeared easygoing and soft-spoken, could take actions that were completely the opposite. Moreover, he began to drink heavily while playing computer games. The more he drank, the paler his face became, and the more refined he looked.

She did not dare to stay at home alone with him and always felt anxious. Wei Mingzhen also knew she was timid and cowardly, so sometimes she would take Miao Jing to the teahouse. The teahouse she worked at was located near the pedestrian street, a two-story building that served as both a quiet room for drinking tea and chatting and a chess and card room. Miao Jing worked part-time cutting fruit and setting plates to earn some pocket money.

But Miao Jing soon discovered Wei Mingzhen’s secret from bits and pieces of evidence. Every few days, a middle-aged man would come into the shop to find Wei Mingzhen. The two would go out one after the other and come back together. When seen by Miao Jing, Wei Mingzhen did not panic too much, directly saying it was a lover and asking Miao Jing to keep it a secret.

It had been a while. Since Wei Mingzhen began fighting with Chen Libin frequently, with the attitude of "each of us playing our own games," she met another man while playing mahjong. The two flirted with each other, and Wei Mingzhen took the opportunity of working outside to have an illicit affair with this person.

Miao Jing had had a slightly numb and mature personality since she was a child, like a quiet clam. Everyone felt a distance from her, and she had never developed a mother-daughter intimacy with Wei Mingzhen. After hearing this secret, she remained calm and composed.

"What if you get discovered?"

"If you don't say anything, who would discover it? And if they do, I’m not afraid."

Speaking of the current situation, Wei Mingzhen was also very unsatisfied. She was already thirty-five or thirty-six, still having some charm, but of course, not as much as when she was young. Her relationship with Chen Libin was not good, and her heart felt empty and without a landing place.

"You’ll be in your second year of junior high soon, which means only five more years of school. You can go wherever you want when you get into college. I’ll also be relaxed then."

"I’ve never had much money in my hands, and I don't want to live this life anymore. If I break up with Chen Libin and we move out of the Chen house, do you think that would work?"

"Rent a place to live?" Miao Jing nodded, "Yes."

"I’m just thinking about it. You have to study, and I can't afford to raise both of us on my own. The money earned from this teahouse is only enough for me to spend casually." Wei Mingzhen sighed, "This friend of mine... is a good person, but his job is average, and he can’t afford to raise two extra people..."

Still, she could not let go of the money.

Miao Jing did not spend much money, but her food, clothing, and school fees were all paid for by Chen Libin.

Chen Libin did not mind other people’s business. As long as Wei Mingzhen was not discovered, the current situation seemed quite good.

In September, when school started, Miao Jing went back to school to report. She heard that Chen Yi had gone to vocational high school. Not only was he there, but his group of friends from junior high were also there. But Bo Zai said that Chen Yi had only signed up and never entered the school to study, hanging out outside instead.

After learning Wei Mingzhen’s secret, Miao Jing felt that she would not be able to stay in this family for long and had a premonition that something bad would happen. Everyone had an instinct to avoid harm. She liked the Chen family less and less, going from going home once a week in the first year of junior high to once a month.

Chen Libin would drink after coming home from a night shift. Not knowing who had instructed her, Wei Mingzhen loved to buy him wine. She placed a small wine cup next to the computer, pouring him drinks one by one, preferably making him drink until he was dead drunk, so she could ask Chen Libin for some money—there was no hope for Chen Yi. If she could hold on, she would have a share of the large savings Chen Libin had accumulated. If she could not hold on, she would ask for as much as she could.

Chen Yi never returned again. The single bed and sundries in the living room were all thrown out. Miao Jing had not seen Chen Yi for a whole year. She could hardly remember his appearance and rarely thought about him. She herself was also slowly growing up, getting taller, wearing small vests, standing tall and upright, quiet and slender, and became the object of secret admiration for many boys in her class.

Some things always happen in a mysterious way, like having every wish granted, and like a spider web that cannot be seen leading forward. Not knowing when, she collided with a transparent web, and then fate lunged fiercely, throwing her toward unknown encounters.

Miao Jing was called out by the head teacher during an English class. Her family called her, saying that someone in the family had had an accident. Miao Jing’s heart skipped a beat. She took the phone, and it was Wei Mingzhen’s voice, with a hint of lightness in her crying, saying that Chen Libin was in the intensive care unit and asked her to come to the hospital to see him.

Speeding to the hospital, Miao Jing saw that Wei Mingzhen was completely unharmed, her expression haggard, her face tear-stained, but her eyes, which carried fine wrinkles, were extremely bright, faintly suppressing something. Looking at Chen Libin, he was lying on the hospital bed, using a ventilator, with tubes inserted into his body.

It was a slip while walking, falling down the stairs. It was such a strange coincidence, and some people said it was bad luck that happened at the wrong time. Chen Libin had always been very unlucky—at night, when Wei Mingzhen had not returned from outside, the half bottle of wine at home had been drunk. Chen Libin put on a pair of shoes at random and went out, brought the wine bottle back from the supermarket, did not look carefully under his feet when going upstairs, accidentally fell backward and rolled down. He was sent to the hospital by a neighbor while in a coma—spinal cord injury, respiratory failure accompanied by cerebral hemorrhage, and he went directly into the ICU.

The Chen family did not have any close relatives. Chen Libin had a younger brother in another place, but they had been out of touch. Now, only Wei Mingzhen, old neighbors, colleagues and leaders from his unit, and a few distant relatives could show concern for his condition.

Of course, there was also Chen Yi.

Chen Yi walked into the hospital, walking over from the end of the long corridor. Miao Jing was sitting at the entrance of the ICU and felt that he seemed to be a bit taller, blocking all the light behind him. His buzzcut was slightly longer, dyed in smoke-grey. He was wearing a floral shirt over a black T-shirt, with a silver necklace hanging around his neck—a completely youthful hip-hop style. He was chewing gum in his mouth, and his eyes, perhaps because of staying up late, were narrowed, irritable and narrow. A heavy scent of tobacco rushed over with his footsteps.

Miao Jing did not recognize him. He seemed... to have completely changed into a different person.

Seeing her staring blankly, Chen Yi bent over slightly, lowering his head to examine the person in front of him, his gloomy, cold, and indifferent gaze falling on her face. Miao Jing turned her face away, her gaze looking at the ICU door.

He asked lazily: "What’s wrong?"

Wei Mingzhen welcomed him with teary eyes, explained the situation that day to Chen Yi, and asked him to go in and see Chen Libin. This was the third day, and he had not woken up yet.

Chen Yi went in to take a look, and the tall, refined man’s face was deathly pale, his eyes sunken, lying on the bed and allowing others to manipulate him. He stood expressionlessly for a few minutes, returned and leaned heavily on the seat, his face dark, chewing gum and saying nothing.

This was his father—Wei Mingzhen, Miao Jing, and others all had to move aside. Outside the ICU door, someone had to watch every day, and naturally, it had to be Chen Yi. As for how to handle subsequent treatments and whether he could wake up, the ICU cost three thousand a day, which was also a problem that Chen Yi had to consider.

Wei Mingzhen cried and talked about these things. Chen Yi’s deep and gloomy gaze turned on her face, and he let out a cold scoff: "You hold me in high regard at this time."

He was a minor, only sixteen years old this year.

"We are all a family. Let’s think of a way together to overcome the difficulties." Wei Mingzhen pushed Miao Jing forward, "He is the head of the family. You must burn incense, worship Buddha, and think of a way to make him wake up."

The ICU was watched by Chen Yi. Miao Jing would have her final exams in the next two days, and she would also come to accompany him after the exams. The two sat on the left and right of the long chair. Chen Yi took a new smartphone from his pocket and lowered his head to play games. Miao Jing held an English vocabulary book. The two were distinct from each other and did not interfere with each other.

Wei Mingzhen handled medical insurance, asked for leave from her unit, dealt with things in various places, and also took Chen Libin’s bank card and ID card to the bank to withdraw money for payment.

Chen Libin stayed in the ICU for seven days, without any signs of recovery. His family members signed a form giving up treatment. Both Wei Mingzhen and Chen Yi signed, and he was transferred to a general ward.

Everyone seemed to be able to breathe a sigh of relief.