At Ease: Like Whispering in Her Ear

"Xiao Xu, what's wrong? You've cried yourself into a little raccoon."

As the voice drew closer, the flashlight beam grew blindingly bright. Jiang Xu squinted, her eyes red-rimmed as she looked at the newcomer.

"Come on, get up. The ground's cold, and it'll only get colder come night."

Liang Xiaoqing tugged at her arm, trying to pull her up, and Jiang Xu made an effort to rise. The flashlight beam swung wildly as Liang Xiaoqing tucked it under her arm and grabbed Jiang Xu's arm with both hands.

"Ah—" Jiang Xu let out an involuntary cry as pain shot through her ankle. She braced herself against Liang Xiaoqing's hand and lifted her foot slightly.

Liang Xiaoqing's face tensed with concern. "Did you twist your ankle?" She bent down to examine Jiang Xu's ankle.

Jiang Xu shrank back. "Sister Qing, it's nothing... Phew..."

Liang Xiaoqing ignored her protests and reached out to feel her ankle. Jiang Xu winced, letting out a couple of muffled sounds, then, unable to bear it, leaned her head against Liang Xiaoqing's shoulder.

Liang Xiaoqing's voice carried a hint of anger. "Still saying it's nothing! Your ankle's already swollen. It's this dark out—why would you go running off like that!"

"I..." Jiang Xu's voice was still thick with crying, and she trailed off mid-sentence.

She couldn't very well say she'd been rushing to find her—that was why she'd run so fast, so frantically, with tears streaming down her face.

Jiang Xu once again put on that expression of a composed little adult, as if nothing could shake her. Her face was calm, though tear tracks still glistened on her cheeks. She deliberately lifted her injured hand, palm faintly oozing blood, yet oddly, it didn't hurt as much anymore.

Liang Xiaoqing's voice had softened. "Even if you wanted to come out, you should've brought a flashlight... And you wouldn't have fallen." She straightened up, frowning at Jiang Xu.

In the faint light of the night, Liang Xiaoqing seemed to glow. The white beam outlined her silhouette, a speck of pale light on the tip of her small nose, her eyes bright and reflecting the light, her furrowed brows lively and natural.

For some reason, Jiang Xu felt a flutter of nervousness. She blinked, then looked away. But Liang Xiaoqing had noticed the injury on her hand.

"How did you get such a big gash on your hand...!"

Jiang Xu tried to pull her hand back, but Liang Xiaoqing's grip was stronger. Realizing her own voice had risen again, Liang Xiaoqing softened her tone. "Xiao Xu."

"..." She wiped the corner of Jiang Xu's eye. "How can I feel at ease leaving you like this..."

Liang Xiaoqing sighed. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Liang Xiaoqing didn't know when it had started, but Jiang Xu had become more than just a student she was helping. That was why she'd come to see her today. She was like family now—over the past few months, she'd watched Jiang Xu grow, watched her get taller, her skin grow fairer, her smile appear more often, watched her bloom into a graceful young girl.

As if shedding some heavy burden, she could see Jiang Xu warming up to her more and more, bringing a lot of joy into her otherwise monotonous life.

It was a presence that gave her a sense of belonging even when far from home—her days were fulfilling, and it made Liang Xiaoqing feel like the semester had flown by. Of course, what pleased her even more was knowing that she had truly helped Jiang Xu.

In the future, a child would walk a different path in life because of her decision.

And that path was full of hope.

She had indeed regretted it. Every time she flipped through Jiang Xu's test papers, guilt gnawed at her. The papers had become crumpled from frequent handling. She worried about what might be happening to Jiang Xu at home—would Jiang Daguo beat her again? Would her grades, which had just started to improve, still hold up? Would she be able to come back to school next semester as planned... And then she'd feel something even more complex than guilt.

She'd turned back because she was worried. Jiang Xu had been on edge all day, constantly in a state of alert. Liang Xiaoqing wanted to get to the bottom of what was troubling her. So she'd started walking back, racking her brain for a plausible excuse to give Jiang Xu's parents, and her brother.

Her brother—no, that Jiang Lun—seemed a bit off.

"...It doesn't hurt."

Liang Xiaoqing's train of thought was interrupted. Jiang Xu pulled her hand back again. This time, Liang Xiaoqing let go.

Liang Xiaoqing looked resolutely at the pitch-black road in the distance. "Come on. I'll walk you back." She wrapped an arm around Jiang Xu's shoulders, pulling her close, and raised the flashlight to light their path. But as soon as Jiang Xu's foot touched the ground, pain flared.

There was no choice. Liang Xiaoqing bent low, offering her back to Jiang Xu.

"Get on."

Jiang Xu hesitated, reluctant. Liang Xiaoqing tilted her head to look at her.

Jiang Xu stammered, "...I'm too heavy..." She wasn't heavy at all—she was terribly thin—otherwise Liang Xiaoqing wouldn't have been able to lift her.

Liang Xiaoqing acted as if she hadn't heard. "Come on, it's cold on the mountain at night, alright?"

Looking at Liang Xiaoqing's nose, red from the cold, Jiang Xu finally climbed onto her back. Liang Xiaoqing's back was thin and narrow; Jiang Xu cautiously looped her arms around her neck, drawing her only source of warmth from the body beneath her. She was terrified of weighing down Liang Xiaoqing's spine. Liang Xiaoqing was more fragile than she'd imagined—not someone who could withstand all hardships. Perhaps she was like a delicate flower that a storm could shatter.

But her hands were so strong, lifting Jiang Xu's knees with ease, as if carrying a small child. Jiang Xu had never experienced what it felt like to not touch the ground—it was her own legs that always supported her, and the solid feeling of feet on the earth was something nothing could shake. Now her feet dangled weightlessly, swaying gently. Jiang Xu had no choice but to tighten her arms around Liang Xiaoqing's neck.

Liang Xiaoqing raised the flashlight to illuminate a little of the path ahead. The darkness around them swayed, and Jiang Xu rested her head lightly against Liang Xiaoqing's shoulder. They walked slowly and steadily.

Jiang Xu couldn't help but feel that she'd been wrong just moments ago.

Still, she worried about being too heavy, especially on the uphill climb. She didn't dare move a muscle, holding herself stiff, thinking it might lighten Liang Xiaoqing's burden.

"Woof woof woof!"

Xiao Huang, the watchdog, barked at the flashlight. Liang Xiaoqing was a bit afraid of the dog. Jiang Xu, who had been dozing off against Liang Xiaoqing's shoulder, was startled awake by the barking and struggled to get down. "Sister Qing, I can manage."

Liang Xiaoqing nodded and set her down, but Jiang Xu's foot still couldn't touch the ground, so Liang Xiaoqing quickly supported her.

Jiang Xu called out ahead, "Xiao Huang!"

The barking suddenly stopped. Xiao Huang dropped its ears and came running to her with a wagging tail. Liang Xiaoqing stepped back. Jiang Xu reassured her, "Don't worry, with me here, it won't bite. Trust me, Sister Qing."

"Mm." Liang Xiaoqing hummed in acknowledgment. Jiang Xu frowned and sent Xiao Huang back to its kennel, and the dog trotted off dejectedly. Liang Xiaoqing let out a sigh of relief.

A figure came running from the courtyard. It was Wang Cai, her eyes red-rimmed. Spotting Jiang Xu, she burst into a tirade: "Where on earth did you run off to this late! It's freezing out here—nobody would even find you if you fell somewhere! Jiang Xu, why are you so disobedient! You get one scolding and you just run off!... Are you trying to anger me to death...!"

Wang Cai was emotional, crying and yelling. Jiang Xu remained silent.

Liang Xiaoqing stepped in to explain, "Sister Wang, don't worry too much. The child's back now, isn't she?... It's too cold outside; let's go inside to talk. Jiang Xu twisted her ankle..."

"Where did you twist it?" Wang Cai bent down to look, sighing again and again. Seeing that Jiang Xu still wasn't speaking, she had no choice but to help Liang Xiaoqing support her inside.

As she entered, Jiang Xu's heart was still in her throat, but she didn't see Jiang Daguo or his son.

Wang Cai nervously raised a hand. "Keep your voices down. Your father and brother are already asleep—don't wake them." Her face darkened further when she mentioned them.

Jiang Xu kept her eyes down, not saying a word, a heavy gloom settling between her brows. No matter how light her mood was outside, coming back here always felt suffocating, oppressive, and she had nowhere else to go.

Jiang Xu felt a pang of sadness. She could never break free from these things. She had once despised herself, especially now that Jiang Lun was home. Just thinking that Jiang Lun was also sleeping in the attic room made her sick with disgust.

She didn't want Liang Xiaoqing to come to her home anymore. She couldn't stand the way Jiang Lun looked at her with that calculating, malicious gaze. When the two of them helped her upstairs, she inevitably made some noise, and Wang Cai's face went pale with fright, only relaxing once they'd gotten her to her room.

Liang Xiaoqing first pulled back Jiang Xu's stiff, heavy quilt, helped her sit on the edge of the bed, mumbling by her ear as she walked, "Careful, careful." Once Jiang Xu was seated, Liang Xiaoqing went to shut the window.

The window was old and rickety, with a piece of glass broken out, letting the wind blow straight in. Liang Xiaoqing struggled to close it. Then she went to find some old thick clothes that she thought Jiang Xu no longer needed and stuffed them into the gaps, blocking out the damp, cold wind. The shabby room actually felt considerably warmer.

Jiang Xu watched Liang Xiaoqing bustling around the room. Wang Cai brought a stool and told her to sit.

"Teacher Liang, it's so late, it's not convenient for you to go back. Why don't you stay here tonight and head back tomorrow?" Wang Cai didn't seem to want Liang Xiaoqing to leave, though she couldn't be too obvious. "There's still hot water in the big pot. I'll get some for both of you. Soaking your feet in hot water will warm you up..."

"No—"

"Then I'll trouble you, Sister Wang."

Jiang Xu and Liang Xiaoqing spoke at the same time. Liang Xiaoqing smiled and covered the latter half of Jiang Xu's words.

Wang Cai agreed repeatedly and went downstairs to get hot water for them.

Liang Xiaoqing crouched down to look at Jiang Xu's ankle and reached out to touch it. Jiang Xu pulled back. "Don't..."

"Let me see how bad it is."

Jiang Xu sounded uncomfortable. "It's dirty."

"You child..." Liang Xiaoqing looked up at her, smiled, and insisted on examining it despite her protests. She rolled up the pant leg a little and saw that Jiang Xu's slender ankle was slightly red. Liang Xiaoqing knew that if left untreated, it would likely swell by morning.

"If only we had some ointment."

Jiang Xu tugged her pant leg back down to cover her ankle. "It's fine. It'll heal in a couple of days."

Just then, Wang Cai came up with a basin of foot-washing water. Except for cowering before Jiang Daguo, Wang Cai was quite efficient at everything else.

The enamel basin steamed, blurring Wang Cai's face. Jiang Xu sat on the bed, watching her, thinking that Wang Cai looked a bit younger. She was dazed—Wang Cai's brows weren't always furrowed; there was a hint of a smile now, and when she smiled, she looked a little like Jiang Xu.

Setting down the basin, Wang Cai told Liang Xiaoqing to wash first, saying she'd get more water for Jiang Xu afterward. Liang Xiaoqing insisted Jiang Xu go first, saying there was no need for such formality—at home, they didn't stand on ceremony with each other. She didn't mind washing after Jiang Xu, and Jiang Xu didn't mind either.

Wang Cai just thought Liang Xiaoqing was being polite. She urged Jiang Xu to wash first. But moving her ankle still hurt, and as soon as Jiang Xu dipped her foot into the water, she tried to pull it out. Wang Cai pressed her leg back down. "If you're going to wash, wash properly." She sat on the small stool beside her and helped Jiang Xu wash. Hot water splashed over the top of Jiang Xu's foot, and Wang Cai's hand gently rubbed her ankle, her rough palm against Jiang Xu's skin.

"Mom! I can do it myself!" Jiang Xu didn't have many memories of her mother taking care of her like this. The only time she could recall was one sunny day when Wang Cai had washed her hair in the yard, saying it was long and thick.

Jiang Xu had never been able to feel much maternal love from Wang Cai. Sometimes she hated her mother, sometimes she thought Wang Cai did love her. But Jiang Daguo was the one who held all the power in the house, and Wang Cai had no choice but to swallow her pride.

When she was little and got beaten, she'd hoped Wang Cai would stand up for her, but that never happened. As she grew older, she watched it all with growing disgust and felt Wang Cai slowly distancing herself from her. She was helpless—she could neither leave her mother completely nor do anything but cling to Jiang Daguo like mud. No matter how he hit her, she never fought back.

Wang Cai had more and more white hairs now. Looking at the strands on her mother's head, Jiang Xu suddenly realized that Wang Cai was only in her mid-thirties.

"Mom," Jiang Xu called out.

Wang Cai looked up at her briefly, then continued pouring water over her foot. "I brought up a bottle of medicinal wine. After you wash your feet, rub some on yourself. Don't let your father see it. If you're not quick with your work, he'll find something to say."

Jiang Xu's eyelids drooped. "He's not my father, and Jiang Lun isn't my brother."

"Shut up!" Wang Cai was alarmed. "If he hears you say that, he'll beat you until you can't get back up!"

"He said it himself." Jiang Xu insisted.

Wang Cai snapped, "Do you still want to go to school or not?! Without him, who would pay for your schooling!"

"He doesn't want me to study at all..."

Wang Cai lowered her head. "...I'll talk to him again. No matter what, you're still my child..."

Suddenly, Jiang Xu didn't want to think about school anymore. A flicker of hope rose in her heart. She grabbed Wang Cai's arm. "Mom, I don't have to study. We can go somewhere else, leave this place. I can work and earn money. I'm really good at washing dishes and serving tables. We can go to a big city—the wages are higher there, and we'll get by somehow. Mom... divorce him..."

"Jiang Xu!" Wang Cai cut her off. "You think it's easy out there?! You're only thirteen. What can you do!... Don't talk like that anymore."

Jiang Xu felt both miserable and helpless, watching her mother waste away here in suffering.

Her eyes glistened with tears.

Wang Cai's tone softened. "Once you grow up, it'll be better. Mom believes you'll give me a good life."

She brushed the hair from Jiang Xu's face—a rare moment of tenderness. Jiang Xu lowered her eyes, not looking at her. Wang Cai thought Jiang Xu had taken her words to heart and smiled at Liang Xiaoqing. Liang Xiaoqing nodded stiffly.

She returned Wang Cai's smile.

Wang Cai went downstairs to get fresh water for her. "Teacher Liang, come wash your feet. The water's hot and will warm you up."

Liang Xiaoqing felt Wang Cai was being far too polite and kept saying, "Sorry for the trouble, Sister Wang."

"Don't be so polite. I don't know how to thank you for what you've done for Jiang Xu..."

At this, Liang Xiaoqing turned serious. "...Speaking of Jiang Xu's schooling, here's what I'm thinking. I can see Jiang Daguo is quite fond of Jiang Lun. If we could get him to mention it to Jiang Daguo, maybe things would go better... Regardless, we need Jiang Daguo to agree first, or else Jiang Xu can't continue her studies..."

"No!" Wang Cai jumped up immediately. Realizing she'd been too forceful, she quickly softened her voice. "...Teacher Liang, you heard it just now... When it comes down to it, Jiang Xu isn't Jiang Daguo's biological child. And I'm not afraid to say this before you: Jiang Lun doesn't treat her like a sister. If Jiang Lun were willing to speak up, Jiang Xu wouldn't have..."

...wouldn't have dropped out of school.

Liang Xiaoqing thought about it, worrying about what Jiang Xu's future held academically, while also sitting on the bed with an arm around Jiang Xu's shoulder. Jiang Xu leaned slightly into her, her head against Liang Xiaoqing's neck. She was at a loss about Jiang Xu's situation. If she'd had any hope before, after seeing with her own eyes how even Wang Cai needed Jiang Daguo's permission to sit at the dining table, Liang Xiaoqing knew that Jiang Xu's schooling was unlikely to happen.

Wang Cai looked at Jiang Xu and sighed softly. "Teacher Liang, you both should get some sleep tonight. We can talk about these matters another day..."

Wang Cai went downstairs, her silhouette looking thinner than ever. Liang Xiaoqing put those thoughts aside for now. She gently squeezed Jiang Xu's hand and asked, "Are you sleepy?"

Jiang Xu felt Liang Xiaoqing lightly squeezing her fingers, like playing with a fun toy, making her fingers tingle. She let Liang Xiaoqing continue, unconcerned. A faint, fragrant scent drifted to her nose. She kept her eyes downcast as she watched Liang Xiaoqing play with her hand, her ears feeling warm, then lifted her head from Liang Xiaoqing's shoulder and sat up, shaking her head silently.

"I'll review some textbooks for a while. It's still early..."

Liang Xiaoqing's hand paused.

Jiang Xu noticed that her gaze had become gentle and full of sympathy, shimmering under the dim yellow bulb like scattered gold coins on a river's surface.

"Alright." Liang Xiaoqing patted her head. "Study a bit more then."

With that, Jiang Xu began to read. She always seized every possible moment to study. Unlike before, when her heart pounded with fear, now with Liang Xiaoqing here, she felt a sense of courage. Even if Jiang Daguo found out, so what...

"Is the light okay?"

It was dark in the room. The bulb had been in use for years, casting a weak glow. Jiang Xu sat on the edge of the bed, pen in hand, occasionally marking lines in her book, her brows furrowed with concentration. Her shadow fell over the textbook, making the characters even harder to see. Liang Xiaoqing waited for her as she always did, making no sound, not minding that Jiang Xu was keeping her from sleep. It was only when Jiang Xu was done reading that she said to turn off the light and go to sleep.

There was an invisible gaze on her back, and Jiang Xu could feel it. She hummed in acknowledgment, and Liang Xiaoqing fell silent. Reading until she felt drowsy was a kind of pleasure. Jiang Xu cast a glance at the pitch-black outside the window—she could see nothing clearly, though Xiao Huang barked occasionally.

Jiang Xu closed her book, flexed her stiff neck, and turned to look at Liang Xiaoqing.

Liang Xiaoqing wasn't asleep yet—or maybe she was. She was propped against the pillow, eyes closed, head tilted. She opened her eyes, her hazy gaze veiled with a film of moisture. She rubbed her eyes, then let out a long sigh. "Still studying?"

"...No, I'm done." Jiang Xu averted her gaze, got off the bed, and went to the door to turn off the light. The room plunged into darkness. She moved cautiously, slowly, toward the bed.

Liang Xiaoqing lifted the quilt and patted the bed. "Come on up. It's so cold..."

Jiang Xu didn't speak, but her body obeyed. She sat on the edge of the bed, took off her clothes, and slipped under the quilt. Unlike when she slept alone, where it was stiff and cold, the bed was now warm from Liang Xiaoqing's body heat. When she got in, it got even warmer. She shifted closer to that source of warmth, but just before she touched her, she stopped herself. Liang Xiaoqing didn't notice these little deliberations of hers. When Jiang Xu lay down, Liang Xiaoqing leaned over her to tuck in the quilt. "Are you cold?"

Compared to the last time Liang Xiaoqing had come to her home, things were much better now—at least she had enough quilts on her bed, even if they never seemed to get warm. But at least it was better than nothing. Liang Xiaoqing's hair cascaded down, brushing against Jiang Xu's face. She lay perfectly still, letting the strands brush her skin. Right above her, she could feel Liang Xiaoqing's presence.

"Not cold." The bed was already warm; Jiang Xu almost said it aloud.

Still not satisfied, Liang Xiaoqing tucked the quilt in again, then lay back down, turning to face Jiang Xu. Jiang Xu felt her move a little closer than before. Her breath was warm, and Jiang Xu shifted slightly onto her side, facing Liang Xiaoqing, letting her breath wash over her cheek. From her angle, she could only see a blurry outline. If only it were like before, with the faint light from the window, she'd be able to see Liang Xiaoqing clearly.

Liang Xiaoqing gently took her wrist—the injured hand. The wound on her palm had been simply cleaned but not bandaged. Liang Xiaoqing said, "Be careful with that... Does it still hurt?" It was like whispering secrets by her ear.

Not just her hand—her ankle had been treated too. Liang Xiaoqing had poured some of the medicinal wine Wang Cai had brought, rubbed it into her palms, and massaged Jiang Xu's ankle. The smell of the wine was pungent, and Jiang Xu stayed tense the whole time, afraid Liang Xiaoqing couldn't stand the odor. But Liang Xiaoqing showed no sign of disgust.

Maybe it was the wine, or perhaps Liang Xiaoqing's technique, but her ankle felt warm, and the pain had eased considerably.

She shook her head out of habit, then realized in the darkness Liang Xiaoqing couldn't see. So she whispered, "It doesn't hurt."

Liang Xiaoqing seemed unconvinced. "That's a lie." There was a hint of annoyance in her voice. She shifted a bit closer, and her warm breath hit Jiang Xu's cheek. Jiang Xu squinted at the blurry outline before her—it was too dark to make out clearly, just a shape against the blackness. She was used to lying close to Liang Xiaoqing. Her eyes grew heavy, and she began to feel sleepy. It was the first time at home she was falling asleep in such a relaxed state.

"...Mm..." Liang Xiaoqing let out a soft hum, especially noticeable in the dark. Jiang Xu slowly opened her eyes and felt Liang Xiaoqing shift slightly.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Liang Xiaoqing hesitated. "Just now... were you trying to come find me?"

"..."

"Otherwise, why would you run down the mountain when it was already dark..."

"..."

"And how did you really get that gash on your hand?"

"I fell."

"I don't believe you."

Jiang Xu could almost imagine Liang Xiaoqing's skeptical expression, her eyes slightly wide, studying her words.

In that moment, Jiang Xu remembered the feeling of desperately wanting to see someone when she was helpless. And she had seen her.

"I broke a bowl, and the shards cut my hand."

"How did it cut you?" Liang Xiaoqing's voice sounded urgent.

"..."

After a long pause, Jiang Xu said nothing more. She thought Liang Xiaoqing would drop it and go to sleep. But then she called her name again.

"Xiao Xu."

"Are you cold, Sister Qing?" Jiang Xu moved a bit closer, her face almost touching Liang Xiaoqing's neck.

"No... well, maybe a little."

"Then can I come a little closer?"

Jiang Xu was polite and knew her boundaries. She only moved if Liang Xiaoqing agreed. Liang Xiaoqing didn't reply, but instead placed her hand on Jiang Xu. She shifted closer, and Jiang Xu's face truly pressed into the crook of her neck.

Jiang Xu's heartbeat quickened. She curled her hands against her chest, not daring to move a muscle. She could almost feel Liang Xiaoqing's heartbeat, the rise and fall of her soft chest with each breath.

Gradually, Jiang Xu grew accustomed to this closeness and closed her eyes, her mind beginning to haze.

"...Xiao Xu, I want to ask you something."

The voice broke through Jiang Xu's drowsiness.

Liang Xiaoqing said, "...Has Jiang Lun ever—"

"BANG!"

The rickety wooden door was slammed again, making Jiang Xu's whole body stiffen. Her hands and feet turned cold in an instant.

"Who is it?" Liang Xiaoqing tensed up immediately. "Is it your mother?"

Jiang Xu was all too familiar with this torment. Whenever the night grew quiet, that wooden door with its extra locks would make unusual noises.

"BANG BANG BANG!"

This time the knocking was harder, laced with impatience, as if threatening to break the door down.

Liang Xiaoqing sat up and met Jiang Xu's bright eyes in the darkness.

She saw the fear and terror in them.

She understood everything!

"Stay here and don't make a sound." Liang Xiaoqing whispered close to Jiang Xu's ear. She got out of bed and tiptoed to the door. The banging grew louder; the door rattled, threatening to give way.

Click.

Liang Xiaoqing turned on the light, and the room filled with dim yellow light. She blinked, adjusting from darkness to brightness, and saw Jiang Xu sitting obediently on the bed as she had instructed—or more accurately, huddled in the corner, staring at her without moving.

Liang Xiaoqing listened to the knocking that seemed unrelenting, and noticed a thick wooden stick in the corner. In her mind, she had already planned: first this, then that. She saw the extra lock on the door and pulled at it, then bent down and peered through the cracked doorjamb. A single, excited eye stared back at her.

"!"

She nearly tripped backward, gasping sharply. Liang Xiaoqing stumbled back two steps, managing not to cry out. She forced herself to stay calm. The person outside had seen her too. The knocking grew louder, followed by a low, impatient voice: "Jiang Xu, open the door!"

A chill ran down Liang Xiaoqing's spine, her heart pounding wildly. Suspecting something was one thing, but witnessing something so sordid happening right before her eyes filled her with unprecedented regret and guilt. She regretted letting Jiang Xu leave, and she regretted not having come to Jiang Xu's home sooner to understand the situation.

She had no idea what kind of mental strain Jiang Xu had been under. She remembered that voice—it belonged to the one who had, in broad daylight, pretended to be friendly with her. Her hands clenched into fists, her body trembling with rage that spread through her chest, her face flushing red.

"What do you think you're doing!"

The knocking from outside stopped abruptly at the unexpected voice.

"Auntie Wang...!" The voice was incredulous. "You're sleeping with Jiang Xu..."

Jiang Lun's face reddened in a strange way—an awkward mix of embarrassment and anger. He wasn't bold enough to push further, and he also knew how despicable his actions were. Originally, he hadn't thought much of it, but what shamed him was having his vile intentions caught by a figure lurking in the shadows. Back then, Wang Cai had been an adult to him, and adults always had some kind of power to control things. Wang Cai had left him with a very unpleasant memory.

He slunk away from Jiang Xu's door. The cold wind hit him, and he felt he'd been out of his mind.

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream sent Jiang Lun tumbling down the stairs.

"It wasn't me...!"