“Miss, may I have this dance?” At first, I would say, “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well.” “Where does it hurt? Shall I take you to see a doctor?” “No need, just a stomachache, I’ll be fine after resting.” Then, “Sorry, I’ve got a stomachache, I’ll be fine after eating something.” Finally, “I haven’t eaten enough, I don’t have the energy to dance with you!” Bluntly, I continued to pick at my food, happily scooping seven scoops of ice cream. Oh ho ho~ Hmm? Why isn’t this one working? This trick should be foolproof. I decided to see who this divine being was…
“PIA!” The plate fell to the ground, “Xiaoxia, is it really you?” I was dumbfounded… “Brother Yixiao.” He instructed someone to clean up the shards, then pulled me outside.
…
In the dead of night, I returned to my room, pitch black, but I knew Qi Yufeng was there. I approached him. After a while, my eyes adjusted, and I saw Qi Yufeng sitting on the sofa with empty wine bottles on the coffee table. I knew he was angry; his fierce, glowing eyes told me so. He suddenly pinned me down, venting his frustration through biting and tearing, leaving me with the stench of alcohol and blood. “Liu Yixia, be honest with me, how many other men are there?” I said nothing, quietly nestling into his embrace, curling up, waiting for his anger to subside. I rarely behaved so obediently because at that moment, I really needed him, a tranquil harbor. “That was my brother, Yang Yixiao.” Qi Yufeng also quieted down, stiffly lowering his head to kiss my forehead gently, then carried me to bed, holding me close all night.
…
It was him again, his clothes spattered with blood, like a painting. With trembling hands, he struggled to get the medicine bottle, but it fell when he tried to open it. The bottle rolled away, leaving a trail of pills scattered on the ground. The man slid off the chair, trembling, unable to crawl forward, his outstretched hand weakly reaching but never quite touching. He had another episode. “Xiaoxia… Xiaoxia…” He could barely make a sound, but how could I not know he was calling for me? I got up from the bed; he watched me in surprise. Yes, I had been awake. His gaze was intense, directed at the medicine bottle. I understood, lifting my nightgown and tiptoeing over. Under his encouraging gaze, I bent down and blew gently on the pills. I stood up, smiling at the now distant bottle, then turned to him with a mischievous grin. “You!…,” he was furious, but what could he do? “Dad, are you going to die?” He laughed maniacally, coughing until he coughed up blood, still laughing with a blood-red mouth, leaning against the still-warm body of his sister. I lay down carefully, the bone-chilling cold seeping into my marrow, the devilish laughter lingering in the air, and I went back to sleep…
A pair of hands wrapped around me, his bloodied mouth curving into a smile, “Xiaoxia, do you want to escape too?” “Can one escape? You’re all mine…” “No! Not all!” He grabbed my flailing hand, pulling me into an embrace. “Die then!” “Wake up!” “You deserve to die!” I suddenly opened my eyes to see Qi Yufeng’s worried face, wiping my sweat, “Bad dream?” Panting, I clung to him, “Dreamt of your dad?” “He’s dead, right?” “Yes, he’s dead.” “He’s really dead…” Qi Yufeng gently stroked my back, holding me closer, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” I buried myself deep in his neck, finding it odd that this suffocating feeling could let me sleep peacefully for the night.
…
“How many years has it been since we last saw each other?” “I’ve lost count, look at you, becoming more and more presentable~” “I’ve always been.” “Bah~” “Haha, you haven’t changed much, still as mischievous as ever.” “…Why are you here tonight?” “Grandma wants to matchmake us, I’m here to see if the woman suits my taste.” “Gu Yuechai? What do you think?” I teasingly took his arm. “Uh… let’s not talk about her. What about you? People inside say you came with Qi Yufeng, how did you get involved with him?” “Sigh, the tears come before the words… T-T” “Got into trouble?” “Do you need me to protect you?” He blinked his bright eyes, making me want to vomit right there… “You’ve never believed I could protect you, or else we wouldn’t be like this.” His sudden seriousness left me speechless. “Years ago you said, ‘You can exclude our family from his inheritance, just let me finish my education, I want nothing else.’ And just like that, you left for so many years, that was pretty ruthless.” “Brother, it’s not that I don’t trust you, you know that.” “Mom and Grandma miss you, come back with me, just to visit them.” He gripped my hand so tightly it hurt. How much I wanted a home, you wouldn’t understand, “I’m not going back, don’t mention it again.” I didn’t miss them at all; if seeing them would make me miss them, I’d rather never see them. “Can the past really be forgotten?” “You might forget it on the surface, but you never know when it will come back.” What would I gain by going back there? This skin on my body? With money, I could have that too. Care? Even if I went back, it might not be there; they’ve cut off all contact because of my refusal, yet they claim to miss me. Family? I’m exhausted. So, I think I’m on the right path, or perhaps, I never felt I was wrong. Recently, everyone’s been busy; Qiyu Feng has been working late every night, rushing for something, while I’ve taken on two jobs. First, it’s a live display setup for Narcissus’ perfume line, followed by stage design for Grace. This is the so-called “unconditional restriction” I demanded back then. I can take any job I want, and the money is mine to make. But I’ve realized why Gao Miao agreed; he’s happy to help me, doesn’t mind me working for other brands because he simply doesn’t take them seriously. His Narcissus brand stands above all others, just as its name suggests.
For convenience, Qiyu Feng and I moved into that million-dollar lovers’ nest, sleeping there every night, with Fourth Sister coming by at set times to take care of things. In terms of work, I’ve been more dedicated than Qiyu Feng, which is beyond what a mere man can tolerate. Finally, he ordered me to stop working, his reason being: he couldn’t allow his employee to have two jobs at once. After finishing the tasks at hand, I went back to my idle state. If Huahua happened to be free, I could go shopping; if not, I could only sneak back to the studio to loaf around. But, how bad of me, I asked Gao Miao to leave me alone while I sat quietly aside and drew, sketching him, just like I used to do in Kexuan’s studio.
