CHAPT 25

DON’T WANNA HURT YOU FURTHER

When the truck driver saw Ai Eng, he pressed the honk several times but Ai Eng just didn’t seem to hear the honk and just walked slowly, staring ahead blandly. When the truck was almost knocked Ai Eng, the driver quickly stepped on the brake. The driver’s head was knocked onto the stirring wheel when he put a sudden brake. The driver touched his forehead painfully and said angrily, getting off the truck and walking towards Ai Eng,

“IDIOT! YOU DON’T WANT YOUR LIFE, IS IT?!”

When the driver was standing in front off Ai Eng and about to scold Ai Eng, he suddenly found Ai Eng just looked ahead emotionlessly and walked past him, hitting his upper arm with hers. Just as the driver looked Ai Eng walking further away, the driver sighed and said, putting a cigarette in his mouth,

“Another broke-heart woman.”

Then that driver looked down and gave a slight smile before returning to his truck.

At the hospital, Ai Eng was pouring the soup into the bowl when Jun Xuan who was sitting on the ward bed asked with one of his hand bandaged, smiling cheekily,

“Is that the same chicken soup which you made that day?”

Ai Eng didn’t answer, as she was staring at the soup in the bowl which she was holding in her hand without any expression on her face. Jun Xuan could see that it’s a big blow for Ai Eng to hear that her husband might have gone missing with another woman so Jun Xuan got down from the bed and walked to Ai Eng. When Jun Xuan was standing behind Ai Eng, he slowly stretched out his hand which was not injured and gently hugged her from behind, whispering softly in her ear,

“Don’t hold your tears. Release them.”

This time, Ai Eng didn’t move away but just kept on staring at the soup. Then droplets were fallen into the soup. Ai Eng cried in Jun Xuan’s hug without any noise and expression on her face. Seeing Ai Eng being so sad, Jun Xuan hugged her tighter, closing his eyes sadly.

When Ai Eng was walking to the hospital exit, she saw Tian Ming and Yun Xi walking in from the exit, holding hands. At that time, Tian Ming stared at her and Yun Xi gave her a whine when they were walking closer to Ai Eng. When they were very close, Ai Eng just looked away sadly and walked past Tian Ming and Yun Xi. Seeing Ai Eng walking past, Tian Ming knew that all he could do at that time was just look ahead and continue walking without turning back to look at Ai Eng. Yun Xi smiled secretly when she saw all this.

In Jun Xuan’s ward room, Yun Xi stood besides Tian Ming and looked at her brother from head to toe, saying with a sweet smile,

“You seem pretty okay. I think you can even carry a cow right now.”

Yun Xi laughed at her own joke but when she noticed that Jun Xuan and Tian Ming just gave mere smile, she stopped laughing and looked away awkwardly. Then Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and suddenly said with a smile, pointing her finger up,

“Oh yeah! I have left the basket of fruits which we bought for brother in your car.”

“I will go down and bring it here.”

Tian Ming said and was about to walk to the door but Yun Xi quickly said,

“No need. I will go and get it. I was the one who was holding it when we were in your car on our way here. So I should be the one bringing it here.”

“I can call my driver, Mr Song to ask him to bring it here now.”

Tian Ming said and searched his trouser’s pockets for his hand-phone. Then Yun Xi grabbed Tian Ming’s hand and said with a happy smile,

“You can’t even bear not to see me for a few minutes. I will be right back in moment.”

Yun Xi gave Tian Ming a kiss on his face and ran out of the room. Now there were Jun Xuan and Tian Ming in the room. The two guys looked else where as they felt awkward to look at each other. Jun Xuan was the one started to say, looking at Tian Ming,

“Get a seat.”

Tian Ming nodded his head and went to sit on the chair besides the ward bed. Tian Ming looked else where for awhile, and his eyes suddenly were caught by Jun Xuan’s bandaged hand. Then Tian Ming looked Jun Xuan and asked with much concern,

“How’s your hand?”

Jun Xuan looked at his hand and said with a smile,

“Well, this is not a big deal. In fact, I can be discharged tomorrow. I am so sick of the medicine smell here. Furthermore, there are no pretty nurses here.”

Seeing Jun Xuan smiling, Tian Ming said with a smile,

“You have changed.”

“Have I changed even more handsome?”

Jun Xuan asked in a joking manner, looking at Tian Ming. Tian Ming gave a slight laugh, and he said with great gratitude,

“Thank you.”

“What’s that for?”

Jun Xuan asked and looked away. Tian Ming looked away and smiled. Then Tian Ming looked back at Jun Xuan and said, smiling

“You know what that for. I have own you one more.”

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming and said sarcastically,

“Don’t get this wrong. I am not doing it for you. The reason why I saved you was because I don’t want Ai Eng to feel bad all her life, thinking that she has caused harm to you and remembering you all her life.”
“I think both of us are very alike. We are not true to our feeling. You have forgotten that I have six-sense. I can feel that you still cherish our friendship.”

Tian Ming said, looking at Jun Xuan. Jun Xuan gave a stuck-up look and said,
“Sorry. I am not like you. At least, I am able to show how much I love Ai Eng. You? You only know how to keep your feeling because you don’t want to hurt anyone. You are clear that if you continue deceiving yourself and the person who loves you, you will only hurt her further. So tell her the true now before it is too late.”

Tian Ming looked away sadly. Then Jun Xuan said with a serious look,

“Keep this in mind, I am not giving up Ai Eng. I will try my best to keep her by my side.”

“But have you ever thought that you will end up hurting her by doing so?”

Tian Ming asked, looking at Jun Xuan sadly. Jun Xuan did not say anything and just leaned his head backward, closing his eyes.

Outside the room, Yun Xi was standing near the door, overhearing the whole conversation between the two guys. Yun Xi held the basket in her hands really tight and looked at one direction with much anger.

At home, when Ai Eng opened the main door to come into the house after visiting Jun Xuan, she saw Jun Tai watching the TV programme and the new maid was sweeping the floor. Ai Eng walked to the sofa and sat besides Jun Tai, watching the TV programme with not much interest. Then Ai Eng remembered the conversation between Mrs Takeshi and her, saying,

“Can you tell me did you really see my husband got into the taxi with another woman that day when you first made weird call to me?”

“Don’t worry. Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”

“You mean Jun Tai?”
“Yes. I saw him looking at his father at the gateway that day when his father was getting into the taxi. But he seemed very unhappy that day because when his father waved to him, he did not wave back and just walk back into the house with a look as black as charcoal.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai and asked herself in her heart,

“Should I ask Jun Tai about his dad’s disappearance?”

Ai Eng thought for awhile. And when she was about to ask, Jun Tai stood up and said, yawning,

“This boring show just makes me feel like sleeping. I think I better go up and play online game.”

Jun Tai walked to the staircase and held onto the stair railing, while climbing up the stairs. Looking at Jun Tai as he climbed up the stairs, Ai Eng seemed to noticed something and thought in her heart,

“He seems like he is avoiding me? Does he know what I want to ask him?”

Ai Eng gave a deep thought and suddenly turned to looked at the new maid when the maid asked,

“Would you like some drink, Madam?”

Ai Eng shook her head and said,

“No. I am not thirsty. Thank you.”

Then Ai Eng turned and looked at the direction of the TV puzzlingly, thinking in her heart,

“What if he really saw his father that day, why didn’t he tell us about it?”

On the other hand, Jun Tai was secretly looking down at Ai Eng while hiding at a corner guiltily, saying,

“I know what you want to ask me because that day I also saw Mrs Takeshi opposite our house but I didn’t know she was that woman until I saw her wearing the same dress that night when she was pointing a knife at me as to threaten you.”

Jun Tai turned around and leaned against the wall, saying sadly,

“Actually I just wanted to see you worry like hell at the beginning. But after seeing you so sad and worry when dad’s gone, the guiltier I feel so I just can’t bring to tell you even though dad’s has asked me to tell you that he will be away and will return in a few weeks’ time.”

Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng again and said sadly,

“I am sorry for not telling you this earlier. But I really can’t tell you what I saw that day now because I don’t want to hurt you further.”

At the school garden, Tian Ming and Yun Xi were sitting on the bench, having lunch together. When Yun Xi took her food to put in Tian Ming’s mouth, Tian Ming just opened his mouth and looked down sadly after the food was put into his mouth, swallowing hard. Then Yun Xi asked with a sweet smile, grapping his hand,

“Is it nice?”

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi awkwardly and nodded his head. Then he looked down at his food again. Yun Xi looked at one direction angrily as she knew that he was about to break up with her. But she pretended as if she knew nothing and looked at Tian Ming, asking with a smile,

“Shall we go for a movie after school?”

“Oh! I am afraid I can’t make it because I have to attend some catwalk lesson later. And after that I have some shooting to do. I am really sorry”

Tian Ming said, looking at Yun Xi feeling bad. Yun Xi looked away angrily and said sarcastically, letting go of Tian Ming’s hand and crossing her arms,

“I think you just don’t want to spend time with me.”

Tian Ming didn’t say anything and looked down sadly. Looking at Tian Ming didn’t even try to explain; Yun Xi stood up and said angrily,

“Fine! Since you don’t wish to see me, I will leave now.”

Yun Xi walked away. But when she was walking away, she kept on looking back at Tian Ming, waiting for Tian Ming to call her. When she saw Tian Ming still sitting there and looking down, she stamped her foot and continued walking away. Then Yun Xi stopped and smiled victoriously when Tian Ming called out,

“Yun Xi.”

Yun Xi turned and looked at Tian Ming, putting up an angry look. Tian Ming looked up at Yun Xi and said, grabbing his own hands tightly,

“Let’s break up.”

Yun Xi had a sudden change of face expression from angry to a mixture of sadness and hatred.

At home, when Ai Eng and Jun Tai were having lunch, Ai Eng kept on looking at Jun Tai which made him keep looking down and tucking the rice into his mouth. Ai Eng took a piece of meet and put it into Jun Tai’s rice bowl, saying with a smile,

“Don’t just eat the rice.”

Then Jun Tai nodded his head with his mouth filled with rice. Jun Tai started taking other food on the table. After awhile, Ai Eng noticed that Jun Tai was less cautious so she grabbed this opportunity and said sadly,

“Jun Tai, you know that these dishes are your dad’s favourite. If he is around, he will finish all these dishes all by himself. I wonder if you have any idea where he has gone to.”
Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai who stopped eating and kept lowering his head. Just as Ai Eng was about to continue asking Jun Tai, a loud slam of the main door was heard. Then Ai Eng and Jun Tai jumped up and looked at the main door. To their surprise, they saw Yun Xi running to the stairs, crying bitterly. So Ai Eng of course ran to Yun Xi and asked worriedly,

“Yun Xi, what has happened? Why were crying?”

Yun Xi stopped running and turned to look at Ai Eng angrily. When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi crying, she stretched out her hand and wanted to wipe her tears but Yun Xi pushed her down onto the floor, screaming at Ai Eng with a very dreadful look,

“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!!!!!”

After screaming, Yun Xi wiped her tears and turned around to climb up the stairs. But when Yun Xi climbed up one step, she stopped and turned around. She looked Ai Eng with those evil eyes and walked towards Ai Eng. When Yun Xi just a few step away from Ai Eng, Yun Xi bent down and put her face very close to Ai Eng which made Ai Eng moved backwards, looking at her daughter in great fear.