Chapter 7.3 - 7th Stop: The Taste of Jealousy (3)
Xiaole was missing again! Mucheng looked around frantically but she just couldn’t seem to find her son.
Where did he go again? She was very angry and worried. She realized that she had been “playing” hide and seek with her son frequently ever since Guangxi came. Xiaole became more playful because he had Guangxi to back him up whenever she was lectured him for his playfulness and disobedience.
She started to wonder if he was having fun somewhere with Guangxi now.
“Xiaole, didn’t I warn that you umpteen of times that you’ll have to have your shots of crystals whenever there’s a need to?” Mucheng muttered under her breath. She decided that it was getting dark soon and she should go out and look for him instead of waiting frantically at home.
***
Xiaole skated pretty smoothly while Guangxi expressed his approval. This child does have a hidden talent for skating. It only took him an afternoon and he already could grasp the basics well. “Xiaole, I’ll be letting go of your hands now.”
“Okay.” Xiaole nodded. He trembled a little while trying to move forward after Guangxi let go.
“Well done! Xiaole, you’ve almost mastered it.“ Guangxi smiled and applauded for him.
Xiaole was just getting pleased when he suddenly felt dizzy. He fell onto the ground. Fortunately, he had safety guards on his elbows and knees and that prevented him from getting bruised.
Guangxi thought he fell because he lost his balance. He said, “It’s alright. Stand up right now.”
“Okay.” Xiaole struggled as he tried to bring himself back onto his feet but he got dizzier instead.
“What’s the matter? You are a boy. You should be brave. Come on; be up on your feet now.” Guangxi frowned as he walked up to Xiaole. It was then he realized that Xiaole was covered in cold sweat and his face as pale as a sheet. He felt his heart strings being tugged. “Xiaole, how are you feeling?”
“I…” Xiaole was too weak to even speak and he fainted in Guangxi’s arms.
“Xiaole!” Guangxi panicked. He was lost and decided to rush him home immediately. On his way home, he met Mucheng who was worriedly looking for Xiaole. He immediately knew something was amiss.
“Give him to me.” She said, while taking out the needles from her bag. She immediately gave Xiaole an injection.
Guangxi stared blankly at her. “What are you doing?”
“Can’t you see for yourself? I’m giving him an injection.”
“Why?”
“That’s because Xiaole has Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 (Diabetes Type 1). He has to be administered with insulin whenever there’s a need for it!” Mucheng raised her voice. She was very upset and burst out in front of Guangxi. “That’s why I said that Xiaole can’t be running around as he wished. He can’t do vigorous exercises too. Do you know what you’ve just done? You nearly killed Xiaole!”
Guangxi was shocked. He finally understood why she was so overly-protective over Xiaole. He thought that it was because she was too anxious as an unwed mother. But now, he knew that there was a very good and heart-wrenching reason why she was so.
Guangxi felt his heart ached. “… I’m really sorry.”
Mucheng ignored him and turned around. She then cradled Xiaole in her arms.
“Let me help.” He said.
“That’s no need for that!” She rejected his offer. “He’s my son. I’ll carry him home on my own.”
*****************
Perhaps he should apologise to her again.
After they were back at home, Guangxi watched as Mucheng tended to Xiaole. He felt apologetic but she was so cold that he didn’t know how he should break the ice between them.
Admittedly, it was his fault that Xiaole had a relapse. But he didn’t do it purposefully. Did she have to take him as an enemy?
He felt unjust and upset that she gave him a cold shoulder. He, Ren Guangxi had never had to apologise to anyone for the past 6 years. He also never had to be humble in front of any woman. But this woman made him break his entire pattern.
He guessed he had to admit that she was one of a kind.
His hand phone rang and Guangxi picked it up in frustration. “Hello, who’s that?”
“Why is your tone like this? Are you upset?” The other party sounded shocked.
“Oh. It’s you, Yiqian.” He tried to control his emotions. “Aren’t you in the States for a conference? Are you free enough to call me now?”
“I’m back already.” Yiqian smiled. “I decided to call you for a chat before I report to the hospital. How are things going for you at Huatian Village?”
“Things are fine here. What about you?” Guangxi asked while he rubbed his eyes.
“I’m fine. I had quite a fruitful experience in the States.” Yiqian shared with him her experience in the Sates while he listened to her patiently. Occasionally, he asked a few questions and replied hers. “Why do you still sound so depressed? Is it because the case that my father entrusted you isn’t going well?”
“Are you talking about the case regarding the land ownership rights? Don’t worry. The villagers here really trust me and they have decided to entrust me with the case too. I’ll try my best to settle it for Huanyu Constructions. Please help me tell him that he doesn’t have to worry about anything.”
“There’s no need for that. My father trusts you the most.” Yiqian said, smiling.
They hung up after a while. Guangxi stared into space for a moment. Then he turned around to see Mucheng standing at the doorway of his room. She had a stern look on her face.
“I see. You’re here for Huanyu Constructions. Why did you have to say that you’re here for C.W.O.?”
Guangxi realized that Mucheng had heard him. He felt guilty and became anxious as he saw the look of disapproval on her face. He wanted to explain but the things he said didn’t sound so. “If not why do you think I’m at the countryside now?”
“Despicable!” Mucheng threw the clean sheets that she brought to change for him onto the floor. “Let me tell you this; no one in Huatian Village will sell their land. We all earn our keep from this land.”
“Money can do magic. I see that you guys have been really fickle-minded? Is it all an act to raise the price of the land?” He chided.
She stared back at him. “Do you think we’re like you rich folks and we have all the time and strength to play such games that you people do?”
“We never know.” He rebutted.
“Despicable! Shameless!” She was terrible upset. “I guess you defended that rapist because of his status right?”
“That’s right. He was a minister. It’s better to defend someone famous than some nobody.” She was already despising him and yet he just couldn’t bring himself down in front of her. “Why? Is there something wrong with that?”
“You…” Mucheng was extremely disappointed. She thought that he might have done that because he was in a predicament. But it turned out that it was all for money and fame… She had actually loved this man before! “Move now! Get out of my house now! I don’t welcome people like you!”
“What did you say?” He looked extremely upset too.
“I said, I don’t welcome you here. Please move out of my house now.”
***
He’ll do as she pleased! Did she think that he like to live at her place?
Guangxi packed his belongings that night and left for the village head’s house in his convertible that was already being repaired. He didn’t care if the village head was willing to take him in or not; he insisted that he wanted to stay and that was it.
The village head was shocked by his upset expression and agreed to it. He slept on the king-sized bed that was specially prepared for him. But he couldn’t sleep at all and tossed and turned till dawn.
That woman had really made his blood boil. Who did she think she was when she spoke to him in that manner? And why was he so hurt by what she had to say? The problem was; he really cared whenever she judged or reprimanded him. It made him feel like a death row criminal who was going to burn in hell whenever she did that. This was totally absurd!
He jumped off his bed and started to kick the walls in an attempt to vent his anger. The noise he made all night had led to the village head’s family thinking that there was an evil spirit knocking at their door that night.
After that day, he continued to provide his services daily. But he always wore a face when he was there and was so stern that the villagers all avoided him and decided that it was definitely not a good time to get any legal advice.
That was what he wanted anyway so it didn’t matter to him even if everyone kept their distance from him. Then, things changed one evening when Guangxi heard from the villagers that there was a typhoon that was coming. He was shocked.
“I heard that it may be here at midnight. How much of your flowers have you harvest already?”
“It’s almost done. I got a few temporary workers to help me with it. How’s yours then?”
“I’m almost done too. But I heard Mucheng’s in a pretty bad shape. She can’t afford temporary workers so she has to do everything herself.”
“Can she handle it?”
“There’s nothing she can do even if she can’t. Everyone’s so busy; there’s no one available to lend her a hand now…”
Guangxi frowned upon hearing that. He felt a little worried as he looked out and saw the weather changing.
What was the problem with him? Why was he so worried for that woman? It’s her own problem if she can’t manage to harvest her crops in time. He could use this as an opportunity to tease her.
It began raining as he thought of that. Guangxi decided that he couldn’t sit around anymore and pretend he didn’t care. He stood up suddenly and went out.
***
Oh no!
Mucheng looked at the weather and saw that the rain was getting heavier. She had a premonition but there was no other way out than working faster.
If only Tuoye was around; he’d be able to help her look for temporary workers that could help her with this. She wondered if he had already found the village head’s grandson…
It seemed like she could only depend on herself then.
A strong wind blew and it stung Mucheng’s face. She held on strongly to the box containing the flowers she had just harvested lest they became damaged.
The wind nearly blew her over. She lost her balance and almost fell into the soil. Fortunately, a pair of strong arms grabbed her in time. That person then cuddled her.
“What on earth are you doing here in such weather?” That person cursed.
She lifted her head and she saw Guangxi’s face with a look of disapproval on his face. She was speechless for a moment.
“Let’s go now. Go home with me now!” He started to drag her.
“No, I can’t do that. I’m not done yet…”
“Can you just leave them alone? It’s just an inevitable loss.”
Why must he make her angry by making it sound so simple? “Do you know that I’m tight on cash now? I need to pay for Xiaole’s school fees soon.”
“You….” He hesitated and suddenly realized that she had a heavy financial burden on her.
“Let go of me.” She said and shrugged him off. “I must at least put some plastic sheets over them even if I can’t harvest the rest. In that way, I can save more crops.”
He stared at her silently and he couldn’t bring himself to drag her away. “Let me help you.”
“What?” She was stunned.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said, let me help you!” He shouted back at her, his expression showing that he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. “Where are the plastic sheets? I’ll move them over now.”
