Chapter 65: Wife
Zhou Tianzui held the candy, her heart filled with a sweetness far surpassing any honeyed treat. You Ruxu wasn’t one for sweet words; even now, Zhou Tianzui hadn’t heard her utter a single “I love you.” This person just wasn’t the type. But that simple “to coax my wife” made her heart blossom.
Even if You Ruxu was just parroting her words.
Zhou Tianzui enjoyed it immensely.
She liked this parroting.
When Yao Zhao returned to the table, You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui were chatting. A doctor and a reporter, both seemingly unattainable figures. She remembered her Chinese class, when the teacher asked them about their dream jobs. Many of her classmates said they wanted to be singers, actors, or lawyers, designers. When it was her turn, her mind was blank.
The future? She didn’t dare think about something so far off. She had thought about working, perhaps a nine-to-five job, perhaps with night shifts, at a factory. She might have to drop out of school after junior high, and even then, finding a factory job wasn’t guaranteed.
Her future was bleak and uncertain.
Yao Zhao lowered her head and touched the new fabric of her down jacket. It had a pleasant, indescribable scent, a bit like You Ruxu’s, an intellectual and elegant fragrance.
Completely different from her own.
She didn’t know why You Ruxu bought her clothes, why she took her in, why she was so kind to her. She was just a subject of a news story, one of many. She felt unworthy of such kindness, yet greedily clung to it.
She knew she didn’t deserve it, and it made her uneasy.
Yao Zhao stood there, frozen. The restaurant owner, seeing her, chuckled, “What’s wrong, little girl? Why are you just standing there?”
Several pairs of eyes looked over. Yao Zhao quickly returned to her seat, lowering her head, and saw the torn pieces of sesame cake in her bowl. You Ruxu said, “Do you like soaking them in the soup?”
Yao Zhao said, “Yes, I do.”
You Ruxu said, “Then go ahead.”
Yao Zhao put a few pieces into her bowl, lowered her head, and took a sip of the soup, the warmth spreading through her. She looked at You Ruxu, then at Zhou Tianzui, bit her lip, and continued drinking her soup.
You Ruxu, after finishing her meal, received a call from Chen Xiang, about work. She excused herself and went outside to answer the call. Yao Zhao continued eating, her head lowered. Zhou Tianzui picked up the plate of sesame cakes, “Want some more?”
Yao Zhao, slightly intimidated by her, shook her head. Zhou Tianzui said, “Not good?”
Yao Zhao said, “It’s delicious.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Then why aren’t you eating more?”
Yao Zhao bit her lip.
Zhou Tianzui put half of the remaining sesame cakes in her bowl, stirred her soup, and said, “Do you know why she became a reporter?”
Yao Zhao looked up at Zhou Tianzui. She was always a little afraid of her, hesitant to meet her gaze. Firstly, because she was a doctor, and secondly, because of her aura, the natural presence she exuded. Zhou Tianzui had a strong aura, a righteous aura, as if nothing could escape her sharp eyes. So Yao Zhao often felt that even her darkest thoughts were exposed under Zhou Tianzui’s gaze.
She shook her head: “I don’t know.” She asked curiously, “Why?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “When she was very young, she did something wrong, and she’s always blamed herself. She became a reporter to make amends.”
Yao Zhao nodded.
Zhou Tianzui continued, “It’s rare for someone to never make mistakes, but if those mistakes hurt others, it can weigh on your conscience for a lifetime, don’t you think so, Yao Zhao?”
Yao Zhao’s heart skipped a beat.
She lowered her head.
When You Ruxu returned, they had already finished eating. She asked Zhou Tianzui, “How are you getting back?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I drove.”
You Ruxu nodded.
She took Yao Zhao home, waving goodbye to Zhou Tianzui at the hospital entrance. Before, their hearts hadn’t been connected, even though they slept in the same bed every night. Now, their hearts were connected, yet they were apart.
You Ruxu found it amusing.
On the way back, Yao Zhao whispered, “Reporter.”
You Ruxu turned slightly, looking at Yao Zhao, and softly responded, “Yes?”
Yao Zhao asked, “Did you ever do anything wrong when you were young?”
You Ruxu didn’t correct her use of “also,” but after a moment of silence, nodded, “Yes.”
Yao Zhao bit her lip.
You Ruxu said, “I almost, caused someone’s death.”
Yao Zhao’s heart clenched. She looked at You Ruxu. To her, You Ruxu was like the clear wind and bright moon, someone who would never do anything wrong. But even she made mistakes. Yao Zhao fidgeted with the edge of her pants, not asking further.
She was quiet, lost in her own thoughts, until You Ruxu called her name when they arrived.
After getting out of the car, You Ruxu took her home and said, “Go do your homework.”
Yao Zhao stood at the study door, watching You Ruxu walk around outside. Guilt gnawed at her. She clenched her hands several times, but didn’t have the courage to open them, finally lowering her head and going into the study. You Ruxu, after finishing her tasks, sat on the sofa in the living room, her laptop on the coffee table. She had just finished a video call with Chen Xiang when she heard a small voice.
“Reporter.” Yao Zhao’s voice was soft, like a kitten’s meow, “Can I talk to you?”
You Ruxu closed her laptop and went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of warm water, handing one to Yao Zhao. The light fell on the young girl, her slender figure looking fragile, her hair tied back, revealing her delicate features, her face pale, her lips bloodless.
Yao Zhao had bitten her lip again, oblivious to the sting, her head lowered as she mustered the courage to speak, “I’m sorry, I lied to you.”
You Ruxu’s expression wasn’t surprised, but calm, as if she had been expecting this.
Yao Zhao continued, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t abused, but I really wished I was, I would rather be beaten, I really didn’t mean to lie!”
Her voice was slightly frantic, her words tumbling out incoherently. You Ruxu frowned, then after a few seconds, understood. She put down her glass, placed her hands on Yao Zhao’s shoulders, and tried to calm her down, but Yao Zhao was overwhelmed by her emotions, almost hysterical.
“I really didn’t mean to, it would be better if he hit me, I wanted him to hit me! I wished he would hit me! He…”
You Ruxu gently shook her shoulders, “Yao Zhao?”
The water in Yao Zhao’s glass spilled onto the floor. She bit her lip hard.
You Ruxu hugged her carefully: “Yao Zhao, calm down.”
“I’m sorry,” Yao Zhao’s voice was small as she cried, “I really thought that, if only he would hit me, I’d rather he hit me.”
You Ruxu was speechless.
After a few minutes, when Yao Zhao had calmed down, she asked, “Did he, touch you?”
For a girl to say she would rather be beaten, there had to be something worse than physical abuse. Yao Zhao’s eyes were red and swollen. She had calmed down somewhat in You Ruxu’s embrace. Hearing the question, she flinched and said, “During the New Year holidays, he was drunk and mistook me for my mom.”
You Ruxu’s heart clenched.
Yao Zhao continued, “I ran away.”
“I didn’t dare go home, I wanted to call the police, but I was too scared, I didn’t want my classmates to find out, if they knew—” Yao Zhao didn’t finish her sentence. If her classmates found out, she would be even more isolated and helpless. She was already being bullied at school because of the domestic violence reports. If they knew about this, she would be subjected to even more judgment and ridicule.
You Ruxu knew the devastating power of rumors and gossip.
Yao Zhao said, “I thought he was just drunk, he said since my mom was gone, he would marry me when I turned eighteen.”
She was terrified, didn’t know what to do. She saw reports about domestic violence on TV, so she inflicted most of the injuries on herself. In the past two months, the man, exasperated by her, also hit her, but too lightly. She wished he would hit her harder, she would rather be beaten to death.
You Ruxu said, “Don’t say that.”
Yao Zhao’s eyes were red, “Can’t I report him now?”
She lowered her head, “Do I have to go back home?”
You Ruxu pursed her lips, “We’ll find a way.”
“I’ve already consulted a lawyer.” Yao Zhao said, “I have no evidence, there’s nothing I can do.”
If there was any other way, she wouldn’t have resorted to lying. She had consulted a lawyer, who said that since the man hadn’t touched her, it didn’t even count as harassment, she had no evidence, so she couldn’t sue him on those grounds. She needed evidence, or a different reason.
Evidence.
She would never let that man touch her for the sake of evidence. The thought was terrifying, she would rather die.
Domestic violence was her only option.
Yao Zhao said, “I really didn’t mean to lie.”
“I know.” You Ruxu reassured her, “Don’t think too much about it, Yao Zhao, drink some water and go rest.”
Yao Zhao looked at You Ruxu: “Aren’t you angry at me?”
You Ruxu remembered their first meeting, Yao Zhao also asking, “Aren’t you angry at me?”
Children with low self-esteem always blamed themselves, even when deeply hurt, afraid of disappointing others. You Ruxu shook her head, “I’m not angry, you did well.”
Although her methods were wrong, she was trying her best to protect herself. For such a timid child, it wasn’t easy.
You Ruxu’s gaze was filled with approval as she patted Yao Zhao’s shoulder. Yao Zhao’s anxiety gradually subsided. She went to the bedroom, took off her clothes, hung them by the bed, and peeked through the slightly open door. You Ruxu was sitting on the sofa, her back to her. Yao Zhao lowered her head.
A stranger had bought her clothes, taken care of her, and she had lied to her.
She was a terrible person.
Yao Zhao bit her lip hard, the cut reopening, the metallic taste filling her mouth. She lay in bed, feeling a sense of peace she had never known before.
Even if she was sent back home the next moment, she felt at peace now.
You Ruxu, outside, rested her forehead on her hand, leaning against the sofa, her other hand holding her phone, scrolling through countless cases and news stories, but none were applicable.
Her phone buzzed with a notification. She opened it; it was a message from Zhou Tianzui.
Zhou Tianzui: [I’m home.]
You Ruxu: [Okay.]
Zhou Tianzui: [What are you doing?]
You Ruxu: [Looking at case files.]
She immediately received a video call. You Ruxu got up from the sofa, took the phone, and went into her bedroom. As soon as she answered, she heard Zhou Tianzui’s lazy voice, “Working so hard, Teacher You?”
You Ruxu’s ears tingled. She touched her earlobe, it was warm. Zhou Tianzui’s presence seemed to travel across the distance. You Ruxu gripped her phone and said, “Don’t call me Teacher You anymore.”
Zhou Tianzui readily agreed, “Okay, wife.”
You Ruxu: …
You Ruxu: I…
Zhou Tianzui: Okay, wife.
You Ruxu: …
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