Chapter 73: Ordeal
That night, the Wen household wasn’t peaceful either. Mother and daughter faced each other, locked in a tense standoff.
The cause was that while playing mahjong, Wen Qiuxian noticed she had received several WeChat messages, and the sender was Chen Yin.
Wen Qiuxian often suffered from stomach problems and later ran into Chen Yin at the hospital once. Thinking she was the parent of her daughter’s classmate, she added her on WeChat while greeting her, though they didn’t really interact.
Wen Qiuxian was quite surprised to see Chen Yin contacting her actively. When she saw the content of the messages clearly, she was even more surprised… so much so that after playing only two or three rounds of mahjong, she had no mind to continue and went back home restlessly.
Wen Yu’s pen tip scratched on the drawing paper. Seeing Wen Qiuxian come straight to her as soon as she got home, standing in front of her as if she had something to say but remaining silent.
After a long time, Wen Yu asked first, “What’s the matter?”
Wen Qiuxian’s gaze swept over the drawing paper. Although it wasn’t finished, she could tell it was a drawing of that little girl. She looked down at Wen Yu and asked, “What’s going on between you and that girl?”
A somewhat sensitive and abrupt question; did she sense something? Regardless, Wen Yu acted calm and asked, “Which one?”
Still pretending. Wen Qiuxian had long felt Wen Yu was overly intimate with that girl, hugging at the drop of a hat, and going out to stay overnight every few days… But two girls being close, how could she think in that direction?
“The one who was with you last night, are you two dating?” Wen Qiuxian spoke bluntly. She had an impatient temper and didn’t like beating around the bush. “Her mother contacted me and told me everything.”
Wen Yu’s hand holding the pen stopped, her expression changing only then. She immediately thought of Ye Qizhen being hurriedly called back home in the morning; something must have happened.
She glanced at Wen Qiuxian, didn’t answer, and hurriedly got up to get her phone to make a call.
No answer once, no answer twice, three times…
Gradually becoming anxious and uneasy.
Couldn’t get through. Wen Yu was frantic and had to contact Tang Tang. Tang Tang went out of town today and was confused when she received Wen Yu’s call, knowing nothing.
“Don’t panic yet, she might not have time to check her phone for now…” Hearing Ye Qizhen came out, Tang Tang was also anxious inside, not expecting the storm to arrive so soon.
“Do you have her home address?” Various scenarios flashed through her mind. Wen Yu calculated quickly. She hadn’t been to Ye Qizhen’s home, only knowing it was in a nearby neighborhood, but not the detailed address.
“I’ll send it to you right away…”
Wen Qiuxian watched dazedly from the side. Raising her for so long, she had never seen her daughter this anxious before, as if she had completely changed into another person, very unfamiliar.
Hanging up the phone, Wen Yu was anxious to leave; she really couldn’t rest easy.
“You’re still going to find her?” Wen Qiuxian stopped Wen Yu, saying angrily, “She’s not answering your calls, why go find her? Her family doesn’t agree, meaning for you not to pester her.”
Although the long paragraph sent by Chen Yin was expressed politely and appropriately, Wen Qiuxian’s heart was clear as a mirror. The meaning between the lines was just telling her daughter not to pester her daughter anymore.
Wen Yu’s heart clenched in pain, yet she remained resolute, stubbornly wanting to leave. Ye Qizhen promised to always be by her side, not to abandon her. She believed her.
“Stop right there!” Wen Qiuxian wanted to say something else, but saw Wen Yu casually grab the jacket beside her, not even having time to put it on, changing shoes and leaving hurriedly.
Wen Qiuxian looked at the unclosed door. What is all this? Taught her countless times to keep her eyes open when looking for men, and now, good, she found a woman directly.
Looking at this reaction and virtue again, Wen Qiuxian sighed heavily. Hopeless at first glance; once she falls in love, she’s completely devoted, no better than herself when she was young.
…
The atmosphere in the Ye family was also scorching.
Hearing Ye Qifan say “I got divorced,” Chen Yin was instantly mute. A heavier blow pressed down, her mind blank, unable to speak for a long time.
The matter of Ye Qifan’s divorce was obviously harder for them to accept than Ye Qizhen coming out. The eldest daughter was cultivated by them personally, an existence they could be proud of at any time.
Ye Qizhen was also surprised; after all, her sister had been married for less than half a year.
“Last month.” Under their gaze, Ye Qifan added numbly. As for other things, she didn’t plan to say more. Ye Qizhen said what she wanted to say most, but all along, she lived less soberly and bravely than a twenty-year-old girl.
“Such a big thing as divorce, why didn’t you discuss it with the family?” Chen Yin’s voice trembled.
“I thought it through, no need to discuss,” Ye Qifan said concisely.
“Did that kid do something wrong to you?” Father Ye still couldn’t believe it.
“No, I couldn’t go on.”
“What couldn’t go on?!”
Ye Qifan was silent, too lazy to say more.
“One messing around with a girl, one divorcing right after marriage.” Father Ye smiled bitterly, face pale. “Who wouldn’t laugh if this gets out? You two have completely lost face for us.”
Ye Qizhen felt terrible listening, not wanting to stay any longer, holding her breath wanting to leave.
“Want to leave, huh? If you dare to leave today, don’t come back to this home in the future!” Father Ye shouted sternly at Ye Qizhen.
“Can you calm down!” Ye Qifan suddenly shouted with a sharp voice. It was also the first time in so many years she spoke like this.
Ye Qifan’s shout plunged the air into dead silence again. When a person who was always gentle and polite vented, they had astonishing explosive power.
After speaking, Ye Qifan picked up her bag.
“Fanfan, explain clearly to Mom, how come…” Chen Yin wanted to call Ye Qifan back.
“I don’t want to say too much anymore.” Ye Qifan knew very well that explaining more was futile. What should be said had been said long ago. If it wasn’t what they expected, it would never be a satisfactory answer. Like Ye Qizhen said, their parents didn’t care that much about their true feelings.
Ye Qizhen left the Ye home with Ye Qifan.
With a bang, the door was closed.
Chen Yin looked haggard. Life seemed to change from enviable to a mess in one day.
The snow had stopped, but the wind was a bit strong.
Just downstairs, Ye Qizhen unexpectedly bumped into Wen Yu’s figure. Wen Yu also saw her and ran towards her against the wind.
Seeing Wen Yu at this time, Ye Qizhen lost control of her tears directly. Warning herself not to cry was useless. She almost threw herself into Wen Yu’s arms, hugging her.
Wen Yu hugged Ye Qizhen tightly, finally feeling grounded. “Why didn’t you answer my calls? Scared me to death…”
Ye Qizhen was crying. Remembering her phone was on silent in the bedroom, she didn’t hear it at all. Coming out in a hurry, she didn’t check either. “I didn’t see it. Why did you come?”
Wen Yu looked at Ye Qizhen’s red and swollen eyes from crying. “Why didn’t you tell me? Your mom told my mom about us, that’s how I knew.”
How could this happen? Ye Qizhen’s brain was completely chaotic. Tonight was a mess, plus being slapped hard, her head was still dizzy and nauseous.
Although the streetlights weren’t bright, Wen Yu still discovered the unnatural marks on the left side of Ye Qizhen’s face. She touched it gently. “Hit?”
Being touched on the face by Wen Yu, Ye Qizhen wanted to cry even more than when she was hit, tears surging out uncontrollably.
Ye Qifan was standing nearby, not having left yet. She walked closer and asked, “So late, do you have a place to go?”
Ye Qizhen let go of Wen Yu and said softly, “My sister.”
“Have a place to go.” Wen Yu specifically took the key when coming out. She said to Ye Qizhen again, “We’ll go to the old house.”
Ye Qizhen nodded.
Ye Qifan: “I drove, I’ll take you.”
After checking her phone, Ye Qizhen realized there were dozens of missed calls. A few in the middle were from Tang Tang; the rest were all from Wen Yu.
Less than twenty minutes’ drive, they quickly arrived at the destination. Ye Qifan parked the car at the intersection of the old street. She looked back. “Here?”
“Mn, thank you, Sister.” Seeing Ye Qifan taking care of Ye Qizhen in various ways, Wen Yu felt slightly better.
“Sister, thank you for today.” Ye Qizhen also said to Ye Qifan. If not for her sister, she couldn’t imagine how this matter would end; it might have been much more embarrassing.
Ye Qifan: “It’s nothing.”
Getting out of the car, Ye Qizhen stood outside the window and suddenly called again, “Sister.”
Ye Qifan rolled down the window and turned her head.
“Whatever decision you make, I support you.” Ye Qizhen smiled at Ye Qifan with wet eyes. Thinking of Ye Qifan secretly smoking that day, her sister’s psychological pressure must be great too.
“Mn.” Ye Qifan responded. “Didn’t realize you loved crying so much before?”
Ye Qizhen smiled embarrassedly. Incredible to say, they were biological sisters, yet they didn’t really understand each other.
Before leaving, Ye Qifan added softly, “Girlfriend is very pretty.”
Ye Qizhen was moved, smiling and squeezing Wen Yu’s hand. Many times things seemed terrible, but weren’t that bad.
“Contact me if anything happens.” Ye Qifan thought for a moment and added. The situation at home was tough.
“Mn.”
Ye Qifan closed the window and drove into the night.
Ye Qizhen watched the receding taillights, somewhat dazed. Her relationship with her sister had been lukewarm since childhood. Perhaps adults loved comparing them, subconsciously putting them on opposite sides, destined not to be close.
One forever having to be a role model, one forever unable to get affirmation. Both were too tired. Breaking out tonight felt relaxing instead.
Ye Qizhen tried hard to hold back tears. Other times she could cry in front of Wen Yu, but at this time, she couldn’t show weakness in front of Wen Yu.
Going upstairs, Wen Yu checked Ye Qizhen’s face immediately, only then seeing how serious it was.
“How could my mom contact your mom?” Ye Qizhen couldn’t figure this out. But this was indeed something Chen Yin could do. Remember when friends came to play with her sister in childhood, Chen Yin would tell the parents in a roundabout way that her daughter was busy with tutoring and ask their kids not to come often.
Wen Yu shook her head, attention still on Ye Qizhen’s face. Hitting so hard, and Ye Qizhen was particularly afraid of pain. “Any other places uncomfortable?”
Ye Qizhen shook her head too, asking anxiously, “Auntie knows, did she make things difficult for you?”
“No. I heard from her, couldn’t get through to your phone, so I came to find you. How did your mom know we’re together?”
“She saw our photos.”
“Didn’t even tell me.” Wen Yu was worried in the morning. She messaged Ye Qizhen asking what happened, but was deceived by Ye Qizhen with an excuse.
Ye Qizhen knew her parents’ temper very well. Calling Wen Yu along would be useless; couldn’t change anything, only making Wen Yu suffer grievances with her.
“Hit so hard.” Wen Yu lowered her head and gently touched Ye Qizhen’s cheek. Thinking this slap was related to her, she felt even worse, eyes unconsciously moistening.
Ye Qizhen managed to control her tears with difficulty, but seeing Wen Yu red-eyed and distressed for her, bean-sized tears surged down again.
Wen Yu wiped tears for Ye Qizhen, but tears slid silently from her own eyes.
Ye Qizhen hurriedly hugged Wen Yu, comforting her instead, smiling through tears: “It’s okay, I made it clear to them, I just want to be with you.”
