Chapter 31: Bumping into a crying little bun
Xinyi felt the change in Zhiyuan's voice and body language. He suddenly seemed in shock.
"Zhiyuan, what happened?"
Zhiyuan's gaze was locked onto that woman's figure. The same long hair and her same thin structure brought only Caihong into his mind.
Caihong…? Is she really her?
No, she is her. I cannot be mistaken. Is she really on this cruise ship?
Xinyi furrowed her brows and gently tugged him. "Zhiyuan?"
He snapped from his stupor and looked back at her. "Huh? Xi-Xinyi I just saw…"
He raised her finger towards that woman's direction.
"What did you see?"
When they glanced back again, there was no one standing there. The woman was gone.
Zhiyuan blinked his eyes.
Wait. She was just here. Where did she go?
He looked left and right but he didn't see anybody.
Zhiyuan put Siying down and quickly rushed towards that spot. Xinyi was surprised.
"Zhiyuan, wait. Where are you going?" She held Siying's hand and followed him.
When he reached, indeed there was nobody.
This...was I imagining things? No, but I really saw her…
Confusion furrowed his brows together.
One moment she was standing here and the next moment she wasn't.
Suddenly, his chest loudly thudded thinking of the prospect that Caihong could be here.
Seven years. He finally saw her after seven years. Even if it was a faint figure, he recognized it.
If she is here then will I finally get my answer?
Xinyi held his arm. "Zhiyuan."
"Dada! Why you ran off without us?" He whined. "I want to see the ship too!"
She worriedly asked, "What's wrong? You said you saw somebody. Who is it?"
Zhiyuan parted his lips to speak but then he pursed them.
Should I tell her? But I think it was my illusion anyway. Why will she be on this cruise?
"Nothing. It was my mistake."
Xinyi felt that something shook him for a few moments but now he seemed fine. He was back to his original self.
"Alright."
---
Caihong went back to her room after a breath of fresh air. She was in a bad mood since morning when she was forced to come on this trip with Xiaosi. She hated socializing with him and pretending to be a good wife in front of everyone.
And her bad mood worsened to know that they would be staying in the same room. In the Zhu villa, she had her own room while Xiaosi and Chyou lived in another.
Her chest flared in anger thinking to live in the same room as that man.
Caihong banged the door hard, jolting Chyou. She timidly shrank back and lowered her head. Then she wondered something.
Chyou slowly got down from the bed and trotted towards her cautiously.
"M-Mama. I drew a picture."
She showed her drawing book to her in anticipation.
Caihong grimaced. "Get it away! Show it to your father who actually cares about what you do."
Chyou trembled and her eyes shone with tears. She lowered the drawing book and stood rooted to the place.
"Mama…"
She snarled. "Away!"
Chyou burst into tears and ran away from the room. The bathroom door just opened and Xiaosi came out after getting freshened up.
He suddenly felt something wrong in the atmosphere. He glanced at the bed but Chyou wasn't there. Xiaosi narrowed his eyes and dangerously stared at Caihong.
In large strides, he walked up to her. He grabbed her arm and growled. "Where is Chyou?"
Caihong sneered. "You know, you should teach your daughter to stop pestering me. It's high time she learns it now that the woman who gave birth to her doesn't care about her."
She flinched when he increased the pressure on her arm, tightening his grip. His dark gaze looked down upon her. She gritted her teeth as she found his grasp painful.
There was pin-drop silence.
But then Xiaosi suddenly released her arm and left the room.
Caihong clutched her arm and saw the faint marks of his fingers forming on her skin. A reddish tinge was beginning to appear. She slowly sat on the couch and she rubbed her arm, blankly staring at the wall ahead.
---
Chyou sniffled and kept on running, carrying her small drawing book with her. Her eyes got blurry and wet and suddenly she fell as she bumped into someone.
"Oh, dear! I am so sorry!"
Xinyi quickly bent and helped the child stand. She picked her up in her arms and supported her. When Xinyi saw her crying, she panicked.
"I-I am really sorry. Did I hurt you anywhere, dear?"
Chyou looked up at her. She saw the woman looking at her with concern and anxiousness. She was checking her hands and legs for any bruise.
Xinyi sighed in relief. "You don't seem to be hurt. But I must have scared you. I am really sorry."
Her gentle and warm voice calmed down Chyou and she sniffled. It was sweet and full of care for a girl she didn't even know.
When she remembered how Caihong yelled at her, tears trickled down from her cheeks again.
"Oh, don't cry. You are not hurt thankfully," Xinyi wiped her tears and ruffled her head.
Then she saw her drawing book lying on the floor.
Xinyi brightened. "Oh is this yours? Can I see it? I love drawings!"
Chyou looked at her, surprised. She softly asked, "Y-you want to see it?"
Xinyi nodded hard. "Yes, yes! Can I?"
This was the first time that somebody else other than Xiaosi had shown interest in her work.
Chyou took her drawing book and opened it. "T-this I drew today…"
Xinyi picked her up and sat on a nearby bench. Her gaze sparkled. "Is this ship you drew this cruise ship where we are right now?"
Chyou was surprised as she correctly guessed it and then she brightly smiled. "Yes. I drew Uncle Mu's ship. How is it?"
"It's beautiful, dear! You captured the details very well and even colored it just like this ship. You are so good at drawing!"
Chyou felt shy with the praise. "R-really?"
"En! Of course. I like to draw too. Just a bit though. I am really impressed. You are talented," she chuckled.
Chyou was delighted. "Aunt, you draw too?"
Xinyi sheepishly smiled. "A little. But they are just some scribblings hehe~"
She nervously fiddled with her fingers and asked, "C-can I see them too?"
"Sure! I would love to show them, haha."
From the corner, Xiaosi who had been quietly watching them, hiding behind a wall, stared at Xinyi as he squinted his gaze.
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