Li Cheng gently placed Xiotan in the car seat, covering her with his suit before closing the door. He instructed the driver to move, his eyes lingering on her, but the entire trip was filled with silence. Xiotan stared out the window, her face unreadable, while Li Cheng respected her space, knowing better than to force her into conversation.
When they arrived home, the guards rushed to open the doors, bowing as Li Cheng stepped out. He moved to help Xiotan, but she subtly pushed his hand away, signaling she didn't want his assistance. Her independence cut through the air, leaving him standing there, conflicted.
The maids and Jinxin hurried over to support Xiotan, helping her inside. Li Cheng had already instructed the staff to prepare a warm bath and a room for Xiotan's mother, ensuring everything was ready. He stood by, watching his wife walk away, her silence stinging more than any words could.
Inside her room, Xiotan was led to the bathroom by Jinxin, who helped her undress and into the warm bath. The heat soothed her sore muscles, but it did little to ease the pain in her heart. Once she was done, she wrapped a towel around her lower body and lay on her stomach, ready for Jinxin to tend to her wounds.
Jinxin sat beside her on the bed, gently wiping her back with warm water. The needle marks stood out starkly against her pale skin. "Look at your back now," Jinxin scolded, her voice tinged with worry. "I told you it was a bad idea to go there, but you wouldn't listen. Do you see what happened?"
"I had to see my mom. I missed her so much. If I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have known what was happening. Even if I asked her to visit, she'd never tell me the truth… At least now, she won't have to endure that rubbish anymore."
"You should be grateful to your husband. If it wasn't for him… I don't know what would have happened. He was furious when he saw you like that. I thought he was going to behead everyone there," Jinxin said, applying ointment to the wounds.
"Don't talk about him," Xiotan snapped, her voice dripping with bitterness. "He did all of that for show. He didn't mean what he said or did. I'm sure of it."
"Don't say that. If it weren't for him, your mom wouldn't be here with us. He could have refused, but he cares, which is why he brought her. You should be careful with the accusations you're making because, from what I've seen, he's really hurt. I can see it in his behavior," Jinxin advised.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore. Are you here to help me or lecture me?" Xiotan muttered, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes.
"I've said my piece. Listen or don't, but don't come crying to me later when you realize the truth. I'm going to get some ethyl alcohol. I'll be right back," Jinxin said, standing up and leaving the room.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open, and someone walked in.
"Jinxin, about what you said earlier, what if there's no truth to it? What if the truth is what those girls said at the mall? Do you know how hurt I'd be?" Xiotan's voice trembled as she heard footsteps approach.
Jinxin sat on the bed, her back turned, and began applying ethyl alcohol to the cotton wool.
"What if he really is the freak they said he is? What would you have me do? I feel like I'm being used. It hurts to think he's cheating on me. How could he? He's nothing but a heartless being," Xiotan cursed, her voice laced with venom as she felt the sting of the alcohol on her wounds.
"I just feel like killing him. He's all face and nothing else. He'll never change. He'll always be that cold, heartless, stupid bastard," she spat, and in response, Jinxin pressed the cotton harshly against her back.
"Ah! Gently, that hurts," Xiotan winced, twisting in pain.
"And that's how much my heart hurts right now," came the deep, familiar voice she dreaded hearing at that moment.
Xiotan froze, realizing the person who had been tending to her wounds wasn't Jinxin. She turned her head slowly, her heart sinking as her eyes met Li Cheng's. His face was a mask of controlled fury, his eyes piercing into hers with a mixture of pain and anger.