Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Once that decision was made, she rushed into the rain, hailed a taxi, and gave the driver the address to a villa.
This was where Qi Yanxi had been living after coming back from abroad.
Mu Li kept calling her mother and she finally picked up.
Her mother’s voice trembled. “Ah Li, I’m so sorry… I, I…”
“Did you give my ownership of property certificate to dad?” Mu Li gritted her teeth.
“I’m sorry… he said he was turning over a new leaf and was going to start up a business, but had no way of getting a loan… I – I don’t know what got into me and I believed him…”
“Why didn’t you talk to me before making that big a decision?” Mu Li choked on her sobs. “That’s my flat! I saved up for it and took out a big loan to buy it! And it’s gone! Just like that!”
Her mother said, “Ah Li… Do you still have money you can spare? Your dad borrowed from loan sharks and if he doesn’t pay them back in time… they’ll kill him!”
“Let them do that!” Mu Li screamed. “Doesn’t he owe us enough? I’m as much your daughter as he is your husband! The debt can kill him, but somehow I’m immune?”
In that instant, Mu Li was completely disappointed in her family.
Growing up, they had brought her nothing but shame. She had fought so hard to get a job and save up some money, thinking that she could change her own life.
Little did she expect everything to be destroyed in a single day.
–
Qi Yanxi opened the door shortly after she pressed the doorbell. He frowned when he saw the state she was in. “What brings you here?”
Mu Li hesitated. “May I come in?”
Qi Yanxi pursed his lips and made way for Mu Li to enter.
Mu Li sat gingerly on the sofa and tried to find the right words.
“Qi Yanxi… You – I…” she stammered, not knowing how to break the news.
Having been woken up, Qi Yanxi was already irritated. He sneered at her demeanor. “What? Trying to make me take responsibility for you now? I’m sorry, but you climbed into my bed yourself!”
“I’m pregnant,” Mu Li lowered her head and said timidly.
Qi Yanxi was dumbfounded right away. He rubbed his head until his hair was a mess.
“Shit… just like that?” Qi Yanxi was speechless. He darted a glance at Mu Li and said, “It’s all my fault. I’ll take you to a hospital to take care of the baby. Take some time off from work…”
“Can’t you marry me?” Mu Li asked him with bloodshot eyes.
No woman wanted to hear about abortion when she was pregnant with the baby of the man she loved.
Qi Yanxi chuckled. “Are you kidding me? How can I marry you?”
He wasn’t expecting an answer, but Mu Li took it very seriously.
She shook violently. “Why can’t you marry me…”
Qi Yanxi struggled so that this voice remained patient. “Marriage is such a big thing. I don’t like you in that way and marrying me will only hurt you.”
“I don’t mind… as long as you marry me…” Mu Li’s eyes were unfocused. “I don’t care if you have other women. I just want to be with you. I can live with anything!”
“Wake up! It’ll be so unfair to you!” Qi Yanxi exhaled. “Get some sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
Mu Li grabbed the lower hem of his shirt and wept. “Qi Yanxi, help me, please…”
This was such a cruel and terrible world.
Life had been so hard for her and she believed that Qi Yanxi was her only savior.
“Mu Li, I’m sorry.” Qi Yanxi went down on one knee. “I can’t marry you.”