The woman sat there quietly, holding something in her arms, her body leaning forward. A gentle leap would take her right to heaven.
The bodyguard was at a loss of what to do. He dared not speak, move, or even breathe loudly. Maybe he should call the police. They would lay down an inflatable mattress, so she wouldn’t die even if she jumped.
Old Master Lu waited. Suddenly, he squinted, his eyes staring so fiercely it felt as though they were about to breath fire.
“Get over here, Yan Huan.”
Yan Huan turned around and stared at Old Master Lu coolly. Taken aback, the bodyguard broke out in cold sweat.
Good lord, isn’t that Miss Yan? What is she doing there?
“Did you not hear me, Yan Huan?” Old Master Lu was so angry he came close to grinding his teeth to pieces. He hated nothing more than people who didn’t cherish their own lives.
“Suicide? What the hell do you think you are doing? Are you just going to take the easy way out and leave the mess for others to clean up?”
With the album in her arms, Yan Huan peered into the distance blankly. The wind was increasing in ferocity. If she hadn’t been holding something heavy, thought the bodyguard, the wind would’ve already toppled her over.
Pa! went the teapot as Old Master Lu sent it flying to the ground. The bodyguard bit his four fingers, nearly letting out a scream.
Old Master Lu had smashed his favorite teapot.
Smashed it.
“You don’t deserve to be part of the Lu Family, Yan Huan, you good-for-nothing.”
Yan Huan brushed her fingers across the album gently.
“You never accepted me into the family either, did you?” she said softly.
“Does that make you any less of a Lu Family member?” It was a fact that Old Master Lu resented. “He had written your name into our family register. Lu Family members don’t file divorces. He had everything all mapped out. Would it have mattered even if I refused to acknowledge you?”
“Oh…” was all Yan Huan had to say.
“My grandson had given his life to save you. Do you want him to die with regrets by killing yourself?”
“Didn’t you always hate me? Wouldn’t it make you happier if I just died?” she said melancholically, like a string of bubbles that would leave no traces after bursting in the wind.
“I do hate you,” said Old Master Lu, making his disdain plain. Cold sweat beaded on the bodyguard’s forehead. A life is at stake here, he thought. It would be wiser to not provoke her any further.
But Old Master Lu went on with his harsh words in his unhappy tone.
“I hate you. You are an actress, a disobedient actress. My grandson gave his life for you. He was my most outstanding grandson. I had planned out everything in his life; education, military service, work, he had been the best in all of them. He was the pride of the Lu Family. Before you ruined him.”
“In the past, he had never gone against my wishes. You were the one that made him as disobedient as you are. You are the one who turned him bad. He began neglecting his work just to act out a real-life love drama with you. Watching that had made my teeth sore.”
“No one asked you to watch,” said Yan Huan, pulling the album closer. She had been sitting there for a long time. Should she jump and end it once and for all? Or live with the painful memories, till the day she passes on?
“My grandson had sacrificed his life for you,” continued Old Master Lu, his eyes stinging as he looked up. “And this is what you do to repay him? He has parents. Shouldn’t you be filial to his parents after taking his life away?”
“You are a heartless, cruel woman, Yan Huan.”
Old Master Lu never went easy on anyone during his scoldings, and he wouldn’t stop until he had his fill.
Yan Huan’s eyelashes drooped, allowing the moistness to gradually permeate her eyes.
She promised to drink her soup properly.
She did not promise to eat properly.
Take care of my parents in my stead.
She…
She laid the album aside and stood up. The bodyguard bit his fingers so hard they stung. Old Master Lu shook in rage.
“Yan Huan, if you dare jump, I will grind your body to ashes!”
“Who doesn’t end up as ashes one day?” Yan Huan turned around, bent down to pick up the object on the floor, and walked down the balcony. Old Master Lu’s eyes went wide when he saw the album. “How dare you try to end your life with my grandson in your arms? How dare you let him see you like this? How could you be so callous?”
Yan Huan caressed the album. She didn’t jump. She came close to jumping; perhaps she would have, had Old Master Lu not came and gave her such a nasty scolding.
She rubbed her face against the album.
She had forgotten her promise to help Lu Yi take care of his parents. How could she forget something so important?
She walked towards them, skinny like a living ghoul.
And went down the stairs.
Old Master Lu gave the bodyguard a look.
The bodyguard was confused. What did Old Master Lu want him to do? Yan Huan was already fine, so what was he trying to tell him? Old Master Lu had the strong urge oto fire him. How was it possible that he couldn’t read his thoughts at all after all those years of working under him?
“Knock her out, you idiot. She could be looking for another way to die for all we know.”
Old Master Lu was certain that Yan Huan was not done seeking death.
“Oh…” Enlightened, the bodyguard quickly chased up to Yan Huan. Yan Huan stopped. Before she could explain that she no longer wanted to die, she felt a sharp pain in her neck and fell limply. Even as she did so, she never let go of the album.
“What now, Sir?” asked the bodyguard, supporting Yan Huan and afraid to move.
“Are you dumb? We are heading to the Lu Estates, of course.”
Old Master Lu went down the stairs on his own, leaving the bodyguard to scratch his nose and carry the corpse-like woman down. When he got down, Old Master Lu even gave Yan Huan his wheelchair.
The Lu Estates was swarmed with people when they arrived, people who were anxiously reaching out to their connections, doing whatever they could to find Yan Huan.
After having found no one at the cemetery, Lei Qingyi had run out of ideas as to where she could be.