Chapter 55: Chapter 55
"Tie them both to that tree... since they like having fun beside a tree then they won’t mind staying there huh!"
"Quick, drag them away!" Big Man Lou ordered as his men nodded and immediately did as instructed.
Lin Xu and the other man were immediately dragged away and tied down to the tree.
"Let the rain fall hard and merciless on the both of you..." grabbing Lu Fei by her jaw, he said, his voice filled with so much hate, "Once the sun sets, I’ll take you away... and sell you off to a brothel where you belong."
Pa!
He slapped her hard before turning to leave.
"What are you all looking at!" He shouted at the crowd of villagers as they all immediately dispersed, all not wanting to offend him.
Everyone went back to their shelter as the winds started. The last rainfall was about to begin.
Lin Xu, however, couldn’t sleep as she just sat up straight thinking.
Everyone else in the tent had already slept off but she was still awake.
Mo Ying stirred and opened his eyes. He saw Lin Xu sitting upright, staring into the dark.
"You’re still up," he said quietly as he pushed himself to a sitting position.
Lin Xu nodded without turning. "I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about Lu Fei... about what’s going to happen to her."
He padded closer and sat at her feet, voice low. "You’re thinking of her again."
She gave a humorless little smile. "How can I not? She... she deserved to be exposed, but I don’t know. I don’t like seeing anyone suffer."
Mo Ying was silent, watching the rain beat against the tent. "She did a terrible thing," he said finally. "But that doesn’t make everything simple."
Lin Xu looked at him. "What do you mean?"
He ran a hand over his face. "Think about her life. She was forced into a marriage with Old Man Lou, humiliated, and then her family was dragged away. People break in different ways when they’re desperate. That doesn’t excuse what she did, but it explains why she snapped."
Lin Xu’s eyes flickered. "So you’re saying she’s a victim and a villain at the same time."
Mo Ying shrugged once, tired. "Yes. People wear both masks. You can hate the choice she made and still understand the pain behind it. Anger won’t make things better—only careful action will."
She let his words sink in, staring down at her hands. "What would you have me do, then?"
"You know the answer to that question better than anyone else, Lin Xu. I know you’re a very smart woman... good night."
He said as he then turned and laid back down while his words lingered.
---
Outside the tent, tied up to a tree was Lu Fei and her lover. He had already passed out from the beatings he had received earlier while Lu Fei was shivering in the cold rain.
Just then, she heard footsteps approaching and as she raised her head to see who it was, she frowned immediately.
"What are you doing here?" She questioned angrily as Lin Xu just stared at her, her face lacking any emotion.
"You’re enjoying this huh? Haha." Lu Fei laughed sarcastically, "You enjoy seeing me suffer right? It gives you so much joy, Lin Xu! You derive so much joy from seeing me suffer, don’t you?!"
She hoisted slightly but the heavy rain stopped people from hearing.
"I’m not a monster that derives joy from seeing other people suffer. You are only here because of the decisions that you made, you and your family wanted to ruin my life but look where you all are now. Tell me, Lu Fei, what did I ever do? I left with my kids peacefully. You all still didn’t let me go and tried so many ways to ruin me... so why am I being called the monster? Because I fought back?"
Lin Xu said, her words stinging Lu Fei as she couldn’t even bear to look Lin Xu in the face.
Just then, Lin Xu bent down and with a swift move, cut the rope which had held the two to the tree.
Her actions left Lu Fei confused. "W-what?"
"I’m only helping you because you’re pregnant." Lin Xu admitted, her words taking Lu Fei by surprise.
Lin Xu had already sensed that Lu Fei looked different. Even though she had lost some weight, her belly still had a little numbness, meaning she was already up to three months pregnant. And while she was busy begging Big Man Lou, she tried her best to cover her belly from being hit by him.
Even on her way here, she found Lu Fei vomiting.
"How did you know?" Lu Fei asked, surprised.
"How I know isn’t important... if you value yourself then take your lover and leave, once tomorrow comes... Big Man Lou won’t hesitate to ruin you completely. I’m only doing this for the baby, I don’t want an innocent child to have to suffer for the crimes of its mother."
Lin Xu said as Lu Fei immediately stood up and helped her lover up. She wanted to say something but held it in before turning around to leave.
"I won’t forget this!" She said and disappeared into the mountains.
Seeing her leave, Lin Xu just sighed as she made her way back to the tent.
The next morning came and the rain had stopped. The sky was clear and everyone was in smiles.
Well, everyone except Big Man Lou as he erupted in anger upon seeing the cut rope.
He quickly ordered his men to search for Lu Fei and her lover.
It was hours ago, meaning that Lu Fei must have already gone quite far.
As they prepared their things ready to leave the mountain, Mo Ying walked up to Lin Xu and whispered softly, "You did good!"
With that he smiled and left as Lin Xu just shook her head. "What a man child."