3137: Innocence 58

Innocence 58

Han Xiao's house was in an upscale neighborhood. I had no idea how long I sat waiting on the stairs.2

I watched a little girl, about five years old, practicing cycling under her father's tutelage on a meandering trail.

Then I recalled when I was a kid learning how to ride a bicycle, Dongyu had watched me nervously as he carefully controlled the center of gravity of the bicycle from behind me.

At the time, I was only six years old. I stepped on the pedals and nervously gripped the handlebars. I looked like I was ready to die trying.

As Dongyu shouted at me to relax, he pushed the bicycle forward.

When I first started learning, I wasn't very proficient. I often lost my balance, but every time I was about to fall, Dongyu would rush up. His thin body could always withstand my weight.

Once, when I fell, he cushioned me from beneath, and I fell into his arms. When I got up, I was laughing like I didn't have a care in the world. When we got home at night, I found a few abrasions on his back, but I wasn't the least bit ashamed. Instead, I laughed at him for being so delicate.

I didn't know why, whenever I reminisced about the innocence and monotony of childhood, I always thought that everything changed when we grew up. The burdens we bore became heavier as well.

…

In the evening, Han Xiao returned home from school. She saw me as she walked towards the door with her school bag. She was shocked.

"Xiachun!"

I looked up. When I saw her, I stood up nervously.

"Why are you here?" She was a little surprised. "You weren't in school all day today. Your parents came to look for the form teacher and they seemed anxious! When I passed by the form teacher's office, I heard your mother say that you didn't go home last night either. They've already gone to the police station to make a report!"

"Han Xiao, can I stay at your place tonight?" I ask cautiously.

"Are you crazy? Why aren't you going home?" Han Xiao asked in astonishment.

"I…" I bit my lip. The thought of what I might face going home reduced me to tears.

"Han Xiao, I don't have anywhere else to go except here…"

Han Xiao squatted in front of me and cupped my face in her hands. She finally noticed something odd.

"Xiachun, where did you go last night?"

"…"

"Tell me, talk to me!"

Han Xiao gripped my shoulders tightly and asked anxiously, "Weren't you with Su Qi last night? You didn't go home. Where did you go?"

"Stop asking, okay?"

I pleaded in despair, "Don't ask anymore… Please…"

"…"

Han Xiao hid me in her room.

Because I was worried her parents would find out, I was careful even to not speak too loudly.

Han Xiao returned to her room after dinner and brought me a carton of milk.

"Only this. I'm sorry, Xiachun…"

She set the milk aside, but I had no appetite.

I thought, I must look terrible, so Han Xiao must have been scared out of her wits. She sat beside me, put her arm around my shoulder, and cried, "Xiachun, don't scare me, okay? It's good to talk to me. I'm so sad to see you this way…"

But how could she understand my sadness?

In a matter of one night, my whole world was shattered.

At night, I lay in bed and didn't dare close my eyes, just because when the world was dark, I would see the scenes from last night.

I felt so dirty, but while I was in the shower, I was already trying my best to scrub my body. I wanted to wash away all these sins, wash away the scent and the marks that the man had left behind…

The pain was like being burned by a raging fire. I felt like I was being burnt to ashes.

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