I said, "I understand, I don't blame you. As long as I know I'm not a bad child in Mom's heart, I'll be content. I really don't blame you, nor Dad. He's disappointed in my lack of progress, I know."
As I spoke, I took ten thousand yuan from my bag and handed it to her. "Mom, this is my own money. It's clean. I was wrongly accused and spent several months inside, and this is compensation for lost wages. Please take it home and buy some things. I'm working now and have a salary every month. Don't work so hard anymore. I can support you both."
I didn't dare to say how much money I actually had, fearing it would shock them. It was better to say I was working.
My mother hesitated before accepting it. Fearing she wouldn't use it, I added, "You must use this money to fix up the house. Make sure you have enough to eat and use. Otherwise, I won't come back."
Mom nodded. I knew she must be longing for me to return. A family is complete only when everyone is together, and she must worry about me the most every day. If my return meant she had to make the house presentable, not like before where they lived hand-to-mouth and the house was dilapidated, then so be it.
If she was still reluctant to spend, I would have to talk to Wang Xin and ask her to pressure Mom.
Mom clutched my hand, tears streaming down her face. "I'll listen to you. I'll replace all the junk in the house. My son has grown up and knows the importance of dignity. I understand."
I hugged my mother and told her, "Your son will definitely bring back great dignity for you, and for Dad too. Believe me, your son can do it!"
Mom kept wiping her tears and said, "While you were gone, Wang Xin came over every day. She helped me tidy the house and kept me company. That girl is a good one. She's allowed to leave you for a better future, but you're not allowed to treat her badly."
I knew what Mom was implying. I had dropped out of school, while Wang Xin was still going to college and had a bright future ahead of her. No one knew what the future held. She could only ask her own child not to wrong others.
I said I had something else to do and had to leave, asking Mom to go back to work.
I watched my mother return to the small jade processing yard, wiping tears as she walked.
Having resolved this issue with my mother, I felt much lighter. Honestly, the courage to see my mother was inspired by Xiao Hong's situation yesterday. Compared to Xiao Hong, my mother was the best mother in the world, one who toiled tirelessly and poured all her love into me. I was determined to apologize to my mother and seek her forgiveness. To my surprise, my mother never blamed me; her heart was always with her son.
I returned to the inn. Xiao Hong was still lying in bed. I helped her sit up, gave her some water, and fed her some pastries I had just bought.
She looked much better, and the swelling on her face had subsided, though the bruises remained, likely needing time to heal.
I asked her to get up and move around, as lying in bed all the time wasn't good.
She obediently got out of bed and walked back and forth on the floor, but every step would pull at her injuries, causing her to grimace.
Just then, Lan Ya called and asked me to come over.
I went and hugged Xiao Hong, telling her to eat more if she was hungry, and there were fruits too. After that, I went to Dashi Jie.
Lan Ya told me she would accompany me tomorrow, along with Brother Leopard and one of his assistants. The four of us would fly from Mangshi to Yangon tomorrow.
She handed me a small notebook from her desk, saying it was my temporary ID. It had Chinese, English, and Burmese, along with several official seals in different languages.
She said, "Keep the ID safe and don't lose it. If you lose it, you won't be able to come back. You'll have to settle down in Burma and marry a Burmese wife."
I said, "Do you think I'm stupid? There's our embassy and consulate there. If I really can't come back, they're here. Besides, they must be short of handsome guys. If they are, I'll sacrifice myself."
She rolled her eyes at me. "Dream on. If you want to sacrifice yourself, you'll have to get past me first!"
I said, "Senior sister, please spare me. Your level is too high, I can't handle you."
Lan Ya: "What does level have to do with anything? Who says there are such rules when men and women are together?"
I said, "There's an old saying about being well-matched. In front of you, I'm just a small shrimp, while you're a golden dragonfish. How much of a gap do you think there is between us?"
Lan Ya: "How many levels are there between you and Zhang Jinglei? Am I lowering my status or elevating yours?"
I quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense. What's going on between me and Sister Zhang? She's my older sister, and I respect her very much."
Lan Ya: "Give me a break. Do you think I'm stupid? You used to call her Sister Zhang, but now it's Jing Lei, right?"
She put her arm around my shoulder and pinched my nose.
I said, "It's not what you think anyway." Though I was defending myself, my voice was much softer, lacking conviction.
Lan Ya burst out laughing. "Look, look, you've let it slip. I knew there was something between you two, but you wouldn't admit it. Why aren't you so confident now? But since you're not married, I still have a chance, right? I hope you'll open your eyes wider. I'm the one who's a good match for you."
Hearing that, my legs went weak, and I almost sat down on the ground.
I said, "Alright, alright. I'll start pursuing you from now on and try to close the gap between us. As long as I can become a man of integrity, I'll marry you."
Lan Ya: "Why do you have to wait until you become a man of integrity? I'm enough. I can conquer the world for you, shield you from storms, you just need to be my man, you don't have to do anything."
Oh my god, this is a call for me to be a kept man. This isn't the life I want, and I don't have that gene in my bones. It seems I'm destined to be parted from Lan Ya.
After speaking, Lan Ya hugged me. I felt like a small baby as she gently patted me, dreaming in her fairytale world.
I dared not move in her arms. She was different from Jing Lei. When I nestled with Jing Lei, I could feel the softness and fragrance of the opposite sex. But with her, I felt hard muscles and the smell of sweat, probably from her workout before showering.
I'm not a saint. Lan Ya's tall figure and alluring curves make her a standard beauty. But deep down, she exudes masculinity. When she hugged me, I didn't feel any femininity at all.
My heart ached. I hoped Lan Ya would let go of me soon, preserving the last sliver of my infatuation for her. If she held on any longer, even that faint hope would vanish.
Fortunately, she didn't make any further advances. I suspected she had never been in a relationship with a man before and had never confessed her feelings to one. Her actions today were likely practice.
I hope she opens her heart and shows more feminine tenderness. I believe her Prince Charming will appear.
Seeing that her grip was loosening, I quickly moved my body to create some distance.
Lan Ya: "Did I scare you? Alright, I'll let you off today. Remember to wake up early tomorrow, we have an early flight."
I thought to myself, "She was indeed practicing on me. Thankfully, she showed mercy and didn't torment me further."
I quickly bid farewell and fled from Dashi Jie as if flying. Damn, that was too scary.