Echoes of Lotus District | Chapter 66 | A Handful to Manage | Novela.app

In the dead of winter, Yu Mo lay on the cold bathroom floor like a discarded, broken doll. A wave of bitterness rose in Qi Lian’s throat. He didn't dare imagine how she would have endured these few days alone if he hadn't come. He dropped the bags in his hand and sank to one knee, gently gathering her into his arms. Resting her head against his shoulder, he swallowed the lump in his throat and whispered, "Why must you be such a handful?" During the night, Yu Mo’s fever spiked. Her consciousness drifted, and she mumbled incoherently. Qi Lian held her, not daring to close his eyes for a second. Whenever she knit her brows or shifted restlessly, he knew she was uncomfortable. He would immediately stand up, for at those moments, she was either about to vomit or was struck by another bout of diarrhea. By then, she was past the point of being bashful. She simply let Qi Lian wipe her down and wash her. The next morning broke clear and bright. The sun hung high in the sky early on—a rare, beautiful day for winter. The frequency of Yu Mo’s vomiting had significantly decreased. Qi Lian carried her to the bed and coaxed her into drinking some electrolyte water. The midday sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling across the thick carpet. Qi Lian held her in his arms, sitting by the window to soak in the warmth. She was wearing almost nothing, so he had wrapped her in a thick, heavy quilt to keep out the chill. Yu Mo was conscious now, but she had no strength. She was too lethargic even to open her eyes, her eyelids feeling as heavy as lead. Qi Lian pulled her legs out from the quilt, exposing them to the sunlight. Her legs were startlingly white, almost translucent in the glare. The fine, invisible hairs on her skin looked like delicate golden down under the sun. He turned his head to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Get well soon and eat properly. Look at these legs; if I used a bit too much force next time, I’d snap them. You’re always getting sick, and you’re such a picky eater. I haven't watched over you for a few months, and all that weight you finally gained has vanished. You really are a handful." The sunlight felt cozy on her skin, and Qi Lian’s embrace behind her was warm. Listening to his constant nagging, Yu Mo felt herself drifting off to sleep. She felt him tuck her legs back into the quilt and pull her arm out to catch the sun. She felt him squeezing her hand. Then, she felt the rhythm of his breathing change. With great effort, she forced her eyes open and saw Qi Lian’s large hand holding her fingers up to his eyes, inspecting them. His gaze was deep, unreadable. "He gave this to you?" he asked. "Yes." Yu Mo tried to pull her hand back, but she failed. On the ring finger of her left hand, a diamond ring and a wedding band were stacked together. The massive VVS-grade, D-color diamond sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. "You like it that much? You can't bear to take it off?" "No. If I don't wear it, it’s hard to explain things to my mother." The man behind her said nothing more. He simply tucked her hand back under the quilt. "Your stubble is scratching my face," she said, trying to shrink away. "Fine, I'll shave in a bit. So delicate!" He intentionally rubbed his face against hers, his large hand pressing against the back of her head so she couldn't move. "Qi Lian..." she pleaded weakly. Qi Lian let her go. "I'm taking you back to Jinning in a while. You need to start eating, slowly." "No. I'll just stay here for a few days. I can order takeout. My mother is still in the hospital for chemotherapy; I have to go see her once I'm better." Ignoring her protests, Qi Lian picked her up, tossed the quilt aside, and began dressing her. He even put an adult diaper on her. Yu Mo’s face flushed crimson. She had no idea when he had bought such a thing. "Just listen to me. Once you're fully recovered, I'll bring you back. Right now, you should focus on getting better fast. Don't think about all that other nonsense." Yu Mo had no choice but to be taken back to Jinning. Under the watchful eyes of the old men and women sunning themselves downstairs, Qi Lian carried her into the house. She was incredibly weak. After falling into a fitful sleep on the bed, she was jolted awake by a sharp, cramping pain in her abdomen. She stumbled out of bed. As her feet hit the floor, a wave of dizziness made her sway, and she bumped into the desk by the window. She reached out to steady herself. It was then that she saw it—sitting right there alongside the enamel cup and the yellow comb. She reached out and grabbed the object. Her fingers felt the softness of silk. Turning around, she tucked it into her coat pocket. It was her silk eye mask. She was sensitive to light when she slept and often wore a mask. It usually stayed in her nightstand. On the day she moved out, she must have been in too much of a hurry; it had likely been tucked under a pillow, out of sight. She clearly remembered checking everything that day, moving or throwing away all her belongings. She hadn't realized she’d left this purple eye mask behind, nor did she know how long it had been sitting there with that cup and comb. Seeing those three items placed together in the warm winter sun felt as if they had many stories to tell. An inexplicable sense of dread washed over her. The pain in her stomach was becoming unbearable. Clutching her midsection, she stumbled out the door. Qi Lian was in the kitchen, his back to the bedroom door. The rhythmic *thump-thump* of his knife hitting the cutting board filled the air. His phone was on the counter next to him, the speakerphone active. Yu Mo crept into the bathroom. The pain forced her to hunch over, leaving her no room to care about anything else. A moment later, Qi Lian pushed the door open and walked in. She lifted her pale face, trying to drive him away. "Get out. Give me some privacy." Qi Lian narrowed his eyes at her, then sauntered in and leaned against the sink. "You're in so much pain, yet you have time to worry about privacy." Yu Mo curled into a ball on the toilet. "Qi Lian." "What did I do to upset you now? Talking to me about privacy... as if I haven't seen you go or wiped you myself—" "Qi Lian!" Yu Mo interrupted him, her voice sharp with irritation. "I know what you look like when you're happy, sad, or angry. I can see your moods shifting. What just happened?" She had only happened to overhear a few words. Qi Lian had said into the phone, "I'm cooking for my woman." Jiang Yuan’s loud voice had replied, "Cooking for Zhang Ran? How virtuous! First the tattoo, now the cooking." Not long ago, He Mei had contacted her once. She had vaguely heard about a young girl. She thought she had forgotten, but now it all clicked into place. Perhaps some people’s kindness wasn't exclusive to her. Perhaps it was just his nature—no matter who he was with, he would be this good to them. She felt a sharp pang in her chest. She was making the same mistake again, despite her vow never to do so. "Speak!" "It's nothing. I just don't want to get in your way. I know you're always busy. After a night's sleep, I should be mostly better. I'll go home tomorrow morning." Fire sparked in Qi Lian’s eyes. "Home? Where is your home? Where was your family when you were lying on that floor? Over the past year, which time were you sick that I wasn't the one taking care of you? I'm the one who wipes your backside, but the moment you can walk and run, you remember your 'home.' What is my place to you? A relief station or a hotel?" Yu Mo lowered her head, tears falling like beads, one by one. Choking back a sob, she said stubbornly, "It's because I didn't tell them." *Forget it, just forget it!* Qi Lian took two deep breaths. Hadn't he known this all along? What was the point in arguing? The moment she shed a tear, what could he possibly do to her? At least he was here to watch over her while she was sick. He stood up and walked over. "If you're done, get up. I'll help you wash, and then we'll get something to eat." "I don't need your help. I can do it myself." She looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. Because of the fever, her eyelids had folded into triple layers, making her eyes look even larger. Qi Lian ignored her. He scooped her up by the waist. "What's one more wash? Huh? Stubborn as a mule." Qi Lian made green vegetable porridge. Fearing it would be hard to digest, he minced the vegetables finely and stirred them into the rice congee. Yu Mo hadn't eaten for a day and a night. The fresh scent of the vegetables gave her an appetite. However, Qi Lian wouldn't let her eat much. After two spoonfuls, he took the bowl away. "You can't eat too much at once. Take it slow." Yu Mo was carried back to the room and settled into bed. Fearing she would catch a chill, Qi Lian tucked the quilt in tightly, making sure there were no gaps for a draft. Under the lamp, his features looked soft and patient. There was even a slight upward curve to his lips. The resentment in Yu Mo’s heart grew fangs, and she used them to wound him. "I heard you have someone new. Aren't you afraid she'll be angry? No woman can stand her man’s ex-girlfriend being in his bed. I heard she’s very young; she’s probably quite the jealous type. Have you thought of how to explain this?" Qi Lian’s gaze turned dark and unreadable. "Who told you that? I'll explain it however I need to. If she won't listen, that's her problem. Aside from you, I won't allow anyone else to walk all over me." Yu Mo stared at him, trying to find a flicker of emotion on his face. Yet, in those cold eyes, there was nothing. The fangs in her heart grew more savage. She said, "I plan to try again with my ex-husband. After all, it makes everyone happy, and I can live the rest of my life without any worries." Something flashed in Qi Lian’s eyes, vanishing instantly under the light. He nodded and said, "Suit yourself." Yu Mo closed her eyes and said coldly, "I want to sleep." "Wait a moment," Qi Lian stopped her. "Give me back what you took of mine first." "What? When did I take anything of yours?" Yu Mo’s eyes flew open. Qi Lian looked at her without speaking. Suddenly, she realized what he was talking about. "That’s mine. I lost it here before. You just happened to find it for me. I need to use it." "You moved out. Everything in this room belongs to me now. There is nothing here that belongs to you! You can't take a single thing without my permission. And right now, I don't give you permission. If you want to use one, go buy another. If you don't have the money, I can give it to you." "Why have you become so unreasonable?" Qi Lian ignored her accusation and reached into her coat pocket. "You think I'm reasonable only because I'm willing to spoil you. When I'm no longer willing to indulge you, you'll realize that in a place like Lianhua, no one plays by the rules of reason." He finally found the eye mask. He held it to his nose, caught its scent, and then placed it back in its old spot by the window. Yu Mo rolled over, turning her back to him. She heard his voice from behind her: "Don't worry. Once I see that you're healthy, I'll let you go. You can do whatever you want. I won't keep you tied to Lianhua."