I Want Her to See Only Me - Chapter 2

Fang Duan left without another word, but the reaction to his declaration was far from what he’d expected. His alcohol-addled brain stiffened, and it took him a while to process the coldness of the reception.

As he sobered up, his peach-blossom eyes scanned Xia Xiuyin from head to toe. The bodyguard on duty nervously shuttled between the father and daughter, afraid that Fang Duan’s drunkenness would lead to violence. Fang Duan’s female companion stood awkwardly by the entrance, clutching her purse, unable to make a move.

“You… look just like your damned mother,” Fang Duan spat, his lips twitching.

Despite his inappropriate behavior, Fang Duan remained handsome and charismatic. As he stared at Xia Xiuyin, it wasn’t like he was looking at his daughter, but as if he was staring through her at an enemy he wished to devour.

Recalling her mother’s appearance, Xia Xiuyin saw a bold and beautiful face with sharp features, exuding an alluring yet suffocating beauty. She pursed her lips slightly, following her memory, and saw the man before her take two uneasy steps back, his pupils contracting.

“You… Xia Zhen…” Fang Duan’s hand shook as he called his wife’s name, his voice hoarse, “You won’t leave me alone!”

Xia Xiuyin retracted her expression, then spoke gently with concern.

“Dad, you should get some rest.”

How pathetic. A familiar smile was all it took to make him lose his damn mind.

Fang Duan seemed to still be trapped in that never-ending nightmare, his face lifeless.

“Thank you. The second room on the left, third floor.” Xia Xiuyin nodded toward his companion, who nodded back in surprise. To think they would kiss and cuddle right in front of his daughter—it was beyond inappropriate. She inwardly cried, lamenting her luck at meeting a married man in a bar. Thankfully, the daughter didn’t seem to hold any resentment toward her, though despite the girl calling him “dad,” they looked nothing like father and daughter.

Xia Xiuyin watched Fang Duan go upstairs, listening to the door close behind him.

She checked the time, calculating that Liu Zhi and Aunt Chen would wake up in another hour or so.

Her mood finally lifted, she walked toward the living room and picked up an English book from a standing cabinet, then sat back down on the sofa to casually flip through it.

Shortly after Xia Xiuyin left, the rain began to lighten.

Xia Yu washed her face and hands with the rainwater. She thought that if the pretty lady came back and held her hand, she wouldn’t dirty it again.

The ground was still wet from rain, and it wasn’t trash day, so Xia Yu couldn’t find any food. She could only take out a plastic-wrapped mantou from her pocket and nibble on it carefully.

Sometimes, she would find some good treats, but most of the time, she could only rub her empty belly.

“Ah, a bite of egg.”

“Ah, a bite of braised pork.”

Xia Yu couldn’t recall what braised pork tasted like, but she had eaten eggs a few times and remembered the taste quite well.

Her saliva glands worked as she savored each bite.

She heard that all the adults liked children who ate with relish.

Xia Yu stuffed herself until she was half full, her face flushed. She rubbed her hands together; they felt rough, as if they still held the softness of her sister’s touch.

She opened her hands; they were short and thin, not at all pretty. Her sister’s hands, on the other hand, were fine and well-proportioned, with a faint pink tinge to the joints due to her fair skin. It almost looked as if a harsh grip would cause them to break.

Xia Yu clenched her hands into fists, unwilling to look at them anymore, though she still wanted to feel them gently.

Wait for me.

Xia Yu repeated these three words over and over in her mind until even her blood felt like it was boiling.

She waited until her legs went numb, but her sister never showed up.

Her eyelids twitched, almost sticking together; she opened them wider with her hands, desperate to see her sister.

The sounds of vehicles arrived, and Xia Yu’s heart pounded relentlessly.

But no one stopped for her.

It’s fine, she told herself. I can wait forever; I’m the most patient child in the world.

Shortly before dawn, a stray dog wandered into the alley, its saliva dripping menacingly from its sharp teeth. Xia Yu, afraid of the dog, squatted lower to protect herself.

But she was also anxious, worried that perhaps her sister had gone to the wrong place and thus hadn’t seen her. She opened her eyes slightly, revealing a gap through which the stray dog’s menacing fangs glinted.

Xia Yu covered her mouth, horrified, and finally closed the lid of the trashcan, tears streaming down her face.

She curled up at the bottom of the bin, determined to sleep soundly through the night.

In her dream, the older girl picked her up from inside the trashcan, cleaned her up, and praised her for being a good child.

————

“Aunt Chen, can you help me grab two more clean towels and three packs of wet wipes?” Despite it being only 5 P.M., Xia Xiuyin was already dressed neatly in a blue cotton t-shirt and casual pants, her hair tied up in a ponytail. She displayed the youthful vitality of her age as she organized things in the living room and turned to ask a question.

“Hey, good morning.”

Aunt Chen turned to see Xia Xiuyin standing by the entrance with a large handbag.

“Miss, where are you…?”

Xia Xiuyin rarely dressed so casually. She looked more like an exceptionally pretty girl next door, exuding a vibrant youthful aura that drew the eyes, rather than a sophisticated young lady who could easily mingle with adults.

“Are you going out? Breakfast isn’t even done yet.”

“I’m not in a rush.” Stepping onto the bottommost step of the shoe cabinet, Xia Xiuyin took the towel Aunt Chen held and felt its softness. “I’m picking up a little friend.”

While the young girl washed up, the staff had filled Aunt Chen in on the commotion from the night before, so she was already quite caught up.

“A little friend… I’ll prepare a room for them, then.” She turned hastily, then added, “Miss, how old is this friend? I should prepare some food; we can’t let them go hungry.”

“Looks… about five? Or maybe a little younger,” Xia Xiuyin agreed, not correcting Aunt Chen’s assumption. “I imagine she must be starving; I didn’t have any food to spare for her yesterday on the bus. Aunt Chen, could you please make some congee? It should be thin and soupy, with some side dishes?”

“Okay…” Aunt Chen instinctively agreed, but felt that something was off.

A five-year-old cat or dog? Wasn’t it past the best age for raising a pet? Wouldn’t it be difficult to domesticate?

“Miss, where did you find her?” Perhaps it was a rescue shelter; this poor soul had been abandoned but found herself in the good graces of Xia Xiuyin.

Xia Xiuyin brushed her finger lightly on her purse. “In the trash bin.”

“Oh… my…” Aunt Chen pressed a hand to her chest. “How pitiful. Should I call a doctor? Or would you prefer to stop by a veterinary hospital on your way home?”

“I’ve contacted Dr. Li.” Xia Xiuyin’s eyes curved as she smiled. “Aunt Chen, we’ll be back soon.”

The young woman, still a teenager, was like a dew-covered flower bud, each petal vibrant and fresh. Her smile spread across her face, her features delicate and pretty, making her look even more stunning than usual.

Aunt Chen sighed to herself; the young woman had been raised in luxury, and it showed in her refined demeanor and looks.

Yet, moments later, confusion clouded her thoughts.

Dr. Li… He’s the family physician, isn’t he?

Meanwhile, Liu Zhi waited by the door. He reached out a hand, wanting to carry Xia Xiuyin’s bag for her, but she stepped away.

“Uncle Liu, I can hold it.”

Liu Zhi nodded and opened the car door for her, making sure not to bump her head as she got in.

The suburbs were quite a distance from the alley from last night. While waiting for the lights to change, Liu Zhi glanced at Xia Xiuyin in the rearview mirror, noticing her usual expression and relaxed features, and couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, do you like that child?”

The other residents of the mansion were unaware of Xia Xiuyin’s intentions; they merely thought she had finally decided to adopt another pet after losing her beloved companion. Only Liu Zhi knew she meant a child when she spoke of wanting to adopt a “pet.”

Liu Zhi felt uneasy; he didn’t doubt Xia Xiuyin’s ability to care for the child, but rather, he worried Xia Xiuyin herself was still a child, and how she would raise another. This wasn’t the same as caring for a pet.

Xia Xiuyin met Liu Zhi’s gaze with her own faint smile, her slightly angled eyes at the back of her head reflecting her clear, brown irises.

“Uncle Liu, I like her.”

Liu Zhi’s heart filled with countless emotions. Xia Xiuyin’s precocious maturity set her apart from those her age; she’d never had playmates.

Perhaps this new child could bring Xia Xiuyin some happiness.

“That’s good,” he said.

The downpour ceased.

Xia Xiuyin walked past the accumulated rainwater, lifted the trashcan lid, and saw Xia Yu huddled inside like a small kitten.

She had buried her small face in her knees, seeking comfort.

“Miss…” Liu Zhi glanced at Xia Xiuyin, who held a finger to her lips, asking him to keep quiet.

Xia Xiuyin carefully picked up the child with one hand around her legs and the other supporting her back, then swiftly carried her out.

It was light, like a kitten.

Xia Yu instinctively nuzzled her face against the warmth, her small hand clutching tightly onto the fabric at Xia Xiuyin’s chest.

Fragrant, soft, warm.

Xia Yu’s face, washed clean for her sister, had once again become dirty after being pressed into the trashcan, leaving dark marks on Xia Xiuyin’s shirt.

Yet she remained blissfully unaware, thinking it was merely an extension of her dream.

A dream even more wonderful than before, as she could feel her sister’s breaths beside her neck.

They were very close.

“Uncle Liu, towel,” Xia Xiuyin mouthed.

Liu Zhi hurriedly unfolded the towel.

The child had suffered quite a bit last night, her hair still wet, clothes clinging to her body. Thankfully, her body temperature was relatively normal.

The snow-white towel wrapped tightly around Xia Yu, who was cocooned in Xia Xiuyin’s arms.

Once back in the car, Xia Xiuyin wiped Xia Yu’s face, hands, and feet with a wet wipe, then held Xia Yu’s blackened feet with the towel without disturbing her peaceful slumber.

Liu Zhi watched Xia Xiuyin’s actions silently, suddenly struck by the absurdity of this reunion.

He recalled Xia Zhen’s gentle cooing, not as meticulous as Xia Xiuyin’s, but with the same warmth. Xia Xiuyin, where did she stand now?

The touch was soft and warm, foreign yet familiar, making him yearn for more. The tips of those fingers gently caressing his skin seemed to peck sweet kisses, filling the heart with affection.

Xia Yu carefully opened his eyes, afraid to disturb this wonderful dream, only to meet a pair of gleaming pupils.

All misfortunes were washed away in those limpid eyes. Xia Xiuyin’s long hair gently slid from her ear, brushing across her cheek.

Xia Yu blinked not once, holding that strand of silky hair between his fingers as if clutching a treasure.

He had grasped it.

“My name is Xia Xiuyin.”

“I will raise you.”

“You are mine.” Those words were spoken so firmly, yet the girl’s expression remained gentle enough to bring one to tears.