HomeThe Great DreamerDa Meng Xiang Jia - Chapter 19

Da Meng Xiang Jia – Chapter 19

Xia Xia sat quietly in her seat, phone face down to avoid seeing message notifications.

She had blocked Xia Jun’s number, but he switched to another one, sending over twenty messages within half an hour.

[You won’t even see your uncle when he comes to visit? No manners.]

[Your school is quite big. I haven’t had dinner, take me to look around the cafeteria.]

[Wu Li said you were working alone in another city. What’s this, secretly came to university without letting family know?]

Xia Xia sat for a long while longer as female students came knocking one after another.

“Xia Xia, your father is looking for you, waiting downstairs.”

“Xia Xia, why aren’t you answering your father’s calls? He’s stopping people outside the dorm asking them to call you.”

“Xia Xia…”

Xia Xia lowered her eyes. Her desk lamp was off, making the light dim, obscuring her expression.

Cai Yun said: “Even if it’s embarrassing, why hide like this? If this drags on, the whole college will know you have a construction worker for a father.”

“If you can’t speak properly, keep your mouth shut.” Zhu Ziyu walked to Xia Xia, “I’ll go down with you.”

Xia Xia stood up and smiled at her: “No need.”

Xia Jun stood in the most conspicuous spot at the female dormitory entrance.

He wore dirty clothes covered in cement dust, his straw hat had several holes, and his body emitted the sour smell of excessive sweat from working all day.

His murky eyes roamed back and forth, looking at the long legs beneath the female students’ shorts.

Seeing Xia Xia emerge, he removed his hat, revealing greasy hair and a fierce-looking square face. The middle of his left ear had a scar from stitches, twisting like a centipede’s legs.

Xia Xia stopped several meters away from him.

Ten years had passed, and Xia Jun had aged – both in appearance and the weathered look in his eyes.

He seemed less tall than ten years ago when Xia Xia had to crane her neck painfully to see his cold eyes. His gaze no longer held the terrifying malice it had when he was drunk. Time had worn away something in him.

And during these years, Xia Xia had grown up.

Xia Jun smiled: “If you didn’t come out, I would have made sure your whole school knew.”

Xia Xia stared at him impassively: “What do you want?”

Xia Jun: “How did Wei Jinhai teach you manners? Haven’t seen each other for years, and you won’t even call me uncle.”

“What do you want?” Xia Xia asked again coldly.

Xia Jun walked toward her. She stepped back, saying coolly: “The school security office is two hundred meters away, Changping District Police Station is five minutes by car, and I’m very familiar with Officer Chai at the nearby police station. If you dare come closer, I’ll call for help.”

Xia Jun was startled, then said: “I haven’t done anything to you. What can the police do to me?”

“As for you,” he smiled crookedly, “if you call the police, I’d like to explain how my ear got cut in half.”

The sky gradually darkened, leaving only a thin layer of pale white on the distant horizon.

The school’s street lamps lit up, as did the lights of the food street just beyond the wall.

Xie Huai rode over on his electric bike, stopping at the female dormitory entrance. The foam box on his back seat contained milk tea ordered by students.

He saw Xia Xia from afar.

The girl’s face was frost-cold, nothing like her usual soft and gentle appearance around him. The man in front of her was slovenly and greasy, wearing a vulgar smile.

Xie Huai removed his helmet and walked over.

“Xia Xia.” Xie Huai put his hand on her shoulder, his gaze sharp as a blade as it swept over Xia Jun, “Is everything alright?”

The scorching heat from Xie Huai’s palm on her shoulder pulled Xia Xia’s thoughts from that stormy weather ten years ago back to the quiet night at Nan University.

This was Nan City, not that isolated little village.

It was ten years later – Xia Jun had aged, and she had grown up. Xia Jun wouldn’t dare do anything here, and Xie Huai wouldn’t allow it either.

She paused, then shook her head slightly.

“Really nothing?” Xie Huai stared at Xia Jun, his expression hostile.

“It’s nothing,” Xia Xia said softly, “Go ahead with your work.”

Xie Huai didn’t press further, just said quietly: “Call me if you need anything.”

After Xie Huai went upstairs to deliver milk tea, Xia Jun contemplated his retreating figure: “Boyfriend? I saw you two having breakfast together that day, you even rode his motorcycle. Took me several schools to find you, but it wasn’t a wasted effort.”

Xia Xia said impatiently: “What exactly do you want?”

Xia Jun lifted his eyelids: “Your uncle is old now, got a lot of health problems from my younger days, can only do odd jobs at construction sites, making eight hundred to a thousand a month. You know today’s prices, what can that money do? Not even enough for a prostitute…”

“And this ear of mine hurts terribly when it rains or gets cloudy, costs quite a bit in pain medication. This is your responsibility, isn’t it?”

Xia Xia: “I’m just a student, do I look like I have money?”

Xia Jun grinned: “Wei Jinhai is a city person after all. You’ve been his convenient daughter for so many years, he must give you some monthly allowance, right?”

“Yes, he gives me money,” Xia Xia raised an eyebrow, “but if I give it to you, what will I spend?”

Xia Jun said: “Don’t you have a boyfriend? Don’t you know how to spend men’s money?”

Xia Xia paused, then asked: “If I give you money, will you never come looking for me again?”

Xia Jun didn’t promise: “That depends on how much you give.”

Xia Xia felt her pocket and took out two hundred yuan.

Last weekend Sister Yan had called her for another job, working as a hostess for a ceremony event, two hundred yuan for standing all day.

Xia Jun took the money, sneered, and suddenly slapped her face: “You think I’m a beggar?”

He was used to hitting Xia Xia since she was small and didn’t care that they were in public, striking without hesitation.

Passing students turned curious glances their way, even more intrigued when they saw it was Xia Xia being hit.

Xia Xia covered her face, her loose hair hiding her eyes: “This is all I have.”

Xia Jun suddenly smiled: “Don’t you have a boyfriend? I see your boyfriend dresses well.”

“Don’t think about him,” Xia Xia glared, her almond eyes watery and lacking force, “No matter how much money he has, it’s none of your business.”

Xia Jun smiled strangely: “I was just saying, so he is rich? Xia Xia has done well for herself, and grown up to find a rich man. If you don’t give me money today, I’ll wait here until your boyfriend comes out and let him know what kind of person you are.”

Xia Xia bit her bloodless lips: “What do I have to fear him knowing?”

“Nothing to fear him knowing? Your mother messing around with me in the village, me beating you like a dog since you were small, if he’s from a good family would he still want you?” Xia Jun pointed at his ear, “And this ear, does your boyfriend know how cruel you can be?”

Xia Xia’s face went white: “…don’t tell him.”

“Two thousand yuan, I won’t ask for more. I need the money to get my ear checked,” Xia Jun said, “I’ll come find you tomorrow, have the money ready.”

“Don’t come here,” Xia Xia quickly said, “I don’t want my classmates to see.”

She thought for a moment: “I know where the construction site is, I’ll find you tomorrow evening after work.”

The milk tea Xie Huai delivered was ordered by Zhao Shanqi.

Zhao Shanqi hadn’t been eating dinner lately but ordered two cups of milk tea every night. Xie Huai usually didn’t deliver just milk tea, but Zhao Shanqi was extravagant with money, always ordering the most expensive milk tea and adding lots of toppings, coming to forty yuan per cup. Xie Huai, being adaptable, could bow to money with just a nod.

When Xia Xia came upstairs, Xie Huai was still leaning against the wall by her dorm room, not having left.

He stood quietly, rolling prayer beads one by one in his lowered hand.

The corridor lights were off, and twilight came through the windows, moonlight mixing with artificial light on his face.

He stood silently still, like a sculpture, but up close, in this quiet corridor, one could hear his faint heartbeat.

Xie Huai had a pleasant scent about him, like summer sunlight warming blankets, or morning dew on grass.

Xia Xia couldn’t describe it precisely, just knew it felt comfortable.

“Why haven’t you left yet?” Even in the dim corridor, Xia Xia kept her head down, not wanting Xie Huai to see her face.

Xie Huai didn’t answer, instead asking: “Who was that person?”

“A distant relative,” Xia Xia said.

She didn’t realize how unusual she appeared to others, believing she had concealed her emotional turmoil well.

The corridor lights came on, and Xie Huai caught sight of her swollen cheek. His fingers, rolling the prayer beads, stopped.

His lips moved, but he ultimately didn’t ask her about it.

As Xia Xia passed him to open her dorm room door, Xie Huai called out: “Xia Xia.”

His voice was clear: “I haven’t gotten close to anyone since school started, except you’re the only one I get along with. Those things I said before were just to tease you.”

“I know your family is in Chang City. Nan City is thousands of kilometers from there. If someone bullies you in an unfamiliar place with no one to help, you can tell me,” Xie Huai said calmly. “Big Brother Huai might not be good at much, but dealing with people is my specialty.”

“Since I’ve acknowledged you as my little sister, I consider you one of my own. Tell me if anyone bullies you.”

Xia Xia felt momentarily dazed, staring at Xie Huai blankly.

He curved his lips in a roguish smile: “Tell me if you have trouble, okay?”

Xia Xia said softly: “Okay.”

Xie Huai waved and left. She entered her dorm and leaned against the door, exhaling.

The two cups of milk tea on Zhao Shanqi’s desk hadn’t been touched. She was dieting recently and casually threw the unopened milk tea into the trash.

Xia Xia slept until noon the next day. The swelling on her face had subsided, leaving only a faint handprint.

She borrowed Zhu Ziyu’s BB cream to cover it up and borrowed clothes from her too.

The top was a two-piece set – a black camisole inside and a sheer shirt outside, decorated with tiny rhinestones.

Xia Xia’s delicate collarbones and slender shoulder blades were faintly visible through the transparent fabric.

The thin camisole straps rested on her narrow, luminous shoulders, creating a hint of feminine allure unique to young girls.

Zhu Ziyu commented: “This outfit looks good on you too.”

Her expression changed as she asked with a smile: “Xia Xia, are you dressed up so prettily today for a date?”

Xia Xia left with her backpack, first going to a noodle shop outside the school for a bowl of saozi noodles, eating slowly before taking transport to browse the electronics mall all afternoon.

Five o’clock in the evening.

At quitting time, the streets filled with people.

Xia Xia stood across from the construction site as workers finished their shifts, walking out in groups.

Xia Jun emerged from the crowd, walking straight to her: “Where’s the money?”

Xia Xia glanced at the surrounding construction workers: “You want me to take it out here?”

Xia Jun sneered: “Good point, come with me then.”

His residence was in an area of low buildings where he shared a room with several coworkers. Some of the houses had been partially demolished, leaving half in ruins of broken walls and tiles.

Xia Xia stopped at the doorway, refusing to go further.

Looking around at the deserted ruins, Xia Jun lit a pungent cigarette: “Take it out then.”

Xia Xia said: “I don’t have any money.”

“You’re a grown man with hands and feet, extorting money from a student,” she said calmly. “Getting worse with age, have you no shame?”

Xia Jun’s fingers paused, orange cigarette tip trailing white smoke.

He examined Xia Xia, his gaze penetrating her thin jacket, lingering on her slender neck and defined collarbones.

Ten years had passed, and the girl before him had grown from a sweet-voiced child into an elegant young woman, becoming even more delicately beautiful, making Xia Jun’s heart itch uncontrollably.

He stubbed out his cigarette: “No money? You can pay with your body.”

Xia Xia raised an eyebrow: “Beating my mother and molesting me as a child, and your sickness still hasn’t changed in your old age? How should I pay – Do you want to beat me to vent your anger or rape me?”

Xia Jun sneered: “Ten years ago you ate my food and drank my water, what’s wrong with touching you a bit? Just like your whore mother, acting pure in front of me, but you want men to fuck you, right? You even dared to bite off my ear.”

Xia Xia: “Molestation is molestation, no need to make it sound noble.”

Xia Jun ground his cigarette butt under his shoe, suddenly reaching for Xia Xia.

Xia Xia dodged sideways, but his hand wasn’t aimed at her body, but at her backpack. He yanked it off her back, unzipped it, and pulled out a running voice recorder.

Xia Jun: “Xia Xia, you’re still not skilled enough. Someone desperate enough to bite off my ear wouldn’t be scared into bringing money by a few words, talking about extortion and molestation – you think I’m stupid?”

He threw down the voice recorder she’d bought that morning and crushed it.

Xia Xia didn’t react, just watched him quietly: “Then what do you think I should do?”

She knew the voice recorder couldn’t serve as evidence anyway – too many years had passed to investigate, the recording was just for future reference.

Xia Xia took out her phone and dialed a number. Xia Jun instinctively tried to grab it.

Xia Xia held the phone high: “My boyfriend knows who I’m meeting and where. If you dare touch me, he’ll call the police and destroy you.”

Xia Jun was intimidated. He knew Xia Xia’s words contained an element of threat, but they weren’t wrong.

She wouldn’t have come alone to meet him without preparation.

He had destroyed her voice recorder but hadn’t touched a hair on her head. Even if she called the police, they had no reason to arrest him without cause.

Xia Xia stood there making the call.

After several rings, Xie Huai answered with a calm “hello” on speakerphone.

Xia Xia held the phone, her cold gaze fixed on Xia Jun: “I’m outside the flat houses opposite Bijie Garden Phase Three construction site. The person with me is Xia Jun from Pingxiang County, Chang City. All injuries on my body today are from his beating. If I don’t return, remember to call the police.”

Xia Jun: “…”

Xia Xia hung up before Xie Huai could speak.

Xia Jun’s face darkened: “You’re playing with me?”

Xia Xia hadn’t told her boyfriend where she was going beforehand.

Delivering this information in front of him was like making a fool of him.

Xia Xia: “You’re still so full of yourself. Dealing with someone like you, I don’t even need to prepare in advance.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xia Jun’s hand struck her face.

Xia Jun spat: “Little bitch.”

“Hitting me, are you?” Xia Xia’s eyes darkened as she bent to pick up a brick.

Xia Jun mocked: “What, with those skinny arms and legs, you want to fight back? Bitch daughter of a bitch mother, a family of whores.”

Xia Xia curved her lips slightly, raised her hand, and without blinking smashed the brick against her head.

The brick shattered on impact, blood immediately seeping from her forehead.

Xia Xia threw away the broken half-brick and picked up a new one.

Blood trickled down her temple, but she showed no sign of pain, not even furrowing her brow.

“What makes you think I’ll still let you push me around?” She smashed the second brick against her head, blood staining the fine hair at her hairline red.

She pulled at her collar, roughly tearing her clothes, her voice trembling with pain: “I wish you were dead.”

Xia Jun watched in horror, reaching to grab the brick from her hand to stop her self-harm.

Xia Xia pressed the jagged edge of the broken brick against the artery in her neck, tilting her head. She applied slight pressure, drawing a line of blood on her neck.

“I don’t know my strength, next time I might cut the artery,” her gaze was stern. “You tore my clothes, you caused my injuries.”

“If I die here today, a brief police investigation will reveal what happened in the past. You have a motive for murder, my accusation, and so many eyes at the construction site saw me leave with you – you’ll be the murderer.”

Xia Xia’s voice was ice-cold: “Do you dare touch me now? Just fucking try to touch me.”

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