Living Together

“Wei Jiyuan, you motherfucker!” screamed He Yingtong from outside the door as she ran towards them.

She smashed something hard on the back of Wei Jiyuan’s head.

Wei Jiyuan let go of Jiang Wan and stood up. After glancing at He Yingtong, he staggered and fell to the ground. As he fainted, blood gushed out from the back of his head.

Jiang Wan cried with tears all over her face. She covered her torn clothes with her hands, her entire body and voice trembling, “Yingtong…”

He Yingtong went to check on Wei Jiyuan. After sensing that he was still breathing, she collapsed to the ground and looked at Jiang Wan. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine…” When Jiang Wan got out of the bed, her legs were so weak that she stumbled. Her body and voice were shaking violently as she said, “He said you were here and asked me to come…to talk… in person. That’s why…I came here.”

He Yingtong wiped the tears from her own eyes. “That fucker! I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

She grabbed her phone and dialed 120 (ambulance). After reporting her address, she took out a cigarette and lit it with trembling fingers. “He’s drunk,” she said to Jiang Wan after taking a puff. “Jiang Wan, for my sake, please don’t tell anyone.”

Tears streamed down Jiang Wan’s cheeks as she stared blankly into space. She took a glance at He Yingtong and asked, “Who can I…tell?” Her voice seemed to be floating in the air, as light as a gust of wind. 

He Yingtong stubbed out the cigarette. “Fuck!”

She lifted her head and looked at Jiang Wan with reddened eyes. “I owe you one, Jiang Wan. If you still consider me a friend, call me if you have any problem. But if you no longer treat me as a friend, I will also accept it. Go home.”

Jiang Wan tidied up her clothes with shaky hands, wiped away the tears on her face, and left without looking back.

Her legs were still soft when she walked down the stairs.

She took a taxi home. When she reached the front door, she couldn’t get the key into the keyhole even after several attempts. She had no choice but to support her trembling hand with her other hand, and she was eventually able to open the door.

The living room was dark. Only the refrigerator door was opened, revealing a cold white light.

Wen Jin sat in front of the refrigerator, his head bowed, playing chess.

Jiang Wan didn’t turn on the light as well. She entered the bathroom like a lost soul, locked the door, undressed, and stood under the shower. She let out suppressed cries as she turned on the hot water, drowned out by the sound of running water.

She was terrified. She couldn’t even imagine if He Yingtong hadn’t come back, would…Wei Jiyuan succeed…

Fear and panic caused her to sob uncontrollably. For the first time, she recognized the weakness and powerlessness of a woman. If it wasn’t for He Yingtong, she might have been…

She bit her fingers as tears ran down her face.

Her body was shaking vigorously, and even the hot water above her head couldn’t wash away the panic and fear in her body.

She didn’t know how long had passed when the bathroom door was knocked on and Wen Jin’s voice came from outside, “You’ve been in there for an hour. Give me ten minutes. I need to use the bathroom.“

Before Jiang Wan went into the bathroom, she didn’t bring a change of clothes with her, and she didn’t intend to wear the dirty clothes on the floor. She could only wrap herself in a pure white towel she saw hanging in the bathroom and opened the door.

Wen Jin’s gaze fell on her.

Jiang Wan’s eyes were bloodshot from crying, and a few glistening droplets of water clung to her fair shoulders. She was looking at the floor, and her body was slightly quivering.

“This is mine,” Wen Jin said as he stared at the towel on her body.

“I know.” Jiang Wan’s voice had become a little nasal after crying. “…I’ll wash it and return it to you tomorrow.”

“No.” Wen Jin had a blank expression on his face.

“Do you want me to take it off then?!” Jiang Wan cried out in aggravation, “Will you be satisfied after I get naked?! Then you will also strip naked and tell me you have a sexual impulse towards me? Are you a pervert?!”