“Yes.” I replied without hesitation.
It was a little sudden for me, but now that I had agreed, I had to do it.
And I had convinced myself thousands of times.
Now no matter who asked me, I would answer “yes” without hesitation.
Daisy put the chopsticks in her mouth and frowned. She looked at me and said, “but I don’t think you’re
happy when you mention it. You lived with Sean that year, but...”
“Stop talking.” I interrupted Daisy decisively, “it’s all over. He married Cindy. Don’t talk about him.”
“But...”
“I’ve got good news.” To stop Daisy, I said to her, “Inez and Marlin are not my biological parents, so my
biological parents are others.”
“Really?” Daisy was shocked.
I told her what had happened recently.
Daisy was surprised. “You had an accident but you didn’t tell me! Have you treated me as a friend?”
“I’m fine. Ming has been taking care of me.”
Ming had been taking care of me for two weeks.
He was meticulous and thoughtful.
Sacred Heart Hospital belonged to him and he gave orders. So even if he wasn’t there, the nurse came
to see me three times an hour and was afraid that something might happen to me.
When I mentioned Ming, Daisy pouted, “is Ming so good? I think his smile is just his mask.”
“Why?”
When I said that, I felt guilty.
In fact, I didn’t think I really knew Ming. He never really opened up to me.
What he let me see is what he wanted me to see.
But he was really nice to me.
Daisy continued to eat and said nothing.
After supper she took the initiative to wash the dishes. When I was cleaning up the garbage, Daisy
said, “June, think about it. You may get married more than once, but once you do, you can’t go back.”
“I have made up my mind.”
I replied decisively.
I had convinced myself.
Daisy heard my answer and turned to look at me. “Really?”
“Really, really! I really want to marry him!”
I agreed and booked a wedding party.
He was very kind to me. How could I break his heart?
Daisy couldn’t stand it at last. She took off her gloves and put her hands on my shoulders and said
seriously, “I don’t agree!”
“Why don’t you agree with my marriage?” I pretended to glance at her and smiled unwillingly. I said,
“he’s very kind to me, and you know that.”
“But you are not happy. It’s better not to marry for a lifetime than to marry someone you don’t love.”
Daisy took me. “Who said women must get married? Now you have the ability to make money and buy
houses, cars and clothes. Why do you have to get married?”
“Men don’t just pay.”
“So you have to marry the one you love. A lifetime is too long. If you live with someone you don’t love,
you will be miserable!”
Daisy’s words had deeply shaken the faith I had already instilled in myself.
I looked at her and my mood was complicated. I couldn’t even laugh.
After a long time I said, “but...”
“But what? You have to marry someone you love. If you marry Ming because he is pitiful, he is pitiful
indeed!”
Daisy grabbed me by the shoulder. Her words shocked me.
I was guilty and bowed my head. “How could he be pitiful? He will be happy. I...”
“He’ll pick you up later, won’t he? I’ll tell him for you that you don’t like him and don’t marry him!”
Daisy seemed to have made up his mind.
Then she put on her gloves and continued to wash the dishes.
I looked at her and froze.
She said it with ease.
But I couldn’t do that.
I stared at Daisy and hesitated.
I didn’t even say a word.
When we finished the housework together, Daisy pointed to the second bedroom and said, “there are
things you left in my house before. I think you’d better go and have a look.”
I didn’t know what she meant.
I went in and opened the box. I saw a sketch book lying on the top of the painting tool, and my heart
hurt a lot.
I knew what was inside.
It was a painting I drew for Sean when I was at The Best Home.
At this moment, I didn’t even have the courage to open it.
It took me five years to bury it in the bottom of my heart so that the wound would not bleed or hurt.
But it was only a few months after I came back that the wound festered again.
In my heart.
Even if I didn’t think about it, I knew the wound was getting bigger and bigger and out of control.
I was just trying to be brave.
I got up quickly and didn’t touch the sketch book. I went out and said to Daisy, “it’s all useless. I’ll take
them down and throw them away later.”
Daisy looked at me and asked, “are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
What else could I do?
Accompanying an impossible person?
I didn’t want to.
In the evening, I was afraid that Daisy would really say something impulsive to Ming. I didn’t even send
a text message to Ming.
I took a taxi back.
When I got home and opened the door with the key, the door of Ming’s house opened. He stood at the
door and dressed neatly. He looked at me and frowned. “Why didn’t you call me again?”
“I’m sorry. It’s too late. I don’t want to trouble you.”
The reason was too far fetched.
What Daisy said just now made me really want to tell Ming that I didn’t want to marry him when I was
looking at him.
But I couldn’t say that.
I really couldn’t bear to hurt a person who was so kind to me.
Ming looked at me and came out of his house. He put a hand around my waist and put his head on my
shoulder. He was silent for a moment and said, “don’t you want to marry me?”
I was stunned and shook my head quickly. “No.”
“I’m sorry. I know you don’t like me. I forced you. I promise I will be very good to you, so...” He hugged
me tightly around the waist. He paused and said, “can you give me a chance to treat you well? Maybe
one day you will fall in love with me.”
His tone was humble.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda