Chapter 101: Did I hurt you?

On the balcony, Jiang Yao picked up a can of ice beer, opened it, and took a large sip.

On the adjacent balcony, He Yunqing appeared as if from nowhere. "Haven't I told you before? Drinking ice beer harms the body."

Jiang Yao was startled and turned to look at He Yunqing.

The man held a bottle of milk and shook it gently at her, then smiled softly.

"When did you appear there? You gave me a fright."

He Yunqing raised an eyebrow and gazed into the distance while taking a sip of milk. "It's no use, we've been apart for two hours already, and I can't sleep."

Jiang Yao pursed her small lips and smiled, then took a large gulp of wine. "Yeah, two hours have passed. I can only drown my sorrows in wine too."

He Yunqing cleared his throat and gestured for Jiang Yao to come closer.

"What?" Jiang Yao was puzzled and leaned toward He Yunqing.

The man's large hand suddenly cupped Jiang Yao's head, his thin lips covering hers before she could react.

The sudden kiss left Jiang Yao stunned for a moment. The milky aroma mingled with the stimulating taste of beer seemed to intoxicate more easily.

She instinctively kissed him back clumsily.

After a long while, the two people separated by the balcony panted slightly, their gazes meeting with indescribable emotions flickering.

He Yunqing leaped agilely and jumped directly from his balcony onto Jiang Yao's side.

He pulled her into his arms without hesitation and continued kissing her, as hot as a burning flame.

Jiang Yao was ignited by that flame and followed his rhythm, from the balcony back to the room.

She lay on the soft large bed, tightly embracing him.

He Yunqing encircled her with his sturdy physique, plundering her sweetness with both dominance and tenderness.

The man kissed her lips, her earlobes, her chin and neck...

Jiang Yao closed her eyes. The sensation on her neck suddenly made her brain explode, as if something had detonated in an instant.

She felt as if she was in boundless darkness, her whole body icy and numb, like a voice hovering by her ear like a ghost: "My little princess..."

Even with Jiang Yao tightly closing her eyes, she seemed to see Zeng Qiwen's terrifying face.

She felt pain, pain all over her body.

Endless whipping and torment.

"No, don't..." She gritted her teeth but couldn't help softly begging, terrified and helpless, calling out weakly, "It hurts, it hurts so much..."

He Yunqing's movements paused. "Did I hurt you?"

Jiang Yao seemed not to hear He Yunqing's voice and shivered on her own. "Let go of me, don't, don't..."

Tears slowly flowed from her tightly closed eyes.

"Don't!" She finally shouted and pushed him in the chest.

The man was stunned, looking at her fearful appearance, and immediately let go. "Yao, Yao."

"Please, don't touch me, please..." Jiang Yao shrank into a trembling ball like a wounded little white rabbit, huddled in the corner and tightly hugging herself.

"Good, good, I won't touch you." He Yunqing hurriedly comforted her. "It's my fault, I was too impulsive, Yao..."

Jiang Yao took several deep breaths before coming back to her senses and looked up at He Yunqing.

Only then did she realize Zeng Qiwen was dead, and the person just now was He Yunqing...

She dejectedly leaned her head against the wall and looked at He Yunqing, tears like beads on a broken string falling. "I'm sorry, Yunqing, I'm sorry..."

He Yunqing came forward again and pulled her into his arms, letting her head rest lightly on his shoulder.

He patted her back and comforted her gently. "It's all right, Yao. I can wait, until you're ready."

Jiang Yao silently bit her lip and said nothing.

Would there really be such a day?

She thought that was ten years ago, that person who had hurt her had long since left this world, and she could finally escape from the shadows of the past.

But the facts proved she was wrong.

That shadow had become her inescapable cage.

The farther she ran, the larger the shadow grew, always following her like a shadow...

That night, He Yunqing did not return.

The two lay in bed embracing, the man gently holding her as he slept the whole night.

Until the next morning, when Jiang Yao woke up, she saw breakfast laid out on the table.

He Yunqing had an early flight that morning and left after buying breakfast for her.

Jiang Yao pursed her lips, drank soybean milk, and looked at the words left by He Yunqing on the table: "I'll be back soon."

Jiang Yao gnawed on a deep-fried dough stick. "Jiang Yao, you can do it. Be braver."

Thinking about it, she took out from her carry-on bag the business card she had thought she would never find again...

The psychotherapist recommended by Doctor Xia before her departure.

Jiang Yao looked at the three characters "Xu Anxin" and dialed the number. "Doctor Xu? I'd like to make an appointment with you..."

Psychotherapy office.

Jiang Yao sat on the chair and surveyed the furnishings around her.

Xu Anxin sat opposite her, smiling kindly at her.

This was a round-faced woman with an elegant and composed demeanor, clearly someone with a higher education.

Jiang Yao looked at Xu Anxin. "Miss Xu, have we met somewhere?"

Xu Anxin smiled. "I have a plain face. It's not surprising that you find me familiar. Did Doctor Xia recommend me to you?"

Jiang Yao nodded. "Doctor Xia said you're more focused on psychological research than she is and can help me."

"She flatters me," Xu Anxin replied politely. "But I am willing to do my best."

They emerged from Xu Anxin's psychotherapy office at just past eight in the evening.

Jiang Yao looked up at the moon in the sky and steadied herself.

For some reason, she always had a strong feeling that she had seen Xu Anxin somewhere. She was sure it was not her illusion.

But no matter how hard she tried, she could not recall.

Jiang Yao walked while thinking and unconsciously passed a bus stop.

When she came back to her senses, she realized she had walked far.

She quickly turned back, only for a taxi to stop in front of her.

"Miss, where to?"

Jiang Yao glanced inside the car and saw two other girls sitting in the back.

"No need, thank you."

"Hey, it's no problem if it's on the way." The driver called to her.

This was not an uncommon occurrence; some drivers took passengers along the route to earn extra money.

Jiang Yao knew how tough it was for taxi drivers, so she thought about it and got into the car.

Who knew the driver would turn this way and that without heading toward the nearby villa, instead veering off in the opposite direction...