Chapter 4 - A White Wedding
“Yes.” Xia Ruoxin placed a hand over her chest, and physically there was nothing. But deep inside her chest, a piece of memory was embedded; no one else knew about it. No one.
Jiang Yao reached out her hand and picked up the makeup kit. She tenderly powdered Xia Rouxin’s face which made the girl smile, however, there was a look of absent-mindedness in her eyes.
If only the amulet was still there at that point of time, would things turn out better? Would that change her life?
If only. There were just too many ifs and buts.
She closed her eyes and went back to the time when she had her 5th birthday.
She was five that year and Xia Yixuan was four.
“Sister, what’s that on your neck? May I have it?” Xia Yixuan lifted her head in a princess-like manner. She looked at the item hanging around Xia Ruoxin’s neck. She had never seen anything like it. It looked nice.
“Sister, can I exchange my doll with you for that?” She pointed at the doll in Xia Ruoxin’s arms which Rouxin actually also owned.
Xia Ruoxin shook her head and put the doll down. By instinct, her hand moved up to wrap the amulet with her palm. She could live without the doll even if she received a beating from her mother for it—even after her four-year-old sister made her a scapegoat.
“Sister, give it to me.” Xia Yixuan has always been a tyrant. She stood up and sprang towards Xia Ruoxin. The only thing Xia Ruoxin could do was to repeatedly retreat.
“Yixuan.” Shen Yijun hastily walked over and hugged Xia Yixuan’s small frame.
Yixuan started bawling as soon as she saw Shen Yujin. “Mom, I want the thing hanging around sister’s neck. But she refused to give it to me…”
“Ruoxin, give that to Yixuan. It is her birthday today.” Shen Yijun glared at Rouxin. She thought, ” How could she be so thoughtless? She should have given that to her younger sister! ”
Xia Ruoxin’s grip on her amulet tightened. Her lips were pressed into a thin line in silent protest.
“Xia Ruoxin, give it to me.” Shen Yijun stretched her hand out. Xia Yixuan bawled even more in her arms. She was beating Shen Yijun as she cried, “Mummy, I want. I want…”
“Give it to me.” Shen Yijun stretched her hand even more. “Give it to me.”
Xia Ruoxin took another step back. She shook her head. “Mummy, this is the only thing I have. P—please… don’t take it away. Please?”
“Enough!” Shen Yijun stood up in a hurry. She reached out and gripped Xia Rouxin with one hand, and with the other yanked the amulet from the girl’s neck.
“Mummy…” Xia Ruoxin watched Shen Yijun carry Xia Yixuan. She then walked away — just like that. Xia Yixuan was now holding her amulet.
“Mummy…” She was so sad that she pouted her lips. She picked up the worn out doll from the floor. “Mummy… Xinxin feels sad…”
But no one was there to answer her.
“Ruoxin. Ruoxin , what is wrong with you?”
Xia Ruoxin slowly fluttered her eyes open when she heard Jiang Yao’s voice ringing in her ears.
“Sorry, Jiang Yao. I just remembered something from the past.” She apologetically smiled, though her eyes brimmed with tears.
“What did you remember?” Jiang Yao changed a new powder puff. Xia Rouxin was crying again, and there was no way to wipe the tears away— it kept coming. This girl could really cry.
“Nothing. Just some things from when I was young.” She brushed off her friend’s question lightly. She then turned to look at herself in the mirror. She might just be the ugliest bride ever.
The wedding would begin very soon.
The wedding between her and Chu Lui. She managed to smile while picturing it out in her mind. Her smile was stunning and precious, yet it lacked the beauty of a blooming Begonia flower and seemed to have lost many of its colors before it could even fully bloom.