Yuxuan (REMASTERED)

Chapter Fourteen

I followed Yuxuan back to the lake enclosure he brought me to originally. On the way, I made sure that Hansel and the others weren't following. My efforts to keep Yuxuan safe didn't change anything.

Yuxuan still kept a brutal scowl on his face. After burying his tiger friend, it was as if I didn't exist. I hugged him, but he never reacted to it. I could only imagine how grief-stricken he was.

And I knew it was harder for him not to be able to express himself clearly, in English. But I wanted him to respond. He hadn't made a peep since we left their camp. He wouldn't listen whenever I called him.

I felt guilty. It was eating me inside. What exactly was I supposed to do? What could I do to make him at least talk to me?

A mango landed on my lap, bringing me out of my thoughts. Yuxuan had thrown it to me. Before he could walk away from me, I grabbed his arm. "Yuxuan, please... say something, anything," I was practically begging him.

He pushed my hand away and placed himself on the far end, near the water. I sighed and sat back down.

I couldn't eat this mango knowing that Yuxuan was upset with me. What if he decided to leave me alone? I wanted him to before, but meeting with Peterson and James only made me realize how safer I was with him. I realized it too late.

I had a new fear. Fear that Yuxuan would abandon me. He'd probably leave me to starve or hand me over to a hungry bear. If I was him, knowing how I treated him, I'd want to be eaten alive too.

Did my father have to endure these kinds of situations?

Every day that passed, I could hear my father's words ringing in my ear. Is this what he meant by struggling to survive?

Lord, I am just a horrible person. I realized that I'm spoiled. Before making a decision to travel, perhaps I should've stayed in London and taken a moment to really think my plans through. I wasn't expecting anything to go wrong.

A droplet of water hit my skin.

Oh no. Not now.

I looked up, and I saw dark gray clouds looming over us. In the next few seconds, the rain began to pour. The water smacked my skin, soaking up my clothes and my hair. I placed my head on my knees and began to cry.

I cried about everything. I wanted to go home. I wanted to see my parents. I wanted to be out of this situation.

The next few days continued like that. Yuxuan continued to ignore me. He only offered me food whenever I needed it. Other than that, he would leave the enclosure for a couple of hours at a time and return with whatever he gathered.

I was starting to crave human interaction. I didn't know how much longer I could go on with Yuxuan ignoring me and leaving me.

The only plus side to being alone was being able to bathe freely without anyone peeking. But I wasn't able to enjoy it anymore. It did feel good to be clean, but I didn't have much to wear.

My top was torn and ruined. It was like I couldn't go a day without another button coming loose. At this point, it was better for me not to cover my front.

I improved my pulling my skirt to cover my chest. It looked like I was wearing a short gown of some sort, with my shoulders and arms completely exposed. The men in London would have a fit. My father would lock me in my room if I walked around looking like the prostitutes I've seen at night.

Honestly, I wouldn't dare to go out anywhere with such atrocious wear in London, but it was all I had left here. I used one of the shredded pieces of fabric made from my completely destroyed skirts and tied it around my waist as if it were a belt. Or it could be a tiny thin corset to really highlight my shape.