A Round Trip to Love 2: Separate Routes

Chapter Sixteen

Since that day, I have not been able to take a single step out of this house, in other words, I am under house arrest.

I know what his intentions are. He wants to torment me little by little, not batting an eyelid when he kicks and slaps me for no apparent reasons.

Even though I would not class this sort of beating as particularly violent, and it did not hurt too much, nor does it leave behind massive bruises or scars, but they are inflicted with the intent to humiliate. His dismissive, rather than angry countenance as he sends a kick flying towards me, is reminiscent of a swift kick to a stray dog that is in the way.

Lu Feng is continually busying himself with something or someone, he appears to be overloaded with too many things and surrounded by too many ...... people. Thus he did not have too much time to 'take care' of me.

There are no restrictions on my movements around the house, and I can walk around freely, but I choose not to use this privilege frequently. In the hallway or living room, there is a chance I would walk into Lu Feng with a young man sharing intimacies, and that would land me in hot water; Once he raised a hand to slap me right in front of a boy he brought back, that boy's eyes rounded wide with shock and was quite literally frightened out of his wits. From that incident on, I have not stepped out of the room much.

He would come in at night after I have fallen asleep to watch me. To quote him, it is 'to admire the ugly looks you make when you are dreaming in your sleep'.

I never understood what the point is. There is nothing about my sleeping habits he has not witnessed before. We were so close before, sleeping together every night. I will talk in my sleep when I am stressed, bite my nails and even sob like a child, he was the one who would tell me about these with a smile on his face the next morning.

Why did he have to get out of bed in the middle of the night just to sit by my bed to watch me, is it because now that I am old, I really do look much uglier than before like he wishes?

I finally dream of him again. I dreamt of the time we were by the sea in Xiamen, where there were no pedestrians on the bridge, only cars whizzing past, it was deep in the night, with a few stars hanging in the sky, we were hugging each other so tight, the sea calmly flowing under our feet.

He was so tall he only need to reach out with one arm to wrap me easily into his embrace, his chin resting on my head, my nose squashed against his firm chest, a little painful, but oh so warm.

"It feels like there are only us two left in this world," he said, "swear to me now, swear that you will stay with me forever."

"And if you are the one who chase me away?" I asked him.

"Even then you cannot leave."

"Hey, that's unreasonable ......"

"So yes or no?"

"Yes." Perhaps only when it comes to this person's request, no matter how unreasonable, I will accept it.

"If you ran away, I will use whatever means possible to catch you back."

"Mm."

"I will lock you up, break your legs, so you can never run away from me again." With his face so close, the image of his serious expression burned into my retina.

"Even if you hate me I would still do that, do you understand?"

What does it matter, I know it is because you love me.

Just when I am trying to hold on to him, I awaken suddenly, my eyes opened to look blankly up at the face which just appeared in my dream.

"What kind of beautiful dream are you having?" He snorted, "Even your sleep talk is so interesting?"