It took a while before Yu Qiao could respond. "Mad? I do not remember getting mad when you stabbed my hand with a newly sharpened pencil. Remember? That happened when we were kids. So what do you think?" he asked instead as he remembered the incident.
Mo Lihua is two years younger than him and she was a very difficult kid. She was hostile to strangers and difficult to play with to the point that she got violent sometimes. Yu Qiao, being a stubborn kid as well when he was ten, was able to pester Mo Lihua until she did not have a choice but to just tolerate his presence.
"You still hold that against me? I was a kid," Mo Lihua murmured down line. "You are not mad I guess. I still want to apologize for making you worry," she added, assuming that he might be a little mad at her.
Yu Qiao is really not mad, he is more hurt that she hid the fact that she now has a boyfriend. He was unsure how to respond so he just listened to Mo Lihua while he processed all that she was saying.
"Well… I just want to tell you that I am fine. My boyfriend is not a bad person," Mo Lihua whispered assuringly.
"Lihua, are you still a virgin?" Yu Qiao suddenly asked bluntly. In all honesty, he did not want to hear the answer but still decided to just ask it straightforward. He did not know where the ache in his heart was coming from. By just thinking that Mo Lihua was touched intimately by another man, the pain continued and he did not know how to stop it.
Do all brothers feel this way? Yu Qiao wondered. However, the pain intensified when Mo Lihua refused to speak about it.
"I do not want to answer that Brother Qiao," Mo Lihua whispered into the phone. "Regardless, I will make sure not to get pregnant before I graduate," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.
After hearing her response, Yu Qiao clenched his fist as he repeatedly punched the wooden door of the study without making a sound. He was imagining that he is hitting Mo Lihua's boyfriend in the face. No need to even ask, they already did it! He wants to shout in anger but what else can he do? Yu Qiao can only get angry in silence!
When he stopped hitting the door, he voiced a thought: "Protection, do not forget it." Yu Qiao forced himself to say that aloud.
Protection? he mused. What if I just tell this to godfather and have the man assassinated? he thought to himself evilly, finding the concept very ideal.
After a moment of silence, Mo Lihua finally spoke."Yeah! I will have him use a lot of those!" Mo Lihua exclaimed tightly. "Different flavors and brands! There are also those with a different texture, and I want to try the ones that glow in the dark!" she listed with enthusiasm, causing Yu Qiao further displeasure.
F*ck him for corrupting my Lihua! Yu Qiao cursed the unknown boyfriend due to annoyance. Mo Lihua is not even embarrassed, speaking to him like they are just talking about candies, not condoms!
"Right! Always be discrete, and do not allow him to take you to cheap places either! Motels are not acceptable. The more expensive the hotel, the better," Yu Qiao responded casually, giving advice as he tried to be mature while ignoring the hurt and anger that he felt at that moment.
He wanted to hang up the phone in all honesty, but he endured hearing more details from Mo Lihua. I will hurt him, he thought. I will make sure that his face is so destroyed that Lihua will feel disgusted to the point of breaking up, he vowed to himself, his fists really itching to hit something softer.
"I want to try other things as well. Like trying it inside the car or the cinema, perhaps?" Mo Lihua asked as if she is really considering the idea.
"No!" Yu Qiao shouted, fists banging on the study table. "No, I mean that is dangerous! Cops might arrest you because of it!" he added agitated. 'Just don't do it at all! Dump him!' His thoughts badly wanting to shout that out.
"Cops?" Mo Lihua asked. "Hmm. I guess you are right," she added.
Yu Qiao relaxed slightly, "I am always right! It is very dangerous. You also need to be careful about godfather discovering this, so might as well-" he explained, preparing to persuade Mo Lihua to just drop the man when he was suddenly cut off.
"Yep! I know! Hotel is better! They also have nice accessories and there are some that have a playroom. Bondage and chains sound interesting! Thank you, Brother Qiao! I will talk to him about it immediately! Good night for now! See you tomorrow!" Mo Lihua said in a hurry before hanging up on him.
"No! Wait!" Yu Qiao shrieked. He tried to dial Mo Lihua's number but was unable to get through as her line was busy!