20_Even Breathing was Difficult

After they spent some time chatting and talking, it was time to go home. When they walked to the car, Li Yao noticed that the weather was getting colder. She asked Mu Lihai to open the trunk to let her take something out from the shopping bags.

After getting what she wanted, she went to Mu Lihai and tiptoed to barely reach his height.

She put a shawl on his shoulder and circled it around his neck.

"It's cashmere so it's suitable for keeping you warm." she said while she arranged the shawl and put it in place around his neck.

"I wanted to get you a knitted scarf but no, I will knitt one myself and give it to you, okay?" she continued.

Mu Lihai stood frozen there for some seconds until he could finally move and hug his girlfriend closer to his body. The collision of their front sent an electric wave to surface on their body. It was a feeling that even until now, both couldn't really describe well. It was simply magical.

"Thank you. I'll wait for your scarf." he said while he lowered his head on her shoulder, taking in her scent near the crook of her neck.

Mu Lihai then drove his girlfriend to her apartment. He offered to walk her until the front door to which she gave affirmation. She also didn't want him to leave so soon.

When they arrived, she opened her door and put her things inside. she was reluctant to ask him to come inside as it was quite late. He needed to come home early for his rest.

But he would come inside sooner or later so..

"Come inside..?" she inquired. Her eyes casted downwards, ready for his rejection.

Mu Lihai didn't know whether this was a blessing in disguise or the opposite. He felt like jumping on her right then but he controlled himself. He invited himself in and saw that the small apartment was not like what he first expected it to be.

"Surprise?" her small voice akin to a fairy's rang in his ear.

"Yeah.. I was expecting to see a more colorful atmosphere in your home." he told her his honest view.

"Well.. I thought so too. this house is too simple for my taste." she said with a smile that was quite sad for his opinion.

"I never thought of redecorating this place since it was already like this the first time I moved in. My parents weren't married yet when they bought this house and stayed here together." Li Yao explained to him.

"So.. where did you live if not here?" he thought she had lived in this area since she was small.

"It's at Merry Waters." she answered.

"Merry Waters?" wasn't that quite an expensive neighborhood for middle class family?

So.. she wasn't from typical middle class family. she was from one of those who was a bit richer.

"How come you're here then?" he realized his question might be rude and off limit so he signaled her to just forget about it.

"It's okay." she told him with a smile.

"After my mom's passing, my relatives wanted to acquire every little asset we have under my parents name. I was just 17 so I couldn't be in charge of those assets. They took advantage of it and drove me out from my own home. this apartment was too small for their taste that they willingly gave it to me." Li Yao told him the story. Mu Lihai felt like killing someone when he heard her but he realized that she was a lawyer now.

"So.. you becoming a lawyer?" was it to take back everything?

"That's my intention, yes." she nodded. Then she laughed while covering her mouth. Her face was so bright it could blind him.

"I'm stronger now, I can win a case against them!" she said in confidence, with both her arms lifted up like she was some sort of a warrior.

Mu Lihai chuckled seeing her acting very cute and determined.

"You see.. my mom.. she died in an accident." Li Yao suddenly felt like opening up her past scar. If it was Mu Lihai, then she felt like she could tell him.

"I won't say that it was a hit and run.. but it felt like that because the driver wasn't found." she said in a low voice. He could hear her voice trembling and for some odd reasons, he felt a lump in his throat with a heavy rock in his chest.

Hit and run?

The driver wasn't found?

It was the same as him six years ago.

"When.. when did she passed away?" he managed to calm himself down and asked. He thought it wasn't possible. How could fate make them a couple if it was like that?

But her answer almost threw him into the bottom of darkness.

"Around six years ago. I remember it was a rainy season back then." her words cut through him very deeply that he felt like even breathing was difficult.