ILL MEIXIU

"Where is that Meixiu?", Chaoxiang rushed downstairs after seeing no one on the couch.

He is leaving the country early in the morning and is flying to Japan for an interview because tomorrow is his Japan debut. "The time is 2:30 AM, it's impossible that she'll step outside and have a walk. Ruomei said she's afraid of the dark."

He is holding his clothes from yesterday's guesting. He only wears his clothes once, exclude the ones he use in his house of course. "The kitchen lights are on. Maybe she's cooking already. How did she know when I will be leaving early?", he asked himself before he went out.

He is whistling while heading to the guardhouse. He knows there is no garbage collector last night. "Poor Meixiu, such a fool.", he smirked.

"Hey there Mr. guard. I'm going to throw these clothes away. Where can I put this? I'll be out the village for maybe two or three days.", he greeted the guard.

"Oh I told a lady last night that she can leave her garbage here. You can put yours inside her garbage bag.", he smiled, knowing the guard's referring to his wife.

"Sure Mr. guard."

He opened the garbage bag and saw nothing but broken pieces of glasswares. And the box he threw at her. The box from a fan. "Is this blood?", he asked seeing the red stains on both the box and the broken pieces of glass. "What clumsiness is this Meixiu?", he thought.

He put all the clothes away and asked the guard some sanitizer.

"Mr. guard, the lady last night who owns the garbage. Have you seen something weird at her?"

"At first I thought she was enjoying the rain but after I pulled the garbage bag from her, I noticed my hand's full of blood. Do you happen to know the lady sir?"

"No. I just want to ask."

"She told me she's new here. She looks lonely."

"That's sad. Mr. guard, I'll be going."

When he reached their house, he opened the door and saw no one's on the couch. He sneaked his head on the kitchen and also saw no one's there.

"Meixiu!", his voice was loud and clear.

He banged the bathroom door because where else can she be hiding but there's something that's stopping him to fully push it. He then saw someone's arms on the floor. "It's Meixiu's blue turtleneck long sleeves."

"Meixiu! Open the door!"

He forced himself to get through between the small space created by the partly opened door. Meixiu is lying on the floor, her head's slightly leaned on the wall. It's her legs that's stopping Chaoxiang earlier to open the door.

"Meixiu, are you just sleeping here in the bathroom? Why is the shower on?", he turned the shower off and touched her face. "Is she turning into an ice?", he asked himself.

"Ruomei! Ruomei! Answer my call!", he is now pissed off after Ruomei didn't answer his call.

After a few tries, his younger sister, Meixui's former schoolmate in college finally answered the call.

"Bro it's 2:30! You're disturbing someone's sleep!"

"Ruomei, come over now."

"No!"

"I think Meixiu's sick. I can't bring her to any hospital. No one knows I'm married."

"Sick? Wait I'll come over. What is she doing now?"

"She's on the bathroom floor. The cold water of the shower soaked her, she's so pale and cold."

"You change her clothes you moron! Bring her outside the bathroom! Wait for me, I'll come. Chaoxiang, if something happens to her, I'll rip your head off.", he heard she hanged up the call.

He slipped his phone on his pocket and tried lifting his wife, carrying her to his room.

"Meixiu, I'll change your clothes."

He opened her wardrobe and just grabbed a shirt, a pajama and her under wears. "Why is my hand shaking?", he is sweating as well.

After, he removed her long sleeves, he lift her head and made her sit to remove her bra. He placed her head on his shoulder and flipped her hair to the side.

"Meixiu, you're burning!"

"Hey moron!", he saw his sister banging the door.

"Ruomei, she's as hot as fire."

Ruomei knelt on the bed and slipped the hole of the shirt on Meixiu's head.

"Leave.", she pushed him and he fell on the bed.

"How can Dad let you marry without knowing how to treat someone ill?"

"Now don't blame me! If she never walked out of the rain last night, this will never happen!"

"She what? Meixiu! Hey wake up."

"I'll be leaving today. Tomorrow's my Japan debut, my flight's 5 AM."

"Fine, leave! I'll take care of her."

[•••]

"Meixiu! Finally you wake up!"

"Ruomei, why are you here?"

"Chaoxiang called me, you're sick."

"What time is it?"

"8:00 AM."

"Shoot! Can you bring me to the office? I'll submit my reports to the board today."

"Meixiu, don't you hear me? You're sick."

"Please Ruomei."

"Okay okay calm down now. Your husband left to Japan."

"We'll talk about it later.", she felt disappointed about him leaving her like this. "Well it's also because of me why I get sick! Work, work Meixui!", she convinced herself to stop thinking about her husband.