Love, please don't bloom

Chapter 2

Zhen Jili was extremely embarrassed and continued walking forward, trying to go around it.

Xiao Qiao, unaware of the power dynamics between men, shouted at Ka Hei, "How can you be so annoying!"

Kahei's face immediately darkened. He stood up and walked over, saying, "You little bitch, I'll tear your cunt apart!"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Zhen Jili's first reaction was to run away. But he didn't. He gritted his teeth and said, "Kahei, don't bully girls!"

Kahei staggered over, scrutinized Zhen Jili for a moment, and then suddenly threw half an ice cream at his face.

Zhen Jili paused for a moment, then dropped his bicycle and frantically rammed his head against Ka Hei's chest...

Looking back, he felt a little regretful. The gesture seemed more like a woman's action, or something a weak person would do when forced into a corner.

Especially after he started dating Xiao Qiao, he felt increasingly ashamed and regretted not punching her back then, even though being beaten would have been a tragic end.

At that moment, Zhen Jili heard Xiao Qiao scream, and then he was covered in fists and kicks.

What impressed him most was that it wasn't raining that day, but Kahry was wearing a pair of brown rain boots.

Ten minutes later, Zhen Jili lay on the deserted roadside, covered in injuries, while Xiao Qiao knelt beside him, sobbing uncontrollably.

She helped Zhen Jili home.

When Zhen Jili touched her body for the first time, he felt that she was very thin.

———The first time Zhen Jili kissed Xiao Qiao, he didn't feel good, at least not as good as he had imagined.

The moon was very bright that day. Xiao Qiao was cold, so she snuggled up to him. He hugged her back, and the two of them trembled as they pressed their lips together.

Afterwards, Xiao Qiao silently looked at Zhen Jili, her lips red and moist, her eyes glistening with tears. She asked anxiously, "...Could she be pregnant?"

Zhen Jili felt that this was a plot that had been written countless times in novels, and it was very unbelievable.

He didn't follow her lead; instead, he looked up at the distant sky. Although he knew Xiao Qiao was an innocent girl, he still felt her words were a bit affected and pretentious.

Xiao Qiao changed her tone: "You won't change your mind, will you?"

He turned his gaze back to her eyes and said, "I love you, Xiao Qiao. Believe me, my heart will always be yours."

He took her hand and gently placed it on his chest, and Xiao Qiao smiled happily.

After graduating from high school, Xiao Qiao was admitted to a vocational school.

Zhen Jili failed all the exams and became a salesman at an insurance company.

He loved Xiao Qiao deeply, and she loved him deeply too.

He spent all his salary on clothes and cosmetics for Xiao Qiao.

They'd been together for so long that he felt she wasn't just his lover, but his wife. His feelings for her had become intertwined with familial affection; he was constantly worried about her, afraid she'd be bullied, afraid she'd get into a car accident. He couldn't sit still if he didn't see her for a day, or if he didn't call her for a day.

At this point, Xiao Qiao had already given her virginity to Zhen Jili.

The first time was in a wheat field in the suburbs, and the sun was shining brightly that day.

Then, Zhen Jili noticed that her lips were very red and moist, and her eyes were glistening with tears. This time, she didn't ask "Will you be pregnant?" but instead said tremblingly, "I have a premonition that something terrible is going to happen to us..."

He gently hugged her and said, "How could that be?"

Xiao Qiao looked into his eyes and asked, "Won't you change your mind?"

He said, "I love you, believe me, my heart will always be yours."

He then pulled Xiao Qiao's hand and pressed it against his chest. "If you don't believe me, I'll pull it out for you right now!"

Hearts in glass bottles (3)

Xiao Qiao smiled happily.

If Xiao Qiao is happy, then he is happy.

Later, Xiao Qiao took him home.

Xiao Qiao's father is a forensic doctor, and her house has a strong smell of Lysol, which makes Zhen Jili feel very clean and safe.

A short while later, Xiao Qiao's father returned. His face was fair and clean.

Zhen Jili immediately felt a chilling coldness in his eyes. At that moment, the smell of Lysol that filled the house suddenly transformed into a murderous aura that threatened to destroy everything.

Zhen Jili sat amidst the murderous aura, feeling as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Xiao Qiao's father wasn't indifferent. He smiled, a slight smile, and instructed the nanny to pour him tea and peel fruit. He didn't say much, just smiled slightly and went into his room, never to come out again.

After that, Zhen Jili never went to Xiao Qiao's house again.

The next day, Xiao Qiao came to see Zhen Jili and burst into tears as soon as she entered the door.

This was the first time Zhen Jili had seen Xiao Qiao cry so hard. His eyes also reddened, and he said, "Xiao Qiao, if it really doesn't work out, then forget it. We don't necessarily have to get married, and we don't necessarily have to be together day and night."

Xiao Qiao shook her head vigorously after hearing his words: "You don't want me anymore..."

With tears in his eyes, he said, "Xiao Qiao, believe me, no matter what, my heart will always belong to you."

From then on, Xiao Qiao and he began a long struggle against their father.

Year after year.

Before they knew it, they were approaching thirty, yet neither of them was getting married, forcing Xiao Qiao's father to give in.

Xiao Qiao's father felt that Zhen Jili was to blame for everything, and hated him even more. He vowed that as long as he had a breath left, he would not let his daughter marry this mediocre man.

Xiao Qiao has clearly aged; fine wrinkles have appeared on her face.

Zhen Jili really didn't want to continue this stalemate any longer. He felt like he was committing a crime, so he said to Xiao Qiao, "Give up, find someone else."

Xiao Qiao sighed, looked at him for a long time, and said, "In that case... do you hate me?"

He shook his head firmly.

Do you hate my father?

"Actually, the reason I've fought with him for so many years is because we both love you too much. I don't hate him."

Xiao Qiao buried her head in his shoulder and said softly, "But I hate him, and I hate you too..."

During that period, an unexpected figure appeared—Kahei.

This kid actually got into a university! Nobody expected that. After graduation, he started a company. Apparently, it was doing very well. Later, for some reason, his wife divorced him…

Xiao Qiao hadn't visited Zhen Jili for a week, and his life suddenly felt empty.

That day, he was eating at the night market alone on his way home when he passed by Xiao Qiao's house and saw a man walk into her house.

It wasn't raining, but the man was wearing a pair of brown rain boots.

That evening, Zhen Jili called Xiao Qiao and confirmed everything he had suspected.

Xiao Qiao said her father seemed to have been bribed by the Gaddafi gang; he was extremely satisfied with them. Then, Xiao Qiao sighed and said, "Anyway, it's like this now, I guess I'll just have to accept my fate..."

Suddenly, Zhen Jili had a strong idea: to headbutt Ka Hei in the chest! But he quickly changed his mind: he would punch him!

He said in a low voice, "I won't let this scoundrel get away with it."

Xiao Qiao remained silent for a long time on the other end of the phone.

He realized something and suddenly asked, "Are you... happy?"

"He's very good to me."

Zhen Jili choked, his throat felt blocked, and he said hoarsely, "...Ah, it's fine."

He hung up the phone, rushed to the kitchen, and gulped down large mouthfuls of cold water.

From then on, Zhen Jili and Xiao Qiao broke up completely. He became depressed and soon lost his job again.

He used his last month's salary to buy a huge bouquet of flowers, arranged them in the shape of Xiao Qiao's name in the room, and stared at them blankly. Xiao Qiao's name was Qiao Yan.

Later, Zhen Jili heard that Ka Hei really treated Xiao Qiao well; he spent most of his assets to buy her a villa-style house. He drove Xiao Qiao to and from get off work every day, rain or shine.

Dejected, Zhen Jili remained unemployed. His life grew increasingly difficult, until finally, he struggled even to afford food.

That day, a light drizzle was falling. Zhen Jili ate a bowl of noodles and drank two bottles of beer at a tavern, then staggered along an unlit street.

Occasionally, when he looked up, he saw someone walking ahead, and Zhen Jili immediately recognized who it was from those brown rain boots.

New and old grudges surged into Zhen Jili's heart like a raging fire.

He could tell that Kahei was also drunk, and even more drunk than himself, walking unsteadily.

Zhen Jili bent down, picked up a brick, and chased after him.

The bag that Ka-Hei was carrying under his arm was quite bulging.

Zhen Jili thought that it must be money, enough for him to live half his life.

He gripped the weapon tightly.

At that moment, he couldn't tell whether he was doing it for love or for money, and with a flick of his wrist, he smashed the brick down on Ka Hei's head.

The other person collapsed softly to the ground.

Zhen Jili struck him a few more times until his brains were smashed out.

At that moment, Zhen Jili felt that he was doing it for Xiao Qiao, and that it was an honor. Otherwise, he could have simply knocked the other man unconscious and taken his bag; there was no need to kill him.

Then, Zhen Jili picked up the bag, turned around and ran.

He was both terrified and excited—at this moment he felt like a shameful robber.

He had only run a few steps when he suddenly felt something was wrong.

He looked around and saw no pedestrians, so he turned back, leaned over and examined the person's face closely, and was immediately dumbfounded—this person was not Kahei.

He simply killed a pair of brown rain boots.

Before I knew it, we were done shopping.

Zhen Jili was taken to the torture chamber.

Hearts in glass bottles (4)

Dr. Qiao asked kindly, "Young man, are you scared?"

He said, "No, I'm not afraid."

Dr. Qiao smiled gently: "Then you can roll up your left sleeve yourself."