Waterbound Love - Chapter 32

“Would you come here to me, Tinna?” Du Bai extended her hand in invitation. Tinna stared fixedly at the hand so close to her, a fleeting moment of bewilderment crossing her face as Shen Yan seized the chance to pounce forward. Caught by Tinna, she momentarily revealed a look of pain.

“Oh no, get away, all of you, don’t come closer.” Tinna clutched her head and began to twist around, frantically waving a fruit knife she had picked up from beside her in the air.

“Alright, alright, we won’t come over, just don’t move,” Du Bai pulled Shen Yan back and calmed Tinna down, perhaps reminding her again of the cruelty of that night, “Calm down, Tinna, we’re not coming over, just put the knife down.”

“Put it down?” Tinna muttered, “Isn’t it supposed to be over?”

Seeing the confused look in Tinna’s eyes, Du Bai turned to Shen Yan with a puzzled look. Shen Yan clenched her teeth and nodded slightly. At that moment, Du Bai felt her legs go weak, unable to stand, swaying as she stepped back twice. Tinna, are you really so fragile, unconscious now? Would it be easier for you to leave now? No, I won’t allow it, not until I’ve avenged you. The determination in Du Bai’s eyes vanished, replaced by a sinister gleam revealing too much devastation, chilling to the beholder.

“Shen Yan, stand here, do not come over unless I call you, no matter what happens.”

“No, Du Bai, there are many ways, don’t risk it, you-”

“Trust me, I’ve chosen the simplest methods.” Seeing the panicked expression on Shen Yan’s face, Du Bai’s heart unexpectedly warmed, and the words slipped out, “I won’t be harmed.”

Shen Yan’s pleas drowned in Du Bai’s resolute gaze. She stood half a meter away from Du Bai, watching. Now she truly understood what it meant to be on pins and needles, yet the needles were stuck in her heart, piercing deep yet unable to be pulled out. Watching the person she loved face danger alone, powerless to stop it, she utterly despised such helplessness.

Turning around, Du Bai fixed Tinna with a cold stare. “Tinna, why do you want to leave?”

“She said I’m filthy, a burden. Yes, filthy.” Tinna muttered unconsciously, her complexion pale under the sunlight.

Perhaps she had missed something, Du Bai’s eyes briefly flashed with a cold light. “You are not filthy, nor are you a burden. You’ve just faced a setback. Can we consider it a dream, and now that the dream is over, everything is past, okay?”

“A dream?” Tinna tilted her head towards Du Bai, “No, it wasn’t a dream. So many people, where was he? He didn’t come to save me. I was so scared. He didn’t come. I kept begging, but he never showed up,” Tinna sobbed uncontrollably, curling up.

“No, he did come. He’ll be up here in a moment.” Du Bai tried to keep her voice gentle and steady, signaling Shen Yan with a glance. Shen Yan nodded and gave orders, “Tinna, he’ll be here shortly. Your hair is a mess. Come over here and let me smooth it out for you. When he sees you, he’ll see the most beautiful you.”

“Yes, smooth and beautiful.” Listening to Tinna’s disjointed sentences, Du Bai could hardly contain herself and a tear escaped.

Tinna had just taken a couple of steps forward when she suddenly stopped. “No, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for him right here.” She then stepped back, her eyes shimmering with confusion.

“Okay, you won’t go anywhere. Don’t move.”

A gentle breeze blew, dispersing Tinna’s long hair in the sunlight, her silhouette so fragile and thin, it made one want to hold her close. The person in the car downstairs suppressed the urge, greedily watching her figure, perhaps fearing she might disappear, trying to memorize it now. He knew he was a beast, and any conscience left should drive him to go to her, but what would that change? So much had happened and couldn’t be undone. He knew the knot between them would never be untied. Going there would mean a lifetime of sadness for both, torturing each other. Not to mention her family and his mother in between. With a harsh drag of his cigarette, he threw the butt out, closed the car window, and drove off without looking back.

As the breeze played, the cigarette butt gently rolled on the hot, wide asphalt, emitting its last heat, briefly flaring before fading away, much like their relationship, leaving only remnants behind.

Shen Yan returned to the balcony, frowning slightly as she shook her head at Du Bai. Alone, her eyes flashed fiercely, an aura of destruction flaring around her. Tinna seemed to notice the subtle exchange between Shen Yan and Du Bai.

“He’s not coming, is he? He doesn’t want me anymore, does he?” Tears fell unstoppably, each one piercing Du Bai’s heart like a sharp dagger, “He doesn’t want me anymore. He despises me.” Tinna said, laughing in a way that, against her sallow face, seemed so eerie and heart-wrenching. It made one desperately want to shake her awake and tell her that no one despises her, no one would abandon her.

Suddenly, Du Bai looked into Tinna’s lifeless eyes, her heart feeling as if it had been struck violently, unable to beat, unable to find any sign of life. “Tinna, do you still think only of him? Why don’t you think about who has done this to you?” Du Bai parted her red lips, ready to gamble everything, even if it meant losing herself. She could not allow Tinna to leave like this. Although Tinna did not react much, Du Bai’s words successfully captured her attention, making her stop in her tracks.

“Du Bai!” Shen Yan seemed to understand what Du Bai was about to do and shouted angrily. Du Bai gestured with her hand to stop Shen Yan, “Leave it to me,” and then ignored Shen Yan’s gaze. Shen Yan clenched her fists tightly; she wanted to smash her fists into the ground to see if the pain from breaking the hard concrete was greater than the pain in her heart.

Tinna did not respond, and Du Bai did not mind, continuing, “If it weren’t for this incident, you would have been a bride in a few days, living a happy life. But that night, it was my phone you had. These things should have happened to me, but you took it all on yourself. It was me, I brought you this pain, I kept you from walking down the aisle. The one who destroyed your happiness was me-your best friend. Now you’re leaving in pain, while I am still safe and sound. Do you feel that fate has treated you fairly?” Ignoring Tinna’s frantic eyes, Du Bai slowly moved forward, “If you do nothing and leave, will you be content? The person who ruined your happiness is right before you. You have a knife in your hand; are you really going to choose to do nothing? If you are in pain, shouldn’t you make the person who ruined your happiness suffer twice as much, maybe stab her?” After saying this, Du Bai pressed her left hand against her heart.

“No, don’t come any closer,” Tinna, waving the knife, backed away. There was a moment of warmth for Du Bai; Tinna still couldn’t bear to hurt her, making all her actions worthwhile. With a few more steps, she would reach her. She was already at the edge; Du Bai had to continue.

“Why won’t you stab me? You should stab me, shouldn’t you? It’s been me all along, standing between you two, ruining your happiness. Why won’t you stab me? Answer me.”

Tinna was stunned, looking blankly at Du Bai. Just then, Du Bai suddenly embraced Tinna, retreating quickly two large steps back and relaxed, “It’s good, you’re not-” A sudden pain overwhelmed Du Bai’s words. At that moment, Shen Yan rushed over, pulling Du Bai and Tinna apart. Du Bai looked down to see the blade of a knife half-buried in her abdomen, blood unceasingly flowing. It turned out that her own blood was also so glaringly vivid.

Tinna was frozen, her awareness slowly returning after the shock. She stared at her blood-stained hands suspended in mid-air, her eyes wide with terror, shaking her head desperately and retreating backwards.

“Be careful-” Tinna forgot that she was at the edge of the balcony, falling backwards. Du Bai pushed Shen Yan aside and lunged to grab Tinna’s hand, struggling to hold on while lying on the balcony edge. Perhaps the other half of the knife had also penetrated her abdomen, otherwise, the pain wouldn’t be so intense. Blood dripped down her arm onto Tinna’s face, soaking Du Bai’s right arm and dripping down from the bandage. At that moment, she felt nothing.

Shen Yan, seeing this, desperately clung to Tinna’s hand, unsure how long it could hold on.

“Du Bai, whether I live or not, I have to tell you, I don’t hate you anymore, really.” There was no panic, no cries for help. Tinna spoke calmly, like stating a simple fact. Let fate decide; to live is a blessing, to die is a release.

“No, as long as you want to live, as long as I’m alive, I will keep you alive.” Ah, Du Bai was still heartbreakingly stubborn. Blood mixed with sweat slowly trickled down; her grip seemed to loosen, slowly sliding downward. Perhaps this was indeed fate.

Shen Yan desperately reached for Tinna, but it was just slightly out of reach. No matter how much the rescuers hurried, time gained might not equate to lives saved.

That moment was indescribable, like a snow lotus blooming, silently dancing in the wind. Enchanting, vivacious. That smile, mingling with tears.

“No-” Who was that crying out in such despair? Was that my scream? Why did it tremble, making me feel so estranged?

Du Bai closed her eyes, for sight had long since ceased to be useful, tightly clutching something in her hand, perhaps clinging to a hope. Despite the pain.

She knew, it was Tinna’s ring in her hand, her wedding ring. She clung to her marriage until the very end.

Du Bai thought maybe heaven was merciful for not letting her hear the sound of her loved one hitting the ground. But why couldn’t it be a little more merciful? Really, she wasn’t greedy, just a little more time, just a little longer.

Du Bai fell into true darkness amid her prayers.

“Du Bai, wake up, wake up. Doctor, please, hurry!” Shen Yan yelled helplessly from the balcony, hating her own powerlessness.

The wind dispersed the thick scent of blood in the air but could not dissipate the sadness and depression it brought. The heart, heavy with pent-up emotions.

Perhaps one day their memories would dry up like the blood under the sun, and that day would be their eternal slumber.