Chapter 631 Touma Shin’ichi’s Determination
To be honest, the only reaction An’an could muster when such a big thing happened was to read a book. Seeing her so calm and at ease in her own world made An’an feel even more guilty. She felt that it was because of her that An’an was dragged into this, causing An’an to be bullied and ridiculed by them. Her An’an should have been, as written in books, a talented woman respected, admired, and valued by many excellent people. She shouldn’t be in a place like this, bullied by a group of people to the point of not daring to speak, and even having to hide to write her own secret diary.
An’an hadn’t taken out this notebook to write in her room for a long time. She used to write things every night, writing down her joys and sorrows of the day. She called this notebook another reflection of her life. She wrote down the words she dared not say in reality, and her feelings of being bullied. Now, she looked more like a helpless girl who, after being wronged, hid in a corner to lick her wounds alone. An’an felt very self-blaming. She didn’t dare to look at An’an, and she didn’t dare to face the scene of her being bullied. She also didn’t dare to face An’an’s kindness. An’an didn’t blame her, and An’an even comforted her, saying it’s all in the past and she shouldn’t dwell on these things. This made An’an feel like an incompetent coward! She was already so incompetent! She was no longer capable of protecting herself, so how could she protect An’an! An’an despised herself in her heart.
She gripped the book in her hand tightly, her fingertips turning white from excessive force. She couldn’t even concentrate on reading now. Every word she read made her recall the scenes of An’an being bullied. An’an was bullied by them, and she was so scared that she hid, not even having the courage to speak up for An’an. This is not how a good friend should be! Didn’t she say An’an was her most important friend? Didn’t she say she would protect An’an? Didn’t she say she wanted to live happily in this world with An’an! Now she didn’t even dare to say a word! Now she didn’t even have the courage to face An’an! She knew what she was doing was wrong, she knew her actions were despicable, but she was already used to it. She was used to hiding in her own world, used to treating cowardice as a camouflage, used to hiding behind others when encountering problems, waiting for others to solve them. The only thing she could do was tell her grandmother about the things she encountered, and then she could get a good solution from her grandmother. Now that her grandmother was gone, she could only face it herself.
Tragically, she didn’t even have the courage to face herself.
An’an put down the pen in her hand, stretched her muscles a bit with fatigue, and then turned to smile at An’an.
That smile was rather forced, and anyone could see she was pretending to be strong.
An’an, don’t blame me! Actually, I’ve always been this useless! I only know how to escape! Whenever I encounter the slightest thing that scares me, I choose to escape! The only thing I can do is tell my grandmother about the things I encounter, and my grandmother can always give me a good solution. Now that my grandmother is gone, I find that I can’t even solve my own problems, let alone protect my good friend.
An’an’s voice was soft, but it carried a heavy sense of self-blame and guilt. She lowered her head, afraid to look into An’an’s eyes, lest An’an show a look of disappointment.
You don’t blame me, do you? You don’t blame me for not protecting you, do you? You don’t blame me for leaving you alone, do you? An’an’s voice was filled with grievance and cautious longing. In this world, the only person she could rely on was also lost at this moment. She was so afraid that An’an would blame her and leave her.
An’an’s eyelashes trembled slightly, she let out a soft sigh, then walked to An’an’s side and gently hugged her.
An’an didn’t speak, she just rested her head on An’an’s neck, feeling the faint warmth from her body. An’an held her for a long time before slowly letting go, then raised her head and showed a gentle smile.
I know you don’t blame me! I know you don’t blame me! I knew you wouldn’t blame me! You are my best friend, only you would be so good to me! An’an’s voice was choked with sobs. She buried her head deeply in An’an’s arms, and tears immediately fell, staining An’an’s clothes.
An’an, don’t cry! I don’t blame you! An’an gently stroked her hair, then pulled her up and gently wiped her tears with a tissue.
I really don’t blame you! I know it wasn’t intentional, and I wasn’t hurt. These things are in the past, don’t dwell on them! An’an’s voice was gentle, with a faint freshness.
An’an choked, looked up at An’an, and tears flowed down again like a waterfall.
An’an, I’m really useless! I’m really useless!
Who says you’re useless! An’an reached out and pinched her cheek, pulling her crying face into a smile.
You’re not useless at all! Do you know what? You are the kindest, most innocent, and most excellent girl I have ever met. You are not a piece of trash! You just don’t know how to face these things. You just lack the courage to face yourself! You just lack a catalyst to make you brave! An’an said with a smile, her voice as warm as jade. She looked into An’an’s eyes, her gaze filled with a power that made An’an feel at ease.
It felt like a spring breeze caressing An An’s face, warming her heart.
“An An! Thank you!”
Tears welled up in An An’s eyes. She hugged An An tightly, tears uncontrollably flowing down her cheeks again.
An An remained silent, only reaching out to gently pat her back, as if comforting an injured child.
“An An, do you know? You are truly an excellent girl. You are kind, smart, beautiful, and brave. You possess so many wonderful qualities. You just need to be strong and brave to face the life that belongs to you!”
This was the first time An An spoke to An An so seriously. An An rarely spoke such encouraging words because she felt them to be hypocritical and useless. But now, she felt these words were not just comforting her, but encouraging her, giving her courage.
For the first time, An An’s heart felt the encouragement and support from a friend. It was a strange feeling, as if she had been infused with new strength. She knew she couldn’t remain as weak as before. She had to change herself and become stronger. Just as An An had said, one day she would meet someone she wanted to protect, and she couldn’t let her own weakness become an obstacle to protecting others.
An An hugged An An tightly, her voice thick with a nasal tone.
“An An! Don’t worry! I will definitely change from now on! I will definitely become strong! I will definitely become brave! No one will bully me anymore! I will protect you from now on!”
Hearing her vow, An An’s face broke into a relieved smile. She knew An An had truly changed, no longer the cowardly, timid little girl who only knew how to escape. She finally had the courage to face herself and life.
“An An, believe me! I won’t disappoint you again!” An An raised her head, her eyes filled with a determined gaze.
An An smiled and reached out to gently pat her head.
“Of course, I believe you!”
An An’s face also broke into a smile. She knew this was the best outcome. She had finally expressed the guilt and self-blame in her heart, and An An had comforted and encouraged her. She felt much lighter now.
“An An, from now on, if you encounter any problems, you must tell me. Don’t bear it all by yourself anymore! Okay?” An An looked at An An, her tone serious.
“Yes! I understand! I won’t bear it by myself anymore!” An An nodded heavily.
An An smiled with satisfaction, then looked out the window, her eyes holding a faint sadness.
“An An, regarding your family’s matters, I am truly sorry! I really want to help you, but I don’t have the capability. I am just a civilian with no background. My words carry little weight, and I can’t help you at all! I know you are very upset right now, but you must be strong! I believe you can get through this! You will definitely be able to resolve everything and live a happy life again!”
An An’s voice was soft, filled with deep apology and heartache. She knew An An was very sad and in pain right now, but she couldn’t help in any way. This sense of powerlessness made her feel very uncomfortable.
Hearing her mention her family’s affairs, An An’s face showed a trace of sadness, but she quickly suppressed it. She raised her head and gave An An a relaxed smile.
“An An, you don’t need to apologize! This is my own business and has nothing to do with you. The fact that you are here to encourage and support me is already enough! I don’t blame you at all! Nor do I blame anyone! Because all of this was my own choice! I put myself in danger! So I have no right to complain or blame anyone. You don’t need to feel guilty or self-blame because of me! Because you have already done very well! You are kind! You are excellent! You are brave! You are the best girl I have ever met! You don’t need to change anything because of me; you just need to be yourself!”
“An An, I…” An An’s eye sockets reddened again. She was so moved she didn’t know what to say.
“Alright, An An! I know you care about me and love me very much! But you don’t need to show it. We are good sisters, best friends! I will protect you too! Let’s live a happy life together in the future! Okay?”
An An’s voice was gentle, with a faint smile. She reached out and gently patted An An’s shoulder.
An An nodded heavily, her smile looking more strained than a cry.
“An An! Thank you!”
“Silly girl! We are good friends, best sisters! What is there to thank! You just need to maintain your kindness, integrity, and bravery!”
An An smiled, and tears fell again. She knew An An only said these things for her own good.
An An looked up at An An, her eyes showing a touch of emotion.
“An An, I’m really fine now! I’m really doing great! You don’t need to worry about me! I will definitely deal with everyone who bullied me one by one from now on! I will definitely become stronger and braver from now on! I will protect you from now on!”
An An’s voice carried a hint of ruthlessness and determination, her eyes filled with hatred.
An An knew she was serious, because she had never seen An An hate someone so much.
“An, don’t be like this! Hatred will blind you and change your will! You cannot be blinded by hatred! Nor can you change yourself because of hatred! Are you still the gentle, kind An An I know?” An An looked at An An, her tone filled with deep concern.
“An An, don’t worry! I won’t be blinded by hatred! Nor will I change my will because of hatred! I just want to take back what belongs to me! I just want those who bullied me to pay the price! I just want them to know that I’m not to be bullied! I just want them to pay the price for everything they’ve done!”
An An’s voice carried a hint of coldness, making An An feel a little scared. She knew An An had changed, no longer the kind and gentle girl she used to be.
“An An! Don’t be like this! Don’t scare me, okay?” An An looked at An An, her tone filled with deep fear.
“An An! Don’t worry! I won’t do anything to harm myself! Nor will I do anything to harm others! I just want to take back what belongs to me! I want those who bullied me to pay the price!”
An An’s voice carried a hint of calmness. She raised her head, looked at An An, her eyes holding a resolute look that An An couldn’t refuse.
An An knew she couldn’t change An An’s decision, so she could only choose to support her.
“An An, I support you! No matter what decision you make, I will support you! But you must promise me, you cannot ruin yourself because of hatred! You cannot change your will because of hatred! You must move towards the sunlight and be the best version of yourself!”
An An looked at An An, her tone filled with deep anticipation and encouragement.
An An’s lips curved into a smile. She reached out and gently hugged An An.
“An An! Thank you! Don’t worry, I won’t be blinded by hatred! Nor will I change my will because of hatred! I will definitely become strong! I will definitely become excellent! I will definitely become braver! I will definitely deal with everyone who bullied me one by one! I will definitely make those people pay the price!”
An An’s voice carried a faint smile. She knew An An had truly let go of her burden.
She started living a positive life.
This made An An feel very happy. She was proud of An An’s change.
An An released An An, then raised her head and once again gave her a gentle smile.
“An An, are you hungry? Let’s go eat! I’m a bit hungry!”
“Okay!” An An nodded heavily. She knew An An was thinking of her, afraid she would be sad, afraid she would blame herself. She didn’t want to let down An An’s kind intentions.
***
Jiang Ge plopped onto the sofa, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV. He casually flipped through channels, a trace of impatience on his face.
“An An! Why aren’t you here yet! Hurry and come help me massage my shoulders! I’m exhausted!”
Jiang Ge shouted at An An, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.
An An looked up and shouted towards the entrance:
“An An! Hurry and come help young master Jiang massage his shoulders! He’s tired!”
An An put away her pen and Notebook, then stood up and gave An An a relaxed smile:
“An An, I’ll go massage Jiang Ge’s shoulders! You wait here obediently!”
“An An!” An An reached out and grabbed her, her voice filled with deep worry.
“An An, don’t go! Jiang Ge doesn’t treat you as a friend at all! He just sees you as a free servant!”
An An’s voice was tinged with urgency and worry.
An An smiled gently at her and reached out to lightly pinch her cheek:
“An An, don’t worry! I know he doesn’t consider me a friend, he just sees me as a free servant! But I can’t fall out with him now, I still have many things to do! I still have to wait for my mother and father to return! I can’t fall out with him now!”
An An’s voice carried a trace of gentleness and determination. She knew she couldn’t fall out with Jiang Ge now because she still relied on Jiang Ge for revenge.
“An An, are you really okay?” An An was still somewhat worried.
An An smiled and nodded gently at her:
“An An, don’t worry! I’m fine! I won’t let myself suffer! I’m just going to help him massage his shoulders! Besides, this counts as my reward for him!”
An An’s voice carried a trace of calmness and composure.
An An knew she was telling the truth, and she wouldn’t let herself suffer.
“Then go quickly! Call me if anything happens!” An An released her hand, her tone filled with deep worry.
“Okay! I understand!” An An smiled gently at her, then stepped towards the living room.
An An’s heart was filled with worry. She knew An An was enduring it now, enduring for future revenge. She was really worried that An An would change because of hatred, that she would become increasingly gloomy because of hatred.
When An An entered the living room, she saw Jiang Ge lying lazily on the sofa.
He closed his eyes, a trace of fatigue on his face.
“An An, you’re finally here! Hurry and come massage my shoulders! I’m exhausted!” Jiang Ge shouted at her with his eyes closed.
An An didn’t speak, she just walked to the back of the sofa and gently massaged Jiang Ge’s shoulders.
Her technique was very professional, and soon Jiang Ge moaned comfortably.
“An An, your technique is good! Where did you learn it?” Jiang Ge asked with his eyes closed.
“I learned it from my grandma!” An An’s voice was very soft. She knew she couldn’t fall out with Jiang Ge now because she still relied on Jiang Ge for revenge.
“Your grandma knows about this too?” Jiang Ge’s voice carried a hint of disdain.
“Yes!” An An didn’t speak, just softly responded.
“An An, you’ve massaged me comfortably, I’ll give you a reward!” Jiang Ge’s face showed a hint of satisfaction.
An An didn’t speak,
and continued to massage.
Her hands possessed a power that soothed the soul, making Jiang Ge feel very comfortable.
“An An, do you have something on your mind?” Jiang Ge suddenly opened his eyes, looked at her, and asked with a trace of curiosity in his tone.
An An’s Heartbeat suddenly jumped, but quickly returned to calm.
“No! What could I have on my mind!” An An said with a smile, her tone carrying a trace of lightness.
“Don’t lie to me! I can feel it! You’ve been carrying a heavy burden recently! If you have something, tell me, and I’ll help if I can!” Jiang Ge’s voice was serious.
An An pretended to be relaxed and smiled at him:
“Young master Jiang, you’re really overthinking it! I really don’t have anything on my mind! I’m happy every day! I’m happy every day! How could I have anything on my mind!”
“An An…” Jiang Ge was about to say something more, but was interrupted by An An pretending to be tired.
“Young master Jiang, I’m tired from massaging! Can I rest for a bit?”
Jiang Ge pouted, a trace of displeasure on his face:
“An An, you’re not being considerate! You’ve only massaged for a little while! And you’re already tired! Your physical fitness is too poor!”
An An smiled, an apologetic expression on her face:
“Young master Jiang, I’m really a bit tired! Can I rest for a bit and then massage you again?”
Jiang Ge looked at her tired appearance and could only nod helplessly:
“Okay! You rest for a while! Then massage me again!”
“Okay! Thank you, young master Jiang!” An An smiled at him, then walked to the side of the sofa.
She knew Jiang Ge didn’t really believe her, but she also knew Jiang Ge didn’t have the time to investigate her now.
An An rested on the sofa for a while, then stood up and gave Jiang Ge a relaxed smile.
“Young master Jiang, I’ve rested. Shall I massage you again!”
Jiang Ge nodded, then closed his eyes again.
An An stood behind the sofa again, reaching out to gently massage Jiang Ge’s shoulders.
Jiang Ge was very comfortable with her massage, and soon fell asleep.
An An looked at his sleeping form, and a cold glint flickered in her eyes.
She knew this was the best opportunity for revenge, but she couldn’t do it.
She would wait, wait until her mother and father returned, wait until she had enough Power, then she would strike.
She would make Jiang Ge pay the most tragic price for everything he had done!
An An gently released her hands from Jiang Ge’s shoulders, then stood up and tiptoed towards the entrance.
She knew she couldn’t let Jiang Ge bully her anymore!
She would make Jiang Ge pay for everything he had done!
When An An returned to the room, she saw An An looking at her, her face filled with deep worry.
“An An, are you okay?”
An An smiled and gently shook her head at her:
“An An, don’t worry! I’m fine! I won’t be bullied by him! I won’t let him do as he pleases!”
An An’s eyes were filled with determination.
An An knew she was being serious.
She believed An An, believed An An could do everything she said.
“An An, are you really okay?” An An was still somewhat worried and asked again. She knew An An was a very kind Girl, and she was afraid An An would change her mindset because of hatred.
An An smiled and nodded gently at her:
“An An, don’t worry! I’m fine! I won’t be blinded by hatred! I won’t change my mindset because of hatred! I will become stronger and braver! I will definitely make those who bullied me pay the price!”
An An’s eyes flashed with determined light.
An An knew she had truly changed.
“An An, you’ve really changed!”
“Mm! I want to change myself! I can’t be so cowardly anymore! I must become stronger and braver! I must stand up! I want to be the best version of myself!”
An An’s voice carried a power that made An An feel at ease.
An An smiled and nodded gently at her.
She knew An An had truly grown.
【The next day】
An An was woken up by a series of urgent knocks at the door. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, stood up with some displeasure, and opened the room door.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw An An standing outside, her face full of worry.
“An An! What’s wrong?” An An felt a pang of unease at her anxious appearance.
“An An! My parents are back!” An An’s voice was filled with a trace of excitement and joy.
An An’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that with An An’s parents back, it meant An An could leave Jiang Ge.
A relieved smile appeared on An An’s face:
“An An! Your parents are back! Hurry up and pack your things, we’re leaving here!”
“Mm!” An An nodded heavily, her face full of great joy.
She knew she could finally leave Jiang Ge.
An An quickly packed her things, then pulled An An towards the entrance.
As they reached the entrance, they saw Jiang Ge standing outside, his face showing a trace of displeasure.
“An An! Where are you two going?” Jiang Ge looked at them, his tone unfriendly.
An An’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Jiang Ge wouldn’t let them go easily.
An An raised her head and gave Jiang Ge a relaxed smile:
“Young Master Jiang! We’re going home! My parents are back!”
“Going home?” Jiang Ge’s face showed a trace of displeasure:
“An An! Your parents are back! You’re going to leave me?”
Jiang Ge’s voice carried a trace of grievance and unwillingness.
An An’s face showed a trace of helplessness:
“Young Master Jiang! My parents are back! We naturally have to go back!”
“An An! You can’t go! What will I do if you leave?” Jiang Ge’s face showed a trace of anxiety.
An An felt a surge of disgust, but her face showed a trace of apology:
“Young Master Jiang! Sorry! I really have to go! I can’t stay here anymore!”
“An An! You can’t go! If you go, I’ll tell your parents about you!” Jiang Ge’s face showed a trace of threat.
An An’s heart skipped a beat, but it quickly returned to calm.
She knew Jiang Ge was threatening her.
An An looked at her, her eyes full of worry.
An An smiled at her, signaling that she didn’t need to worry.
An An raised her head and gave Jiang Ge a relaxed smile:
“Young Master Jiang! Say whatever you want! I believe my parents, and I believe they will stand by my side!”
An An’s voice carried a trace of firmness.
Jiang Ge’s expression changed instantly. He knew he couldn’t threaten her.
“An An! Are you really leaving?” Jiang Ge’s voice carried a trace of unwillingness.
“Mm!” An An nodded heavily.
“An An! Don’t blame me! You’re forcing me to do this!” Jiang Ge’s face showed a trace of gloom.
He knew that losing An An meant losing a free servant.
“Young Master Jiang! Do as you please! I’m leaving!” An An pulled An An’s hand and walked towards the entrance.
Jiang Ge watched their retreating backs, his eyes full of jealousy and unwillingness.
He knew he had lost!
He hadn’t expected An An to be so strong and brave.
An An grabbed An An’s hand and quickly left the villa.
As soon as they stepped out of the villa’s big doors, An An let out a sigh of relief.
“An An! We can finally leave Jiang Ge!” An An was very excited.
An An smiled and nodded gently at her:
“Yes! We can finally leave Jiang Ge!”
An An felt a sense of relief. She knew she could finally live a peaceful life.
【】
An An put on a happy act, smiling at An An.
“An An! Where are we going? Are we going home?”
“Mm! We’re going home!” An An nodded.
She knew she couldn’t worry herself anymore for An An.
An An’s face showed great joy. She knew she could finally return to her own home.
They got into a taxi and headed towards An An’s home.
In the car, An An chattered on, her face full of joy.
An An looked at her happily and felt relieved.
She knew An An was truly happy.
An An’s home was beautiful, a standalone villa with a garden full of flowers outside.
An An brought An An into the villa and saw her parents sitting in the living room, talking with anxious expressions.
“Dad! Mom!” An An called out to them and walked towards them.
An An’s parents saw her, their faces showing great surprise.
“An An! You’re finally back! Where have you been? Do you know how worried Dad and Mom were about you!” An An’s mother hugged her, and tears fell.
“Mom! Sorry! I made you worry!” An An hugged her mother, and tears also fell.
An An’s father also walked over, reached out, and gently patted her back, his tone full of worry:
“An An! You child! Where on earth have you been? You didn’t even call Dad and Mom!”
“Dad! Sorry! I won’t do it again!” An An hugged her father, and tears also fell.
An An looked at the scene of the three of them hugging, and felt a surge of emotion.
She knew An An was truly fortunate.
An An’s mother let go of her, then reached out to wipe her tears, her face showing a trace of a rebuke:
“An An! Tell Mom quickly! Where exactly have you been? Were you bullied by that scoundrel Jiang Ge?”
An An’s heart skipped a beat. She knew she finally had to face this problem.
An An looked at her mother, her face showing a trace of a relaxed smile:
“Mom! What are you talking about! I wasn’t bullied by Jiang Ge! I just went on a trip!”
“Mom! Don’t listen to others talking nonsense! I really wasn’t bullied by Jiang Ge! I just went on a trip!” An An’s voice was filled with a trace of panic.
“A trip?” An An’s mother looked at her disbelievingly.
“Yes! Mom! I really went on a trip! Look! This is the gift I bought for you!” An An handed the bag she was carrying to her mother, her face full of flattery.
An An’s mother took the bag with suspicion, opened it, and looked.
Inside was a very beautiful dress.
“An’an! Did you really buy me a gift?” An’an’s mother’s face showed a trace of surprise.
“Yes! Mom! How could I lie to you!” An’an said with a smile.
“An’an! You child! You are becoming more and more insensible! Do you know how worried your father and mother are about you! You went on a trip alone without telling us! You really make me so angry!” Although An’an’s mother was scolding her, her tone was filled with doting affection.
“Mom! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!” An’an hugged her mother, and tears fell again.
“Okay! Okay! My precious daughter! It’s good that you’re okay! It’s good that you’re okay!” An’an’s mother held her, her heart aching as she stroked her hair.
An’an looked at the scene of the family of three hugging each other, her heart filled with emotion, and she also started to cry.
Seeing her cry, An’an reached out and gently patted her back:
“An’an! Why are you crying too? It’s okay! It’s okay! It’s all in the past!”
An’an’s mother looked up at An’an, her tone filled with gratitude:
“An’an! Thank you! Thank you for bringing An’an back! Without you, we really wouldn’t know what to do!”
An’an smiled at An’an’s mother and said gently:
“Auntie! You are too kind! An’an is my friend, so it’s only right that I help her!”
“An’an! You are such a good child! You are truly too good!” An’an’s mother hugged her and said gratefully.
An’an’s father also came over and gave her a gentle smile:
“An’an! Thank you!”
“Uncle! You’re too kind! We are friends, and it’s only right that we help each other!” An’an smiled, her voice gentle.
“An’an! You should stay for dinner at our house today! I’ll ask Auntie to make your favorite dishes!” An’an’s mother said enthusiastically, holding her hand.
“Auntie! Thank you! But I can’t stay today! My grandmother is home alone, and I’m worried!” An’an said with a smile.
“Ah? Your grandmother is home alone?” An’an’s mother’s face showed a trace of apology.
“Yes! Auntie!” An’an nodded.
“It’s so late! We worry about you going back alone, a young girl!” An’an’s mother’s tone was filled with deep worry.
“Auntie! Don’t worry! I’m fine! I can go back by myself!” An’an said with a smile.
An’an’s father walked over and said to An’an’s mother:
“Wife! Don’t worry! I’ll have the driver take An’an back!”
“Okay! That’s the only way,” An’an’s mother nodded.
An’an’s mother said gently to An’an:
“An’an! Then let the driver take you back! When you get home, call Auntie! Let Auntie rest assured!”
“Okay! Auntie! I understand!” An’an nodded.
An’an’s mother held An’an’s hand, her tone filled with deep reluctance:
“An’an! You must come and play at our house often from now on!”
“Okay! Auntie! I definitely will!” An’an said with a smile.
An’an held An’an’s hand, a look of reluctance on her face:
“An’an! Be careful on your way!”
“Okay! You too!” An’an nodded.
An’an’s father said to the driver:
“Drive carefully and take Miss An’an home safely!”
“Yes, Master!” the driver replied respectfully.
An’an’s father and mother and An’an saw An’an off at the door.
An’an got into the car and waved goodbye to them.
The car slowly drove away, and An’an felt a sense of relief.
She knew that she could finally leave Jiang Ge.
She knew that she was about to start a new life.
—
An’an looked at her retreating figure and gave a gentle smile. She knew that An’an would soon transform into a beautiful butterfly. She believed in An’an and believed that An’an could do everything she said she would.
An’an turned her head and looked at her mother, her tone showing a trace of worry:
“Mom, don’t worry! I’m really fine!”
“An’an!” An’an’s mother hugged her, and tears fell again:
“Mom knows it’s Mom’s fault! Mom shouldn’t have let you face these things alone! Mom should have been by your side to protect you!”
“Mom! It’s not your fault! These are all my own choices! I put myself in danger!” An’an hugged her mother, her heart filled with emotion.
She knew that her mother loved her very much.
“An’an! You are such a good child!” An’an’s mother held her and said with heartache.
An’an smiled and nodded gently at her mother.
She knew that she had to cherish everything she had now and not fall into predicament again.
She had to be strong and brave! She had to live for herself and for the people who loved her!
An’an let go of her mother and then raised her head, her eyes flickering with determination. She knew that she was about to start a new life! She was going to transform into a beautiful butterfly! She was going to live for herself and for the people who loved her!
—
An’an returned to her home and looked at the empty house, feeling a sense of loss. Grandma was gone, and the house was empty. She stood alone in the living room, feeling a bit lost and helpless. She didn’t know what to do now. She picked up the remote control, turned on the TV, and watched the drama being broadcast, her face blank.
Her mind was filled with the scenes of An’an being bullied, and in her ears, Jiang Ge’s mocking laughter echoed. She felt very guilty and full of self-reproach.
She knew that she was a cowardly wretch. She had no capability to protect herself, nor the capability to protect An’an.
An’an’s heart felt a deep sense of powerlessness for the first time.
She knew that she must change herself and become powerful. She could no longer let others bully her, nor could she let others bully An’an!
An’an turned off the TV, then stood up and walked into the room. She opened the closet, took out her notebook, and sat down at the desk. She picked up a pen and wrote down her innermost thoughts in the notebook.
“I am full of guilt and self-reproach. I have no capability to protect myself, nor the capability to protect An’an. I am a cowardly wretch. But I will no longer be a coward! I must change myself and become powerful! I can no longer let others bully me, nor can I let others bully An’an! I want to live for myself and for the people who love me!”
She wrote down her vow and her goal. She knew that from this moment on, she would start a new life! She would transform into a beautiful butterfly! She would live for herself and for the people who loved her!
