HC Chapter 1

HC Chapter 1: I Don’t Love You (I)

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Each rainy day was followed by another rainy day, the damp air mixing with the cold and making people a bit depressed.

Tick, tick…

Crystal clear drops of water slide down the window, slowly forming a small puddle of water on the windowsill. Dong Ci was quietly looking through the glass until she finally opened the window.

She stretched out her hand and put her fingertips into the pouring rain, instantly making the feeling of iciness and cold spread upwards. It was a different kind of numbness – very comfortable.

“Madam.”

The damp wind blew into the room for a brief moment and someone immediately came over to close the window.

Aunt Zhang quickly covered her up with the shawl and softly explained: “Mr. Jing has told you that you have been weak recently, and you are not allowed to be cold.”

Dong Ci ignored the older woman’s words, her fingertips still touching the water which accumulated near the window. Her eyes never moved from the scenery outside.

She hasn’t been outside for such a long time…

At first, because her body was too weak, she could only quietly stay at home. Later, it was because her disobedience angered Jing Rong, so he blocked all her freedom.

The sound of rain outside was so close, yet so far. Dong Ci lightly touched the window with a bitter smile.

The world outside was almost within her reach, but a thin layer of innocent-looking glass blocked all her paths.

Dong Ci silently buried her face in her arms. She knew that there was a camera in the room and he could see her every move if he so desired, but she still took advantage of aunt Zhang’s inattention and lightly pushed the window so that a small gap appeared…

Just a little gap was enough.

The cool air from the outside reached the tip of her nose, finally making her more comfortable. Not energetic, but just a little bit more drowsy.

She recently suffered from frequent insomnia. Last night, she could barely fall asleep. She was exhausted and now, through this light drowsiness, she soon fell asleep.

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Unknowingly, the rain finally stopped, but the sky didn’t clear out – it still looked gloomy and dull.

Dong Ci didn’t sleep well and in a daze, she seemed to hear aunt Zhang talking. Her eyelashes twitched only slightly, yet she was instantly wide awake.

“Aunt Zhang,” she called in a slightly hoarse voice – after all, she hadn’t used it in a long time.

Dong Ci took off her shawl and walked to aunt Zhang, who had just hung up the phone.
“Who’s calling?” she asked.

“It’s Mr. Jing,” aunt Zhang smiled slightly as she replied and continued. “He asked me to tell you that he will be temporarily going abroad due to work reasons, and he will not be returning for a few days.”

“He is going abroad?” Dong Ci’s voice trembled when she asked. The hands, which were still holding the shawl, involuntarily tightened as she continued to calmly inquire. “Did he tell you the specific date of his return?”

Aunt Zhang thought about it for a moment and shook her head. “Mr. Jing only said that he would be going abroad for a few days. He didn’t say when he would be coming back.”

Seeing her head bow in disappointment, aunt Zhang felt amused and could not help but tease: “Is Madam reluctant to be separated from Mr. Jing for a long time?”

She hasn’t been serving in the family for a long time, but she could see that Dong Ci was the number one person in the man’s heart. So it was only natural to think that Dong Ci was reluctant to see him leave.

Perhaps, in aunt Zhang’s eyes, the couple was extremely affectionate – but the outer appearance could sometimes be just a wishful illusion. Just like she didn’t know, how glad Dong Ci was at the moment because she found out that Jing Rong had left.

He left. Does that mean she can go out now?

Although Jing Rong didn’t specify the date of his return, even if she could only go out for a few hours – she was already very happy. The villa where she lives has three exits, two of which were guarded. Only one exit was left unattended because the iron door has been locked for a long time.

Dong Ci knew that Jing Rong had placed the key to the door in his study, so she didn’t hesitate and headed there. She hasn’t been out for a long time, so she had to take this opportunity now that it appeared.

It didn’t take long for her to complete this self-imposed mission and go straight to the door which could lead to her freedom.

With a trembling hand, Dong Ci inserted the key into the iron door carved with intricate golden flowers. Her fast-beating heart felt as though it was about to jump out of her chest.

This lively feeling, she hadn’t felt it for a long time…

‘Click—’

The lock of the iron door made a clear sound, and Dong Ci exhaled, slowly reaching for the handle.

“Xiao Ci.”

Just when she was about to pull the door open, the charmingly low voice sounded behind her. Just hearing it made her body tense reflexively, and her head quickly turned to stare in its’ direction.

Seeing the figure of the man standing behind her, the light in her eyes was instantly extinguished.

Wasn’t he supposed to go abroad?

“What are you doing?” Jing Rong’s thin lips slightly hooked up as he asked. His dark eyes calmly stared at Dong Ci, for all purposes appearing as though he couldn’t see her anxiety.

His voice was so serene that Dong Ci couldn’t even hear his anger.

“I……”

Dong Ci bit her lip slightly, not knowing what to say or how to explain.

She squeezed the key in her hand. For a moment there, she even wanted to push the iron door open despite anything, and just rush out.

“Aunt Zhang said that you were going abroad. Why are you back?” She asked while quietly taking a step back, trying to distance herself from Jing Rong.

The man’s eyes took in all her small movements, from the clenched hands to the slight rise of the thin, beautifully curved chin. Finally, his eyes squinted towards an unknown place behind her.

“I was going abroad, but I couldn’t rest assured about leaving you behind.”

He showed a shallow smile, which made his already handsome face even more touching and unreal. Seeing Dong Ci put her hand back on the iron door, his dark eyes deepened as he commanded: “Xiao Ci, lock the door and come to me.”

This sentence was like a threat– as soon as Dong Ci heard it, she didn’t hesitate to push the handle of the door, lift her legs and run out…

Because of the recent rain, the road ahead was full of puddles. Dong Ci ran through the regardless of anything – she only knew that she could never let Jing Rong catch her.

If she was caught, there would only be punishment waiting for her.

Dong Ci stepped into the water, the droplets splashing onto her dress, but she didn’t even notice it.

“Madam, please go back.”

She couldn’t hear any footsteps behind her. She briefly thought that she had thrown away the pursuit, but she didn’t expect a row of bodyguards to jump out in front of her.

Dong Ci was forced to stop because she ran too fast and her breathing was extremely unstable. When her lungs could finally normally take in the air, she turned around, only to find that Jing Rong was still standing in the same place she left him at.

He didn’t move, but his eyes were looking at the ground in front of him. Half of his profile was hidden in the shadows, and it was impossible to guess what he was thinking about.

This man was no longer a simple teenager. Before, it was possible to see at least some of the emotions he was feeling on his face. But now, he has grown up into a man – calm and unpredictable.

He is deep like an ocean – unclear, stormy, and extremely dangerous.

“A’Rong,” Dong Ci called with a trembling voice, her body slightly shaking. Although she was unwilling, Dong Ci had no choice. She was surrounded from all sides.

It was as though a bird – that had just flown out of the cage – was recaptured. After stepping through the iron door once again, Dong Ci felt as though any strength that she still possessed completely evaporated from her body.

“I thought that you wouldn’t run away so blatantly, in front of my eyes.”

Jing Rong rarely smoked, but today he lit up a cigarette right in front of her.

Between the clouds of smoke, his indifferent face made Dong Ci feel somewhat uneasy.

He obviously made no move towards her, yet she was inexplicably panicking inside.

“I didn’t want to escape…” She lightly shook her head, trying to explain.

But Jing Rong didn’t want to listen to any of her words. He leaned over and caressed her cheek while slowly saying: “Come on, lock the iron door. Don’t make me repeat myself again.”

“…”

There seemed to be a dull sound of thunder somewhere in the distance as the sky grew darker. Dong Ci watched the iron door close right in front of her, and then… she had to lock it up by herself.

She knew that Jing Rong did it on purpose. He just wanted to see all her hopes shattered, just like he once destroyed all her independence.

The fingertips gripping the key were pale. Dong Ci bit her lip and tried to restrain her emotions. Her trembling hand inserted the key into the lock mechanism, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn it.

She had just stepped out that door a few minutes ago, yet she had to close it now. Deep down, Dong Ci understood that once the key was turned, all of her roads to freedom would be blocked.

“Cannot bear to do it? Still not giving up?”

Jing Rong’s patience has always been very poor. Seeing Dong Ci standing by the door for a long time, he moved closer to her body and held her wrist.

This move seemed to give Dong Ci some strength to resist.

“Why don’t you let me go? My body has obviously recovered from the illness.”

‘Ka-’ Jing Rong tightened his hand on her wrist and forced her to lock the door. His big palm easily held Dong Ci’s small hand, encasing it almost completely.

When the intended action was done, Jing Rong pulled the key out of her hand without mercy.

“Come back with me.”

He didn’t reply to her previous words. His long arms swept across her body as he leaned over and rubbed her cold cheeks.

“In the past, I didn’t want you to show your face outside. But from today onward, maybe I should prevent you from stepping out of this house’s door altogether. After all, you are always so disobedient.”

Obviously, the words were so chilling, and the tone he said them in was dark, but Jing Rong’s lips still kissed her very gently.

The air around Dong Ci was full of his oppressive scent, and she has never wanted to repel his closeness as much as she did now.

Unconsciously, reaching out to push him back, she turned her head away from his kiss and fearfully asked: “Why are you locking me away like this?”

“Just because I am your husband, the only person you can rely on in your life.”

“Then what’s the difference between me and your many mistresses?”

Dong Ci has always been a well-behaved girl. After meeting Jing Rong, she became even more docile. And yet, she was still restricted by him everywhere, controlled by him in her every step.

This was probably the first time that she had spoken to him this way. Because of her nervousness, she clenched his shirt tightly in her hands, while he said nothing.

“Maybe I am not as good as those mistresses – at least they are free! And I… not only am I not free, but I have nothing!”

“You have my love, and yet you say that you have nothing? Nothing!” Jing Rong’s eyes darkened as he repeated that one word. “That’s really interesting.”

He quickly swept her into his arms and walked into the villa.

“Xiao Ci, how can you compare yourself to a mistress?”

Jing Rong’s dark eyes stared straight at Dong Ci.

“A mistress at least knows how to wait for me quietly at home and coax me into a happy mood. Whilst you… what do you do besides making me cater to your tantrums?”

Ignoring aunt Zhang’s eyes, Jing Rong went upstairs and pushed the bedroom door open.

He leaned Dong Ci against the wall, pinched her chin between his fingers and asked slowly:

“Come and tell me yourself, have you ever waited for me, huh?”

Seeing Dong Ci’s teeth biting her lips slightly, Jing Rong narrowed his eyes and brushed his fingers over her mouth..

“Why don’t you talk? Nothing to say?”

Dong Ci’s face grew pale whilst her body weakly trembled – either because of cold or maybe because of fear.

Jing Rong once again held her up and walked to the bed, feeling the little girl’s weak struggle in his arms. He sneered, observing her as she struggled the same way one would look at an unfunny joke.

“Xiao Ci, I always punish you when you make trouble, and today, I am very angry. Since you compare yourself to a mistress, why not behave the same way? Why don’t you come and serve me today?”

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