Chapter 79
Chapter 79
While Daiyu had no visible injuries, Butler Tang still insisted for her to undergo a check up nonetheless. As such, they made their way to the hospital where Victoria was currently staying at.
Zhichen and Bob went directly to Victoria's room while Butler Tang stayed with Daiyu.
"Uncle Tang, the doctor said I'm fine. He prescribed a cream for me to help lighten the marks on my neck." Daiyu said as she handed him the prescription receipt.
"Xiao Yu!"
Daiyu turned her head and saw Zhihao and Ying Yue approaching her.
Upon seeing her, Ying Yue gasped and covered her mouth. Daiyu had prominent strangulation marks on her neck. One could even clearly see the parts where the nails had dug onto her skin.
"Xiao Yu! What happened?! Are you alright?!" Zhihao panicked.
"I'm alright. I got into a light scuffle with Alice and this happened." She replied.
"Light scuffle?! That doesn't look like a light scuffle!!!" Zhihao gritted his teeth and balled his fists.
"It's alright now. Bob and Uncle Tang helped me." She smiled to assure him but even now, she could still clearly feel Alice's hands around her neck.
Zhihao bit his lip. If he went instead of Daiyu, she would have been fine.
"Is grandpa here?" Daiyu's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes. He's with my mom right now."
"Let's go. I want to see him." Daiyu spoke and held Butler Tang's hand. It was a habit that she had picked up as a child but had never grown out of.
Butler Tang nodded and they all proceeded towards Victoria's room.
---
Upon seeing Daiyu, Wang Jing quickly stood up and approached her. The grandfather and granddaughter pair spoke for a long while with Daiyu constantly assuring Wang Jing that she was fine.
"Grandpa, Daiyu is safe now. Don't worry anymore." She coaxed her grandfather who was still listlessly worried.
"But Xiao Yu –
Daiyu cupped his face with her hands and stretched his cheeks.
"Daiyu is fine. Stop worrying." She pouted.
He sighed.
"Grandpa, I'm tired. Can we go home?" She asked.
"Of course. Let's go home. You need to rest." Wang Jing immediately agreed.
"Tang Yun." He called.
Butler Tang nodded.
"Aunty, we'll be going ahead." Daiyu bade Victoria goodbye.
"Oh yes, of course. Thank you again, Xiao Yu." Victoria held her hand tightly and smiled.
Daiyu nodded before looking towards Zhihao and Ying Yue.
"We'll be going now."
"Right. Bye, Xiao Yu. Rest well."
After bidding the Zhengs goodbye, the Wangs left and headed home.
---
After they left, Zhichen and Bob began recounting everything that happened at the Zheng Residences.
Victoria balled her fists. She wanted to swear and curse but she held herself back for the sake of Zhichen. She sighed.
"You children stay out of this. Your father and I will take care of things from here. Zhichen, I need you to go back to England for now. Take this time… to cool off and heal." She said as she gently stroked his hair.
Zhichen reluctantly nodded.
"What's going to happen to her?" He asked.
Victoria paused before answering.
"Well, she's only 17 so she'll likely get off with a light sentence. Still, your father and I will sue her parents for damages. Not only for me, but for Xiao Yu as well. Of course, while we can't send her to jail, she'll most likely be admitted to a mental institution… That behavior of hers… is definitely not normal."
Zhichen paused and clenched his fists. He nodded reluctantly before sighing.
---
Upon arriving home, Daiyu took a long hot shower. She scrubbed her neck repeatedly until her flesh had turned red and raw. She only stopped when she heard Nao Nao barking. She had been inside the bathroom for too long.
She got out, dried her hair, and applied medication onto her irritated skin.
She then sat still on her bed, quietly taking in today's events.
When he noticed that Daiyu had been zoning out for too long, Nao Nao laid his head on her lap. She smiled and gently patted his head.
"Nao Nao… today, I was really scared."
She paused.
"I was brave… but I was careless…" A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"If I had died back then… who will welcome Jin back home…?" She bit her lip as more tears came streaming down her face.
"Who will take care of grandpa?" She sobbed.
"I was wrong… I should have been more careful."
"I'm scared. I still feel her arms around my neck. When I close my eyes, I see her staring back at me with hatred." She cried.
She got down on her knees and hugged Nao Nao tightly. Nao Nao replied by licking her face, trying to wipe her tears away. She continued sobbing, gently rocking back and forth with Nao Nao in her arms.
"I'm scared…"
---
After that day, as planned, the Zhengs sued Alice and her parents. After a long and arduous legal battle, they eventually won the suit and Alice was sent back to England.
There, by court order, she was admitted into a mental institution and was to stay there until her condition stabilizes. A restraining order was likewise held against her to prevent her from approaching the Zhengs and the Wangs ever again.
Zhichen likewise went back to England. He planned to finish the school year there before officially moving in with his family the year after.
When the situation had stabilized, Victoria and Liwei officially adopted Bob into the family. Zhihao was the happiest when that happened and he proudly showed it off by sending several family pictures to Liu Jin. In this lifetime, he not only got his brother back but gained another one too. Truly, life had rewarded him.
Now that Bob was officially a Zheng, Victoria forced him to return to his studies. Right now, he was taking review classes to help him catch up with his education before he officially applies for a bachelor's degree next year.
Over at Liu Jin's side, he was informed of the incidents through a letter sent by Zhihao. As requested by Daiyu, Zhihao omitted the part where she was strangled by Alice. Daiyu knew that Liu Jin would worry about her and would probably even break his own promise to not visit her when he finds out about what happened. She didn't want to distract him from his goals, so for now, she kept quiet about it and silently cheered him on instead.
As for her fears, Daiyu eventually stopped having constant nightmares about Alice. While she would still dream about the incident from time to time, she just took it as a constant reminder to treasure her life more.
During the times when her nightmares were particularly bad, she wouldn't hesitate to wake Butler Tang up. He would make her a hot cup of milk before tucking her back into bed. He would patiently sit beside her the entire time, gently patting her to sleep.
---
Just like that, Daiyu's first year of junior high ended and she turned thirteen. This year as well, she skipped her birthday party. But just like last year, Liu Jin prepared a little surprise for her.
He recorded a video of himself and the moment Daiyu played it, she had to press the pause button immediately.
She blinked. Blushed. And then squealed into her pillow.
Liu Jin's voice had changed. His adorable voice was now deep and husky.
She played the video again before immediately pressing the pause button and squealing.
"Xiao Yu, are you alright?" Xiao Nuan came into her room upon hearing the commotion and Daiyu immediately pulled her to join her in bed.
"Look at this! Look at this!"
She pressed the play button.
"Xiao Yu." Liu Jin's deep husky voice came through and both girls squealed in excitement.
Liu Jin smiled shyly and both girls screamed again.
"Happy birthday." He greeted with his signature boy next door smile.
"One more year… and I'll be with you again…" He paused, looking down before facing the camera again.
"I love you."
Both girls screamed loudly as they held hands.
Zhihao, who was in the living room, rolled his eyes upon hearing the screams.
"Liu Jin would definitely rejoice when he finds out that Daiyu is fangirling over him." Ying Yue commented.
"And that's exactly why I won't tell him!" Zhihao grinned naughtily.
"I'll tell him that Daiyu likes someone else, that she ignored his video and that – OUCH!" Ying Yue pinched his ears.
"Stop acting like a jealous father!"
---
Soon, summer rolled around and Daiyu returned to the Liu summer house. She carved her name and Liu Jin's onto their tree and excitedly wrote down the date.
"One more year." She smiled.
"Daiyu-jiejie! What are you doing?" Meili asked her.
"I'm writing down my name with Jin-gege's."
"Why?"
"Mmm? To mark every year we spend together."
"But Jin-gege is far away?" Meili tilted her head to one side.
Daiyu shook her head.
"Jin-gege is always with me. Right here." She pointed to her heart and smiled.
"Always."