Second to None: the Rebirth of a Popular Slave - Chapter 10

Later on, July gave birth to a son, who obviously grew up spoiled. And another one, even worser. Anyway, her mum truly admired her: ‘so kind and hardworking’. She told Peony that July worked twelve hours per day every day, and every month she would get 3000 euro/dollars… a good example. Pity that her mum herself would merely get 700 euro/dollars and worked every single day, no vacation, no relax… for that… that… man’s parents. And the almost passing away from work of Peony, earned even less. 

In the past Peony didn’t know that July was exactly the cause of her ‘downfall’… Whenever July visited her mom, she was working. And only saw her in photos and one or two times in person.

“Samy!” Peony subconsciously shouted. Samy simply smiled at her, and then it was the adults turn to make some drama.

“So this is Samy you were talking about!” Hoger exclaimed.

“MUDDAAANNN” Peony’s mum kept on screaming, she was restrained by Samy, July and a really frantic Mitsaku.

“Madam! Madam! Please calm down!” Hoger handed the box to Peony and then started to explain: “She was simply hungry”

“You girl come here!!! Always disturbing people!!!” Juan Li, Peony’s mother, refused to listen to Hoger and continued to scold the child.

Peony impassively looked at the box. This cake tasted so good, the chocolate was delicious sob. Inside it’s soft and tasty too sob. So sweet to make her cry sob. 

For awhile one could listen to Juan Li’s shouts. She attracted other people, but they just passed by and didn’t dare say anything.

Hoger stopped trying to pacify Juan Li, instead he distanced Peony, positioned in front of her to hide the ugly view and covered her ears too. 

After an eternity, Juan Li was almost running out of energy, she fell down and now July, Samy and Mitsaku tried to support her. Before the situation could escalate even more, July suddenly said: “Hey! Dear! Isn’t it good that your daughter is cured?! It means that meeting Jeff was the right decision! What a miracle! Congratulations!”

Peony opened her eyes wide. Although the hands on her ears decreased the noise, but she could still hear Juan Li’s shouts, like: “Always bothering people!” “You dare to hide behind someone else!” “If you don’t come here I will leave you!” and so on. Many complains on how Juan Li was tired and that she regretted having a child. The thing was, those words were commonly said by a lot of mothers, so everyone in the Relax Hall didn’t really take it to heart. Plus, they could do nothing because it wasn’t real abuse.

Ok, the figure of the mother was always the most… welcomed, between the two parents. But why to the point where, people weren’t able to analyze the situation anymore? In the end, there weren’t many ‘good’ mothers: there were those we were inexperienced, some naive, some distant, some acting, some missing… In the end… what counted in a relationship between mother and children, was mutual respect and mutual affection. Real affection that came from inside. Respect so children could grow more happily and truly share it with other people…

And this meeting… of course Peony understood that it happened… who knew how much she has changed her future or not. Because in general Juan Li still needed help, but now this mother of hers won’t owe him anything much. 

Even if Jeff and Juan Li became ‘friends’ or not, the efforts she was going to put in building her future won’t change. It was just a matter of preference. If the two adults got closer, continuing the high school would be much more granted. In the past she was forced to by Jeff, but then after failing for two consecutive years, she dropped from school and fully focused on working. But then, if the two adults won’t take the path of knowing each other and staying together, she would feel much more peaceful, even though after middle school Juan Li would sent her to work in China… obviously she wouldn’t allow it to happen. 

Based on what Juan Li needed, the two may possibly come together. 

Sigh, damned July. She was the wood for the fire. 

Perfect timing! 

When Juan Li was exhausted and felt helpless, she was enlightened. She would feel much more grateful for those words than other people’s useless speech.

In fact, Juan Li quietly looked at July, who was gently caressing her hand. And then said: “You are right… That’s good! Thank you!”

When everyone saw that Juan Li was finally appeased and calm, they all started to talk.

“Good! Madam, look at your scared daughter!” Hoger moved away, pushed the unwilling Peony before her mother.

Samy went to look for some documents of dismissal from the hospital: “I will go prepare the files!” 

Mitsaku asked July what Peony had before.

Hoger kept on talking with Juan Li: “She was just hungry!”

Juan Li was still young and looked very pitiful. But Peony perceived in her eyes, as expected, traces of alienation.

“Ok, ok…” Juan Li sighed: “Let’s return home”

Home… that’s right. Thinking carefully, the hospital’s situation was even better than that dark tiny ‘apartment’. The kitchen, living room and bedroom were situated in the same space. The entrance and the bathroom were the only places which had doors. 

On the walls there were cracks, the floor was very dirty and not much sunlight could enter from the window.

But still, for now, it was their precious place, where they had to live, eat, sleep and live.

After Juan Li signed the documents, she wanted to immediately leave, but Hoger offered a lift.

Luckily, she accepted. Her state of mind was very delicate, Samy was busy, Mitsaku was too old and July couldn’t drive. The car quickly drove to their ‘apartment’, with the help of GPS.

So many years have passed… but Peony clearly remembered the address… 

Hoger made sure that both of them were okay, and then drove away. 

This house… the color of the wall was much brighter than the one in her memory. The crappy door was loosing resistance. 

After Juan Li opened the door, Peony re-explored this place. The narrow hall/corridor, where all the useless or too bulky things were thrown here, for example trash, jackets, cardboard boxes and chopped wood. One could hardly walk here. Opposite from the entrance was the bathroom. There were no windows. On the ceiling some mold were slowly conquering all the angles. The same situation could be found in the multi-room (bedroom, living room and kitchen), it was just that they weren’t that noticeable. 

Two beds, one big and one small, were placed on a wall, only a simple wardrobe separated them. A table, some chairs and a sofa were in front of the beds, the cookers and the fridge were on the other side of the table. Because the furniture already crammed everywhere, messy clothes and plastic bags were left where it was most convenient for the busy mother and the ex-unconscious daughter.

Sigh, all those objects… it felt like entering in a dream. But it didn’t matter… tightly grasping the chocolate box, Peony walked to the bed, and when Juan Li was taking a shower in the bathroom, she hid it under her small bed.

When Juan Li got out, she was really too tired to continue to scold her daughter. She absentmindedly cooked dinner and then went to sleep. 

Peony really didn’t want to stare at Juan Li’s figure and sense her presence. She went outside the door to eat some cake, while gazing at the card, under the bright moon.

Pitch black night.

Dark knight, in an invisible armor.

Please take me away.

–

Shining stars.

The dark knight’s armor.

Please lead my way.

–

Flying clouds.

The dark knight’s magic horse.

Let’s run away.

–

Oh nature nature…

Why did you gladly 

leave me behind?

Peony deeply breathed in and out. Recalling that nostalgic feeling of the… unknown.

Haha… dark night. I don’t need you anymore. I just need myself. My past… everything. I was wrong when I seeked for someone else, I was wrong when I asked for help… I was truly and deeply wrong!!! 

I was the pitch black night! I was the shining stars! I was the flying clouds!

I was the soul who could do wonders and mistakes! I am the only one who can be myself, because nobody will understand for you! Nobody will take you away! Nobody…!

Nobody…!

Nobody!

…

…

A while passed, Peony felt a new kind of energy in her body, it was the desire to BE… the child grinned at the lifeless and infinite sky, and then slowly crawled in her bed… not forgetting to hid the box again, and the card too.