Chapter 100 — Scars Upon Scars

A sudden crash broke the silence. While Lin Xiaowen was lost in thought, Xu Ningning strode to the window and, with a swift motion, drew aside the apricot-colored, thick gauze curtain.

Blinding light burst into the dim room without warning. Instinctively, Lin Xiaowen raised her hand to shield her eyes, and in that moment, Xu Ningning saw clearly the many scars on Lin Xiaowen's arms and neck.

Startled, Xu Ningning grabbed the hand Lin Xiaowen failed to hide. Her gaze was fixed, unblinking, on the silk nightgown with its long sleeves that slipped away to reveal the pale, slender arm marked by deep, purplish bruises. On the delicate neck, the vivid traces of fingers pressed harshly were unmistakable.

"He hit you? He actually dared to lay a hand on you?"

Xu Ningning's eyes widened, her shock and fury making her tremble uncontrollably. Now she understood why Lin Xiaowen never saw anything Sainan did as affection—for no man would treat the woman he loved with such violence.

Lin Xiaowen quickly turned her face away, letting her long hair fall to hide the marks on her neck, her head bowed as low as possible. Xu Ningning tried desperately to compose herself, but her lips still quivered as she spoke.

"Was it him? That bastard Sainan, wasn't it?"

"It's not what you think... Ningning, I'm fine." Lin Xiaowen slowly turned back, even managing a smile as she looked at Xu Ningning.

"Xiaowen, come on. Let's leave now. We'll go to the police—he can't just detain you like this. The law is on your side, don't be afraid... We'll report him right now..."

Unable to bear seeing her friend in distress, Xu Ningning softened her tone and, without waiting for permission, took Lin Xiaowen's hand and headed for the door. But Lin Xiaowen held her back with surprising strength.

Seeing Xu Ningning so distraught, Lin Xiaowen felt a pang of guilt and sorrow—it seemed she was always the cause of Ningning's worry and pain.

She embraced Xu Ningning, whose body was rigid with emotion. Lin Xiaowen could feel her friend's anguish and righteous anger. Her eyes began to redden, but she refused to let the tears fall. She just held Xu Ningning tightly, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling.

"Ningning, don't worry. I'm really all right... These wounds aren't what you think. I insisted on leaving, refused to take my medicine—that's how I ended up like this. But I'm fine now, look, I'm standing right here in front of you."

"As long as I stay here obediently, I can see Ranran every day. If—if you have time, you can come talk with me. So my life hasn't really changed much, has it..."

"But you're a person!" Xu Ningning squeezed Lin Xiaowen's hand so tightly it hurt, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

The face before her was so familiar, yet the lifeless eyes and pallid cheeks made Xu Ningning feel estranged and unsettled.

"How can a living person be trapped in a place like a prison... Xiaowen, you've never done anything wrong, never. What right does Sainan have to treat you this way!"

Xu Ningning cried out in anguish, and Lin Xiaowen gave a faint smile, her dry lips cracking to reveal a thin line of blood—yet it brought some color back to her face.

Gently wiping away Ningning's tears, Lin Xiaowen spoke softly.

"Of course I know I haven't done anything wrong, but I can't leave here." Lin Xiaowen looked seriously at Ningning's puzzled expression and explained,

"It's not that I can't, but that I don't want to... Ranran is my life, my reason to go on. I can't leave her. But if the Sainan family insists on taking her away, then there’s nothing I can do. The court would never grant custody to a mother without financial means or stable work—we both know that, don’t we?"

"Then what will you do? Are you going to stay trapped here forever?" Xu Ningning gazed sorrowfully at Lin Xiaowen, this unfortunate and foolish woman.

For the first time, Xu Ningning wondered if it had been a mistake to support Lin Xiaowen in having her child all those years ago.

"It's all right, really. As long as I can see Ranran every day, nothing else matters." A faint blush finally returned to Lin Xiaowen's pale cheeks.

"Ningning, don't worry. Sainan treats Ranran very well—she is his niece, his family. And me... you needn't worry about me. I’ll be fine. For Ranran, I’ll take good care of myself."

Lin Xiaowen was always such a stubborn and resilient girl. Otherwise, how could she have struggled alone in this unfamiliar city for six years, raising her child?

The determination in Lin Xiaowen's eyes only strengthened Xu Ningning's resolve. All of this was temporary, and what she ought to do was help Xiaowen escape this predicament as soon as possible.

That evening, rain fell again. When Sainan came in with Ranran, droplets still clung to their clothes.

"Xiaowen..." Ranran, after waiting so long for a chance to see her mother, ran straight to Lin Xiaowen's room as soon as she reached the second floor.

"Ranran, it’s still raining outside. Did you get wet?"

After Ningning left, Lin Xiaowen had drifted into a heavy sleep all afternoon. Hearing Ranran's voice, she immediately perked up.

"No, but Uncle Nan got a bit wet because he carried me when we got out of the car."

Ranran tilted her little head, letting her mother tidy her messy braids. In truth, Ranran's daily needs had been carefully looked after by others these days; Lin Xiaowen had no worries about her care.

"Uncle Nan... what did he do with you today?"

Lin Xiaowen didn’t want Ranran to know too much about the adults’ troubles. She simply told her daughter that they were staying at Uncle Nan’s house to recover, and they’d return home in a few days.

"Today?" Ranran pouted. "He just had me stay in his office!"

"Office?" Lin Xiaowen asked in surprise.

"Yeah, there were lots of uncles talking together, all looking fierce. It was pretty boring. Uncle Nan’s workplace has pretty ladies who gave me toys, so I just played with them."

Ranran didn't understand why, when her mother was ill, she couldn’t be with her. She knew she wouldn’t disturb her mother.

Sainan took Ranran to his company? Even to meetings? What was he thinking? As Lin Xiaowen puzzled over this, she heard Sainan coughing heavily outside the door, followed by the voice she least wanted to hear.

"Dinner’s ready. Come eat with us."