Crimson Instinct

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"Yue!"

Ying Yue, who was blankly sitting in front of a ward, heard her mother's voice and trembled.

As soon as Ying Lan got the news of the group's escape, she immediately rushed to the hospital with the Army soldiers. 

Ying Yue slowly raised her head and saw his mother running towards her. Her eyes filled with tears, and she stood, her knees shaking. 

Ying Lan hugged her and broke into tears. "Yue...Yue, my daughter. Y-you are alright. I-I…" she was having difficulty in speaking as she sobbed.

"I thought...I really feared for a moment that I won't ever see you again…"

Ying Yue's lips trembled. She hugged her mother tighter and buried her face in her neck.

She saw how Ying Lan had gotten so weak and frail in just thirty-six hours. It looked as if she didn't eat or drink at all.

"Mom…I am sorry...I am sorry for making you worry. I am sorry for being careless."

Ying Lan sobbed harder.

Only she knew how every moment was hell for her. Her daughter was her only family, and if she had lost her too, she would have completely broken apart. Her eyes were glued to the door in the hope that Ying Yue would walk into the house anytime. Every second her breath was stuck in her throat that maybe she would get bad news.

But now, hugging Ying Yue in the flesh dispersed all of her fears and worries. She didn't want to think about any what-ifs.

Ying Yue was safe and alive, and that is what mattered to her the most now.

She cupped her face and looked at her from head to toe. There were a lot of marks and injuries on her skin.

Tears streamed out even more.

"Yue...these marks...what did they do to you? D-did they…" Her face turned as white as a sheet, thinking of the worst possible scenario.

Ying Yue pursed her lips. "It's not what you are thinking, Mom."

She knew she was thinking along the lines of sexual assault.

Though one of the men, Risfun, did try to assault her, Rodey, had saved her in time. She thought it was wise not to tell that to Ying Lan, seeing how she was already so pale. She didn't want to worry her more.

"It's really not what you are thinking. They just hit me a little."

"A little? You call this a little!?"

She shook her head. "Mom, compared to the worst that could have happened, these injuries are nothing...a-and…"

She trembled, and tears plopped.

Ying Lan anxiously asked, "What is it, dear? What are you hiding from me?"

Ying Yue hugged herself and cried. "These injuries are nothing as compared to…" she gasped, "what R-Rodey has got…He was already hurt but...to protect me, he fought in that condition and got more injured and then…"

Ying Lan was confused for a moment, but then she realized it.

"Rodey...is that the man you brought home that night? Who stayed in your room?"

She was shocked. "You know…?"

Ying Lan. "I do. I was going to ask you about it later, but then…" she sniffled, "you and Jingjing got kidnapped."

Ying Yue broke down. "Yes...he is the same man. He protected me when I was there, fought with those men, and then even helped me escape. And then...he took the knife for me…"

She gasped in horror.

"K-knife? What are you saying?"

Ying Yue recounted everything. She broke down as she mentioned the part when the last of the men attacked them, and Rodey pushed her away, taking the stab in his gut.

Ying Yue cried.

"Mom...mom...h-he is inside now...in the operation theatre. But at that time, he looked so weak...as if he already di…" she froze and couldn't complete the sentence. "Mom, he was bleeding so badly. H-he was so weak...I never saw him like that before. Mom...I-I cannot see him like that...He will be okay, right? He-he won't die, right?"

Ying Lan quickly said, "Of course not! He won't die. In the end, he changed and sided with the good. God doesn't let anything happen to good people. Have faith."

That gave a little solace to her.

Then Ying Lan slowly said, "He... really loves you, doesn't he?"

Ying Yue stiffened.

Rodey's last words before he got unconscious flashed past in her mind.

"I think I love you... from those stupid love stories I would sometimes hear…"

"You also love him, right? I can see it in your eyes."

Her silence gave her the answer.

Ying Yue asked, "Do you mind?"

"Because he was involved with the gang before?"

She bit her lip.

Ying Lan wiped her tears. "Do you know that Rodey took Jingjing away after you disappeared?"

She nodded.

"He barged inside our house and grabbed Jingjing. You should have seen his expression at that time when he was threatening Jingjing. It was pure evil. There was pure madness and rage in his gaze. He wanted revenge. He felt akin to a Death God to me."

Silence.

"And everything of that was all for you. Only for you."

Ying Yue trembled.

"I didn't know how you two met and in what circumstances. When did you get to each other? I knew nothing. But at that moment when he dealt with Jingjing did that I know that he really really loves you. He didn't imagine that you would fell into the kidnapping plot, but when you did and failed to escape because Jingjing betrayed you, that broke his thread of patience. I felt it in his eyes - the frustration and anger."

"He may have committed crimes in the past and hurt innocent people. But today, he had the courage to change for his love. That is hard, and it takes guts to change yourself after you have behaved a certain way for years. It's not easy to come from the dark into the light. That is enough for me. It's enough for me to know that he loves you and will never hurt you. And I am proud of you that you could bring that change in him."

She placed her hand on her shoulder and looked at her with sadness.

"But Yue. Are you ready? Life won't be easy. Rodey...he will surely have to face punishment for his crimes. What will you do then?"

Ying Yue smiled, her gaze shining with tears, love, and resolve. 

"There is no need to think, Mom. There is only one thing I can do and will do. Wait. Wait as long as it takes for him to come back to me."