Chapter 2 Pity
After successfully slipping away from her shadows, Yaibua hurried toward the back exit of the luxury restaurant. The cool night breeze brushed against her sweet face, which had been hiding tears only moments ago. She navigated through the dimly lit alleys until her eyes caught a dark silhouette a man sitting with his knees pulled up against a building wall in the shadows.
"Shh... don't make a sound," she whispered into the darkness, pressing a slender finger to her lips. Her heart hammered against her ribs; it was the first time she had ever tasted the thrill of a successful escape.
The figure shifted. He was a man of rugged build, clad in tattered clothes stained with soot and grime. Disheveled hair fell over his face, concealing sharp, piercing eyes that were currently sizing up the young woman in surprise.
"Ah... Uh..." He mimicked her shushing gesture, nodding repeatedly.
"Are you... are you mute?" Yaibua froze, her eyes shimmering with profound pity. The sight of his filth and his seemingly helpless state tugged at her heartstrings.
"Mmm... nod nod." The young man confirmed. Beneath the mess of hair, his eyes took the liberty of scanning her delicate face and graceful curves.
"How pitiful..." Yaibua murmured. Her innate compassion began to take over.
"Are you hungry? I'll find you something to eat, but you have to wait for the bodyguards to leave the area first. Can you wait here for me?"
"The Mute" feigned a gesture of clutching his stomach, casting a lingering, mournful gaze so convincing that Yaibua could hardly bear to watch. She glanced back at the main path, seeing the men in black dispersing to search for her. Seizing the opportunity, she turned back and gave the drifter a soft smile.
"Wait just a moment. I'll be right back." She headed toward the brightly lit convenience store nearby, with the large man in his drifter's disguise trailing closely behind. The raw, rugged scent of his body stood in stark contrast to the faint floral fragrance lingering around her.
Reaching her destination, Yaibua turned to him again, her voice tender.
"Sit here and wait for me, okay? Don't go anywhere... I'll be out quickly."
The Mute nodded slowly. He slumped down onto the curb in front of the 7-Eleven, looking every bit the helpless soul, watching the small figure who had offered him a kindness he had never known. But the moment the sliding doors closed behind her, his innocent, harmless gaze instantly hardened into cold, calculating steel.
A few minutes later, the doors slid open again. Yaibua emerged carrying a large plastic bag, walking straight toward the man on the curb with a smile so radiant it could make any heart falter.
"Here... I bought you plenty of snacks and water. Eat until you're full."
She knelt beside him without a hint of hesitation, handing over the bag with genuine warmth. That unpretentious kindness made Phakin hesitate for a split second. He reached out with a grimy hand to accept the gift, nodding frantically like a simple-minded fool to hide the sharp, disciplined predator within.
"Eat up, Pee. You look so hungry," she said gently, her eyes filled with nothing but sincere goodwill.
The peace was short-lived. Headlights cut through the darkness, forcing them to squint. Several luxury cars screeched to a halt at the curb. A dozen men in black suits stepped out, moving toward Yaibua with an air of intimidation.
"Sigh... I suppose there's no escaping it after all," Yaibua whispered to herself. The light in her eyes died out, replaced by a cold, weary void. She took one last look at The Mute before standing tall, reclaiming her persona as a high-born heiress to shield the "destitute" man from any potential violence from her guards.
"I'm coming. You don't have to drag me," she said flatly, walking to the car without looking back.
Left alone in the dark, Phakin gripped the bag of snacks tightly. His sharp eyes locked onto the retreating taillights. Beneath that foolish facade, a silent plan was beginning to take shape...
Once inside the expensive leather interior, the car fell into a suffocating silence. Yaibua sat as rigid as a statue, staring out the window at the blurred city lights, refusing to acknowledge anyone.
"How can you act so uneducated, Yaibua!" Sia Krai's voice exploded. He glared at his daughter with eyes that could burn.
"I told you, Father... I didn't want to come." She met his gaze briefly, her eyes devoid of fear only a numbness built from years of exhaustion.
"Don't embarrass me any further! Do you have any idea how the elders will look at me after my daughter vanishes in the middle of dinner?" Sia Krai's jaw tightened.
"If you keep being this rebellious, I'll have you locked away in that house. You won't see the sun or the moon again!"
"How is my life right now any different from being locked away?"
Her calm, cutting tone made him flinch before his rage intensified.
"Yaibua! You've grown quite bold with your tongue lately! Do you even see me as your father?"
"I just don't want to fight with you anymore, Father... it's pointless." She closed her eyes weakly, unwilling to argue against the wall of his ego.
"Fine! I raised you for greatness, and you turn out to be a stubborn, ungrateful brat!" he spat, turning his face away in anger.
Yaibua didn't respond. She simply stared back at the darkness outside. Tears welled up, blurring her vision. In her mind, she saw a pair of sharp eyes belonging to that wanderer... a man with no status, yet someone who had made her feel strangely at peace for a fleeting moment.
If my life were as lowly as his... perhaps I would be freer than this.
Announcement from the Author! The E-Book Mad for Lotus in Silence
is officially out!
Hello to all my dear readers, The wait is over! Little Bua is now available on MEB. For anyone who wants to read the full story and enjoy a long, heartwarming marathon, you can grab your copy now!
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