Chapter 173 - 173 - Bullied

"Where's dad?" Yue anxiously looked behind her.

"Your dad... sigh... he is keeping himself busy. You'll see." She led them over to the secondary attached bedroom door and opened it wide.

Inside, his father and the two women sat on the bed nervously looking at something on the sheet.

"I won! I fucking won again! Booya!"' Lui suddenly jumped up high, tossing the card in her hand. "pay up!"

Juda pouted. "How come you win every single time? This has to be rigged." She placed two strawberries on her palm.

"I feel the same.." his father whispered, handing her two peaches. "Next game I will win for sure,"

"Not a chance, I'm going to win over all these fruits," Lui proclaimed proudly, pointing to the fruit basket in front of both of them.

Watching this cheerful scene, Yue felt his heart warm up. "Dad has been keeping himself busy, huh?"

"Busy losing every day. I have to admit your father was never good at card games." His mum whispered, walking in.

They did not even notice their arrival busy shuffling the cards.

"ah hum!" mum cleared her throat loudly. "Yue is back,"

The three glanced up, eyes wide.

"Yue!" the girls rushed to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank god you are back.."

Juda moved back a bit, closing her nose. "You kinda stink,"

"you meanie," Yue pouted, glancing at his clothes. The chemical somehow stained his clothes a bit, so the stench clung to him. "It's a chemical to mask our scent. This saved our lives, mind you,"

"Oh, then get me some. I might need it," she giggled softly. Subtly her eyes went behind, looking at Tian, who was still in her hazmat suit. "How have you been?"

Tian awkwardly nodded. "Where is the restroom?"

"To your left..."

Without a word, Tian bolted out of there.

"She is still being skittish...." Juda mumbled, sighing loudly.

"Girls, let the old man hug his son, will you.." Zou Wei came up front with a brilliant smile.

"Dad~" Yue clung to him tightly. "I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too, kid. How was the ousted world?"

"Complete shit..."

He pulled back from the hug with a deep glare. "Language kid."

"Fine, it was nasty out there. I don't think I'm going out there any time soon," Yue mumbled softly.

This time, their survival was a stroke of luck. They might not get this chance again. he did not want to risk that again without finessing his attacks and defence.

"so... what have you guys been doing?"

His father gently held his shoulders and led him. "Well, your mother has been obsessing over cleaning this room... me.. I have been keeping myself busy."

Yue picked up the cards spread out on the floor. "You suck at it, don't you,"

"I'm doing great!" he strongly objected.

Yue, Lui, and Juda helped collect all the cards and arrange them in a pile.

"I wanted to know. How was the situation in the barracks and in the villa?" Yue suddenly whispered.

The cheerful girls somehow lost their smiles.

"What happened? Nothing happened, right?"

"N-nothing happened. We have never left this room." Lui said in a slightly high pitch.

Yue peered at them intensely. Even his father's expression seemed off. "Okay, what are you guys hiding from me? Did you guys get bullied? Food deprived? Don't tell me, did anyone steal from you?"

"umm...no, no and no.... we are fine," his dad mumbled, shuffling the cards.

Yue sighed loudly. He knew that these three won't open their mouths. There is only one person who will tell him everything without hiding. "I'll go check on mum."

He left the room directly over to the makeshift kitchen. "Spill it mum, what happened while I was away?"

She glanced back with a huge sigh. "the girls got bullied…... Uncle Wen has been taking good care of us but he has been away a lot….,"

"bullied! By whom? Tell me their names. ill deal with them!" Yue shouted with his fists clenched. The thought of knowing that his friends have been bullied sent a fiery rage into his heart.

He could not control his overwhelming rage.

"Don't act like a thug, Yue. We just have to stay out of sight and we will be out of their minds. Besides, we are going back home." She casually whispered whilst packing all the utensils and knives.

"This is not a simple issue. Going back home is not going to solve it." Yue mumbled, squatting down next to her. "Mum... tell me who that was..."

"Solve what?" Right then, Tian opened the bathroom door after removing her suit. She cleaned up her messy hair and face. "Solve what issue?" she walked over to them briskly.

"The girls were bullied."

Tian frowned deeply. "I'll go and see who that fucker is,"

"No one has to go and do anything," Juda walked out of the room with a complicated look on her face. 

Lui ran over and held her back. "Look Tian, I know you trying to help but this issue is best to be ignored."

Juda broke free of Lui's constraint and peered at Tian and Yue. "I don't want you guys to involve in this issue. It is our problem, and we decided to walk away from it,"

"it's not an issue to be ignored. Once bullied, you will forever be bullied. That's how it is. I have experienced it before. It's not a pleasant feeling at all. Especially when you are girls.. It's too risky." Yue burst out.

"What do you mean?" this time all the attention fell on Yue.

Through narrowed eyes, Tian peered at him. "Who bullied you?"

"Some idiotic guy. I should have beaten him when I got the chance. But I was cowardly. He took that as a chance to keep beating me down. Every time I had my food stolen, tripped...." he glanced at Juda and Lui. "It's not an issue to ignore or walk away. Nip it in the bud...."

Juda looked him straight in the eyes and whispered, "I chose not to. I don't think violence can solve anything..."

Tian groaned. "Your silly notions will lead you nowhere!" she once again fashionably stormed out of the room.

Yue sighed loudly. "It is your choice but I have to warn you...things can get nasty the more you hesitate."

"It's okay Yue.." Juda whispered peering t the door again. "um... I have something to do.. so.."

"Yeah,"

She ran out the door as well.

Zou Nui just smiled. "Those two seem to be cross with each other?"

"not cross, rather they have feelings that are still unaddressed,"

Yue and Lui helped his parents pack up their things. Everything, including the cooking pans and pots, the stove was shoved inside a huge military grade duffel bag.

It only took them ten minutes to be done with all the work.

His father carefully packed away the fruits. "Where did they both go?"

"They are sorting out their feelings." Yue smiled widely. "Dad, why don't I teach you how to play cards?"

"Nonsense, I know who to play!"

"Sure you do, you lost a basket of fruits to Lui here,"

They all sat down playing rummy while waiting for the two to return.

****

"Would you just slow down for god's sake!" Juda panted running after her.

"Then stop following me."

Taking a deep breath, Juda sprinted at her highest speed, and caught hold of her arm. "Stop and listen for once instead of dashing out,"

"Listen to what? Your ideals? It won't work in this harsh world Juda, the sooner you realize that the better," she snarkily replied.

Juda looked into her deep brown eyes. They looked very troubled and almost on the verge of tears. "Tian.. Were you bullied?"

For which she silently stood.

"Oh, my god.. I'm so sorry," she pulled him into a tight hug. 'I'm so sorry."

"It won't end... if you don't put an end to it... it won't end..."

Juda hugged her tightly. "shh... shh... it's okay now... it's okay.."

Tian pulled away slightly. "So tell me who it was..."

"Some annoying guy.. it was really nothing. Tian... I'm just so happy you are back." she ever so gently cupped her face.

Tian unexpectedly nuzzled against her hand.

"H-have you thought about our conversation... before you again?"

Her brown eyes looked up slowly, glistening. "I don't know. I'm sorry for yelling at you again and again..."

"No. no, not that... about the part where I like you." Juda expectantly looked at her for answers.

Words were not the answer she got rather, it was a small smile.

"You.. Do you want to date me? I can be annoying sometimes, but I'm a good person. You can trust my feelings. It's only for you now,"

"Now?" Tian glared slightly.

"Now and as long as you want me to have these feelings,"

"That's not the answer I wanted." Tian turned her head to the side, exposing her slightly red ears.

Juda gently pinched them. "Well, you didn't give me the answer I needed either. But I can roll with this small smile of yours,"

She opened her mouth, ready to dispute.

"ah-ah.. Don't hurry. Take your time and think about how you feel about me.. about us." sneakily Juda kissed her cheeks and ran away.

Stunned, Tian just froze in the hallway holding her heated cheeks.