Chapter 169 - Rose and Iris
Growing up with twin brothers, Xiu Mei was knowledgeable about games that little boys like. Added with the fact that she would sometimes train under the tutelage of her Uncle along with her brothers, she would’ve grown up quite boyish if it weren’t for her Xiu Grandparents training her with etiquette and manners appropriate for girls.
That’s why when she volunteered at the orphanage, Xiu Mei chose to play with the little boys instead of hanging out with the girls, unlike the other female students.
On the other hand, Ying Yue was the princess type between the two of them. She grew up learning ballet, piano, and harp. So she ended up taking care of the little girls in the orphanage.
Their volunteer project lasted only for a month, which was spending time with the kids for five hours 3x a week. The two of them got very well acquainted with a lot of the little kids, some she even saw got adopted throughout the service.
Both of them would often come with gifts for the kids. Sometimes, they would bring books that can help them with their education, and sometimes, it would be some groceries to help out in feeding the children.
Among all the children that Ying Yue took care of, there were two kids that she got really close with. It was Wan Wan and Jia Yi, both of which are seven-year-olds at that time. Jia Yi became an orphan after her entire family passed away after a landslide wiped out her entire village in the province. While Wan Wan grew up in the orphanage since she was young after getting picked up by a priest from the trash outside the Church.
Xiu Mei recalled Jia Yi getting adopted during their service. Meanwhile, Wan Wan was still in the orphanage after they finished their service. She was like a happy pill back then, full of energy that she could play from morning until afternoon without napping in between. She was similar to the little boys Xiu Mei would often play with, full of endless energy and unaware of the harsh realities of the world.
She remembered that Ying Yue would sometimes throw Wan Wan to her care once she reaches her limit of playing with her. Ying Yue couldn’t keep up with the children’s energy hence Xiu Mei was the main sister for all the children in terms of playing outside.
After their service, both of them would sometimes visit until their visits gradually lessened throughout the year. They kept donating to the orphanage, but Xiu Mei gradually forgot about them after so many years. After all, she was still a naive and foolish 12-year-old at that time.
Then things happened. She was still in her senior high school when she caught wind of the news that the Ying family adopted a child named Wan Wan from an orphanage. Back then, she had an idea of who it was but she was doubtful whether it was the same child she met in the orphanage. Who knew that it was really the same person she thought it was.
Xiu Mei watched her memories for the past few years flashing in front of her eyes. And suddenly, her surroundings changed into complete darkness. She was suddenly filled with panic.
She was alone, in the middle of nowhere. She felt cold.
"Hello?" Her voice echoed yet she received no response.
"Is anyone there?"
The place was filled with deafening silence. While her mental state was slowly collapsing, she suddenly heard the sound little steps behind her.
Xiu Mei hastily spun around to look behind her. The scene suddenly changed. She was back in the little forest behind the orphanage, and she could see the sound of children playing outside. She saw Ying Yue, who was sitting on the grass, weaving some flower crowns with other girls. She watched a little girl, Wan Wan, tug on her dress as she gave her a flower. Ying Yue flashed a smile as she gladly accepted the flower.
Then she saw her whisper something to Wan Wan and a few minutes later, the little girl ran in front of her. She hid her hands behind her back as if she was hiding some kind of surprise.
"Sister Meimei." the little Wan Wan called.
Xiu Mei felt like her body was on autopilot. She couldn’t control her body as she knelt in front of the child, smiling tenderly at her.
"Hi, what is it?"
"Sister Yueyue said you like flowers." Wan Wan stared at her with her round eyes. Her voice sounded milky and cute so Xiu Mei couldn’t help but rub her head and pinch her cheeks.
Smiling, she replied to her. "Yes, I do. So is Wan Wan gonna give me some flower?"
"Mhm!" She nodded enthusiastically. Then she finally pulled out her hand from behind revealing a rose.
Seeing the rose, Xiu Mei involuntarily shuddered as her expression stiffened. Strange, why would she suddenly feel that way?
She reached out to accept the white rose from her hand but as soon as she wrapped her fingers around the stem, she felt something prick her finger. She hastily pulled away her hand, lowering her head while checking her finger. Her pointy finger was bleeding after being pricked by the thorn of the rose. Realizing that it still has thorns, Xiu Mei suddenly panicked.
Wan Wan was still holding that thorny rose!
She was just about to open her mouth to warn Wan Wan but as soon as she raised her head, Xiu Mei froze as soon as her eyes landed on the flower once again.
...Why did the rose suddenly change into an Iris flower?
"Sister Meimei." A voice called her.
Xiu Mei broke out of her trance, as she raised her head again to look at the person who called her.
This time, it was the nineteen years old Wan Wan standing in front of her. She was still in the same position, holding a flower in her right as she grinned in front of her.
"W-Why...?"
She was at a loss. What happened? Why did Wan Wan suddenly grow big? What was happening?
"Sister Meimei." The big Wan Wan repeated.
Before she could open her mouth, the big Wan Wan revealed what she was holding with her other hand. She held it in front of her, just beside the Iris she was holding.
"This is also for you. My second gift." She slowly uttered.
Xiu Mei was confused. What second gift was she saying?
She lowered her head to look at big Wan Wan’s hands.
Then she saw an iris flower on her right and a red rose on her left.
Somewhere within her was screaming not to accept the flowers. But her body seemed to be moving on her own as she reached out and accepted both flowers. She didn’t know why but she curiously gazed at the red rose and looked at it very closely.
Weird. Why was there some white parts on the red rose petals?
"Did you like it, Sister Meimei?"
"Oh?" She raised her head again and met with her gaze. This time, she suddenly felt something heavy on her chest. She suddenly felt some difficulty in breathing yet, she still answered her.
"Yes, I like it." She replied. She looked at the big Wan Wan at the same time, she could also see the figure of the small Wan Wan in front of her like an after-image.
The big Wan Wan beamed at her. "That’s great! I knew Sister Meimei would like my specially made red rose. It would’ve been a waste of liters of blood if Sister Meimei didn’t like it." She uttered. Her tone sounded very normal but when Xiu Mei listened to it, she shuddered.
Wasted...liters of blood?
Her eyes darted on the red rose on her hands.
Red rose.
Red. The color of blood.
A white card flashed before her eyes.
A bloodstained rose of the first victim I killed as my second gift to you. Hopefully, you’ll like it.
...bloodstained rose?
Xiu Mei gasped. Her hands trembled. The red rose fell on the ground as she suddenly remembered the note.
She remembered.
The bloodstained rose that she received as a parcel in the office. The second gift.
B-But why...?
She lowered her head and stared at the red rose that fell on the ground. Its petals broke and scattered around her feet.
Seeing it, she felt a chill run down her spine. Xiu Mei was thrown in turmoil.
What was happening? What is this? Why is she suddenly remembering this?
Why... is Wan Wan the one handing over the rose to her?
"Sister Meimei."
Xiu Mei flinched.
It was Wan Wan’s voice. But it was a completely different tone from how she called her a second ago.
She hesitated for a few seconds before she raised her head again to meet her gaze. Xiu Mei’s gaze shook as she saw the face of the person in front of her.
It wasn’t Wan Wan’s.
This time, it was Ying Yue’s.
She was smiling at her. It was a cold smile as if Ying Yue was mocking her with something.
Xiu Mei fell into a trance as she stared in disbelief at her best friend’s cold expression.
A minute later, that figure finally spoke.
"Meimei, isn’t that Iris really pretty?" Ying Yue uttered, as she pointed at Xiu Mei’s hand.
Xiu Mei subconsciously followed the direction she was pointing at.
She looked down at her hand and froze.
In her hand was a wilted iris.