Defeated By Love

Translated by Fairy_Dust

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Shu Nian was cutting the cake and looked up at him: “That’s the one.” 

Xie Ruhe causally fiddled with it for a bit but he was afraid of alerting people nearby so he stopped. 

Shu Nian was curious and questioned. “Can you play?” 

Xie Ruhe nodded: “Only a little bit.” 

Shu Nian’s eyes widened: “You know how to play instruments?” 

“Yeah.”

“Can you play the piano?” 

“A little bit.” 

“What about the violin?” 

“Hm.” 

“…” Shu Nian’s mouth was half-opened because of surprise. She said: “You can play everything.” 

Xie Ruhe causally replied. “My mum taught me.”

Shu Nian asked. “Then do you want to study music in the future?” 

“I don’t know.” Xie Ruhe’s voice was very soft. “If I can, I want to.”

Shu Nian didn’t ask much more about his family situation. She licked her lips and changed the subject: “What do you want to be in the future?” 

Xie Ruhe didn’t hesitate to respond: “A composer.” 

“The kind that write songs?” 

“En.” 

“Why don’t you sing them yourself?” Shu Nian handed him a piece of cake. “You sing very well.” 

Xie Ruhe took the cake: “I’m interested in composing.”

“Then if you become a composer in the future.” Shu Nian happily said. “Sing all of your songs to me and I will also give all of the scenes I dub to you.” 

“I won’t necessarily sing all the songs I write for other singers.” 

“But we are friends.” Shu Nian felt that his words were not right. “Shouldn’t you at least sing it to me first after you write them?” 

“…” 

Looking at his expression, Shu Nian thought that she had said something wrong: “Aren’t I right?” 

Xie Ruhe was silent for a moment: “… you’re right.” 

Out of nowhere, fireworks sounded. They crackled, celebrating the arrival of the new year. 

Shu Nian bit the cake and with a soft voice: “It seems to be midnight now, we’re a year older.” 

“En.” 

“I’m going to buy you a cake for your birthday this year.” Shu Nian said. “Then next year on my birthday, let’s go and set off some fireworks. I was at Grandpa’s house today and I wanted to play with them but my mum wouldn’t let me.” 

“Okay.” 

“By the way, Happy New Year.” 

“Happy New Year.”

When Shu Nian got out of the recording room, it was just past 11PM. The sky was dark and there were only a few pedestrians on the road. She sent a WeChat message to Xie Ruhe and stood where she was as she waited for his reply.
 
Soon, his reply came:【 Look at your right. 】 

Shu Nian looked up and found that Xie Ruhe’s car was parked nearby. She got into the car and instinctively said hello to the both of them.

Only half a day had passed but Fang Wencheng’s mood had become quite negative as if he was tortured in some way.

Xie Ruhe looked pretty good though. 

Shu Nian asked: “Where are we going?” 

Xie Ruhe thought for a moment: “To your community.” 

Shu Nian was surprised: “Don’t you say you were going to take me somewhere?” 

“En.” Xie Ruhe honestly replied without hiding it. “I’m taking you there to set off fireworks.”

Shu Nian reminded him: “Fireworks are not allowed in urban areas.”

“The small ones.” Xie Ruhe didn’t know what to call them. He became silent as if he was deeply thinking. 

Shu Nian understood what he meant though: “Sparklers?” 

Xie Ruhe nodded: “Yes.” 
 
“Okay.” Shu Nian curled her lips and looked very happy. “I haven’t played with them in a long time.” 

Fang Wencheng drove the car near the community where Shu Nian lived and took out Xie Ruhe’s wheelchair and a box of fireworks from the trunk of the car. He quickly installed the wheelchair and placed it near Xie Ruhe’s seat. 

Xie Ruhe got out of the car and stood up for a moment before sitting back down on the wheelchair. 

It wasn’t like before where he could only rely in the strength of his arms to move around.

Seeing this scene, Shu Nian’s mood was a little complicated.

She pushed his chair and asked. “How have you been recovering recently?” 

“Very good.” Xie Ruhe said: “At the rate I’m going, there should only be two more months left.” 

Shu Nian didn’t understand what he was saying: “What two months?” 

He himself wasn’t too sure and was only relaying what the rehabilitation doctor had said. His tone was a little hesitant as he explained: “I have been training all this time and in two months, I should be able to walk like a normal person.” 

“…” Shu Nian’s footsteps came to a halt. “Really?” 

“En.” 

Shu Nian’s eyes were curved and it was obvious that she was very happy for him: “Can you walk now?” 

Xie Ruhe responded: “I can walk for a while with a cane.”

Shu Nian was surprised and counted with her fingers: “I didn’t pay you a visit for… five days or six days and you’ve already progressed this much?” 

The corners of Xie Ruhe’s lips twitched up. 

The two walked in front as Fang Wencheng quietly followed behind them.

Shu Nian took them to an open space just behind the building she lived. The open space was at the edge of the community and next to it was a large area of grassland. Because of the remote location, few people would go there, most of which were children who went there to play. 

There were only two street lamps, standing on both sides of a bench. 

Fang Wencheng put the box of fireworks on the bench and that was when Xie Ruhe suddenly remembered something. He called out to him: “Fang Wencheng, go buy some water from somewhere nearby.” 

Shu Nian asked: “What do you need water for?”

Xie Ruhe said: “We’re setting off fireworks, just prepare some water for precaution measures.” 

“My house is upstairs.” Shu Nian suggested. “I’ll just go up and get a bucket. The nearest convenience store is a little too far away, there’s no need to go that far.” 

Fang Wencheng offered: “Then I’ll go up with you.” 

Shu Nian hesitantly looked at Xie Ruhe: “Then will you stay here alone?”

“En.” 

It was almost midnight and their surroundings were terrible. 

The street lamp on the other side seemed to be malfunctioning as it flashed every few seconds.

Shu Nian didn’t know why but she just couldn’t let go of her worries. She felt that there was nothing strange in her house so reluctantly, she passed the key of her house to Fang Wencheng: “Why don’t you go up? I live on the second floor and there is only one house. When you go in, the first room straight ahead is the toilet and there’s a bucket in there already.”

Fang Wencheng answered: “Then you guys have some fun first.”

The two waited for Fang Wencheng to bring the water over because they weren’t in a hurry to light the fireworks.

Shu Nian turned over the box. There were many kinds of fireworks inside, some of which she had never seen before. Her interest rose and just as she wanted to say something to Xie Ruhe.

She heard something move in the grass not too far away.

Shu Nian thought that it was a wild cat running by and had bumped into a bush but then, a weak sob from a woman could be heard. It sounded like she was begging for mercy.

Shu Nian’s breathing stagnated and she looked in the direction the sound came from. 

In the vast darkness, she couldn’t see anything clearly. 

Xie Ruhe obviously heard it too: “Over there…”

Before he could finish, Shu Nian turned to him and said it in a very low voice: “Is there anyone over there?”

“…” Xie Ruhe wasn’t sure. “I don’t know.” 

“We have to go and take a look.” Shu Nian’s rate of breathing became a little short like she was over-stressed and whispered to herself. “I’ll go and take a look.” 

Just from listening to the tone of that woman’s voice, Xie Ruhe actually felt that nothing big had happened. But Shu Nian’s response to it was obviously a bit excessive. He anxiously grabbed her wrist and looked at her: “I’ll go with you.” 

No sound followed after the first one. The first noise they heard seemed to have been an illusion only they heard. Shu Nian lowered her eyes and whispered. “It seems that I heard it wrong…” 

Xie Ruhe sensed something was wrong with her: “What’s the matter?”

Shu Nian’s face was white, not only the wrist he held but her whole body seemed to be trembling. Her eyes were blank and she wore an unnatural smile: “Nothing.” 

Meanwhile, a woman came out of the darkness. She held a phone next to her ear and was answering the phone with tears in her eyes: “Please, I don’t want to break up…” 

Seeing people here, the woman quickly wiped away her tears and walked in the other direction. 

Shu Nian looked at the woman’s back and suddenly asked: “Did I just say——” 

Her reaction made Xie Ruhe feel at a loss: “What?” 

“Did I say that I heard incorrectly?” Shu Nian licked her lips and her eyes began to turn red. “I clearly heard something but I was so scared that I didn’t dare to go there…” 

She repeated those words. It sounded more like she was talking to herself than talking to him.

“Shu Nian.” Xie Ruhe frowned and asked. “What’s wrong with you?” 

“…” Shu Nian came back to her senses and her voice was slightly hoarse. “I want to go home.” 

Xie Ruhe didn’t know why she was having such a large reaction and grabbed her wrist again. He acted carefully, as if he wanted to comfort her: “I told you before that if you want to help others then you must ensure that you are safe first.” 

“…” 

“It’s normal for you to be afraid.” 

Shu Nian didn’t listen to him and tensely said. “It’s too late today. I’ll set off fireworks with you another day.” 

Fang Wencheng came back just at that moment. Shu Nian walked over and took the keys back from him.

Fang Wencheng still carried a bucket of water in his hand as he walked to Xie Ruhe in confusion: “Young master, you guys won’t you set off fireworks anymore?” 

Xie Ruhe stared in the direction Shu Nian was in and whispered. “Send her home and come back when you see her go inside the house.” 

Shu Nian’s mood wasn’t right. Fang Wencheng didn’t disturb her so he put the bucket at her door and then drove over to pick up Xie Ruhe. 

Fang Wencheng didn’t know what had happened but he didn’t ask. 

The atmosphere had suddenly become bleak and low. 

Xie Ruhe quietly sat in the back seat. He stared out of the window and his whole body was enclosed in a dark haze where light and shadows mixed together. He also seemed to be in a bad mood and his just then bright appearance disappeared in a flash without a trace. 

After a long time, Xie Ruhe suddenly said. “Something isn’t right.” 

“…What?” 

“Something’s not right.” 

“Ah?” 

Xie Ruhe didn’t make any more comments. He lowered his eyes and switched on his phone.

Fang Wencheng looked at him through the rear-view mirror. He didn’t know if he should say it or not but after hesitating for a few seconds, he still said decisively: “Young master, I went to Shu Nian’s house and saw something.” 

“…” 

“Don’t get angry. It’s just the bookcase which is placed next to the corridor. I saw it at a glance and not on purpose.” Fang Wencheng spoke anxiously. “I don’t know if I am thinking too much but Shu Nian is a voice actor so the bookcase should be filled with dubbing books…” 

Xie Ruhe raised his eyes: “What else was there?”

Fang Wencheng was perplexed: “Psychology, most of the bookcase were filled with psychological books.” 

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