I'll Tell You Every Day

While Daiyu's life continued peacefully, the same could not be said for Xia Xiulan.

The past few months were not looking good for Qiaoling. Another woman had appeared in the life of Cui Cheng and the man had begun to ignore her. While he still supported Qiaoling with a monthly allowance, he no longer called for her at night to warm his bed.

Unable to swallow her looming defeat, she took out her anger on Xiulan. Every night, she would come home drunk and beat her. Xiulan would go to school with new bruises every day but she would try her best to hide it with her clothes or her hair.

A part of it was because she was ashamed. But a larger part of it was because of her pride. She didn't want to admit that she was losing to her mother. She told herself repeatedly that it was okay. That this physical pain was temporary and that it was nothing compared to the psychological burden she carried in her past life.

'I survived it once. I can survive it again.' She told herself.

But a part of her was breaking down.

Why? Why was she born to such a mother?

She wanted to run away. But where to? Who would take her in? Where could a nine-year-old child like her possibly run off to? Now that it was summer vacation, she had nowhere else to go. She could only stay at home and hope that her mother would return late at night when she was already asleep.

But recently the beatings had been escalating. Before, Qiaoling would only use her hands. This time, because Xiulan refused to react whenever she beat her, Qiaoling had begun using other items.

Tonight was specially horrible.

Qiaoling had tried seducing Cui Cheng again. But because her advances were getting bolder now that she was desperate, the man had begun to find her annoying. He had warned her that if she tried to cross the line again, he would not hesitate to fire her.

Flying into a fit of rage, Qiaoling took out all her anger on Xiulan. She repeatedly beat her again and again, even when the child was already bloodied.

Xiulan clenched her teeth, trying to bear the pain. In a sudden rush of adrenaline, she took the nearest lamp and slammed it hard against Qiaoling's head.

When her mother staggered back in shock, Xiulan dragged herself out the door in a hurry. Finally recovering from the hit, Qiaoling quickly chased after her.

"You bitch!!! Get back here!!!"

Xiulan forced herself to run even though her left leg was broken from the earlier beatings. She ran and ran, never once looking back. She knew her mother was chasing after her.

No more.

She couldn't endure this anymore.

Luckily, it was raining and the water had hidden the traces of blood she left behind. She hid by an alley, panting as she tried to catch her breath. From the corner of her eye she saw her mother's shadow approaching.

Covering her mouth, she shrunk herself against a garbage can, trying to erase her presence.

"Come out! I know you're here!! Come out now!!!" Her mother's voice came.

She watched in horror as her mother's shadow approached her closer and closer.

'Please. Please. Someone. Anyone. Help me.'

Suddenly, a kick came and the garbage can she was hiding behind fell down.

"Found you." Her mother's sinister smile haunted her.

Xiulan quickly stood up, staggering back a bit as a sudden pain shot up from her broken leg.

Her mother's hand stretched out and managed to grab her hair. Qiaoling quickly pulled the child closer to her but Xiulan struggled.

Quickly scanning the area for any weapon, Xiulan tried her best to grab a nearby bottle. But Qiaoling had seen through her plans. She quickly kicked the bottle away before Xiulan could reach it.

"Fucking bitch! Stop struggling!!!" She lifted Xiulan up by her hair, aggravating the cut to the side of Xiulan's head. Blood came pouring down the side of the child's face and her vision started to blur.

"What? Still not giving up?" Qiaoling looked at the child in front of her who looked back at her with eyes full of disgust. Anger burst through her heart and she slapped the child's face as hard as she could.

"Don't look at me like that!"

Xiulan closed her eyes at the sudden impact. But the moment she opened her eyes she quickly bit Qiaoling's hand. Shocked, Qiaoling quickly let go of Xiulan's hair.

The child took the opportunity and ran away as fast as she could. Still, she could only run so far with a broken leg. Soon, she could hear her mother's footsteps approaching her.

Desperation filling her heart, she made a gamble and headed for the busy highway, away from the residential area they were in right now. From afar, she could see that the cars were steadily passing by at great speed. If she managed to cross the road, her mother would have to either brave it too or take a longer route to where the foot bridge was. But if not, then at the rate the cars were going, she could die from the impact or from blood loss.

Weighing the decision in her heart, she went for it. At this point, she had nothing else to lose. Who knew if her mother would spare her life after this? If she was going to die anyway, she might as well go the easy way out.

Bracing herself, Xiulan ran towards the traffic.

---

That night, Daiyu sat on Wang Jing's lap as her grandfather read her a story. It was still early, around eight in the evening. Liu Jin and Zhihao were in the room too. They were having a sleep over tonight.

Before they went to Daiyu's room to play, Daiyu had asked her grandfather to read her a story first.

Tonight, Wang Jing read her the story of Cinderella.

"Grandpaw?"

"Mmm?"

"Daiyu wants a pumpkin too!"

Wang Jing nodded.

"We'll have someone make you a pumpkin carriage."

Daiyu shook her head.

"Daiyu wants to eat it."

Wang Jing and the boys laughed. So she was talking about the real pumpkin.

"Alright. We'll have the chef prepare some for you tomorrow."

Daiyu smiled and nuzzled back up to her grandfather, signaling him to continue the story.

As Wang Jing got to the part where the clock struck midnight, a knock was heard from the door and Butler Tang came in.

"Master Wang, a word please."

Wang Jing looked at Tang Yun who was visibly distressed. He knew something was not right.

"I'm sorry Xiao Yu. Ah Jin, can you read the rest of the story to her for me?"

Liu Jin nodded and approached Daiyu. Wang Jing then left the room.

The moment the door had closed, Liu Jin turned to Zhihao and the boy nodded. They too sensed that something was wrong. Zhihao then slowly left the room through the other door before creeping up to listen in on the old man's conversation.

"What is it?"

"Xiulan is outside."

Wang Jing's eyes widened.

"What?!"

"Master Wang. She is in a horrible state."

"What do you mean?"

"She's bloodied and visibly battered. She has been run

Butler Tang described the situation as both men quickly made their way towards where Xiulan was.

Zhihao watched their retreating backs.

'Not good.' He quickly ran back to where Liu Jin was.

---

Meanwhile, Xiulan sat by the guard house.

She had managed to cross the road successfully. While she had cut too close and was on the verge of being hit, she made it out. With nowhere in mind, she continued running, her feet moving on their own.

Before she knew it, she was here. In front of her grandfather's house the same man who threw her out.

Anger filled her heart upon revisiting the memory. She knew her grandfather would not take her back in just because of her current state.

Still, a part of her heart was hoping he would help her.

She closed her eyes as she waited. Her body shook from the cold. Butler Tang had given her his coat the moment he saw the child shivering and bloodied. He had also instructed the guard to tend to her with first aid.

Before he told his master the news, he had also sent word for the driver to get the car ready. Now, he was only waiting for Wang Jing's instructions.

Wang Jing quickly brisk walked towards the guard house.

'Bloodied and limping?'

Why was she in such a state?

Upon reaching the place, Wang Jing saw the child, shivering as the guard tended to her wounds. Her back was hunched, her presence small, unlike her prideful demeanor before she left the mansion.

"Xiulan." He called.

for visiting.

Xiulan turned her head. The moment she saw her grandfather, a small hope had bloomed inside her heart. Before she knew it, tears had streamed down her face and her tired heart voiced out her true feelings.

"Grandfather. Please. Help me."