"Enough! First, we need to treat Aunt Yu injuries. Aunt Fang, try to find your money pouch once again."
"Treat!? It just a small scratch." Aunt Fang sneered.
Li Zian did not have patience to spare for Aunt Fang. She leads Aunt Yu and Little An towards Doctor Mo's house.
"I would not pay for her treatment!" Aunt Fang shouted and she spit on the ground.
Doctor Mo bandage Aunt Yu's head and shoulder. He also applies ointment for Little An swollen face. He did not ask anything and just do his duty.
Li Zian sits on the chair beside Aunt Yu. "What is really happen, Aunt Yu?" Why did Aunt Fang go crazy?"
"She accuses Little An steal her money pouch. Little An did not steal. All day we mother and son stay at the farm. When will Little An have time to steal? She just wants to vent her anger." Aunt Yu sigh and look at Little An.
"Where is Uncle Yuan? Did he know about the money pouch?"
"My brother is doing errand for the village head. He left some money to Aunt Fang. I guess that the missing money pouch is the money that he given Aunt Fang. Without that money we may be starve until he comes back."
"Let's go to see the village head. We need to settle this problem peacefully. I cannot send you back just to be beaten again."
Aunt Yu nodded her head. She smiles towards Little An. Little An face is swollen but it did not hinder him to smile back. Li Zian cannot stand to see the painful smile from the mother and son duo. If she cannot see the resentment building from Little An, Li Zian will think that Little An is a happy boy.
With the interference from the village head, Aunt Fang's son comes out and confess. The money pouch is found and not one coin is missing. The case is solved and Aunt Fang is forced to apologize and pay medical treatment. Aunt Fang gritted her teeth when she has to pay to Doctor Mo.
Li Zian observes Little An for a few days. She found out that the children in the village always mock at him. They also resort to beating and throwing mud and stone at him. Li Zian heart ache when she saw how is he being treated. At home, Aunt Fang always bullied Aunt Yu and Little An. They do every house chore and they also have to tend the farm. Uncle Yuan seems to turn blind at Aunt Fang behavior. Little An resentment is higher day by day.
Aunt Yu and Little An is not liked by the villagers because Aunt Yu is being assaulted by bandit and gave birth to Little An. The woman called her dirty and evil spawn towards Little An. They called her shameless for being alive and not kill herself.
"Zhong!" Li Zian is standing on Aunt Yu's roof.
"Master, I am here." Zhong appears instantly. "Everything is prepared. Please be at ease."
Li Zian nodded. Her purple hair wavers a bit by the night breeze. Suddenly, she already standing in front of Aunt Yu's bed. Little An is sleeping blissfully if you disregard his baleful resentment. Li Zian bent her body and hold Little An in her arms. Aunt Yu heard some noise and awaken. She is shocked seeing someone in her room.
"Who... Who are you! Thief! There is a thief!"
"I have come to take your son."
Li Zian walks out from the room. The door is open by itself. It is quite eerie but Aunt Yu did not notice any of that, did someone just kidnap her son?
"Wait! Kidnaper! Help!" Aunt Yu rush out to get her son back. Once she passes the house gate, she only sees Li Zian's shadow in the mist.
"Why did you take him?" Aunt Yu search for Li Zian in the mist.
"Hmmm?" Did not you hope that Little An is never born? Did not you hope for that person to come back?" Li Zian voice echoes in the mist. Aunt Yu halted her search. She seems to be thinking.
"I will take Little An and you can be free."
The scene in the mist changed. It shows a bustling city. The street is full of people. The carriage dominates the street and people have to move to give some space to the carriage. Some curses can be heard. Laugh from the nearby tavern. Wailing of people in the gambling den, but none of that is the concern of Aunt Yu. She focusses her eyes on two people.
"Little Yu let's go on a walk." Little Yu just nodded shyly. Little Yu is young and just arrive at the city to be a worker at the cloth factory.
"Alright, Brother Heng." Brother Heng is a gentleman she meets during a rainy day. Since then, they are in a relationship. Both of them are sweet couple. Aunt Yu wants to touch the man. Her eyes is full of longing. Then, the scenery changes once again.
"Brother Heng, what is this? Who are these people?"
"Oh! They just my friends. You entertain them, okay?"
"No!" Little Yu tries to run away. She screams, shouted and cry for help.
"Ha...Ha...Ha, Brother Heng you are really good. In just a few days you manage to get her heart.'
"Of course! Who does not fall for my charm? Ha...Ha...Ha, now pay out. I have another date. This time it is a noble."
"Alright, Brother Heng. Have a nice date. Once you are bored with that noble, give her to us."
"Ha...Ha...Ha." Brother Heng smile at Little Yu. At that time, his smile is like a devil's smile to Little Yu.
Little Yu has been captive for a month. After that, those men just dump her in front her factory that she works. They also give her some money for compensation. Little Yu carried herself and go back to the village. At the village she was scorned, mock and curses but she never takes her life. She even gave birth to Little An. She loves but loath Little An. Little An is the proves of her lover betrayal. Her dark history.
"If there is no Little An, you can find your lover."
Aunt Yu look tempted. "No! He is a scum. Not worthy for me! Little An is my son! Give him back!"
The scenery changes once again. This time it shows how the children in the village bullied Little An. One of their mothers come and spat at him. Little An run crying to his mother.
Aunt Yu will only say, "Why would people beat you? They are just joking." while seeing the bruise on her son arm. "She spat on you?" She just has an itchy throat. Little An resentment rose at every sentence that Aunt Yu said.
"Mom! Why did you not believe at me?"
"Mom! Look at me, I am hurt."
In the afternoon when Little An and Aunt Yu wants to eat, his Uncle Yuan will grab their lunch and eat it.
"Mom! That is our lunch. We work so hard at the farm."
"Your uncle is hungry. Let him be. Let's just drink some water."
"Mom! Uncle have his own lunch. He does not work but eat our food."
"Shush!" Aunt Yu pinch Little An's waist. Little An did not cry but his resentment level is increasing.
At home, during night, Aunt Yu and Little An cannot eat at the table. Little An wants to eat some meat. He is hungry and tired. Aunt Fang found out he eat a piece of meat and beat him. Aunt Yu will only save him after he has a bruise on his body. At that time, she will cry and shield her son. Although Little An is only seven years old, he noticed how his mother treat him. One time she is nice, one time she just ignores him. Little An does not like that. Why mother did not like him?
During sleep, sometimes Aunt Yu deliberately takes Little An's quilt. In hope that Little An died frozen. Little An grew darker every day.
"Mom! I am hurt!"
"Mom! I am hungry!"
"Mom! They beat me!"
"Mom! I am tired!"
"Mom! Did you not love me?"
Little An's voice echoes in the mist. Right now, Aunt Yu can only see the white mist. She held her hand towards her ears. It cannot deter the voice as it directly enters her mind.
"Mom! Do you want me?" Little An appears in front Aunt Yu. Aunt Yu look at the skinny Little An.
Deep in her heart, Aunt Yu knows that she only uses Little An as an excuse to live.
"I...I."
"If you give me Little An you can live freely. You can go where no one knows you. You can be happy." Li Zian stands beside Little An. She is holding his little hand.
Aunt Yu stare at her son. She turns her back from towards him and slowly enters the house.
"Take him." Aunt Yu enters her room and close the door.
Little An and Li Zian stands in the middle of white mist. Little An crunch down and cry. Li Zian pats his back slowly, "It is okay, just cry and let it all out."
That night nobody knows where little An has gone. The next day, Aunt Yu only found money pouch filled with gold coins beside her. She packs her things and leave the village.