"Time may numb the ache of old wounds, but it rarely erases the memory of the pain that once pierced the heart."
Chapter# 04
Adeline was sitting at the dining table with Mr. David at his home in the evening. Mr. David had cooked the meal himself. "How is it?" he asked Adeline, who was looking at the various dishes in front of her with wonder. "Uncle David, it looks so delicious," She said, joining her hands in excitement.
"You don't have to do this much for me."she said, placing her hand on his.
Mr. David gave her a stern look, "If you say something like that again, I'll hit you with the spoon on your head!" He warned, gesturing to the spoon on the table. Adeline playfully zipped her lips shut, as if to say she wouldn't say another word.
As they were about to begin their meal, the doorbell rang. "Go ahead and start eating, I'll see who it is," Mr. David said, getting up to open the door. When he returned, Edward was following behind him. Adeline glanced up at Edward, then returned her attention to the food. "Ah, Edward, come join us. What took you so long, child?" David asked, Edward pulled out a chair beside Adeline and took a seat.
"I got tied up with something important." Edward said
"Alright, let's start eating, everything is getting cold." They all began to eat.
"You two seem to have forgotten about this place after moving to another city." David complained while eating.
"We're just really busy, Uncle David," Edward replied. Mr. David looked at him with a mix of surprise and skepticism, then turned to Adeline, " Busy? You two just work there. You're both over thirty now, no marriage, no family, then what kind of busyness is this that never ends?" David said in a scolding manner.
Just as Edward and Mr. David were about to continue their conversation, Adeline burst in, "Wow, Uncle David, this food is incredibly delicious!!! It's like heaven on earth!" Mr. David chuckled, "I'm glad you liked it. My hard work has finally paid off now !"
They had all finished their meal. Mr. David looked at the two with warmth and affection, "Can't believe how fast time has flown by. You both have grown up so much. Feels like just yesterday you were teenagers." Adeline and Edward smiled at him.
"I still remember when you all used to come to my bakery after school." He said, gazing at the table, and the two of them were lost in old memories. "You all used to spend hours in my old garage...that time too this girl didn't like stepping into my bakery." Adeline's eyes welled up with tears as she smiled and looked at Mr. David, and Edward looked at Adeline.
"By the way, where are those three boys who used to be with you?" He asked Edward. Edward smiled bitterly."They've all grown up, just like us, and are busy living their own lives." Adeline gazed at him with empty eyes, and when Edward caught her eye, she looked away. "True, most friendships don't last beyond school days." Mr. David said, dabbing his lips with a napkin.
"Who said that to you? If friendship is true, it lasts forever. Look at Edward and me. Those three are still our friends; they're just a bit busy with their lives." Adeline said with a smile, defending her friends who hadn't been in touch for sixteen years. Edward was looking at her, his eyes filled with sadness and sympathy for Adeline.
Mr. David chuckled, "You haven't changed at all; you still can't hear anything bad about your friends. By the way, there was a girl too with you all, what was her name?" Mr. David tried to recall the girl's name. "Yes, Zheng Wei," Adeline's smile faded, and she glared at the table. "She was such a sweet girl. She had become a part of all of you. I still can't believe she passed away at such a young age. If only she were alive, she'd be here with you two." Mr. David said, shaking his head in sorrow.
Adeline clenched her fists under the table. "Sometimes, it's better for people to leave this world early, Uncle David. There is a hidden good for us in their leaving , so we shouldn't mourn their loss." Mr. David sensed the bitterness in her tone. He looked at Edward, whose face had turned red with anger. The same eyes that had shown sympathy and compassion for Adeline just moments before now gazed at her with hatred. Mr. David cleared his throat, "I'll get the dessert." He said, heading to the kitchen.
Feeling Edward's gaze on her, Adeline turned to him. "What?"
"I was thinking that if you had left this world earlier, what kind of good would that have for us. "Edward said harshly and walked away, leaving Adeline frozen and staring after him.
Mr. David had heard his conversation, so he followed Edward. "Where are you going now? You haven't had dessert, and you can't leave without having dessert. Don't go like this, Edward." After many requests, he finally brought Edward back inside.
Adeline was still sitting there, frozen. As soon as Edward saw her, he remembered his harsh words, but he sat down without saying anything. She was still staring at him. "Adeline, dear, have some dessert." He tried to distract her and draw her attention to himself, seeing her state.
"Why does everyone always forget that I don't like desserts?" She yelled, standing up from her chair, her eyes brimming with tears. "But why would anyone remember that here? You all only care about the preferences and feelings of those who are dead, not those who are still alive." She said, and walked away. Mr. David watched her with a regretful gaze, and Edward closed his eyes, he had once again managed to hurt her due to Zhang Wei.
"I wish you had never entered our lives. I wish I had never introduced you to anyone, Zhang Wei," Adeline muttered to herself. She was standing in front of her high school, where she and her friends used to be together. The school had been closed after an education fraud scandal, and since then, many ghost stories had become popular about the school, so nobody came here anymore.
"I wish I had never been friends with you. You took everything from me. My place, my friends, my love. That's what all I had, why did you take it away from me? You promised to leave and return everything to me, but you left in a way that took everything away from me forever." She was muttering to herself in a soft voice, looking at the building.
She was lost in thought when the sound of footsteps echoed behind her, startlingly close. She turned around, but there was no one . Narrowing her eyes, she turned back to gaze at the school building. She heard the sound of footsteps again, but this time she didn't turn around. However, she felt someone's warm breath on the back of her neck. She jerked around suddenly, but again, there was no one there.
Adeline stood alone in the school grounds, the boundary wall looming behind her. She wondered, if someone had been there, where could that person had vanished so swiftly? With a deep breath, she turned to leave. As she took a step forward, her foot collided with something, and she nearly stumbled. Glancing down, she spotted a black paper bag containing a bouquet of black roses. She picked it up and found a note inside, there was something written on it in Chinese. Adeline read the note carefully, her expressions shifting, before a wicked smile finally spread across her face.
Just then, her phone buzzed. She read the message on her phone and a strange sparkle appeared in her eyes. A devilish smile spread across her soft lips. Her tears forgotten....
"So, Kara got the job..." she said, holding the black paper bag containing the bouquet of roses and a mysterious note close to her chest before walking out with it.
A little farther away, behind the school building, a figure in a black hoodie with a mask stood, tugging his hands in his pocket. His eyes were fixed on Adeline as she walked out of the school boundary