Mei Hua paced the floor of her apartment, her nerves on edge. It had been two days since Mei Ling had disappeared, and every moment that passed without any word from her sister made Mei Hua's heart sink deeper into fear. She had called everyone she could think of—friends, relatives, even acquaintances that Mei Ling had spent time with recently—but no one had seen her or heard from her.
The absence was suffocating, a heavy weight pressing on her chest. Mei Hua couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Mei Ling wouldn't just vanish without telling anyone. She wasn't the type to pull away, especially not from her family.
What could have happened? Mei Hua's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation. Her sister was too strong, too sensible to simply run away. But the fear that Mei Ling had gotten into some kind of trouble gnawed at her.
She reached for her phone and called their parents again. The line rang, and she felt her anxiety spike with each passing second. The conversation with her mother had been the same every time—no news, no sign of Mei Ling. They were just as worried, but they were too far away to do anything.
When the call ended, Mei Hua stood still for a moment, her gaze fixed on the window, the world outside continuing in its indifferent pace while her world seemed to be falling apart. She felt so helpless.
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening caught her attention. Mei Hua turned quickly, her heart racing with a fleeting hope. She saw her father step inside, looking as concerned as she felt.
"Mei Hua," her father's deep voice broke through her swirling thoughts. "Have you heard anything from Mei Ling?"
"I've tried calling her. I've left messages... nothing," Mei Hua replied, her voice cracking slightly. "I'm so worried, Dad. She hasn't answered me for two days. Where could she be?"
Her father's face grew even more serious. "We'll keep looking, don't worry. Your mother and I will take care of things from our side. We can't just sit here waiting."
Mei Hua's eyes welled up, but she quickly wiped the tears away, refusing to let her emotions take over completely. She had to be strong for her family. For Mei Ling.
"I'll keep looking too," she said, voice firm. "I have to find her."
"Don't do it alone, Mei Hua. Please, you have to let us help," her father said gently. "We can't do much without knowing where she went, but... we'll keep checking in with everyone. We'll figure this out."
But as her father left to check on other family members, Mei Hua sat on the couch, her thoughts spiraling once more. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. Mei Ling had been so happy lately. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. But now, she was gone, and Mei Hua had no idea why or where she could have gone.
Meanwhile, Wei Jun sat in his apartment, trying to gather his thoughts. The panic from the night with Mei Ling still gripped him, but now, something was worse. He hadn't heard from Mei Ling either. She had disappeared without a trace. He knew he had hurt her—hadn't he? And yet, this... this silence, the tension that had gripped him since that morning, made him feel like he had somehow failed her. Failed everyone.
The phone call from Mei Hua the night before hadn't helped at all. Her voice was full of fear and worry, and Wei Jun felt the guilt tighten in his chest as he spoke to her. He couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth—he couldn't bring himself to admit what had happened between him and Mei Ling. That kind of betrayal would destroy everything.
But now Mei Ling was gone, and Mei Hua was frantic. He couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. She was still in the dark, still clueless about the nightmare that had unfolded between him and Mei Ling.
Wei Jun's thoughts were interrupted when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Mei Hua. He hesitated for a moment before opening it, his hands trembling slightly.
Wei Jun, please tell me if you've seen Mei Ling. She's been gone for two days, and no one can find her. If you know anything, I need to hear it.
His stomach dropped. Mei Hua was reaching out in desperation. The guilt swamped him, but he couldn't lie. He couldn't pretend like he hadn't played a part in Mei Ling's disappearance.
His fingers hovered over the screen, but nothing seemed right. How could he explain? How could he tell Mei Hua that the woman she loved and trusted had vanished because of the man who was supposed to be her fiancé?
The doorbell rang, and Wei Jun jumped, startled. He looked at his phone one last time, then shoved it into his pocket. He wasn't ready for another confrontation, not yet. Not with Mei Hua, not with anyone.
When he opened the door, his eyes met Mei Hua's desperate, tear-filled gaze.
"I don't know where she is, Wei Jun," Mei Hua whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, if you know anything, please tell me."
Wei Jun could barely find his voice. His chest felt tight, suffocating. "I... I don't know where she is, Mei Hua. I swear I don't. But I'm looking for her too. I'll help you find her."
The pain in her voice tore through him. He wanted to say something, anything, to make her feel better, to explain himself. But the words stuck in his throat. Every second he spent in silence felt like another nail in the coffin of their relationship. He couldn't tell her. He couldn't let her know the truth—not yet.
Mei Hua turned away without another word, walking out of his apartment and leaving him to face the quiet, his guilt weighing heavier than ever.