Even though Joann had stated explicitly that she did not want Xiu Ling's help, Xiu Ling believed sometimes you had to go against what your friend wanted for the sake of their best interest.
Xiu Ling knew Joann would have many things to deal with on her table and she wanted her best friend to focus on what was the most important, her marriage. Therefore, she volunteered to deal with Qing Qing so Joann would not have to worry about that stray variable.
Xiu Ling did not have the intention to tell Joann about what she had done because it wasn't her desire to seek appreciation or validation, she just wanted to help her friend... even though that friend had stated that she needed no one's help.
Xiu Ling understood Joann had the tendency to be overly self-reliant. It was not unnecessarily a bad thing but Xiu Ling did not want her friend to crumble under pressure so she volunteered a helping hand. Xiu Ling had intervened into territory that Joann had specifically warned her from but ultimately her intention was to help. Xiu Ling hoped that her friend would understand that.
...
Xu Jing knocked heavily and repeatedly on the wooden door to the bedroom he shared with Joann. He pleaded at the top of his lungs, "Joann, please open the door. Let me explain it to you! Please hear me out, Joann! Please tell me what's wrong!"
All he had as response was total silence. It was as if there was no one behind the door but Xu Jing knew that to be false because their bedroom door could only be locked from the inside. Someone had to be on the other side of the door and Xu Jing could only imagine it was his wife. Other people would have opened the door already.
Xu Jing hoped for an argument, accusation, or having his wife cuss him out would have been better than this radio silence. At least, that was they would be communicating, this absolute lack of response only heightened the unrest in his heart. He had a feeling something was seriously wrong but he had no idea what.
Yes, Xu Jing was still clueless. When he returned home that day, there was a shift in the general atmosphere that he just knew something was not right. He tried to ask someone but no one was around.
Xu Jing walked around the living room and kitchen but they were vacated. It was as if tragedy just hit and everyone was in hiding. This created quite an unease in the man's heart.
Finding no answer, Xu Jing returned to his bedroom like usual. However, he found himself stumped at the door because try as he might, he couldn't get it to open. He thought his wife had accidentally left the lock on the door so he called out loudly, "Joann, please open the door."
There was no answer and with a frown, Xu Jing called louder, "Joann? Are you there?"
Xu Jing banged on the door twice but there was still no answer. Confused, Xu Jing took a step back. A speculation appeared in his mind, perhaps the door had malfunctioned and it locked in its own?
After all, they had lived in that house for quite some time already and it was expected for some things to go faulty. It wasn't that farfetched of an idea to believe.
Xu Jing pulled out his phone and searched for the number of the nearest locksmith on the internet. However, at that moment, a voice at the back of his head told him to knock one more time at the door. He did and he said, "Joann, if you're in there, please answer but if not, I'll call the locksmith to get the door open."
It was not until then that his wife's chilling voice drifted out from the door saying, "I do not want to talk to you right now, you know what you did."
Joann's words curled around Xu Jing's heart and gripped it tight. The first thought that bloomed in his mind was, 'Have I been exposed?'
Desperate for an elaboration, Xu Jing tapped rapidly on the door, demanding, "Joann, what do you mean? What have I done? Please tell me. Don't lock me out. Joann!"
The last sentence was the only thing Joann was going to allow Xu Jing because no matter how big of a fuss he made outside the door, she had remained silence. However, the silence was like a big finger pointing at Xu Jing, prosecuting and mocking him. It managed to elicit more guilt in Xu Jing than Joann just coming flat out to accuse him.
As the time went on, Xu Jing was gradually convinced that Joann had found out about the truth. That was the only reason she would react like this. His words changed from asking for an explanation to pleading guilty and forgiveness. "Joann, I know I shouldn't have done it. This is all my fault but can you please forgive me. I'm so very sorry. I promise I'll never do it again. Joann, please give me another chance."
The tone of Xu Jing's voice grew more desperate and hopeless with time. It was as if the despondency and sorrow had turned physical, pressing on the man's shoulders as he slid slowly down the wall. "Joann, please just open the door. I'm on my knees begging you."
Xu Jing collapsed to the floor in the form of a broken man. His head hung low and with the listlessness of a dying man, he croaked, "Joann, I'll kneel here forever until the day you open the door to face me, to give me the chance to explain myself..."
Few minutes after he made that proclamation, the door creaked open and hearing this, Xu Jing turned his face up with his heart bursting with hope but it stopped short because the woman behind the door was someone other than his wife.
Even though Joann had stated explicitly that she did not want Xiu Ling's help, Xiu Ling believed sometimes you had to go against what your friend wanted for the sake of their best interest.
Xiu Ling knew Joann would have many things to deal with on her table and she wanted her best friend to focus on what was the most important, her marriage. Therefore, she volunteered to deal with Qing Qing so Joann would not have to worry about that stray variable.
Xiu Ling did not have the intention to tell Joann about what she had done because it wasn't her desire to seek appreciation or validation, she just wanted to help her friend... even though that friend had stated that she needed no one's help.
Xiu Ling understood Joann had the tendency to be overly self-reliant. It was not unnecessarily a bad thing but Xiu Ling did not want her friend to crumble under pressure so she volunteered a helping hand. Xiu Ling had intervened into territory that Joann had specifically warned her from but ultimately her intention was to help. Xiu Ling hoped that her friend would understand that.
...
Xu Jing knocked heavily and repeatedly on the wooden door to the bedroom he shared with Joann. He pleaded at the top of his lungs, "Joann, please open the door. Let me explain it to you! Please hear me out, Joann! Please tell me what's wrong!"
All he had as response was total silence. It was as if there was no one behind the door but Xu Jing knew that to be false because their bedroom door could only be locked from the inside. Someone had to be on the other side of the door and Xu Jing could only imagine it was his wife. Other people would have opened the door already.
Xu Jing hoped for an argument, accusation, or having his wife cuss him out would have been better than this radio silence. At least, that was they would be communicating, this absolute lack of response only heightened the unrest in his heart. He had a feeling something was seriously wrong but he had no idea what.
Yes, Xu Jing was still clueless. When he returned home that day, there was a shift in the general atmosphere that he just knew something was not right. He tried to ask someone but no one was around.
Xu Jing walked around the living room and kitchen but they were vacated. It was as if tragedy just hit and everyone was in hiding. This created quite an unease in the man's heart.
Finding no answer, Xu Jing returned to his bedroom like usual. However, he found himself stumped at the door because try as he might, he couldn't get it to open. He thought his wife had accidentally left the lock on the door so he called out loudly, "Joann, please open the door."
There was no answer and with a frown, Xu Jing called louder, "Joann? Are you there?"
Xu Jing banged on the door twice but there was still no answer. Confused, Xu Jing took a step back. A speculation appeared in his mind, perhaps the door had malfunctioned and it locked in its own?
After all, they had lived in that house for quite some time already and it was expected for some things to go faulty. It wasn't that farfetched of an idea to believe.
Xu Jing pulled out his phone and searched for the number of the nearest locksmith on the internet. However, at that moment, a voice at the back of his head told him to knock one more time at the door. He did and he said, "Joann, if you're in there, please answer but if not, I'll call the locksmith to get the door open."
It was not until then that his wife's chilling voice drifted out from the door saying, "I do not want to talk to you right now, you know what you did."
Joann's words curled around Xu Jing's heart and gripped it tight. The first thought that bloomed in his mind was, 'Have I been exposed?'
Desperate for an elaboration, Xu Jing tapped rapidly on the door, demanding, "Joann, what do you mean? What have I done? Please tell me. Don't lock me out. Joann!"
The last sentence was the only thing Joann was going to allow Xu Jing because no matter how big of a fuss he made outside the door, she had remained silence. However, the silence was like a big finger pointing at Xu Jing, prosecuting and mocking him. It managed to elicit more guilt in Xu Jing than Joann just coming flat out to accuse him.
As the time went on, Xu Jing was gradually convinced that Joann had found out about the truth. That was the only reason she would react like this. His words changed from asking for an explanation to pleading guilty and forgiveness. "Joann, I know I shouldn't have done it. This is all my fault but can you please forgive me. I'm so very sorry. I promise I'll never do it again. Joann, please give me another chance."
The tone of Xu Jing's voice grew more desperate and hopeless with time. It was as if the despondency and sorrow had turned physical, pressing on the man's shoulders as he slid slowly down the wall. "Joann, please just open the door. I'm on my knees begging you."
Xu Jing collapsed to the floor in the form of a broken man. His head hung low and with the listlessness of a dying man, he croaked, "Joann, I'll kneel here forever until the day you open the door to face me, to give me the chance to explain myself..."
Few minutes after he made that proclamation, the door creaked open and hearing this, Xu Jing turned his face up with his heart bursting with hope but it stopped short because the woman behind the door was someone other than his wife.
