Agony of the Living 1

Jun Minghao paced back and forth inside his room. He returned to their family home the day after Li Ran caught him with another woman.

He is frustrated and scared, he really knew he made a mistake and feels miserable about it and he fears he won't be able to get Li Ran back. He suddenly punched the wall of his room in anger at himself.

Then a knock on the door disturbed his self-reflection. He opened the door ready to call off the person but as he opened, he saw his father.

"Your mother called me saying your home." Jun Shaoting stood outside the room weighing his words as he observes his son's expression. "Her worry about you seems right... you want to talk about it?"

The Jun family's old couple values family communication very much. They always make time for their children and talk to them no matter how trivial matters are. They hope that their children Minghao and Mingren will also continue to cherish this trait and practice it when they have their own family.

Minghao stiffened a bit, his father, though is always willing to listen, he is still very strict. Jun Shaoting raised an eyebrow and looked at his watch, it was 5 pm. "It's still early but drink with me." Then he turned and leave indicating for Minghao to follow him.

Minghao followed his father in the study, Shaoting gave him a can of beer. Minghao is a bit surprised because he always thought his father only drinks whiskey.

Shaoting laughed a little at his son's expression. "Beer is better when having a good talk. My father used to drink beer with me talking about my girl problems. I drink whiskey just because it makes me look mature; I just developed a habit of drinking it." He shrugged as if saying it is nothing special.

Jun Shaoting sat across Jun Minghao and drank a bit of his beer as he stared at his son, waiting for him to talk.

Jun Minghao sighed and drank a mouthful of his beer. He then looked outside the window before speaking with a sigh. "I made a mistake dad... Li Ran wants to break up."

Jun Shaoting stared at his son without a change in his expression. "Did you have an affair?"

Jun Minghao swiftly denied. "No! I don't have another woman! I.." He paused and hesitated to continue.

Jun Shaoting just continued to sip on his beer as he let his son think of the words he wants to say.

"I... I don't have other women but.. I... made a mistake... I was drunk and I... I slept with a woman... I met at the club." Jun Minghao's voice got softer and softer until it became a whisper.

Jun Shaoting looked at his son, then he smirked. "Li Ran should really break up with you then."

"Dad!... it was a mistake I know, you're a man too, you should understand... But, I really don't want to lose Li Ran." Minghao spoke loudly. Then, he looked at his father imploringly. "Dad, help me.. what must I do to keep Li Ran?" Minghao's voice cracked as tears came out from his eyes.

Jun Shaoting is surprised to see his son cry for the first time. He sighed. "Son, stop saying it is a mistake. It is not a mistake but a choice! A choice you made by your own hands... and body. You can think and make decisions with your mind, heart, and body but you let your body get the better of you."

Jun Shaoting stared at his son before continuing. "I can't help you!"

Jun Minghao is stunned. "Dad!"

Jun Shaoting gestured for him to be quiet. "Because this is something you can only do yourself. By facing the consequences of your action! Nobody forced you to sleep with another woman, it is a voluntary action. A momentary relief for your personal need. You're right I am a man, I understand your need as a man but you made a promise to your woman then, as a man you should have given your all to protect and maintain that promise."

Jun Minghao cried harder at the words. "Dad, are you saying to just let me lose Li Ran? I can't dad... I love her!"

Jun Shaoting is sympathetic to his son but he has to learn the hard way so he continued. "You should have thought of that before doing it."

Jun Shaoting sighed. "Son, this is something only Li Ran can answer you. If Li Ran can accept you or not is her choice and it can never be forced. The only thing you can do is show her your sincerity. But Minghao, her trust in you is broken, your road will never be easy. But, just as accepting and forgiving you is her choice, continuing to pursue her love and forgiveness is your choice, you can either go for it or give her up."

Jun Shaoting stood up and tapped his son's shoulder. "This is the road you paved yourself, it is your choice to cross it no matter how bumpy it is but it will never be an assurance that Li Ran will be there at the end of your road. Get some rest, you look awful, Li Ran will just get more scared if she sees you right now." Jun Shaoting left the study after those words. He really can't help him but he can be a source of support.

Jun Minghao returned to his room after some time. He knew his father is right, he wants to make amends, he can't correct his mistakes, the wrong choices he made, but he could show Li Ran that he can still be worthy of her love, that she can still take a chance with him and trust him again. This time he will not make her sad, will not make her cry or mad. He will be good to her and love her more than before.

Jun Minghao laid on his bed with renewed determination. He never knew that his determination will end up in despair. A call disrupted all his plans, a call that he never expected that can send him to the depths of hell.

A call from Li Ran's phone should have been a happy event for him but it turned out to be a call that Li Ran had an accident.

He quickly got dressed and rushed to the hospital. Praying hard that it's not too late for them. As he rushed, he could still picture out Li Ran's smile as she called his name. Jun Minghao stepped on the gas while praying. "Please, don't take her away from me. Please don't let her die."

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Meng Xia has been a good friend of Li Ran for years. Meng Xia likes Li Ran and shared her all the best she knows, she always accompanies her in shopping and even in studying. Li Ran is also her inspiration and the reason she loved drawing. She was never jealous of Li Ran even if her own parents always praise Li Ran over her. She also thinks Li Ran is good at everything she does.

Meng Xia has a childhood friend, and a crush, he is her first love, but he had always regarded her as a sister. She was contented just looking at him and being with him even as a sister figure.

Meng Xia was happy with the way her life is going, she has a good friend and a secret love. As always she wanted to share everything with Li Ran so she decided to introduce Li Ran to his crush then tell Li Ran that he is her first love. Maybe Li Ran can even help her get out of being friend-zoned. That was how she planned it to happen.

Meng Xia introduced Li Ran to Jun Minghao, her first love, but unexpectedly before she could even tell Li Ran the truth of her feelings. The two seem to be attracted to each other at first sight and had met a couple more times without her.

Before Meng Xia could react, Li Ran already told her that she is attracted to Minghao and wants to date him. That was the start of the corruption of her heart. Li Ran asked her things about Minghao and she answered them half-heartedly. As she saw Li Ran and Minghao became close, it was as if her heart is being stabbed by a million needles.

So when her parents praise Li Ran, she started to become angry, and jealous. When Li Ran and Minghao established and confirmed their relationship in front of her. She was forced to smile and congratulate them but her heart continued to bleed. Li Ran never even saw her strangeness, she never even tried to see her pain.

As time passed, her resentment and jealousy grew. Until the identical character concept incident happened. At first, she is just mesmerized by Li Ran's drawing and decided to practice with it, it was just a coincidence that their senior designer saw the drawings. She never corrected their assumptions that it was her original concepts and drawings.

So when Li Ran presented them and was called out by their senior, she belatedly remembered that she was mistaken as the original creator of the character designs. She wanted to clarify it but she saw Li Ran's engagement ring and jealousy once again ate her. She decided to accept their senior's words as a fact and provoked her relationship with Li Ran.

Seeing her miserable and shocked expression made her momentarily feel good. When Li Ran called her, she took the liberty to distance herself from Li Ran. They can never be friends again, she knew as long as Minghao is between them she can never see Li Ran in the same way as before. She would only turn more twisted. She knew Li Ran will never give up on her friendship with her, so she purposely told her that she is never her friend.

She already prepared her resignation letter, she would make Li Ran miserable for a few days but she would still clarify it with the company and she is prepared to resign after doing such a thing. She knows her own ability and she would not take more than she could chew. Li Ran is better than her in this line of work anyway, she could just follow her sister abroad. She doesn't care anymore.

Or so she thought. That night, a frantic call from Li Ran's mother woke her up completely. It was as if she was splashed with cold water. She never thought of a possibility that Li Ran could disappear, that Li Ran could possibly leave one day.

She collapsed on the ground as her mother embraced her as she broke down. "No! I didn't want this! I didn't ask for this!" She stood up and held her mother's hand. "Mom take me to the hospital! I have to apologize to her, she won't leave if I apologize right mom? She won't disappear if I said I'm sorry!"

They rushed to the hospital as she continued to utter sorry repeatedly. "I'm sorry Ranran! I was just jealous! I'm sorry! Don't leave me! I'll correct everything! Return everything! Please Ranran!" Tears continued to flow as she desperately prayed.

She knew Li Ran is blameless, she had every opportunity to tell Li Ran she likes Minghao but she did not. She also understands that even if she likes Minghao, Li Ran has no obligation to give way for her. But now, she realized, she treasures Li Ran more than her feelings for Minghao.

She won't care for Minghao anymore, just please don't take her best friend away!