His Bleeding Hand

The blood on Danish's hands reminded Luna of her childhood tragedy, which had robbed her of all happiness. Her father was killed in a terrible car accident, and blood pooled in his head. Her mother screamed hysterically and called her father, who was sprawled out on the rain-splattered tarmac road, clutching her hands. Meanwhile, Luna could only stare at his body in horror; her mouth couldn't even say his name. Her feet were firmly planted, causing her body to become immobile. Her tears had regurgitated onto her cheeks. She remembered her mother grabbing her numb body into her tight hugs. Her mother's sobs were hoarse in her ears as she stood like a statue.

Rubbing her face with her palms, Luna brushed away the sadness that had invaded her mind after catching Danish's bleeding hand. The horror in his eyes expressed how irritated he was with her, as if she were dirt, and he was the most disgusted by her. Luna stroked her chest as her heart pounded against it. She felt pain that she couldn't see, and the only way to get rid of it was to leave. Danish was correct; her only option was to disappear from his life.

Luna sealed her sorrow with a pestering smile on her thick lips, inhaling and exhaling to soothe herself. The children in her neighborhood used to mock her for having tick lips.

"Miss Yang..." A call from outside jolted her awake. A maid, a young woman in her twenties, stood in the doorway, a grin on her face, to inform her that it was time for breakfast. "Mrs. Li cannot wait," she cautioned. That young maid made her move, nodding to confirm that she could be there right away.

Luna examined her face in the mirror and applied light make-up to her round face, which made no discernible difference in her appearance. Her slanting eyes contradicted her broad countenance, sinking deeply into her cheeks, while her thick ebony brows obscured her vision. Her thick lips framed her small nose, and her shoulder-length bangs framed her chubby cheeks. None of them were distinctive enough to entice people. She then realized that it was her life that was most important, and she quickly dismissed that thought. She vowed to herself that she would never again listen to the opinions of others. She was stunning just the way she was. And no one had the right to intimidate her into believing the opposite.

However, allowing herself to live in this place would be detrimental to her mental health because marrying Danish would cause her to live with guilt for the rest of her life. It wasn't just about his refusal to marry, but also about the girl named Ana, whose heart would break if Luna took Danish away from her. So she resolved to persuade Grandma to abandon her plans; she would then return to her hometown.

After her deep thought, she found herself in a seat opposite grandmother Li, pressing all the tension inside her heart.

She persuaded herself over and over to speak up. There would be no next time to change what had been decided for her if it wasn't today. Her mouth almost formed her goals after she sipped her drink, clearing her throat. However, Grandma Li's interruption broke all of her enthusiasm.

"Your mother has just moved into a new house. I bought her a house in town, close to the village, so she could continue to care for her garden. It is not large, but it is sufficient to relocate your large family." The drink she had just sipped was barely able to pass through her throat.

Her tongue was so stiff that she couldn't even speak. Her courage to cancel the marriage plan died when she remembered Grandma Li's kindness and sacrifice. Despite her mixed emotions, she smiled at the elderly lady and thanked her for her help. But the awkwardness engulfed her for a few minutes later. Danish's face flashed through her mind, as if commanding her to say what was on her mind. On the other hand, obeying Grandma Li was the only way to repay her and her family for what she had done for them.

"What's the deal with your upset expression?" Grandma Li finally recognized her distress.

"Oh...I'm just wondering where the rest of the family is. Why am I not seeing uncles and aunties?" Fortunately, she had found the perfect reason for her fidgetiness.

"Your future mother-in-mother law's or Danish's mother left earlier this morning." When Grandma Li mentioned Danish's mother as her future mother-in-law, Luna's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't deny the relief she felt as she listened to her words. "Every weekend, your uncle and aunty spend time in our villa. Actually, I have two other sons who live in other countries with their families. Don't be concerned. When the time comes, they will attend your wedding."

When Grandma Li said the word wedding, Luna felt it was more like a burden than a joy. How could she live with someone who never made even a speck of room in his heart for her?

"Has Danish had his breakfast yet?" Luna wanted to curse herself for asking about that man at random. To be honest, the blood in his hand bothered her. But this time she couldn't keep her mouth shut. She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress her regret for speaking about that man.

"He is no longer a child; he is an adult. He will eat when he is hungry." Grandma Li responded casually.

She returned to her room after finishing her breakfast. She had no idea what to do in this huge house, so that was the only routine she could follow. She enjoyed cooking and thought it would be a good idea to assist the maid in the kitchen. Grandma Li, on the other hand, would disagree. She would be the first to argue against it. She decided to go to the kitchen because she was tired of being cooped up in her bedroom. At the very least, conversing with the maid could help her cope with the stress of planning her wedding.

***

Danish drove his car to his friend's clinic; his hand, after all, required treatment. He jogged inside the clinic where his doctor friend was examining his patient after parking his car. He waited for him patiently until he finished his work. That patient, an elderly man, walked out of the room ten minutes later.

A tall, handsome white man with glasses and a white cloak emerged from the open door. As soon as he saw Danish, his lips formed a smile. He let Danish into his room, which, as usual, was clean and tidy. The odor of medicine pricked his nostrils, which was his least favorite part of going to the clinic or hospital. He struggled to breathe because the odor followed every time the air entered his nose. Danish consoled himself by taking a seat across from Yuan Xi, his doctor friend, and letting his friend initiate the conversation.

"What is your reason for wanting to see me on the weekend? You prefer to spend your time with your lovely girlfriend." Danish sighed in response to his words. "How does your fist fare?" Yuan Xi's dilated pupils caused him to shudder and place his hand on the table. "You had a fight with someone? How can a CEO of a large corporation do such a thing?"

"Could you please give me some time to speak? You bombarded me with questions."

"Of course," he said.

"I didn't fight or argue with anyone. I did it on my own."

"What? You mean you hit yourself in the hands? Why? It's unfathomable that a man like Danish would injure himself." Yuan Xi's lips curled in a sly smile.

"Please don't make fun of me. You'd better treat my hand now."

"Alright," Danish refused to allow the nurse to treat his wound, so Yuan Xi did it himself. Because Yuan Xi is his best friend, he would prefer to receive medical treatment from him alone. In a matter of minutes, the Danish hand was wrapped in a white bandage. To relieve his pain, the doctor prescribed antibiotics and painkillers. "I hope you don't do anything stupid just because of a woman," Yuan Xi joked.

"I'm not that dumb."

"It's perfectly fine if you keep your problem to yourself. But keep in mind that you still have a friend. When you need someone to talk to or listen to you, I'm all ears." Danish was lucky to have a friend like Yuan Xi. Nonetheless, he was unable to share it with him.

Danish's car swept the road after leaving his friend's clinic, with no desire to return to that house. He was hesitant to stay in that house as long as that village girl was still there. He had to fight for his feelings for Ana. He could flee by marrying in another country. What about his grandmother, though? He had never once disappointed his grandmother in his entire life. He was a good boy in her eyes. This time, he couldn't follow her orders; he couldn't fulfill her wish to marry that village girl.

His phone rang so loudly that he was startled. The name on the screen confirmed that he had received a phone call from his grandmother. To answer the phone, he tapped the screen with his forefinger. The other end of the line was filled with rage. That woman requested that he return home. He reluctantly agreed before hanging up the phone.

To get to his house, the car turned in the opposite direction. He was always obedient to his grandmother, no matter how upset he was with her. Because the car was moving slower than usual, it took more than an hour to get to the house, which normally took half an hour.

The guard dashed toward the gate in order to open it for his car. Danish got out of his car as soon as it came to a stop in the parking lot. He stepped the tiles one by one into the house before ascending directly to the top floor.

"Danish....wait...." He was thwarted by the village girl. The first-aid kit box was on her palms. "You should have your hand treated." Her tone was hesitant.

"Get the hell out of my way!" She drew herself away from him, stunned because she hadn't expected his harsh words.