A Billion Dollar Exchange

Jin Yue sat in his car silent, devastated and distraught.

The car was not hot but he did not know why he felt so stuffy. He undid two buttons of his shirt but it was not helping, he wound down the glass but it got worse even. He was sweating and his fingers trembled.

He placed his head on the steering and closed his eyes.

She did not want to speak to him. She looked like she did not even want to have anything to do with him, how was he going to get her to listen to what he had to say when she clearly didn't want to see him again?

Jin Yue did not realize he had been crying until he raised his head from the steering.

She did not look mad when she saw him, No, she looked very calm_ and that was scarier.

If she had screamed at him and asked him to leave and never return, it would have been better because at least he would know she was still hurt and she still felt something for him, but she did not. She just glanced at him as though she really did not know him.

Jin Yue sighed exasperatedly. He could not leave, how would he leave when he had not even spoken to her?

He was going to wait till she came out and he was going to follow her home.

Jin Yue took out his phone and called Liu Wei, the phone rang for a few times before Liu Wei picked it.

Jin Yue was quiet for a while before he forced his mouth to speak.

''I've seen her.''

Liu Wei was quiet. 'Seeing her' meant many things, it meant that she had lost a baby and she had tried killing herself which altogether made things extremely bad.

No-one talked for a moment, Liu Wei did not want to ask how things went over the phone he already knew from his tone that everything did not go so well. So he did not pry.

''Okay, I'll let Liling know when I get back.''

''Yeah, I'll call you later. ''

Jin Yue said, and Liu Wei understood that he needed some alone time, so he ended the call.

…

''Liling let's play a game.''

Yan Ran brought a board of chess and walked to where Liling was in the living room. She smiled brightly as she placed the chess board on the table.

''Ah, I'm not good with chess. ''

Liling sighed as she sat upright on her seat.

''Oh don't worry, I'm not good with chess either. ''

The both of them giggled as Liling helped her arrange the board.

''You go first.''

Yan Ran said with a smile.

Since she apologized, Yan Ran had been very nice. Liling knew it was not easy to let go of a crush, but it was good to see that she had decided to put the past behind her.

''So what would your week be like?''

Yan Ran asked mid game.

''Mmm, I would be performing in a concert. ''

''Wow! You are so popular now, I mean, you are everywhere on the news. Before the end of this year, you would be so big! ''

Liling chuckled and shook her head.

''That's not as easy as you think, it needs a lot of hard work and takes a LOT of time!''

''I bet. Which day is the concert? I would like to buy a ticket. ''

''Wednesday; the day after tomorrow ''

''Wow, it would be nice to watch you perform live! ''

Yan Ran commented with widened eyes and Liling giggled.

''Oh, Check.''

Yan Ran said which made Liling's interest draw back to the game before her.

''Stop flattering me, and how do you chat and still concentrate on this game? It requires a lot of thinking.''

Yan Ran laughed and played her turn.

''Check Mate; even right now, I'm thinking about a LOT of other things.''

Yan Ran replied with a wicked smile which Liling did not catch.

''You really are a genius. Let's play one more time? ''

''Sure. ''

…

When Liu Wei came back that day, Liling immediately asked about Xin Yong. It was great to hear that she had been found but at the same time realization downed on her. She had been found meant that she had lost a baby and she almost killed herself. 

The smile that nearly washed Liling's features dwindled immediately. Everything was confirmed, in the space of two months, a lot of things had happened. Liling wondered how damaged her friend was now.

During dinner, she could not eat much; she spaced out most of the time. After playing with the food, she excused herself and went upstairs.

After taking a shower, Liu Wei came to join her on the bed. She was lying on the far end of the bed, scrunched up like a ball. He could hear her sniffs and her persistent effort not to cry out so loud, not able to take it any longer, he pulled her to himself and hugged her tightly.

''It is okay, everything would be fine.''

Liling turned around and hugged him back around the waists. At that moment, she really needed someone to cuddle.

''Things are so bad now.''

She said after a while, Liu Wei could not reply because it was true.

If she had not lost a child, it would have been easier but now, it involved her child, no mother would forgive it easily.

''Everything would be fine, okay?''

He said after a while, patting on her back.

''I just pray she's okay, she has gone through a lot these past months.''

''She will be okay, ''

''Are you sure?''

Liling asked; she needed some faith, she wanted to believe that everything would turn out fine; she needed someone to say it. She wanted to hear him say it/

Liu Wei was quiet for a while, he did not know if things would be fine but he knew what she wanted to hear;

''Yeah, everything would be fine.''

Liling sighed and nestled closer to him.

''Will you be coming to my concert on Wednesday? ''

''Of course, I can't miss it.''

He kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair.