Chapter 268: A Shocking Past
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Li Du wanted to send Sophie home first. However, she argued, "Let’s get Rose back home first. How will you bring her in by yourself? She’s still awake."
Rose was indeed still awake, but she didn’t throw any drunken tantrums. She was slouched in the backseat while staring blankly at the pitch-black world outside of the window. Time to time, she would take a sip out of the bottle with a blank look.
"That might take out too much of your time," Li Du said after glancing back.
Sophie curled her lips to the side with a slight smile. "I’m not working tomorrow, so it’s fine. Also, I can help to change her clothes after getting her to her bedroom. If I’m not the one doing it, I’m afraid someone might make a ‘blunder.’"
Li Du said with a bitter laugh, "I understand what you’re trying to say, but don’t worry, once you take her clothes off, you’ll understand why I will never dare to try anything funny with her."
"With her, huh? Then who would you dare to try it with?" Sophie said to him with a mysterious smile.
Li Du angled his head toward her, and looked into Sophie’s slightly moist eyes. His heart momentarily fluttered, and he felt his emotions well up.
The female doctor had drunk a bottle of beer. She wasn’t good with alcohol, so just that bottle alone had made her tipsy. The words she said just now were probably due to the influence of the alcohol.
Li Du didn’t care about any of that. He stepped on the brakes without thinking, and said to Sophie without moving his gaze, "You know, Sophie, I…"
As he spoke, he leaned toward her. There was only one thing in his eyes, which was the rosy red lips of the female doctor.
Sophie was very nervous. Her long lashes were quivering rapidly. Ah Meow and Crispy Noodles were nervous too. They stared at the two, befuddled. What are they trying to do?
They didn’t do anything. Rose drank a sip of lemon water, and made glooping sounds as she swallowed; the sounds were amplified in the quiet car.
Sophie pushed Li Du away, and said in a soft voice, "Oh G.o.d, this is too crazy. No, we can’t do this."
Li Du had only drunk a few shots of whiskey. This was nothing for him.
Thus, he was still able to remain calm. Hearing what Sophie had said, he pulled back.
This made him slightly regretful. Perhaps he should have drunk a little more. If he weren’t as calm as he was now, with the influence of the alcohol, he wouldn’t have bothered with what Sophie had said, and would have done the deed!
The vehicle was restarted. They drove back to their place, and brought Rose upstairs.
Rose didn’t throw any fit in the car, but once she got out, she started grabbing onto the door and shaking her head rapidly, yelling, "No, no! I won’t go! I won’t go in! I’m staying outside! Let go of me!"
It was already after midnight. Most of the households had already turned off their lights and gone to bed.
Li Du couldn’t let Rose continue making so much noise. If the neighbors woke up and called the police, everything would turn into a mess.
The cops responsible for this district were all Rose’s colleagues. If they were to see Rose in a drunken fit, ugly rumors would surely spread in the police station the next day.
Sophie, realizing that the situation was bad, gritted her teeth and said, "Li, carry her! Quick, we need to get inside!"
Li Du took off his jacket, turned around, and carried Rose over his shoulder. He hugged her legs to prevent her from struggling and entered the house.
"Let me down!" Rose struggled, and due to his surprise, Li Du gave her a slap on her b.u.t.t. He said sternly, "Stay still! And shut up!"
Having received a slap, Rose became as docile as a child. She really did stay still, and rested quietly on his shoulder.
Li Du was hoping that she wouldn’t stay still. He had just felt the astounding elasticity of her b.u.t.t, which was probably due to her daily training. That slap had felt good, and he wanted to have another go, but since Rose had turned docile, he couldn’t do it again.
After opening the bedroom door, he placed Rose onto the bed and was about to leave, when Rose suddenly pulled him back. She said groggily, "Don’t, don’t go… I’m… scared."
Sophie took her hand said gently, "Don’t be afraid, we’re all here."
Rose said, "You guys, tonight, can you guys not go? I’m really… really afraid. I’m afraid… they’ll come back."
"Who?" Li Du asked. "Who will come back?"
Rose’s oval face revealed a frightened expression and said, "Those bad guys, those murderers."
Li Du was taken aback. He asked, "What’s going on? Is it a murderer that you met during work?"
He instinctively turned to check his surroundings, and gestured to Ah Meow and Crispy Noodles to search the place carefully.
Rose shook her head and said, "No, not me. My father. No, it’s not my father too. I don’t know, Li. I don’t know why they would come to my home…"
Li Du couldn’t understand what she was trying to say. He wanted to say something, but Sophie stopped him. "It’s just the alcohol talking. She’s mixing up her memories and reality."
Rose continued mumbling, "I don’t know why they came, they shot mom and dad, they killed my younger brother, so I hid, and didn’t dare come out…"
Hearing that, Li Du felt his heart sink.
The desk in the office that had caught his eye that one time—it had a series of photos on it. One of them was a family photo.
"They killed mom and dad, they killed my brother. The cops said that he was strangled to death, but it’s not. I know. They drowned him in the toilet."
Sophie looked at Li Du in shock. Li Du was dumbfounded as well. Who were those people? To be so cruel that they could actually drown a child with their own hands.
From the photos, Rose’s brother had been, at most, eight years old!
"I swear, I’ll find them, and I’ll have my revenge! Those b*stards! I’ll find them!" Rose continued mumbling, "I won’t let them go! I’ll kill them! Both of them! I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them!"
When she finished, her tone was cold as ice. The hatred and desperation in her words gave Li Du gooseb.u.mps.
Sophie looked to Li Du for guidance, and said quietly, "What do we do?"
Li Du went to hold Rose’s hand and said, "Good will be rewarded and Evil will be punished, G.o.d will strike when the time is right. Go to sleep, Luo Qun. You will surely find them, and you will get your revenge!"
Sophie hesitated for a moment. She then drew a cross at her chest and said softly, "Oh Lord, please give us your blessings, please make this girl happy. If she needs to sin to achieve her happiness, then please, let me share those sins with her!"
Hearing Li Du’s words, Rose smiled meekly, and finally closed her eyes. However, she didn’t go to sleep, but continued mumbling.
Li Du went out, and Sophie helped Rose change into her pajamas. She did a quick wipe of her face and feet with a warm towel. With that, the female cop gradually fell asleep.
The two walked downstairs, the atmosphere heavy.
Li Du never would have thought that Rose was carrying such a terrifying burden by herself; that she could have experienced such a horrifying trauma.
No wonder—regardless of her profession—she would never be without her gun. Now that he understood more about Rose, he felt that if he were to go through such an experience, he might be even more paranoid than she was!