Mars Episode 10

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Episode 10

In the guidance office

Qiluo didn't know how to write a penitential report, holding her pen in the air.

"Ling, how to write it?" Qiluo whispered to Ling.

Teacher Shi looked at them from one to another.

"Just say you regret it very much. You will never do it again. Just remember, the more sincere, the better is." Ling whispered back to Qiluo.

Ling was going back to write his penitential report, but stopped short.

"Moreover, add one more thing, When the mid-terms exams come, you'll strenuous hard to prepare for them." Ling whispered to Qiluo again.

"Chen Ling, why don’t you just write a book teaching people how to write penitential reports?" Teacher Shi said to Ling, staring at Ling.

Ling and Qiluo finished up their respective penitential reports and slid across the table to Teacher Shi.

Teacher Shi glanced over them and sighed heavily.

"You two must remember this and do not make the same mistake." Teacher said to them.

Teacher Shi pointed at Ling.

"Especially you, Chen Ling, if you make the same mistake again, next time it won't be as easily resolved as writing a penitential report." Teacher Shi said, pointing at Ling.

"Hi hi sir!" Ling said and nodded his head, smiling.

"Han Qiluo, I know your mother is sick. Recently you've been troubled by many issues, but you mustn't give up on life easily. Do you understand?" Teacher Shi said to Qiluo.

"Um." Qiluo said and nodded.

"Okay. You two go back to the class." Teacher Shi said.

"Thank you, teacher." Qiluo said.

Ling and Qiluo stood up and go outside.

Outside the guidance office

"Stupid. You don't even know how to write a penitential report." Ling said to Qiluo.

Ling and Qiluo walked away. Teacher Shi opened the door.

"Han Qiluo." Teacher Shi called to stop them.

"I forgot to tell you. A woman's life happiness depends on the man she chooses. You must choose your boyfriend wisely." Teacher Shi said to Qiluo.

"Chen Ling, do you understand?" Teacher Shi said to Ling. Teacher Shi closed the door.

"Choose your boyfriend wisely” Qiluo said to Ling, pointing at Ling and laughed.

"What's that about?" Ling said to Qiluo as the two of them walked fast away.

In Qiluo's mother's hospital room

Qiluo's mother was eating. Qiluo was holding an apple.

"What?! discharging you?!" Qiluo said.

"Anyway, I just need some good rest. I can do the same thing at home. You don't have to busy running back and fro. The doctor says that I'll be fine as long as I rest often. I'll soon recover." Qiluo's mother said.

"Mom, are you worried about money?" Qiluo asked after she put down the apple.

"No, I'm not worried about money. Mom's boss in the company will help out. Now you don't have to worry a thing. About the matter of your attending graduate school...” Qiluo's mother said.

"Mom. Let's not talk about it any more. I'll look for a job right after I graduate." Qiluo said.

"How can you work? Don't you want to paint very much?" Qiluo's mother said.

"Mom, even if I work, I can still paint. I'll make efforts to earn money in the future so we can still live and rely on each other." Qiluo said.

"But Qiluo." Qiluo's mother said. But Qiluo interrupted her again.

"How about eating the apple first? I'll wash it." Qiluo said, picking up and holding the apple in her hand.

Qiluo stood up and put down the shopping bag.

Qiluo and Qingmei was coming out of a convenience store

"Oh, you're mother is leaving the hospital? Qingmei said.

The automatic door opened.

"Recently You've helped me with so many things, thank you very much." Qiluo said as they walked out of the door.

"Why do you act so distant?" Qingmei said to Qiluo.

"And Daye. I should thank him." Qiluo said to Qingmei as Qingmei drank her drink.

"Hey, Qiluo. After your mother's discharged from the hospital, How about we go on a double date with Ling and Daye?" Qingmei said, waving two fingers.

"That's good." Qiluo said.

"Then, I'll call Daye first. I'll also tell him to pick us up." Qingmei said she rummaged her bag for her cell phone.

Qingmei saw someone whose profile and back view looked very much like Tongdao while Qingmei was calling Daye.

"Wei, Daye. Where are you? No. Qiluo and I are here. We agree that next time we and Ling, the four of us, go out together. Um." Qingmei said to Daye over the cell phone.

The person turned sideway to talk to his friend. It wasn't Tongdao.

"By the way. We are here. Can you come to pick us up? Hurry up. We're waiting here for you.... Um.... Okay." Qingmei continued talking to Daye.

Qiluo was waiting in the lobby of the psychotherapy hospital

The door opened, a hospital attendant came in with Tongdao. The attendant and Tongdao walked toward the table.

"Miss, We’re outside. If there's anything, call us." The attendant said to Qiluo and then left.

Tongdao pulled out a chair and sat across the table opposite Qiluo.

"Are you okay?" Qiluo asked Tongdao.

"Um. It's boring, but I have to get used to it anyway. I've never thought today's visitor would be you. You looked pretty well." Tongdao said. Qiluo smiled and nodded slightly.

"Have you told Ling everything?" Tongdao asked.

Qiluo looked up the ceiling monitors.

"Don't worry. They can only take images." Tongdao said.

"I told him everything." Qiluo said to Tongdao.

"Judging by the way you look, it seems it was handled quite smoothly. So today you make a special trip to tell me that no matter what happens, the emotions between you and Ling are unshakeable. Is that right?" Tongdao said.

"Today I'm here just to tell you. Tongdao, we both come from darkness. As long as you're willing..." Qiluo said. Tongdao interrupted her and laughed.

"You haven't changed at all. You really believe that as long as one works hard at it, everyone can obtain happiness. Don't you know the theory that happiness is actually built upon other people's unhappiness? Let's take the matter of your stepfather, if you can continue tolerating your stepfather's embraces, your mother would be able to obtain the happiness she wants. On the other hand, because you want to get out of the dire straits, you mother has to endure getting sick due to fatigue. It's just like my being protected by Qingmu. While I didn't have to be stepped on by others, I have to endure Qingmu's cruelty. Now do you understand? All the happiness comes from other people's sacrifices." Tongdao said to Qiluo.

"But not all the relationships between people are like what you say." Qiluo said.

"Are you talking about you and Ling, the relation in which you each nurses the other? That's fantasy, bubble, timid coffee. When you started getting tired of your relationship, you'll discover happiness is nothing but a scam." Tongdao said.

Qiluo was waiting for Ling on the steps

Ling came to sit next to her.

"What is your next class, Qiluo?" Ling asked. Qiluo didn't answer.

"What is it?" Ling asked.

"It will not. Because we both are very brave." Qiluo said as she shook her head.

"We will always be happy." Qiluo said, looking up at Ling.

"What happened? Has something happened to you?" Ling said.

"Ling. The weather is so good. How about we go out with Daye and Qingmei. Okay?" Qiluo said to Ling.

"Why do we go out with them?" Ling asked.

"Let's go together." Qiluo said.

"Where do you want to go?" Ling asked.

"It does matter, anywhere is fine." Qiluo said.

"swimming." Ling said.

"No. I don't know how to swim." Qiluo said.

On the beach at dusk

Qiluo's voice-over, "There're times in our lives looking like nightmares, but we've really tried hard and actually own such happiness."

Ling rode Qiluo's home on his bike.

Qiluo jumped off the bike and took off her helmet.

"It's too late. I'm going up first, otherwise I'm in trouble. I've a lot of fun today. Good night." Qiluo said to Ling.

Qiluo ran up to the apartment.

"Qiluo." Ling stopped her. Qiluo ran back to Ling.

"Give me a kiss." Ling said. Qiluo kissed Ling.

"Goodnight." Qiluo said.

Ling pulled her close and hugged her.

"I love you." Ling said to Qiluo when they were hugging.

"Bye bye." Qiluo said to Ling.

Qiluo unlocked and opened the door

"Mom, I'm home." Qiluo said.

Qiluo saw a pair of shoes when she locked the door.

"Do we have a guest?" Qiluo asked.

Qiluo saw her stepfather in the hallway and remembered him opening her door in the past.

"Qiluo." Her stepfather said as he walked toward her. Qiluo backed up against the wall.

"Ahhhh!" Qiluo started screaming and covered her face with her hands.

Her mother stopped cutting in the kitchen and ran out of the kitchen.

"Qiluo, Qiluo." Qiluo's stepfather said to her as he approached her.

"No! No!" Qiluo crouched down and screaming as she pushed her stepfather's hands away.

"Qiluo, calm down. Qiluo...¡± Qiluo's stepfather said to her.

"I don't want it. I don't want it!" Qiluo yelled as she crawled away and tried to avoid her stepfather.

"Qiluo, calm down a little bit. I'm sorry. It was my fault. I know it was my fault. Please forgive me." Qiluo's stepfather said to Qiluo, on his knees in front of Qiluo. Qiluo just tensed up and screamed.

"Qiluo, listen to me. When I found out that your mother was sick, I was so worried and antsy. But I was too shamed to see you, so I could only worried and couldn't do anything¡± Qiluo¡¯s stepfather said.

"Qiluo, I guarantee to you that I won't ever do it again. Can you forgive me?" Qiluo's stepfather said to her, raising his hand halfway. Qiluo turned her face away and continued crying.

"Please forgive me. Qiluo." Qiluo's stepfather said to her. Qiluo just hid her face and kept crying.

Image of Tongdao appeared in Qiluo's head, saying "happiness is nothing but a scam."

Qiluo, her mother, her step father sat around a table.

"Your mom was just in the hospital...¡± Her stepfather said to her but stopped short after seeing Qiluo's expression. Her stepfather looked to her mother for help.

"When I was in the hospital, your father came to see me, several times. He confessed to me that he was in the wrong and cried for forgiveness. He also said that if it was possible, he hoped that we could restart one more time. Of course, we also have to consider your opinions." Qiluo's mother said.

"So when you said previously that your boss would pay for the hospital expense, you meant him." Qiluo said.

"I'm sorry. Except for your father, I have no one to turn to. After all we are a family. Your father cares very much about me. He frequently came to the hospital to see me. He was afraid you would be unhappy, so he wouldn't let me tell you. He promises me that he will never do that kind of thing again, so I...¡± Qiluo's mom hesitated.

"I'm sorry. I've really reached my limit. If I don't find someone to rely on, I really cannot keep on going." Qiluo's mom said.

"Qiluo, Why don't you and your mom move back?" The stepfather said to Qiluo.

Outside the school building.

"Do I really look okay today wearing this?" Xiaoquan asked her friends.

"OK. okay. It's pretty good." The girl in green said.

"Yeah." The other girl said.

"Upper classmate." Xiaoquan said when she saw Ling walking toward them.

"He's here. Go go go. Here's a chance..." The girl in yellow said to her. The other two girls pushed Xiaoquan forward.

"Go! There's only one chance!" One girl said.

"That's right. Hurry up." The other girl said.

"Upper classmate. Upper classmate." The called Ling to stop him before he went upstairs.

"Please read it when you're free." Xiaoquan said, handing her letter to Ling.

"A love letter!" Ling said to Xiaoquan.

"Upper classmate, she has liked you ever since you came to the school¡± The girl in yellow said to Ling.

"That's right. You've a girlfriend, but she still like you very much. Her name is Xiaoquan. Remember it." The girl in green said to Ling.

"Xiaoquan a freshman?" Ling asked Xiaoquan.

"Um." Xiaoquan said.

"Very cute! Thank you. I have to leave now. Bye bye." Ling said and ran upstairs.

Qiluo and Qingmei were sitting in a classroom

"Have you told Ling?" Qingmei asked.

"I don't know how to tell him." Qiluo said.

"Why don't we ask Daye? He understands Ling's personality really well. He should know how to talk to him." Qingmei said.

Qiluo, Daye, and Qingmei were talking in the hallway.

"Impossible! Ling will never agree to it." Daye said.

"What should we do now? We have to figure out a way, one way or the other." Qingmei said.

"Not to mention Ling, even I won't agree to it! What you should worry now is not if Ling will get angry, it is whether Qiluo should move back." Daye said.

"Qiluo, can you really live with that kind of person? Are you sure it's okay?" Daye asked Qiluo.

"He promises me he won't ever do it again." Qiluo said.

"Fine, if you can accept it. There's nothing I can say." Daye said to Qiluo.

"But I really don't want to see the way Ling looks when he is troubled. You know. I have a brother who's in elementary school. I always treat Ling like him because they have the same kind of smile. I really don't want to see Ling's painful expressions again." Daye said.

Qiluo and her mom were moving.

"Please be careful with that box. Don't break it. Thank you." Her mother warned a worker.

Qiluo and her mom were riding in a moving truck. A motorcycle followed the truck.

The moving truck stopped at a traffic light. The motorcycle stopped by the truck. The motorcycle rider was Abin. Abin knocked the truck window. Abin took off his helmet as Qiluo rolled down the truck window.

"Qiluo, it's really you!" Abin said to Qiluo.

"Abin." Qiluo said.

"When I saw the schedule in the company, I was wondering it might be your family. So my guess is right." Abin said to Qiluo.

"Do you know each other?" Qiluo's mom asked Qiluo.

"He is my upper classmate." Qiluo introduced Abin to her mother.

"How are you, Aunt? I'm Abin. This moving company is owned by our family, I'll ask the company to give you a discount." Abin said to Qiluo's mother.

"Thank you. Thank you." Qiluo and her mother said to Abin.

Someone kept honking. Abin turned to look over his shoulder annoyingly.

"It's green light. I'll follow you there." Abin said.

The moving truck arrived at Qiluo's stepfather house

"Can you move quicker? Please. Please." Qiluo's stepfather said to the workers.

"These two boxes. Bring these two boxes to the 2nd floor." Qiluo's stepfather instructed the workers.

"Don't fall off. Be careful." Qiluo's stepfather said to the workers.

"By the way. Here's my stairs. Be careful. Don't scratch it." Qiluo's stepfather said to the workers.

Qiluo walked upstairs to her old room. Images of her stepfather raping her flashed through her mind. She thought her stepfather coming downstairs and standing on the stairs. Qiluo turned to look, but there was no one.

Abin came to the construction site where Ling worked.

Abin put on a safety helmet.

"Hey, Ling!" Abin called and waved to Ling.

"Wei." Ling acknowledged and ran to Abin.

"Why do you come over here?" Ling asked.

"Nothing in particular. I just happened to get hold of something nice to give to you." Abin said and handed the bag he carried to Ling.

"Something nice?" Ling asked.

"Open and look at it." Abin said.

"Wow! You can even get hold of this brand!" Ling said after he opened the bag.

"That's it. No problem. We're buddies." Abin said.

"Thank you." Ling said.

"Are you on night shift today?" Abin asked.

"Yeah. Today I probably have to work overtime until dawn." Ling said.

"It's really tough!" Abin said.

"It's not so bad. Let's chat over there." Ling said, pointing backward.

"Why did Qiluo move?" Abin asked Ling when they walked.

"She moved?!" Ling stopped walking and asked Abin.

"Yeah. What? Don¡¯t you know about it? They moved yesterday to a house with its entrance and yard." Abin said.

In the fast-food place where Qingmei worked

Qiluo, Daye, and Qingmei were waiting for Ling.

"I was going to call him, but I thought the better of it. It's better to talk face-to-face." Qiluo said.

"Have you thought about how to break the news to him?" Qingmei asked Qiluo.

"Yeah. You have to think it out carefully. If you aren't careful and say something wrong at the beginning, with Ling's personality." Daye said to Qiluo but was cut short as Ling patted his shoulder.

"Wei, what are you three talking secretly, saying something bad of me?" Ling said.

"No, we aren't talking something bad of you?" Daye said to Ling.

Qingmei and Daye moved.

"Why are you so nervous? something fishy..." Ling said and sat down.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Ling asked.

"Yes." "No." Daye and Qingmei said simultaneously and then looked at each other.

"Lunatics. You guys. May I drink the water?" Ling said and drank some water.

"Qiluo, did you move?" Ling asked Qiluo.

"How did you know it?" Daye asked Ling.

"Abin just told me." Ling said to Daye.

"That you moved yesterday." Ling said, looking at Qiluo.

"Um. I moved." Qiluo said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ling asked.

"I now live together with my father." Qiluo said.

"What do you mean?" Ling asked.

"My mom and I are living with my stepfather again." Qiluo said.

"What did you say? Say it one more time." Ling said.

"We're living with my stepfather again." Qiluo said.

"Ling, actually ...¡± Daye said to Ling.

"Please leave here." Ling said to Daye.

"Ling." Daye said.

"Get lost." Ling shouted.

Daye and Qingmei stood up and left the table.

"Ling, please don't get angry. Okay? My mom's health is really bad, she can no longer work. Except for him, we really don't have other people to rely on." Qiluo said.

"Then what do you think I am?" Ling said to Qiluo, pointing at himself.

"You can't just move without even telling me." Ling asked, gestured angrily.

"I didn't know how to tell you. I knew you would be against it." Qiluo said.

"I would be against it! Have you forgotten how he hurt you? Have you forgotten how and what he did to you?" Ling yelled at Qiluo.

"But he says that he will never do that again." Qiluo said.

"You really believe him? People who do that kind of thing will do it again and again." Ling yelled.

"Qiluo, you leave that house now. Leave that pervert immediately." Ling said, leaning forward over the table.

"Impossible. You want me to leave home, where can I go?" Qiluo said.

"You can come to live at my place." Ling said.

"Impossible." Qiluo said, shaking her head.

"Why?" Ling asked.

"We're all still studying at school. And we...¡± Qiluo said.

"And what?" Ling asked.

"No matter what, I can't be so selfish to leave my mom." Qiluo said. Ling sat back.

"Isn't your mom selfish? At the end of day, she sacrifices her own daughter for a stable life, doesn't she?" Ling said.

"Please don't speak of my mom like that. Do you know how much she has suffered for me? She is the only family I have in the world. And my stepfather is really not that bad. After all, he really takes care of my mom. And he was once a good father. I just want to give him another chance and give my mom's happiness another chance." Qiluo said to Ling loudly.

Ling was so angry that he threw the water cup away.

"Ling." Qiluo cried. Qiluo stood up and tried to touch Ling.

"Don't touch me. I can't stand it any more. I can't go on with you." Ling yelled at Qiluo.

Ling left. Qiluo started crying.

Qingmei pushed Daye to go after Ling. Qingmei walked to Qiluo. Qiluo held Qingmei and cried.

Ling walked outside the fast-food place.

Daye was behind him.

"Ling, calm down." Daye grabbed Ling and said to Ling.

"Sorry. I really can't help it." Ling said and pushed Daye away.

Ling accepted something from Xiaoquan.

"Ling really accepts the gift from that freshman!" One student said.

"Yeah. Then the rumor that he has broken up with Han Qiluo is real." Another student said.

"Probably." The first student said.

After accepting the gift, Ling continued talking to Xiaoquan.

Ling and Qiluo met each other on the stairs

"Your class is over." Ling said.

"Um." Qiluo nodded.

"How is your family?" Ling asked.

"Okay." Qiluo said.

"That's good." Ling said and continued going downstairs.

"I heard you are going on a date with the freshman." Qiluo asked Ling when Ling walked past her.

Ling nodded.

"She asked me to watch a movie. I thought it wouldn't be bad to change mood. So I agreed to it. Bye bye." Ling said.

Qingmei appeared upstairs, watching them.

"Ling." Qiluo called to stop Ling. Ling turned around to face Qiluo.

"Are we really over?" Qiluo asked.

"Isn't this better for both of us? If we force ourselves to continue, it will be very painful for both of us. Why bother with it? But I'm really happy to have knowm you previously. I have never been so devoted." Ling said and left.

Qingmei walked quickly to Qiluo

"Why don't you run after him?" Qingmei said to Qiluo.

"It's useless. I'm in the wrong. I've hurt him so deeply. He dislikes me. It's something that can't be helped." Qiluo said.

"Why do you always consider yourself lowly? Why do you always blame yourself? You two has finally got to this stage, why do you want to give it up now? If you really like him, tell him clearly what's on your mind. Even if it looks very stupid, it doesn't matter. As long as you can keep Ling, go look for him and cry or cause a disturbance. Use the world's stupidest and most foolish method. As long as you can keep him, it's worth it, isn't it? Unless you tell me that whatever in your past has meant nothing now." Qingmei said to Qiluo.

Images of their past flashed through Qiluo's mind.

Qiluo ran downstairs, but Ling's bike was already moving fast on the main campus road.

"Ling. Ling. Wait for me. Ling, wait for me." Qiluo yelled and ran in vain after Ling's bike which was already far ahead of her.

Daye and Qingmei entered a pub at night

"Hi, Daye. Ling is here too." Someone said to Daye and pointed to where Ling is.

"Give me one Corona and two Ballintain." Ling said to the bartender.

"Okay. Just a minute." The bartender said to Ling.

Daye walked next to Ling.

"Weren't you on a date?" Daye asked him.

"It didn't work. I told her I would take her to a hotel, she went home, crying and wanting her mother." Ling said to Ling.

"Does it really have to be like this?" Daye said to Ling.

"Classmate, I'm here for fun. Discussing this with me, aren't you trying to make me feel miserable?" Ling said.

Ling took the drinks back to his table.

"If you're not happy, why did you break up? Something is wrong with your head." Qingmei said to Ling as Ling walked past him.

"Don't be like this. I finally make some new friends here. You guys are really annoying." Ling said and continued walking back to his table.

"Qingmei!" Daye stopped Qingmei when he saw Qingmei wanted to follow Ling.

"Don't pull me." Qingmei said to Daye.

"Don't go to bother him now." Daye said to Qingmei.

"What is it not to bother him? He has made Qiluo so miserable, why not bother him?" Qingmei said to Daye.

"Do you think he's feeling good now?" Daye asked Qingmei.

At Ling's table in the pub

"Drinks are coming." Ling said to the two women as he walked near his table.

"Sorry. Sorry¡± Ling said to the two women as he put down the drinks on the table.

Ling sat down.

"I think it's probably because too many people are pursuing you." One of the women said.

"Why say such a thing? It's not like that. I met my classmates over there." Ling said and placed their drinks in front of them.

The three of them started drinking.

"Why do you always like to drink beer? I always see you drinking beer." The woman sat next to Ling asked.

"I like beer better. I feel more comfortable drinking it." Ling said.

"Actually whiskey is pretty good. Do you want to try it?" The woman said and handed her drink to Ling.

"Okay. Drink." Ling said and took a sip.

"Do you like it?" The woman asked.

"I'll still go with beer. It's really too spicy." Ling said, laughing.

Qiluo waiting outside Ling's apartment, sitting on the floor

"Aei, Qiluo." Ajen greeted Qiluo.

"Hi, Ajen!" Qiluo said to Ajen as she stood up.

"Is Ling not at home? Why don't you wait inside?" Ajen asked.

"It's okay. I'll wait here for him." Qiluo said.

"Wo." Ajen said.

"What time is it?" Qiluo asked Ajen.

"It's 11:30." Ajen said.

"11:30." Qiluo murmured.

"Qiluo, if Ling is still not back late into the night, sleep inside. It's not safe around here. Don't wait for him. Besides, Ling may not come back." Ajen said to Qiluo.

"It's okay. I'll wait just a little longer. If he's still not back, I'll take the last subway train." Qiluo said.

"Wo." Ajen said.

In a hotel room

Ling was lying in bed while the woman was taking shower.

"Can you zip it up for me?" The woman said to Ling, sitting on the bed. Ling zipped it up for her.

The woman wrote down her phone number on the hotel message pad and then tore off the page.

"This is my phone number. Remember to call me when you have time." The woman said to Ling as she handed the piece of paper to Ling.

"Okay." Ling said.

The woman left.

Ling looked at the piece of paper. He crumpled the paper and threw it away.

Daye was waiting outside the hotel where Ling parked his bike

"I was afraid you bike might get stolen, so I stayed to watch it for you." Daye said to Ling.

"Okay. I have no saying in whatever you want to do with whomever you want. I just hope you can consider Qiluo's feelings. Dont't let Qiluo have a chance to get wind of incidents like this." Daye said.

"What is there to say? Say that I slept with a hot woman, but nothing happened. You never thought of it, didn't you? I who used to be called an animal couldn't do anything when it came to the critical point." Ling said.

"Was she mad?" Daye asked.

"No. I lied to her that my mom has terminal illness and is about to die. So I couldn't do it with her." Ling said to Daye. The two of them laughed.

"I'm so young and this already happens. It's really awful." Ling said, shaking his head embarrassingly.

"What am I going to do? I miss Qiluo so much. My head is full of Qiluo." Ling said to Daye.

"This is where I don't understand. If you care so much, why let it go so easily. There's got to be a way out of this." Daye said.

"I'm not the one who gives up. It is Qiluo." Ling told Daye.

Ajen came out to check and saw Qiluo still waiting for Ling.

Qiluo stood up and leaned over the railing.

Ling's voice-over, "The problem between Qiluo and me is not as simple as how you guys see it. Our essential problem is mistrust."

Ling and Daye were drinking and talking at a balcony

"Why did she rather choose to continue living under the shadow of violence? I've thought it over for a long time. The answer is very simple but also hurts a lot. It's because she doesn't believe at all that I can give her a future." Ling said to Daye.

"Do you know what kind of person Qiluo's stepfather is? Because I was worried about Qiluo, I've done some investigation. What most surprised me is that his rep*t*tion is very good. He owns a small iron factory. His employees think him serious, honest and a family man. Even neighbors all say he has a good temper and treats people honestly and squarely. As to the bad things he does secretly, Nobody knows about them." Daye said.

"This is where I can't compromise with the world. Under the sun, you dress like a man and do things like a man, then everyone thinks you're a decent human being. One day, you accidentally blow your cover, people will think it's just a temporary misstep and are more than happy to give you another chance. So Qiluo and her mother accept him again." Ling said.

Ling stood up and walked to the fence.

"And me? In everyone's eyes, I'm just an unfaithful, violent, reckless fool who banks his future on something as unpractical as becoming a racing rider. Who will rely on me for her future? Who will believe that one day I'll be world-famous? Who will know I've already set up a home in my heart for Qiluo?" Ling said.

Ling drank some beer and stood up and walk to lean against the fence.

"I though Qiluo could, but then later on..." Ling said, facing Daye.

Daye stood up and walked to the front of Ling.

"Why can't you work a little bit harder? Even the world is on the side of the pervert old man, the most important is Qiluo and you. There is no normal value concept in the world at all, the most valuable is in each other's heart. If you cannot protect her all the time, what is she going to do?" Daye said to Ling.

Ling turned and leaned over the fence, not saying a word.

Ling returned to his apartment

"Ling, you've finally come home! Qiluo was waiting for you the whole night, she just left." Ajen told Ling.

"She said she would take the last subway train." Ajen said to Ling.

Ling ran downstairs.

The subway station

Ling arrived right after the subway-station gate was rolled down.

Ling ran and stood outside the closed subway station

Ling turned to leave and saw Qiluo watching him.

Qiluo walked up the steps.

"Ling." Qiluo said.

"Why are you still here?" Ling asked.

"I forgot to bring money." Qiluo said. Ling walked to the front of Qiluo.

"In your heart, are all men the same? Am I about the same as your stepfather? We're all punks who just want to take you." Ling asked.

"Ling, I gave you my first kiss. My heart had never jumped so fast. I have encountered that kind of thing, but I had never kissed before. Because it's you, I feel very safe. Because it's you, I anticipate it a lot. Because of your existence, I have the courage to go back to the home that scares me. I make sure that I will cherish myself for you." Qiluo said.

Ling walked forward and hugged Qiluo tightly.

Next morning at Qiluo's home

Qiluo was putting breakfast on the table.

"Why did you come home so late last night?" Her mother asked as she poured milk into a glass.

"Wo. I went out with Qingmei and friends." Qiluo said to her mother.

"Who took you home?" Her mother asked.

"A friend." Qiluo said.

"Was it again the boy who likes to ride motorcycles for fun?" Her mother asked

"He's not riding motorcycles for fun at all." Qiluo said angrily to her mother.

"I'm just saying...” Her mother said. Qiluo interrupted her mother.

"Mom, why are you so prejudiced against him? Except for riding motorcycles, can't you see other goodness in him?" Qiluo said to her mother.

"Why happened to you two? What are you arguing early in the morning?" Her stepfather asked as he came downstairs.

Qiluo left the table to get more food.

"Nothing. I'm just reminding Qiluo not to come home so late in the future." Her mother said her stepfather.

"Qiluo has grown up. She knows what she can and can't do. Young people have their own ways of thinking. If you worried yourself over nothing, she will think you're nagging." Her stepfather said to her mother.

"Come to have breakfast." Qiluo's stepfather said to her.

Her stepfather put down the newspaper.

"You're going to the hospital for a return check-up, aren't you?" Qiluo's stepfather asked her mother.

"Um. I'll take subway. It's very fast." her mother said.

"I drive you there." The stepfather said and drank milk.

"No, thank you." her mother said.

"It's okay." Her stepfather said.

Her mother and stepfather were on their way out to the hospital.

"Do you have the health insurance card with you?" Her stepfather asked her mother.

"Yes, I have it." her mother said to her stepfather.

"Qiluo, I'm off to the hospital." Her mother said to Qiluo.

"Wo” Qiluo said, poking her head out of the kitchen.

Daye came to see Ling at the construction site

"Wei." Daye called Ling. Ling raised his head.

"Come to have a bottle." Daye said to Ling. Ling caught the bottle Daye threw over to him.

"It's not break time yet." Ling said to Daye.

Ling and Daye were talking, leaning again some protective fence.

"What! You and Qiluo are already back together!" Daye said to Ling. Ling laughed.

"It was only one day. I thought you would be so depressed, so I came to cheer you up." Daye said.

"I'm really sorry. Indeed we weren't happy before, but the two of us still want to work at it. I'm sorry to have made you and Qingmei worried about us." Ling said to Daye.

"Qingmei tells me that luckily Qiluo has met you. Otherwise, she would be in terrible condition now. If it were the previous Qiluo, she wouldn't be able to handle and endure the current situation. It is all because of you, she can tolerate with it. I also think so. You're quite a guy. Even if the whole world doesn't know about it, you know in your heart how important you are to Qiluo." Daye said.

"It doesn't matter to me whether the world knows about it or not. I hope someday Qiluo's mother can understand how important Qiluo is to me." Ling told Daye.

The phone rang at Qiluo's house.

Qiluo came out of the kitchen to pick up the phone.

"Wei, Qingmei" Qiluo said over the phone.

"Breaking news. I heard you and Ling are back together." Qingmei said.

"Um." Qiluo said.

"Why didn't you call and tell me? I had a big fight with Daye yesterday." Qingmei said.

"I'm sorry. We also... You really had a fight with Daye?" Qiluo asked.

"I'm just kidding. How are you with your stepfather?" Qingmei said.

"Um. It's okay. He just insisted to take my mom to the hospital for a return check-up. I suddenly feel that my mom really needs a shoulder she can lean on. This time I come back, many things have changed. I think this time, the three of us can really return to where we used to." Qiluo said to Qingmei over the phone.

Her stepfather appeared silently beside Qiluo.

"Whom are you talking to?" Her stepfather said to her.

"Wei. Wei." Qingmei said when she found out that the connection had gone dead.

"The number you dial is busy. Please dial again later." Qingmei heard the announcement after she dialed Qiluo's home number again.

"Is it the gangster of last night?" Her stepfather said to her.

"You've no rights to say such words." Qiluo said.

"How can you ride on a gangster's bike?" Her stepfather demanded of her.

"It's none of your business." Qiluo said as she put the phone back on hook. Qiluo stood up to leave. Her stepfather pulled her to stop her.

"Qiluo, it's for your own goodness." Her stepfather said.

"Don't touch me." Qiluo said and brushed his hands away.

"Qiluo, you listen to me. Qiluo." Her stepfather said.

"Don't touch me." Qiluo yelled.

"Ah... Ah... Go away." Qiluo yelled.

"It's for your own goodness. Why don't you know about it? Qiluo." Her stepfather said.

"Ah!" Qiluo said and hit him on the head.

"You're my baby. No one can take you away from me” Her stepfather said to Qiluo.

Qiluo picked up an ornament and hit her stepfather with it.

Image of the past flashed through her mind.

Qiluo hit him again with the ornament.

Ling ran back to his apartment

"Ling!" Qiluo said, waiting for Ling on the stairs.

"Qiluo, what happened to you?" Ling asked in shock. Qiluo stood up.

"He already promised me that he would never do it. He swore to it." Qiluo murmured.

Ling hugged Qiluo.

"How I hate him! I hate him so much. I hate him." Qiluo shouted.

"Qiluo. Qiluo. Calm down. Calm down." Ling said to her, patting her back.

Inside Ling's apartment.

"At the time I just wished he would disappear, completely disappearing from the world. When I regained my conscience, his whole body was covered with blood." Qiluo said to Ling, sitting on the bed.

Ling crouched down in front of Qiluo and held her both hands.

"Are you sure he is already dead?" Ling asked.

"I kept calling him. I called and called, but he didn't move at all. He must be dead. He must be dead." Qiluo cried.

"Qiluo. Qiluo." Ling said as he leaned against her and patted her head.

Ling picked up the phone and called Qiluo's house.

"Wei." It was Qiluo's mother.

Ling handed the phone over to Qiluo.

"Qiluo...." Her mother said on the other end.

"Mom. Mom. I didn't do it intentionally. He thrust at me so I..." Qiluo said. Her mother interrupted her.

"I know it. Your father has told me. You don't have to worry. He just had a few stitches. He's fine." Her mother said over the phone.

"He said that you didn't notice that he came back and was scared by him. I think you must have misunderstood him and overreacted." Her mother said over the phone.

"Overreacted! He talked nonsense." Qiluo shouted.

"Qiluo. This is really just a misunderstanding. Mom is tired. Let the past stop. okay? Everything is fine now. Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up." Her mother said.

"So you believe him." Qiluo said to her mom.

"I'm willing to believe him” Her mother said to Qiluo. Qiluo put down the phone.

Ling put the phone back on hook.

"Qiluo. Qiluo." Her mother said on the end.

Qiluo cried, leaning again Ling. Ling held her to comfort her.

Qiluo's mother put down the phone.

Qiluo was taking shower while Ling set up the bed.

"Ling. Ling. Ling." Qiluo called Ling after wrapping herself with a towel.

***************************End of Episode 10 ***************************

• Mars Episode 1
• Mars Episode 2
• Mars Episode 3
• Mars Episode 4
• Mars Episode 5
• Mars Episode 6
• Mars Episode 7
• Mars Episode 8
• Mars Episode 9
• Mars Episode 10
• Mars Episode 11
• Mars Episode 12
• Mars Episode 13