What did he just say? Yu Dong couldn't believe that all the effort she put into saving Fang Chi would be repaid like this. She stared at the young mer, still leaning against Chen Mi, and suddenly felt an itch in her hand. How can someone be so careless with their life? Her heart lit up with raging fire at the thought of how many officers with children and families lost their lives while performing their duties. They died with glory but - what about their families?
However, their actions could still be justified even if the grief of their families could not. But for Fang Chi's situation, there was nothing, absolutely no explanation, that might justify or much less even explain what he just tried to do. Even after doing such a ridiculous act and watching his grandmother cry, he was still going on with this 'why did you save me?' line of thought. Was he seriously asking that? Can't he see his poor grandmother's tears?
"Chi, what are you talking about?" Grandma Fang couldn't help but snap when she heard Fang Chi saying such depressing words. She knew that life was hard for them, but they will surely get past these rough days as well! "I know you are under a lot of stress, but we will be fine. I just called Matchmaker Yang, and she will-"
The word Matchmaker aggravated Fang Chi so severely that he almost jumped up. His expression turned furious as he growled at the mention of Matchmaker Yang. "What's the point of calling another matchmaker? Isn't my reputation in shambles?! What's going to happen if you call someone else? Nothing, that's what's going to happen. Nothing at all." By the end of his speech, Fang Chi started crying. Big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he wiped them with the back of his hands. "No one will marry me, Grandmother; you should just give up. It's been months, and I have been rejected, again and again. Just - just let it end, I can't... I can't do this anymore. So please let me die and -"
SLAP.
Fang Chi couldn't finish what he said when a frail yet strong figure rushed at his side and slapped him so hard that his entire head turned to one side. Fang Chi could feel buzzing in his left ear and sharp pain in his cheeks. He was slapped? Slapped by who?
Fang Chi couldn't believe what he felt as he stiffly looked at the startled and shocked. Chen Mi was holding his shoulders as he blinked the tears away in his eyes before stiffly turning his head to look at the person who had slapped him.
Yu Dong.
Yu Dong, the kind Yu Dong.
The Yu Dong, who always smiled at him, was now standing in front of him with such cold eyes. Her hand still half lifted in the air. Did she slap him? But why?
"Why? Why are you -"
"Are you awake now?" asked Yu Dong softly, though her tone still sounded like she was still angry. At least she had put her hand down, "If you are, then look at your grandmother clearly. Grandma Feng has been running around the village asking for help from everyone. Suppose you pay close attention to your grandmother's forehead. You will see that she even went so far as kowtowing and begging in front of some people. She was even willing to jump in front of my moving carriage for the sake of saving your life. She put her life at stake just to protect you, to bring you back by her side safe, breathing, and alive! She is old, her legs no longer work as well as they once did when she was young, but for your sake, she ran around the village without paying attention to her inflamed joints. Her face is pale, and anyone with eyes can see that she hasn't eaten anything because she was too worried about her idiotic grandson. The stupid grandson didn't even stop to think what would happen to her after he chucked himself off the cliff and killed himself. I wouldn't have bothered saving you if not for grandma Fang desperately begging me to save you. To be a person who kills himself is nothing but a Coward, and I don't waste my time on such cowardly existences! But I did not for you but for her." pointing her finger at Grandma Fang, Yu Dong shouted.
She felt angry, frustrated, and upset. Life was such a precious gift, yet how can people be willing to throw it away so carelessly? How can they forget that they didn't just live for themselves but also for their loved ones? How can someone be so selfish? "You - you want to die just because you can't find a woman to marry? What's so good about marrying a woman? Look around! Half of the mers are half-dead after getting married to them either way! What am I even saying? You look at me! I almost killed my husband when he gave birth to my child! MY CHILD! Are you sure you want to kill yourself just because you can't get a self-centered, completely spoiled, big-ass baby woman? For someone who doesn't even love you? At least your grandmother loves you more than any woman can! What's there for you to die for? At least you get two meals a day, a loving grandmother who cares for you more than her own life. No one will or ever love you as she can. Because no one will ever put you first, no one you hear me! If you can't stay alive for yourself, then fucking breathe for your grandmother at least because she will die without you!"
Silence. Once Yu Dong exploded, the entire shore was covered in uncomfortable silence. The mers looked down at their hands that had gotten rough after the amount of work they had to finish after getting married. Yu Dong was right. They were indeed half dead. Their morning began with their father-in-law barging inside their room and scolding them for being lazy bones. Before sunrise, they were sent to the pigsty, where they cleaned smelly pig poop. After that, it was like a race against time. They cleaned the house, cooked breakfast, gave baths to their children, then went to the fields with their father-in-law to pull the weeds of their crops. Then return home only to cook dinner without any rest when they finally return to their rooms. They then have to serve their wife. Something like this can still be called life?
Compared to them, Fang Chi was loads better.. At least someone loved him with all of her heart.