Mark of the destiny

"Where are you going? Don't go there, she's hurting you." Honey blocked Andrea's way when she was about to go to her parents. "Stay with us, Aunty Suyin is from the ministry, she'd help you. She'll get your mom punished."     

"Honey!" Suyin chided.     

"What are you saying? Why would she get my mom punished?" Andrea looked at Suyin questionably, showing the signs of panic and anger, revealing how much she loves her mother.     

Suyin, "I won't. Don't listen to him."     

"Because your mother beats you. I saw it in your drawing." Honey continued, ignoring Suyin's stern eyes.     

"SHUT UP, WANG QIANG." Tears slipped from Andrea's eyes. "Everyone was right, you are a bad boy. Very bad!"     

It worried Suyin that Honey was taking it all wrong. He probably was linking everything to his own experience with Zena.     

"How can you let Andrea suffer at the hands of her mom? Help her the way you helped me--" Suyin slammed her hand on Honey's mouth and caged him in her arms, "I'm sorry, Andrea.      

.....     

....     

"AH!"     

Suyin had just brought Honey to another vacant classroom when Honey bit her hand to break free from her arms. Moving away from her, his accusing eyes were like a knife to Suyin's heart.      

"Why did you refuse to help Andrea?"     

Ignoring the pain from the bite, she extended her hand, "I didn't. It's not what you are thinking. Stop taking it personally, Little--"     

"Don't call me that. My name is Wang Qiang. Only Wang Qiang!" he snapped, backing a step as if her touch disgusts him. "You are a lier, I hate you. You are just like others..."     

"Honey," his words hit like a blow. Whatever progress they had made crumbled in front of her. Is this the end?     

"I said my name is Wang Qiang. Which part of it you don't understand?" he stomped his foot on to the ground with explosive anger. "That day...." he sniffed, "when you slapped her in the hospital and send her to the psych ward- it was all your acting, isn't it?"     

 Suyin's fingers curled at the hem of her dress. Once more, Honey was accusing her.     

He was referring to the incident with Zena. Now that she had let go of Andrea's parents, Honey was taking it otherwise.      

"You pretended to be good so that my grandparents won't create any problem when you chase my dad. Right? How stupid, even I believed it and started liking you. But NO!...You are selfish! Since I was of use to you, you pretended to be good. But Andrea.... she has no use to you, so you favored her parents."     

Every word was a fresh wound, a fresh scar to her. His angry eyes covered her like a cloak she never wanted. How naïve she was to think Honey was over those negative thoughts about her and had accepted her. After her baby, he's the only kid she had poured her motherly warmth into someone only to hear these words?     

"I-I don't. The drawing you saw was just a snippet. Far away from reality! No one's hurting Andrea but it's A--"     

"Don't give me reasons. I know you don't want to help Andrea. Her parents must have told you a random story, and you believed it? Or is it..... A month back teacher told us the story of a corrupt officer who receives a bribe from--"     

"HONEY!" Honey jumped hearing Wang Shi's voice. His head snapped to the door where Wang Shi was standing at. "Do you have any idea what you are saying?"     

Suyin hurriedly shook the welled-up tears from her eyes and covered the bite mark with the other hand.      

"Dad, I asked her to help Andrea, but look-- instead of helping her, she left Andrea with her parents." Once more, Honey looked at Suyin that resembles pure disgust. "Andrea's mom is bad, she's just like... 'her' (Zena). Please help my classmate. Andrea's dad is not as powerful as you, and couldn't help her. Please do something."     

"Suyin," Wang Shi called softly, feeling stabbed when she was trying to act non-affected by Honey's words and forced a smile. Failing miserably.     

"It's nothing. We were just having a talk."     

"I heard everything." Wang Shi said hoarsely, returning his gaze to Honey, "Apologise."     

"Why should I? She's at fault for not helping a needy. Isn't it her job to help women and kids' in problem?"     

"I SAID APOLOGISE." Wang Shi gritted his teeth.     

Tears glistened his rosy cheeks as Honey backed away from Wang Shi, once more glaring daggers at Suyin who stood silent. "I understood.... you are siding her... Look, dad rose his voice on me because of you. What next? You will do the same what 'she' did and ask him for money? Or kill me? Or--"     

"HONEY!" Wang Shi stepped aggressively but Suyin came in between and warned him with her eyes not to do anything.     

'THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL CALL FOR MR AND MRS WANG TO PLEASE REPORT AT THE TRACKS FOR PARENT'S RACE.'     

The announcement was loud and clear, shocking Honey. "You signed up for parent's race?"     

Suyin shook her head, "I didn't."     

"Another lie. You must have asked the teacher to write your name with my dad. You are not Mrs. Wang. You are not my mother. You will never be."     

"I didn't." Suyin looked at Wang Shi, "I didn't. Trust me. Honey had refused the teacher in front of me, and I totally understand his point. I don't know who signed on my behalf."     

Wang Shi touched her shoulder, "I know, Suyin. I trust you. I'll ask the teacher about it."      

"Honey--" Suyin saw Honey's gaze glued where Wang Shi had touched her shoulder and hurriedly stepped away from him. "I didn't sign up for the race. And Andrea's case is different, it's not what you are thinking--"     

She gulped down the remaining words when Honey started walking to the door. "Didn't you hear what dad said? He trusts you! Let's finish with the race. I don't want to be reprimanded for this too."     

Wang Shi sighed, he knew Honey had done something awful and no words could pacify Suyin at the moment. But Suyin's silence bothered him. "Suyin--"     

"Shishi..." she blinked, taking a step away from him to avoid his touch. "Let's go. They have already made the last announcement," saying she put back her mask.     

.....     

.....     

....     

"Alright parents, it's a three hundred meters hurdle race. The first hundred meters will be run by the father, the second hundred meters by the mother, and the final will be run by the child. It's mandatory to cross all the hurdles and pick the baton kept at the finishing point. It's a three-piece baton and the child will have to bring all the pieces to the finishing point. All the best, everyone."     

Yuyu and Lan come near the tracks to cheer for them, "Honey bro, pretty sister, Uncle Shishi, all the best!" They shook hands, "Our plan worked. Now Honey bro will also win a trophy. Yayyy!"     

Feng Jianyu frowned, "What plan Yuyu?"     

Yuyu and Lan froze in sync. "Nothing. Nothing." Lan answered.     

 "YUYU, LAN.... tell me what have you done." Xiu Mei used the infamous tone parents use to discipline kids.     

Yuyu joined the tip of her fingers, "We lied to the race coordinator to add Uncle Shishi and Pretty sister's name for the race."     

"..."     

"..."     

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