Chapter 7 - She Calls It Cheap Love
Since Raelle had been engrossed in reading the book in her hands, she almost hit her head against the back of the driver's seat when the car suddenly stopped.
"Don't you know how to drive?" Her voice sounded devoid of any emotion but it sent a chill down one's spine.
The driver instantly shivered and informed, "Ma'am, those people suddenly jumped out of nowhere."
Before Raelle could ask what people, the window on her side was knocked, "Miss Xiang, please don't hurt our family. Give us a way to live!"
"Chief, let me check," said Cloe as she got out of the car on her own. At first, she didn't recognize this middle-aged lady but when her eyes fell on the two people kneeling on the road, she suddenly had enlightenment. She had been wondering if her boss forgot about these people but it seemed she had been wrong.
Since Raelle won't dirty her hands, it wasn't like others were not willing to dirty their hands for her.
Following her, Raelle also disembarked from the car and looked at those people with a calm but impatient gaze.
"Miss Xiang!" The middle-aged woman tried to rush up to Raelle but Cloe stood in her way.
"Chief doesn't like people touching her. Keep your distance!" It was a kind reminder but it held a warning undertone. The middle-aged woman with a disorganized look instantly understood and took a step back.
"Miss Xiang, I'm truly repentant about what transpired to you." She slapped the two people kneeling on the road and added, "This is all their fault. Our family has nothing to do with this. Please let us off! We are already on the verge of bankruptcy. If you continue, we won't even have a roof over our heads."
Raelle's memory was very good. If Cloe could remember these trivial individuals, how could she not? She bent a little and said, "Oh, isn't this Mr. Zhang and his madwoman? What a pleasant surprise! Long time no see!"
Indeed the people kneeling on the road in such a pathetic state were the ones who denigrated her in the café four months ago. And she also knew what took them so long to get here, seeking her forgiveness. How could her Yanyan let them come to her before making them taste the utter defeat?
From their condition, it was obvious how much they must have suffered in these four months. But Raelle neither had sympathy nor empathy. So it was obvious this scene would have no effect on her.
Then she looked at the middle-aged woman and smiled, "And you... Did you just say that I'm the reason behind your hardships?" Even though her voice was still very mellow, it made the middle-aged woman gulp.
The middle-aged woman shook her head and hit the 'madwoman' saying, "You despicable woman! Why are you quiet now?!"
Taking the cue, the madwoman whose attitude was soaring in the sky back then, shuddered like a frail person and crawled up to Raelle's front, "Miss Xiang, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I misunderstood you. It's all my fault!" She kowtowed so hard that blood could be seen. "Please, forgive me. You're forgiving and magnanimous. Don't do this to us!"
Raelle leaned against the side of her car and crossed her arms over her chest. "Me? Forgiving and magnanimous? How come I didn't know I had such traits?" She looked at Cloe and asked, "Did you know?"
Cloe shook her head honestly, "I didn't know either."
Mr. Ex-Blind date also joined the love of his love saying, "Miss Xiang, please let my family off. My parents didn't even know that I'm dating Xinxin. Please don't punish my parents for my mistakes."
Raelle looked at him straight and asked, "It's not like I can't let this go..." The three pairs of eyes were eagerly looking at her. "But I wonder what are you all willing to do in return."
"Anything!" replied Mrs. Zhang. "No matter what you say, we are willing to do it."
Raelle looked at the middle-aged woman, "Mrs. Zhang, you have two options... Either you can keep your son or your business and status. Choose wisely. After all, someone who wasted my time and even insulted me before so many people, I can't just let him off. But you're not really guilty so I can think of letting you go. And I might even help you a little."
The middle-aged woman looked at her with a startled look before saying, "My husband put his blood and sweat into that business. We don't want a son who can't even protect his parent's self-respect."
"So, you want to throw away your son for status?" Seeing the middle-aged woman nod, Raelle sighed out, "You can leave now. I'll help you keep that status of yours."
The middle-aged woman shed more tears and bowed respectfully to Raelle, "Thank you! Thank you so much! You're indeed very considerate and just!"
"Mom!" Mr. Zhang ran after his mother who flung his hand off.
"Get lost! You wanted that cheap woman, keep her now!"
With that, his mother left him behind. Raelle's eyes had a strange light as she ended up shaking her head at this scene.
Raelle thought about it before offering but to the madwoman called Xinxin this time. "What if I ask you to leave him?" Xinxin's eyes widened. "If you leave the love of your life, I'm willing to help you out as well. Only you!"
Xinxin didn't even think before agreeing, "I agree! Please, save me!"
Raelle gave her a mocking smile, "Didn't you talk about your love and sacrifices? Or something about your great love? Are you really willing to leave this oh-so-great love just for the sake of saving your own self?"
Xinxin didn't even feel embarrassed as she answered, "I have done enough sacrifices. And I've heard enough insults from his parents for being just a white-collar worker. They want to bring a princess for their precious son, they can do so. I've had enough of this family! Now, I just want to save myself. Every man's for themselves."
Raelle's brows lifted slightly before she shook her head, "That love of yours is sure very cheap, eh?" Xinxin was stunned. Raelle laughed at her but her laughter was just as artful as she was herself. "There is a lesson my grandfather taught me, 'Not do, not die.' Do you know what it means?" Xinxin was silent and Raelle went on, "You must have forgotten your literature lessons. But no worries, I'm here to refresh your memory. It means, If you don't do stupid things, you won't end up in tragedy!"
Her point was clear, she wouldn't be here if she hadn't been jealous, impulsive and so full of her love!
Xinxin's heart thumped violently as Raelle opened the door of her car and slid inside saying to Cloe, "Don't ever let me see the face of such cheap people again!"
Cloe nodded her head with a complicated look before she also got into the car and they drove away. She was quiet for a minute before she finally asked, "Chief, what was that?"
"What?" asked Raelle.
"Why would you waste so much time on them? That's so not like you who cherishes her time like gold." This had been bugging her. It was really not Raelle's style to waste her time and so many words on such insignificant people.
Raelle looked out the window and smiled, "I was just seeing how shoddy this love really can be. People swear on the sacredness of this love and yet, they don't even hesitate before throwing it away. A mother left her child for money and a lover didn't hesitate to leave her love to save her life. Doesn't this make love very tragic?"
Cloe had no way to refute those words. She saw it with her own eyes. Whenever such things happened, it made it very difficult for her to keep preaching about love. Just as it was mentioned, whether her colors rubbed off on Raelle or not, Raelle's beliefs had started to rub off on her. Even she began to question love now.
Was it this easy for people to throw away their love for something else?
People said Raelle Xiang lacked nothing in life. She not only looked like a princess, she grew up as one as well. Indeed her life evoked jealousy in people. But someone like Cloe who had spent the last 6 years with her knew one thing; Raelle Xiang's life was full but she was empty herself. One look and she could see that emptiness in Raelle's eyes that scared her.
And this girl who was void of emotions loved to test other's emotions at every chance she got. But it seemed people emotion's had only disappointed her in life. Perhaps, that's why she was so against the idea of even understanding these emotions.