Chapter 2 Time To Let Go

The small room was as silent as a grave.

Yolanda took a deep breath. When she saw her mother's weak back, her heart ached. She wanted to talk to her and comfort her, but couldn't say anything.

She curled up on the sofa and thought about how she could get enough money to pay the rent.

"Yolanda, come, let's have dinner!" Charlene called out with a gentle smile.

"All right! Mom, do you think that I was being too impulsive?" Yolanda asked, staring at her mom with a trace of guilt in her eyes.

"No, you weren't. I'm the one to be blamed, I'm useless," Charlene replied, her eyes shimmering with tears. All their troubles had caused her skin to wrinkle, making her look much older and weaker than she really was.

She was tortured by her illness, and it was taking its toll on her body.

"Mom, please, don't say such things. I will somehow pay the rent before midnight!" Yolanda assured. She was not too stressed out about it. In fact, she gave a bright smile and pretended to be relaxed. "Do you remember? Jenifer owes me the two thousand dollars that I lent her when she wanted to replenish her stock."

"Are you serious?" Charlene couldn't help but ask in doubt.

"Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, I'll call Jennifer now," Yolanda replied as she reached for her phone and dialed Jennifer's number.

Charlene rushed to Yolanda, stopping her, and said awkwardly, "Don't call her, I believe you. Besides, Jennifer has just opened her clothing store. It won't be very nice to ask her for money now."

"Mom, she's my best friend. Moreover, her business has been doing really well, so she would obviously have plenty of money in hand right now." In order to get rid of her mother's worries, Yolanda told a series of lies. However, she was scared that Charlene might sense something suspicious if she lied too much, so she said, "If Jennifer is having trouble making profits, I'll only ask her for the money we owe for our rent."

"That's much better," Charlene said with a smile. She then lowered her head and ate the food in her bowl. She hesitated for a moment before she added, "Yolanda, you can actually⁠-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Yolanda interrupted and said, "Mom, I have to finish my dinner soon, or I'll be late. Anyway, I need to tell you that I don't have the key, so please don't go anywhere."

She was worried that in her absence, her mother would go to Simon again and beg him, asking for more time to pay the rent. That was why she deliberately left the key home and asked her mother to stay home until she returned.

"Be careful on the bus," Charlene said to her, waving goodbye. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. She just stood at the door and anxiously watched Yolanda leave.

It was a hot summer's day and the scorching sun put Yolanda in a bad mood. After only walking a few steps from her home, she was soaked with sweat. When she finally arrived at the bus stop, she grabbed a tissue from her pocket and wiped her face with it. She then took out a few coins from her purse to buy a ticket with.

It was the weekend, so a lot of people preferred to travel by bus. Moreover, they lived in a busy area where many people worked. The bus stop was very tightly packed, making it almost impossible to wait there.

"Why are so many people taking a bus on the weekend? It's so crowded. I was supposed to be having dinner with my boyfriend almost an hour ago, but I'm still stuck here," a girl with a soft voice complained to her friend.

"Stop complaining! Your boyfriend loves you so much. He's been busy with work, that's why you're taking a bus now. Unlike you, I take the bus every day!" her friend argued.

"Well that's your fault. You should have found someone as loving as my boyfriend! Although Thomas may not be the most handsome man, at least he knows how to treat a lady," the girl said. She had stopped complaining and started to praise her boyfriend instead.

"Oh please! Can you at least speak with conscience? Isn't Thomas Wen relying on his dad for money? You need to watch out, girl! I've heard rumors that he's a playboy. If he gets bored of you, he might..."

Thomas Wen? Yolanda felt her heart leap to her throat when she heard that name. She immediately turned to see who those girls were.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Jessica? Are you jealous of me?" The girl's swearing didn't match her pink dress. She was pretty, but her youth was concealed behind a thick layer of make-up. She seemed to be going for a more mature appearance.

"I don't mean that. I wish you well." The girl named Jessica Ge lowered her voice and began to flatter her with a smile. "Okay, okay, okay. Your Thomas Wen is the best. He has a good family background, he's good at sports, and he's also good at pleasing girls. He is the ideal boyfriend in every girl's heart!"

Her words worked. The girl with heavy make-up smiled happily and said, "Of course, his father owns the Wen Group. Who wouldn't want to marry a rich man like him?"

"That's true, but my heart already belongs to someone else."

"Of course, or how can we be good friends?" The girl with heavy make-up stopped laughing and said seriously, "But I heard from Thomas that the man you like was once his sister's boyfriend. At that time, they were such a sweet couple that they were envied by everyone in C University. Then they broke up inexplicably. Have you heard of it?"

Jessica Ge was stunned. She shook her head and said, "I met Kevin Lin abroad last year. After returning home, I inquired about his past..."

Kevin Lin! The name sounded in Yolanda's ears like thunder, awakening the long-hidden memories that she had buried at the bottom of her heart.

"Well, I advise you to give up on him. Unrequited love is no longer a trend, you know?"

"Don't be so superficial. I heard that the reason why Kevin Lin broke up with his ex-girlfriend was because she was willful and rude. I am gentle and quiet, so I'm the type he likes." Jessica Ge smiled shyly, but her tone was full of confidence.

"Quiet? Why don't I see it?" The other girl didn't agree at all. "Anyway, although I haven't seen Thomas' sister before, I heard that she's very beautiful. At that time, the number of boys who chased her in school was not less than the number of girls who admired your prince charming, Kevin Lin. As for why they broke up, he didn't tell me. Besides, he specifically warned me not to ask more about his family. So as a good girlfriend, I didn't ask!"

"Kristal Feng, I'm so unlucky to have such a bad friend like you! Just wait and see. When I become Kevin's girlfriend, you won't be able to laugh at me!" Jessica Ge was so angry that she stamped her feet. But when she saw the bus coming, she said, "The bus is here. Let's talk after getting in."

After the two women's voices disappeared, Yolanda snapped out of her thoughts and smiled bitterly. Her eyes were moist with unfallen tears. The name that she hadn't heard for a long time had managed to shake her calm heart.

She thought she had almost forgotten him, but as soon as she heard his name, her longing for him surged into her heart like a flood, drowning her into nothingness.

"Miss, if you're not getting on the bus, don't block the way!" A fierce voice rang in her ears.

"Uh..." Yolanda was no longer in a trance. She quickly climbed onto the bus and bought a ticket. Then, she found a seat near the window and sat down, looking at the passing scenery with a melancholy expression on her face. She continued to be lost in her thoughts. The world around her seemed to go silent.

"Kevin, my parents got a divorce. I have no home. You are the only one I have now..."

"Listen up, Yolanda. I'm going to study abroad soon. I'm not in the mood to be in love with you anymore. Let's end it today!"

Those cruel words had crashed upon Yolanda like endless curses. Every time she thought of them, her heart was filled with pain.

After getting off the bus, she shook her head heavily and took a long breath. She thought to herself, 'It's been two years. It's time to let it go, Yolanda.'