"Nothing! He just started crying by himself!"
Jinhai's expression turned even further severe. "Why is his cheek red?"
"I-I just pinched his cheek!" Huian sniffled, her own eyes filled with tears. "Everyone do that…!"
Jinhai gritted his teeth. "Does everyone pinch it so hard that the baby starts to cry? Jing was fine when I left him, but just two minutes with you, and you hurt him?"
"I don't hurt him! H-How will I know if the baby is so delicate!"
"Delicate?" His voice dropped cold. "You didn't even understand how far not to go?"
Before she knew it, he pinched Huian's cheek, long and hard, pressing her skin a little tighter than she could bear.
"Hurts! Hurts!" A fresh wave of tears spilled from her eyes. "Jinhai…"
"Why is it hurting? This much should be fine, right? You are crying all by yourself for no reason."
Pain throbbed in her left cheek and her cries turned into a meltdown.
"It hurts Jinhaiiiii…"
Jinhai let it go but his expression was far from cordial. "Leave. I don't want to play anymore."
"What happened here?" Chunhua came rushing in.
She was left totally confused. Watching Jing cry, she picked him up first, cradling him in her arms.
"Baaaaaaaaa…" Jing's small face was completely covered in tears.
"Aiyaa, why is my handsome Jing crying? Look, Mama is here!" She tried to cheer him up when she noticed his slightly reddened cheek.
Her eyes widened. "What happened to your cheek! And why is Huian crying too?"
"I…I…" Huian trembled, her fingers curling her dress in her fists. More than her aching face, the terror of her knowing how she bullied Jing gripped her heart.
"Jing began to cry, so she started crying too. I think he was too loud. He startled her," Jinhai said with a lack of expression.
"Oh," Chunhua bent towards her and patted her head. "I am so sorry dear. Jing must have startled you, didn't he? Babies cry at unexpected times. I am sorry. You don't have to feel afraid."
She then looked at Jinhai. "What happened to his cheek though? Why is it red?"
"I was playing with Jing and I…pinched his cheek a little too hard," he lowered his head, guilt clear as day in his eyes.
Chunhua blinked twice. "Really?"
He pursed his lips. "I am sorry, Mom."
She glanced once at Huian, noticing a faint redness creep upon her cheek. It wasn't as evident as Jing's swelling, nevertheless, it was there.
She ruffled his hair and smiled. "It's okay, dear. Sometimes, it's hard to understand how much strength is too strong for them."
"...Will he be okay?" Worry marred his face.
"Of course. I will apply something slightly colder on his cheek, and the redness will settle down in a while."
She then patted Huian's head next. "Huian, I baked some chocolate chip cookies. Do you want to have some? You like cookies, right?"
Little Huian wasn't able to find her voice this entire time. With a pale countenance, her gaze darted towards Jinhai. He wasn't looking at her, but the chill across his eyes and face was distinct beyond any reasonable doubt.
"Th…Thank you, Aunt, b-but I will go! I-I have to do my homework!"
"Oh. No worries. Still, take a cookie or two with you. You can eat it on the way, hehe."
She nodded her head as tears brimmed her eyes again and she quickly left.
Chunhua sighed. With Jing against her chest, now finally settled down with the wails, she plopped herself on bed. She held Jinhai's arm and tugged him closer to her.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
Jinhai's gaze was fixed at her lap, his eyes unblinking. "I am sorry, Mom."
"Besides that."
He shook his head.
"Really? Nothing else?"
"No."
She saw him tightly clutching Snow White's storybook in his left hand.
She smiled. "I see you brought a story book with you. Shall I read it for you two?"
He pressed it against his waist. "...Maybe later. I have homework to do."
"Didn't you already complete it?"
"I forgot my English homework."
He then slid the storybook across the mattress. "You should read it to Jing."
Then he ran away at lightning speed.
Chunhua released another sigh. Baby Jing tilted his head with a questioning look at his mother, while smacking his soft palms across her chin.
"Baaaaa…"
Chunhua tickled his neck, making him giggle.
"Like father, like son."
—
Hai stared at Jing, nestled in his mother's arms. Everyone was seated at the dining table, waiting for Hai to join them for dinner.
"What happened to his face? Did something bite him?"
Jinhai stiffened. His trembling palms clutched his knees, and his breaths quickened. He exhaled another breath to steel his courage.
"Yes, something bit him," Chunhua intervened before he got to speak. "His face turned a little red, but he is fine now."
Hai's gaze alternated between the mother-son duo.
"Jinhai. What happened?"
He sat straight.
Chunhua eyed Jinhai, faintly anxious but keeping it well hidden. "Like I said-"
The temperature dropped sharply when Hai raised his palm, commanding complete silence.
"I am asking Jinhai."
Liu Liyan blinked. "What's wrong?"
"That's what I want to know. Jinhai. I won't ask again."
Panic now set in Chunhua, but Hai wasn't in the mood to listen.
Jinhai swallowed a gulp and said, "I was playing with Jing and…pinched his cheek a little harder than I thought would be okay…"
Without a warning, the well-lit living room turned dark for Hai. Pitch-black like a void. Only Jinhai stood before him, his head lowered.
"I am sorry, Dad. I won't do it again. I didn't know…"
A tall shadow morphed behind him, its white teeth the only thing glowing ominously in that barren space.
"My name is not your salvation, Hai."
The light in his eyes began to fade. Drops of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
"He is just like me, Hai. Your son is just like me. Don't be mad at him. He was just playing with his brother."
The shadow's chuckle felt as piercing as ever. "Like how I used to play with my little brother. Remember? Those were such fun memories."
The shadow's fingers slowly crept upon little Jinhai's shoulders from behind him, squeezing them with a wide smile.
"He is just like me, Hai," the eerie chuckles turned into laughter. "Your son is just like me. Look down, Hai."
Hai looked down. The gritty shackles remained locked to his feet akin to jaws pounding on his flesh.
"Where do you see yourself free, Hai?"
It became laborious to breathe.
"Now kill him, Hai. Because that's what gives you freedom, doesn't it? You think death makes you free."
The shadowy fingers wrapped around Jinhai's neck.
"Kill him, Hai. The name Liu Jinhai will never be your salvation."
Hai grabbed Jinhai's shoulders, almost crushing them in its grip.
"Why did you hurt Jing?"
'Because it's fun,' the shadow's voice echoed.
"You thought it was fun?"
'Yes.'
"But he is so small…and defenseless."
'That's where the fun is, Dad.'
"Why did you do it?"
'Because I am the older brother, Dad. I can do anything I want.'
"NO, YOU CAN'T!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM, NOT HURT HIM!"
'Why are you getting so serious, Dad? It's only playing around~'
The last trace of light in his eyes, if any, vanished in that moment. His heartbeats quickened and he felt himself spiralling down a hole deeper than any void in the world.
The dark void then, all of a sudden, shattered violently as light flooded back to his senses and with a pain that pierced through his cheek left, right and center. The realization slapped him awake that his gaze was now glued to the floor.
"How dare you raise your hand against Jinhai!!?"
He turned slowly, almost with a drudging pace and found his mother gnashing her jaw with utter rage and vehemence. Behind her stood Jinhai, watching his father with an ashen face and trembling body as Chunhua held him. Jing's cries simultaneously barged into his eardrums loud and clear. It was then that he finally caught his own hand in the air, as if about to throw a slap.
"It was Huian who did it!! It was just a misunderstanding between the kids, so snap the hell out of it!! If you dare hurt my grandson, I will kick you out of the house without a second thought!" Liu Liyan roared.
