I've Been There Before

Mrs. James stopped a taxi. The driver asked her where she was going. The people here were friendly and hospitable. Picky as Mrs. James was, she was not in the mood to judge the driver’s substandard Mandarin at this moment.

Just as she was about to answer the driver’s question, her cell phone rang. She nervously picked it up and stared at the caller’s name on the screen for a long time.

She hesitated. If she did not answer, she could still stall for a while. Once she answered, she could no longer refuse.

The long ringing of the phone finally stopped. Before Mrs. James could breathe a sigh of relief, the demonic ringing of the phone started again.

Helplessly, she pressed the connect button and said, “Payne.”

“Mom, did you get off the plane?”

Payne asked anxiously from the other end of the phone, “Mom, go to find Grace directly. She is at a homestay called ‘Memory Inn’. I’ve told you before.”

Payne kept urging Mrs. James to look for Grace. He knew from WeChat that Grace was running a homestay called Memory Inn. A woman, who used to drink with Payne before, had recognized Grace in that picture in their WeChat group. She said that she probably had seen Grace’s photo on a forum.

Then, Payne followed the evidence and worked hard before finally getting the news of where Grace was staying.

He didn’t want to wait for death… Payne held his phone tightly and said to his mother in a hurry, “Mom, tell little Grace that her brother will die if she doesn’t save me.

Grace looks tough, but she is actually very soft-hearted. She definitely doesn’t to watch her own brother die.”

Mrs. James’s eyes turned even redder behind the sunglasses.

She felt extremely sad, and she choked with sobs as she said,

“Payne, I know. You should stay in hospital and take care of yourself. I will tell Grace about it. I’ll beg her to save your life.”

Mrs. James cut off the phone and spread herself out in the back seat, “Memory Inn. Go to Memory Inn.”

“The homestay?”

“Yes.”

the scenery was, it was impossible to touch her anymore. She felt extremely worried

on

saw the

moment, it

Mrs. James’s

wilderness at the sight confused

opened the window and pointed not far away. “There, Memory Inn.

of Memory Inn. Standing in front of the gate, she felt complicated. She wanted to turn away and leave several times, but when she

pushed open the door and walked

but calm voice, “Welcome--” The woman at the front desk raised her head. Gentleness of her face faded away as her eyes suddenly widened,

shocked the

“Little Grace…”

the same time that Mrs. James called out, the woman who was just leaning against the front desk suddenly turned around and left without saying a

to her like a gust of wind and reached out to grab Grace’s arm, “Little

her head… Little Grace?

is dead. Mrs. James, who are you talking to?!” Grace suddenly turned her head and stared at the middle-aged woman with her swollen eyes. She knew that she

calm anymore! She

I am your mother. Don’t call me Mrs. James.” Mrs. James broke down in tears. She could no

could hurt people because they were too cruel.

to laugh out loud. There was already a tearful Mrs.

stop crying. It’s useless…” she said

the first time I’ve called you Mrs. James. Naturally, it won’t be the

said calmly, “I don’t have a mother

extreme pain. The pain she felt was so intense that she finally realized

James’s constraint, Grace quickly turned

walked two meters away that Mrs. James suddenly regained her senses. She

Payne—your brother—he

moment, Grace felt like she was hallucinating. After hearing the bad news, she stood there