Shush & Marry Me

Victoria sat up in shock by the sound of thunder and saw a flash of lightning flashing through the gap of the curtains. Then, there was another sound of thunder and the rainstorm started pouring again. Even her dream refused to let her calm down.

She touched the phone next to her pillow to look at the time. It’s only four in the morning and she didn’t want to sleep anymore.

When she woke up, she felt pain all over her body, especially on her arms and palms. Something pricked her fingers when she’s moving the ladder. This pain reminded her of the hospital, the bloody scene, the ear-piercing noise, the wailing of the patients, and her panic.

“It’s enough! Don’t appear anymore!” Victoria buried her head in the blanket and tightly covering her ears. After losing her job, losing herself, losing Frank, what rights does she have to return to Jincheng? To return to that place that let her feel happy, terrified, and discontented?

Once a person is frustrated, even the hometown could cause a broken-heart.

At five o’clock in the morning, Victoria got of bed. She turned on the laptop and started working. Although her camera was lost, the photos remained. All of these photos were her all. The scenery of Tibetan areas, all the people and things that she encountered along the way, could somewhat calm her frustrated heart, when she recalled it.

The job as a photographer might be bizarre but it’s easy to get started with. There were a lot of professional and amateurs photographers in the circle and they also formed their own smaller circle.

Victoria edited the photo well and sent it to the magazine editor, Lisa, for the cultural edition of Geographical Magazine. Victoria had been contributing as an amateur there since college.

The editors of the magazines were very busy. As soon as Victoria’s email was sent, Lisa immediately pings her on QQ, “Vicky, since you turned into a freelance photographer, you’ve worked so hard? Are you getting up so early to work?”

Victoria had always used her pen name ‘Vicky’ as a contributor and editors were used to calling her this way.

Victoria typed, “Not as hardworking as you. Did you pull an all-nighter again?”

emoticon for her to imagine how she looked over there, “I don’t want to do it anymore! Being in a magazine

sent a grinning emoticon, “First of all, you have to own

so busy that I don’t have time to fall in love! A trustworthy man is clever! Money is still the best in this world, only money is the best. I really

want to shoot something different? Since you’re going back to Jincheng, why don’t you try the fashion circle? Our editor-in-chief said that your photos are very ingenious. Whether you take the picture of a person or an object, it was very special. If you can earn money and choose not to do it, you’re crazy. After you returned, I’ll introduce you to the editor of a fashion magazine. Use this chance to use someone powerful!”

She clearly knew that it’s a minefield but she still wanted to try and step

couldn’t she step inside? Was it because she

an hour's drive from Jincheng. She didn’t want to drive there, so she stuck herself in the hotel room and

again, this time it was her mother,

you,

When the phone was connected, her

Victoria was silent.

your card. You can go anywhere you want to calm your heart. It’s fine if you want to return to Jincheng, but don’t return to Tan’s

learning for so many years, Shirley’s tone was

when she finished hearing it. All her grievance and pain simultaneously broke out, “Why can’t I go back?! Why didn’t they avoid the awkwardness?! Mother, Frank is

even when she was yelled at and she said clearly, “Victoria, it’s difficult for your sister. She is in a wheelchair for her life because of you. Even when your third aunt didn’t say anything, she still hated it in her heart. You’ll have a better choice in the future, but your sister won’t. It’s rare to have such

and her whole body was trembling. Instead of crying, she laughed, “Her love and marriage? Mother, have you ever thought that there’s also a possibility that I only have one love in my life and can only meet Frank! I’ll give my legs to Ashley. I’ll be the one in the wheelchair and I’ll return everything that I owed her! Let Ashley return Frank to me! Give him back to

Victoria, when Frank got together with your sister, you’ve already broken up. Nobody wants your legs, nobody wants you to be in a wheelchair. You don’t understand my word, child. Your love is gone. Frank will be your brother-in-law. It’s useless for you to cry. Even if I love you as your mother, I can’t side with you.”

up the phone in a daze. She felt that the

witnessed those five years of her and Frank. The only person that she loved in five years wholeheartedly was gone. Her family, her mother, and everyone pointed at her to say

notification was received on her phone and a large sum of money was transferred to her account. Victoria smashed her phone fiercely, opened

third floor. She continuously drank another glass of wine but she wasn’t drunk and didn’t act crazy. She just drank pretentiously and ignored whoever came to strike a conversation with her.