Hard choice (Dark clouds before sunny weather - Book 2)

Chapter 21

Mo Xuanyu was trying not to look back as he put on his shoes and exited his teacher's house for what he knew would be the last time. His aunt and uncle were coming back this evening and he was going home. All the nice things he had experienced over the last week were almost making him cry. It was for sure that his family would not allow him to come back here, ever. What awaited him were once again strict discipline and a whole mountain of house chores.

He had realized long ago that he did not want to go home, not after this wonderful week filled with things he had done for the first and probably also last time in his life. He wanted to spend more time sitting at a table with a family, even if that family was not his own, he wanted to play with A-Yuan and A-Yi, he wanted to eat ice cream again and go run in a park and swing on swings. And most importantly, he longed for his teacher's gentle praises and encouragement and for A-Yuan to hold his hand at night to keep the bad dreams and memories at bay.

But no, he had to leave this place and go back home. He could not impose on his teacher so much, at least he would still be able to see him and A-Yuan at school. Mo Xuanyu did not want to hope for more, but those feelings of want and longing were just too strong. He wished for his teacher and A-Yuan, and also his other friends at school, to behave the same around him even after today.

Right now, he would give everything to keep them at his side after he would start – no, it would not be a start, Mo Xuanyu reprimanded himself, he was just going back home, he should not confuse the two, his teacher's house was not his home – living with his family. He would have to quickly remember how he should act so he would be a good boy for them as well. Perhaps he had just been doing things wrongly until now and they would not be so strict with him when he would cook for them one of the delicious dishes his teacher showed him how to make?

Mo Xuanyu was walking out of the door with determination. He did not want to look back; it would just seem like he was being greedy. No, he had to walk away with his head held high and not trouble his teacher's family anymore. Or they would not want to talk to him ever again, not even at school where his aunt, uncle and cousin could not see.

"A-Yu, what do you have in your bag?" a question suddenly made him stop.

It was his teacher's husband who asked him. Mo Xuanyu looked back after all. It would not be polite to ignore the adult. He could not understand the question in the slightest. Was it not clear? Since he was going home after the school would be finished today, he had to have all his things with him. He made sure to neatly arrange everything his teacher had provided to him and only took what he had initially brought from his house. It could not be that he was supposed to leave also these things here? He would have nothing to wear anymore, he only had so many pieces of clothing.

His teacher's husband had nothing to scold him for, Mo Xuanyu made sure of that at the very least. He had even folded all the clothes and put them in one nicely arranged pile. And what was even more confusing actually, was that the adult's voice was not scolding at all. It was in reality sounding as kind as ever, and even a little sad perhaps. Mo Xuanyu was truly lost about what he had done wrong.

However, he wanted to do the right thing and be a good boy, so he diligently replied anyway: "My things."

What if his teacher's husband would now ask for a repayment of their kindness? Mo Xuanyu had nothing to give back, just his meagre belongings. A dark thought crossed his mind and he immediately scolded himself for it. His teacher's family was not like that, during the whole week, they never asked him for anything and when he went to cook for them or clean around the house, they even stopped him. Why would they want unfitting and often

his torn-up clothes or the study materials provided by the school?

Mo Xuanyu looked up at the adult, trying to see him better and understand the reason for the question. He heard hurried steps from behind him and suddenly his teacher was kneeling in front of him, holding his hands and looking all serious.

"A-Yu, perhaps we have not explained enough. And I am sorry for that, I really am. But you are misunderstanding. We are not sending you back to your aunt and uncle, not today and not ever. You deserve to live in a better family, one which would love you and not just exploit you and punish you without a reason. Actually, we should have probably explained earlier..."

His teacher's voice disappeared into nothingness with his last words. Mo Xuanyu was staring at him, not understanding anything anymore. If they were not sending him back home, where was he supposed to go this evening? If he would lose even his garden shack, where would he sleep? And who would give him food? It was not like he could survive when left completely on his own.

Tears started gathering in his eyes. Was his teacher truly telling him that he had nowhere to go now? Or was Mo Xuanyu misunderstanding something? After such a wonderful week, it could not be that even his aunt and uncle did not want to take care of him anymore? They had always told him that no one aside for them would ever want to have him. He had refused to believe them until now, but perhaps, could it be they had actually been right?

At this point, Mo Xuanyu could no longer keep his tears from falling. He suddenly felt extremely sad and alone and he started wailing. He was not considering the circumstances anymore, neither the fact that like this, he was actually inconveniencing his teacher more, ruining thus even the slightest of chances that the adult could help him in some way.

He was terrified of the future as never before. He had been scared in the past, true, but not like this. He had feared his family getting mad at him, but he had not been this afraid of their threats that they would abandon him to his own devices. Until now. What should he do if his aunt and uncle had told his teacher they did not want him taking up space in their house anymore?

Mo Xuanyu wanted to go home and beg them to take him back. He would be good from now on, he would do whatever they told him, just so he would be able to have a roof above his head and a meal every once in a while. His one week with his teacher's family was over, he did not know what to do and what would happen to him from now on. He could only stand there, half the way between the car and the main door, and continue crying his heart out.