Chapter 45: The Mute

“Wuwuwu——!”

The sound grew louder, carrying anger, grievance, and everything bottled up inside all these years.

Shen Nian and that woman were both stunned.

That woman leaned in to glance toward the living room, spotting Su Yutao curled up on the sofa—that mute little girl, clutching a tattered penguin, mouth open, making indistinct “wuwu” sounds. Her face was beet-red, tears unable to fall, her whole body trembling.

That woman stared at Su Yutao for two seconds.

Then she smiled.

It wasn’t a happy smile. It was the smile of someone who’d found a weak spot, someone who knew exactly how to wound.

She tilted her head, her voice sharp and slow:

“Oh——so you’re a mute?”

Su Yutao’s “wuwu” sounds stopped.

The woman continued, “And blind too? Tsk tsk tsk…”

Her voice dripped with a disgusting pity, like she was looking at something worthless.

“No wonder. Blind and mute, can’t even speak a single human word. What’s with all the wuwuing? Even a dog’s bark sounds better than you.”

Su Yutao’s hands began to tremble. Qiansui whispered urgently in her ear, “Don’t listen to her! She’s lying!”

But Su Yutao couldn’t hear.

She only heard those two words—”mute.”

It wasn’t the first time she’d been called that.

Back in the orphanage, without parents, she was called “bastard.”

Later, when she got into university and worked three jobs, she was called “working girl.”

Now, having transmigrated, blind and mute, she was called “mute.”

Called “blind.”

Called “little beggar.”

She opened her mouth, wanting to speak.

Wanting to say she wasn’t a mute.

Wanting to say she just couldn’t talk.

Wanting to say she could hear, could feel, could hurt, could cry—even if no tears came out.

But she couldn’t.

All that came out were “wuwu” sounds, like an animal.

That woman watched her, laughing even harder. “Aiyo, still wuwuing? What are you saying? Who can understand you? A mute is a mute, can’t even curse.”

Su Yutao’s tears finally fell.

Not from her eyes—from her heart.

Her whole body shook: hands, body, throat emitting broken “wu, wu” sounds, like an animal with its neck twisted.

Shen Nian’s face went completely dark.

She stepped forward in one move, blocking Su Yutao, her voice cold as ice: “You motherfucker, say that again.”

That woman, startled by Shen Nian’s gaze, stepped back. “Wh-what did I say? She can’t talk herself, and I’m not allowed to mention it?”

Shen Nian stared at her, enunciating each word: “You old bastard, get the hell out of here right now. If you don’t, I’ll show you what ‘can’t talk’ really means.”

The woman’s lips quivered a few times, as if to say something else, but Shen Nian stepped forward, and she turned and fled in fright.

The sound of her high heels on the stairs was hurried and chaotic, with a stumble in between, a curse, and then silence.

The apartment door slammed shut with a bang.

The room fell quiet.

Su Yutao curled up on the sofa, trembling all over.

Her mouth was still open, still making those “wu, wu” sounds, intermittent, like a broken recording.

Qiansui called her name in her ear: “Su Yutao? Su Yutao!” She couldn’t hear.

She only heard those two words spinning in her mind—”mute,” “mute,” “mute.”

Shen Nian sat down beside her, pulling her into an embrace. “Alright, ignore her. People like that aren’t worth getting angry over.”

Su Yutao didn’t hear.

She just hugged Qiansui, burying her face in the plush fur, curling into a ball.

Qiansui whispered urgently in her ear, “You’re not mute! You can talk! You just can’t speak right now! You can hear, you can hear everything! You’re not a mute!”

Still, Su Yutao didn’t hear.

She only heard those two words—”mute.”

Back in the orphanage, she wasn’t mute.

She could speak, could shout, could cry. Now she couldn’t.

She couldn’t even curse.

Couldn’t even say “get lost.”

All she could do was “wuwu,” like an animal.

Qiansui trembled in her arms. “Don’t be like this… don’t listen to her… you still have me… you still have ten minutes…” Su Yutao held Qiansui tighter.

She had ten minutes.

Ten minutes a day without pain.

But no one could give her ten minutes without being scolded.

Ten minutes of not being mute.

Ten minutes of not being blind.

Shen Nian looked at her, sighed, pulled a blanket over her, and covered her.

Then she took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts, found Lin Qingxue’s number, and sent a message: “Your little mute, ah well, Xiaotao’s in a bad mood today. Keep an eye on her when you get back tonight.”

After sending it, she tossed the phone aside, leaned back on the sofa, and watched Su Yutao, still curled up.

Su Yutao held Qiansui, face buried in the fur.

Qiansui whispered softly in her ear: “Don’t be afraid… I’m here… you still have me…”

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui tighter.

Tears couldn’t fall, but her heart trembled.

A long time passed.

“Wu, wu” sounds gradually faded.

They turned into intermittent gasps.

Then into silence.

Only her body still shook.

Shen Nian hadn’t left the whole time. She just leaned on the sofa, occasionally scrolling her phone, occasionally glancing at her.

Qiansui didn’t speak anymore either, just quietly stayed in her arms, letting her hold on.

No one knew how long passed.

Maybe half an hour, maybe longer.

Su Yutao’s trembling finally stopped.

She lifted her face from Qiansui’s fur, turning toward Shen Nian.

Shen Nian noticed and looked down at her. “Better?”

Su Yutao nodded.

Shen Nian looked at her pale little face, red-rimmed eyes, and the teeth marks on her lips from biting herself.

She sighed. “You, why get angry over someone like that? She was just picking a fight. The more you react, the more she’ll go on.”

Su Yutao didn’t respond.

Shen Nian continued, “Alright, the food’s cold. I’ll heat it up for you.”

She stood up, took the lunchbox, and headed to the kitchen.

The sound of the microwave hummed.

Buzz buzz.

Su Yutao curled up on the sofa, holding Qiansui.

Qiansui whispered in her ear, “You scared me just now… I thought you were going to…” It didn’t finish.

Su Yutao knew what it meant.

Thought she was going to do what she did that night—dig at her throat, dig at her eyes.

She didn’t.

She was just angry.

Just aggrieved.

Just suffocating.

Qiansui whispered, “You’re not mute. You just can’t talk right now. Later… when the main storyline is complete… maybe it’ll be better…”

Su Yutao didn’t answer.

She didn’t know if it would get better.

She only knew that right now she was mute.

Blind.

A little beggar.

A dog raised by that person.

The microwave dinged.

Shen Nian came out with the lunchbox, sat down beside her, opened the lid, and put a spoon in her hand. “Eat up, it’s still warm.”

Su Yutao held the spoon but didn’t move.

Shen Nian sighed again. “You can’t go without eating. Come on, let me feed you.”

She took the spoon, scooped up a bit of rice, and brought it to Su Yutao’s lips.

Su Yutao opened her mouth. Chewed. Swallowed.

Shen Nian scooped another spoonful.

Su Yutao ate slowly.

Qiansui whispered in her ear, softly describing the colors of the dishes—the glistening oil of the braised pork, the vibrant green of the vegetables.

Her voice was gentle, as if afraid to startle her.

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