Chapter 8 - The Diamond Necklace
Chapter 8 – The Diamond Necklace
The beautiful necklace in the jeweler's hands shined as he checked if it was made from real diamonds or not. The diamonds were real to his shock. He put it on the table carefully as if it was made of glass. The necklace made a clink sound increasing his nervousness. Then he looked at the girl in front of him.
"Girl, tell me the truth. From where did you get this necklace?"
The town was small. He knew that the girl was from Mo family. The whole town knew that the elder son of the Mo family has not returned for years. His wife was taking care of two children alone. He could have understood if she had come to borrow some money. Therefore when he saw a diamond necklace with her, he thought that she had stolen it from somewhere. Even though the girl looked very young innocent, no one can say anything from her face only.
Mo Roulan looked nonchalantly at the jeweler who was scrutinizing her. She very calmly took out a piece of paper from the pocket of her pants.
"Here, I have the bill. The necklace belongs to my mother."
The jeweler took the paper from Mo Roulan in his chubby hands and looked at it seriously. As the girl said, the necklace was really bought under the name of Mo Roulan's mother, Lin Qianru.
"Still, Girl I can't give you money and take this necklace in absence of your mother."
As soon as his words finished, he saw the girl lowering her head. A few seconds after, a sniff followed. Although in the beginning, Mo Roulan was only trying to pretend, but when she thought of the consequences of not getting any money from the necklace, her eyes reddened themselves and tears started to come out. It was her last resort.
The jeweler got flustered by her sudden tears. He had never dealt with any child. When he saw fat tears rolled down her cheeks, he thought that there must be something wrong.
Why would a young girl come to sell this expensive necklace suddenly?
"Girl, there is no need to cry Ah? Are you facing any problem? Tell your uncle! Uncle will try to help you."
Mo Roulan raised her head and looked at the jeweler with red and swollen eyes.
"Uncle, my mother is in too much pain since yesterday. She needed to get operate on immediately. But I don't have any money to admit her to the hospital. Uncle please help me and give me some money in exchange for this necklace. You can keep it for time being, when I have money to give you back, I will take back this necklace."
It felt strange to call him uncle because, in Mo Roulan's mind, she was already an adult.
The jeweler cursed himself for doubting such an innocent and young girl. He felt pity for her and hurriedly took out the money and a document that need to be signed. Looking at the neat signature of the girl, the jeweler thought that she must be an intelligent child and his belief in her words grew more. Anyways, the necklace belonged to Lin Qianru and her daughter herself came to pawn it. He was just doing his own work right?
Mo Roulan came out of the shop with the money. Now she had enough money to treat her mother. She went to her home as fast as she could. Going to her mother's room, she saw that her mother was conscious but her eyebrows were still knitted in pain. She was sitting on the bed with her back supporting the pillow. Mo Chen was filling water in the glass perhaps for her mother.
How long has it been since she saw her last?
When her mother's gaze fell on her, she had a sudden urge to hide somewhere away. In her last life, when she came back, her mother was already taking her last breath. Her last words to her were ' Take care of Little Chen'. But what did she do?
"Roulan, come inside. Where were you?"
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she stepped inside and sat by her mother's side.
Lin Qianru was the most beautiful woman in the town. Many women envy her and many gloated at her misfortune when her husband didn't return after many years. At the end of the day, only the beauty could not bind anyone, they said.
Even now her face was sickly pale but her features made her look no less beautiful.
Taking her mother's hand in her hand, she felt the calluses on it. Her mother's hands used to be so smooth and fair. She kissed them and in her heart, she apologized for her all her stupidities in her past life.
"Mother, Can you walk a few steps? I have called the cab. We are going to City Hospital."
Lin Qianru looked at her daughter who seemed somewhat different. When she registered her words in her mind, she looked surprised.
"What hospital? Why did you call the cab? We don't have any money."
"I have money. Let's go to the hospital now."
"From where did you get the money?"
At this question, Mo Roulan hesitated to answer. She glanced at Mo Chen and asked her to go outside. Little Mo Chen obediently went outside.
"I pawned that diamond necklace."
Lin Qianru was shocked and her whole body froze.
"What necklace? The diamond necklace in my closet? How did you know about it? Where did you sell it? Tell me."
She got up from the bed forgetting all her pain and looked ready to bring back the necklace. But Mo Roulan held her arm to stop her and said gently.
"Mother, I didn't sell that necklace. I just pawned it. We can get it back later. Now we should go to the hospital. You need to get operate as soon as possible."
But Lin Qianru removed her hand from her arm and insisted.
"No. Roulan, you should not have taken that necklace. Mother is fine. I will be fine after resting for a few days. "
Mo Roulan felt a sudden rush of anger at her mother's words.
"Does that necklace matters more than your life? Don't lie to me. I know that you are very ill. You… Mother Have you ever imagined if something happens to you, what would I and little Chen do? Where would we go? Who would care for us? Is that necklace more important to you than me and little Chen?"
More and more anger poured out through her every word. In her last life, she never knew about the diamond necklace. If she knew then she would never have gone in her neighborhood to ask for money. She would never have been kidnapped. She would never have met He Jian. She would never have fallen in love with her destruction.
She still tried to be reasonable thinking that her mother was not at fault. She was very simple-minded so Mo Roulan tried to make her understand patiently.
"Mother, you think that necklace will remain hidden forever. Second Aunt already knew about it. "
Seeing her mother shocked and pale face, Mo Roulan lied more confidently.
"Yes! She came a month ago and searched your closet for money. She saw the necklace at that time but I said that it was not a real but artificial necklace. She still seemed suspicious. Tell me mother, If anything happens to you, do you think I would be able to fight for that necklace with Second Aunt?"
This was exactly what had happened in her past life. Her mother's necklace was taken by her second Aunt after Lin Qianru's death. She and Mo Chen were sent to the orphanage without any penny. After that, she never saw a moment of relief in her life until he entered.
She only found out at the last moment of her past life, that his appearance only brought her more pain. Her love for him had become so poisonous to her that she embraced the death with a smile.