Before leaving, Number One asked Herta a question:
"Leave, or stay?"
Herta glanced back at Chu Mu, who sat on the sofa with his head lowered in silence, then looked at Number One and shook her head.
"I choose to stay."
"Are you sure?" Number One stared into Herta's eyes. "This is your chance to get out. You'd better think it through."
Herta simply asked a question of her own:
"Once the child is born, you'll let us go, won't you?"
Number One paused for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Herta said:
"Then there's nothing to think about. I still choose to stay."
Number One spoke earnestly to Herta:
"Even after he treated you like that, you're still willing to stay? It seems I've misunderstood a great deal about you."
Herta shook her head, looked at Chu Mu, and said softly:
"The one you've misunderstood most isn't me. It's him."
Number One glanced at Chu Mu. He was still sitting there quietly, without a word.
Instinctively, Number One wanted to say something, but she chose to keep her mouth shut.
Only when she turned and stepped one foot through the doorway did she say coldly:
"Treat her better."
The armed security personnel filed out, and the door closed.
Herta stood by the door, listening as their footsteps receded until they faded away.
Reassured, she turned to look at Chu Mu, who sat silently on the sofa.
The blood on the floor had been cleaned up. With the carpet replaced, not a trace remained.
Yet not long ago, a life had ended here.
Since then, Chu Mu hadn't spoken a single word.
Herta came over to Chu Mu, bent down, and whispered:
"Did you know him?"
Chu Mu slowly shook his head.
"Then have you remembered anything?" Herta asked.
Chu Mu