Main Story Ch. 7-16 - If It’s the Grand Finale (假如是终曲) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Previously on Chapter 7-13... (read here)

Charlie have instead reacted uncharacteristically, pinching a macaroon in a hand, not even lifting his eyelids for a single bit. It's a completely different look from his usual arrogant look.

I settled my feelings down, and walked to his side, lowering my tone.

 You: Can you do me a favor?

Charlie: Let's go. I'll see which blind one that dared to bully my fiancée. 

This is probably the first time in my life that I've walked with such swag.

Of course, it isn't because I wanted to do so, it's just that I'm now being dragged by Charlie, and he strides in such large steps, so I can only catch up with him.

Seeing our return, the group of men threw glances among themselves and began smirking.

Young Boss Chen: Yo, you've actually found reinforcement? How would one person be enough?

Charlie: Are you the one who spoke badly of my fiancée? 

Young Boss Chen: Who are you?

Charlie: Someone out of your league.

Young Boss Chen: You-- Do you know who I am?

Charlie raised his eyelids and threw him a glance, and immediately turned into a frown, turning his head away.

Charlie: What kind of filth is this? It blinds me just by giving it another look.

Young Boss Chen: Do you know that once you're in Guangqi City, even the Golden Immortal* will have to show me respect?! I have no time to chit-chat with you, hurry up and pay for your fiancée's bills.

*T/N: Golden Immortal (大罗金仙) is one of the five deities of Taoism.

 A long bill is handed into Charlie's hand. I nervously observe his expressions.

Charlie: Only these?

You: ?

Charlie: Because of you guys making such a fuss, my fiancée couldn't have her best time here, so now my mood is also very terrible.

Charlie: Wine list.

Under my puzzled gaze, he placed the wine list into my hand.

Charlie: Place your order, order as much as you like, until you're satisfied.

You: ???

He wanted me to top up my order? What is he doing?

Charlie: Be a good girl and listen, it won't be a waste.

Since it's already at this point, although I don't have a clue on what he wanted to do, I can only follow what he says.

You: Uh, a glass of lemon coke, a glass of Baileys, a glass of--

Charlie: Can you order something expensive?

Charlie looked at me helplessly, and dragged his tone of speech.

Charlie: Forget it, I'll take everything on the wine list.

You: !?

The bartender made trips to us repetitively, and glasses of wines of different colors are continuously served until the entire table is full.

Charlie: How about we play a little game? For any glass you drink here, I'll pay double of the bill.

Young Boss Chen: Brat, you said it yourself, don't go back at your words!

He speaks as he lifted the glass of wine before him, before he could drink it, Charlie lifted his left hand, and after a clear snap, an evil smirk bloomed from his face.

Charlie: Let the party begin!

Clink-- The glasses suddenly exploded, with the vapor gushed into the air one after another. The tower of beer cans stacked not far away from us have collapsed, falling onto the grounds with sounds with clanging sounds, all sounding like a percussion with full of passion.

The group of people screamed as if they got burnt, and right on the next second, they all fell onto their knees one after another.

They wanted to stand in fear, but it seems like there are invisible hands in the air pressing them from above. No matter how hard they try, their knees are unable to leave the floor.

The overwhelming fear made them to roll on the floor, with tears and snot running all over them as they begged for mercy.

Charlie lightly threw the stack of bill onto the floor, Young Boss Chen crawled on his hands and legs, and held it up in realization.

Charlie: How's it? Does that relief your frustration?

Under the intense electronic music, Charlie squinted his eyes as he smiled towards me.

The sounds of the clock counting down to midnight echoes in the room, the originally blurry lights became bright and dazzling like the blooming fireworks. The vibrant lights are reflecting in his eyes.

It's so dazzling and eye-catching, yet his gaze is endlessly deep.

In a trance, I almost lost myself within that dazzle.

By the time I've returned to my senses, we are all sitting in a stretched limo*.

*T/N: For a better context, this car of Charlie's is a sports car, but turned into a stretched limo. Basically the difference between limo and a stretched limousine is the length, and stretched limo is basically you cut off a car, extend its length and weld it back.

Mao Ge and Manman are still not sober, while An An and I were just completely stunned, only with Charlie still casually humming a tune. The divider behind the driver's seat slowly rises.

Charlie: Your eyes are almost growing all over my body.

You: What exactly happened just now? Why did those people suddenly--

Charlie: You mean those people? Just like you, they were just subdued by my charms. You're now probably thinking, "this man is so deadly charming, the more I look at him, the more I fall for him".

You: ......

I was about to ask him in detail, but-- it's indeed impossible to have a normal conversation with him.

Charlie: Well regardless it was considered that I was the hero that saved the beauty, shouldn't you at least show me some gratitude?

You: What do you want?

Charlie: I didn't expect you to marry me, but at least you can cry from feeling touched. What's with that stoned face? Come, give me a smile.

You: ......

An An: Uh, sorry to interrupt just a little bit, may I know if this hero is--?

Charlie: I'm your dear bestie's fiancé. 

You: No no! You shut up!

I have finally sobered up, and quickly waved my arms.

An An: Ah! You are that womanizing grumpy man!

Charlie: There are indeed countless women that wishes to marry me, but it's a pity that none of them are of my liking. Womanizer, grumpy, do I look like it?

An An: Uh, not the latter, but for the former... further investigations required. Uh, am I not supposed to be in the car--

Charlie: Makes sense. Jill, send this lady home.

An An threw me a glance, dragging Manman with an arm, and Mao Ge with another towards the entrance. I immediately straightened myself, and quietly followed behind them.

Yet just when I was about to take my first step towards victory, the door closed before my eyes. On the next second, with a click, it's now locked.

You: What are you going to do? I'm warning you, I've learnt Chinese Kung Fu before!

Charlie: I'm temporarily uninterested with a drunkard, sit properly. Get any wordier and we'll go back to our country to get married.

You: ......

I swallowed my anger and sat down, and Charlie threw me an uninterested glance as he opens the car window. As I welcome the night breezes, its coolness have blown the heat from my face away. It also allowed my dizzy mind to sober up a little. I can't help myself but to stick my face towards the window.

You: Can you turn on the radio so I can divert my attention? I feel like throwing up.

Charlie frowned, glancing at me as if he's looking at a peasant.

You: It can't be possible for your car to have no radio right? Or are you afraid to switch it on because you've been listen to corny songs?

Charlie: What a joke, what could I not have in my car? Don't insult my taste.

He lightly pressed on a transparent touchscreen, and a calm intro is slowly being played, a husky male voice began to sing. The melody is gentle yet melancholic. Even my heart is gradually calming down. *

*T/N: I have no idea what song it is but it's an English song that sounds a little jazzy, and something very soothing. I can't search it by the lyrics TT

Outside the windows, everything are quiet under the starry skies. The streetlights travels past us one by one, and the long road feels like a glowing river.

We sat shoulder to shoulder, staying quiet in tacit in this night. Yet I can't clearly tell what exactly have brought us to stay quiet.

I turned over, noticing Charlie to have been gazing outside the window. The pair of eyes that I'm unable to comprehend in the past reflects in the glass, and it's now looking particularly clear.

I must've been drunk, why do I suddenly think this fella isn't that irritating?

But I've only known him for a few days, I don't even understand him at all.

It's a little difficult to put my feelings into words all of a sudden.

You: Say, do you think those people will look for trouble again from anger?

Charlie: So worried about your fiancé? 

You: ......

Charlie: How about this, marry me, and we'll see if there are anyone that will look for trouble.

You: Can you be serious for at least a moment? I'm worrying about myself.

Charlie: I'd be really hurt if you're saying it this way. I'm still your fiancé, can't you care about me a little more?

You: Don't even think about it, it's impossible between us. Although I'm really thankful that you've rescued me, but I'll only change my perception about you for just a little bit.

Seeing that tiny bit of distance that I've gestured with my fingertips, Charlie let out a smile.

Charlie: Would I need your change of perception about me?

You: ...... True. You don't care about how others think of you anyway.

Charlie: Jealous? You can have this if you are engaged to me too.

You: How did you even manage to change the topic back?

I looked at Charlie in dissatisfaction, but noticed that he's also looking at me, with straightforwardness and confidence in his gaze.

My heart slightly moved, and I can't help but to ask the question that has been in my mind.

You: Why did you let me go back then?

Charlie: Why didn't I recall myself being so kind?

You: You've already brought me on the plane, and by the time I woke up I'm already home. If it weren't you who sent me back, could I have been sleepwalking? Also the two capsules you let me picked aren't actually poison, right?

Charlie: You're only realizing it now?

I stunned, and I didn't expect him to admit it so straightforwardly.

You: Then what were those medicine?

Charlie: Calcium tablets, with some things added to help you sleep.

You: ...... You said everyone has their own motives, then what's your motive of doing this?

He inclined towards the seat, and pouted casually.

Charlie: There aren't much people in this world that can do what they say. I'm just a little curious, how important freedom and respect are to you?

You: Then do you understand now?

Charlie: Almost.

As he spoke, he looked towards the window again, with the streetlights reflecting in his eyes, reflecting his faint smile.

Charlie: I've actually never seen someone like you. You obviously can rely on your family, yet you insisted to do things alone. You obviously can marry me, yet you insisted to decline. Looking really smart, but actually so stupid.

You: Have a problem? I'm still living pretty well, unlike you, always so idle.

Charlie: How do you know that I've been idle? Do you know me well?

You: Then what do you do?

Charlie: I'm afraid that I'll shock you to death if I told you.

You: Hmph. I've only seen you twice, you're always acting like this every time. Also there's nothing good that happens when I meet you. Either I fall, or getting trouble from rogues. The glasses even exploded out of nowhere? How did they explode from only a snap? Did you install something in them? I've seen in movies that if you mix two types of alcohol, it'll explode. Bong!

After relaxing my mind, I started to feel drunk, making my mind all mushy, even what I can see are now all starting to turn blurry.

Charlie quietly look at me as I mutter and smile in a silly manner in a moment, and suddenly crying in another, staying quiet. Only the warm breezes brushing past us.

I felt like I'm now sitting beside the radiator, with the light halos on the windows turning into fluttering snowflakes, yet it's not cold at all.

Charlie: Hey, are you completely drunk now?

You: I didn't even drink, how am I drunk? Let me tell you, I don't have much money, it's you who insisted to order so much, pay it yourself.

Charlie: Drunk like a homeless.

You: What did you say?

I can only hear buzzing sounds, and I can't hear him clearly, only seeing Charlie's mouth opening and closing.

You: Are you saying-- I'm now a homeless?

I flattened my lips, and drooped my head, looking as if I was wronged.

You: It's all because of that bad person, that I became a homeless. Waa-- do you know how much of a sicko he is?

Charlie: Did you drink fake wine that you get this drunk?

You: How can wine be as scary as poisons? That sicko forced me to take poison, huhuhu.

Seeing my hand that is full of tears and snot about to tug his sleeve, Charlie's face turned pale, and quickly stuffed a bunch of napkin into my hand.

Charlie: I've told it's not poison, it's calcium tablet, calcium tablet!

You: You're also thinking that he's lacking calcium, right? If he isn't lacking calcium, his brain wouldn't be this twisted too.

After stalemating for a long time, Charlie finally let out a word unwillingly from this throat.

Charlie: ... Yes.

Receiving an affirmative answer, I stopped sobbing in satisfaction.

Charlie: In his eyes, besides being a sicko, what kind of person is he?

You: Besides sicko? Then he's a narcissist weirdo.

Charlie: How rare, you actually didn't call him inhuman.

You: Well if you want to put it that way, it isn't impossible either.

I turned my head and stick my face onto the cold seat, not seeing Charlie's darkened expressions.

You: Say, he's looking pretty much a proper person, why does he have to listen to his family for the arranged marriage?

This time, I didn't hear a reply.

The car is still steadily moving forward, and the song has been looped for so many times.

You: I'll tell you a secret, don't tell anyone else.

I curled my fingers, gesturing him to lean closer.

Charlie: I won't tell.

You: Actually I didn't expect him to help me just now. If he sees me in such an embarrassing situation, he'd probably be happy, right? But why did he help me? Thank you...

I closed my lips, and in the midst of the blurriness, I felt something soft and cold brushing past my cheeks, like the towel that granny would cover on my forehead whenever I have a fever when I was a child.

My heart suddenly felt really calm, and finally fell into a deep slumber.

The night has fallen, and the day is over. The long journey with full of arguments, misunderstandings and tears too, have came to an end.

Charlie sat in the car, yet he did not make his next move.

After a while, he finally pulls his arm that was pillowed under the girl's neck, and shook his hand lightly.

Click-- the girl's sleeping face is now fixed on his phone.

The car door is knocked, and the driver respectfully handed another phone.

Driver: The vide director has called.

Charlie picked the call, and the sounds of chaos and cries of the people could be heard in an instant, along with the clanging sounds of metals. Like a marching song from the otherworld, breaking the silence of this moment.

His brows turned into a frown, carrying the girl, and hurried into the apartment.

After five minutes, the car flashing in red lights crashed into the dark night.