Main Story Chapter 14-12: The Angel who Crossed Boundaries (越界天使） | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Please consider reading Chapter 14-10 before proceeding~

Charlie and I sat in the car, and the started engine has sounded for a couple of minutes.

The conversation between him and Sun TaiZhong still lingers in my mind.

The upcoming intense atmosphere suffocates me, is this because of the disagreement in opinions when saving Yangyang's grandmother and Xiao Zhen? Or are there actually, more reasons that I can't understand?

Charlie: What are you thinking about?

Thoughts interrupted, I shook my head.

You: I'm thinking... I don't think I want to go home yet.

Charlie: Oh? Are you hinting that you wanted to go on a date with me?

Charlie places an arm over my seat, and his purple eyes exudes some cynical smile.

I stared into his eyes for a while, until the faint smile wavered a little, and crystalized into icy seriousness.

You: Are you going to do something on your own later?

Charlie: Yeah.

You: Related to Sun TaiZhong?

Charlie: It's related to him, and the medicine DEA. I have no way to perform autopsy, but I believe Xiao Zhen's death is highly likely because she's injected with DEA.

You: I've searched about it after hearing you saying so, but there aren't any information on the internet.

Charlie: DEA is a psychotropic drug, it has never been sold in the market, so it's considered to have never existed most people. Although it might not be the case after today.

*Charlie talked about it in Chapter 13-05 as well.

You: After today? Could it be the type your father just said--

Charlie: NOVATEN has been researching this type of medicine for many years, it's not my first time to have smelled it in the laboratory. Sun TaiZhong is the strongest suspect on the operation table. Jill has also examined large amounts of DEA from medical waste after the incident. And there shouldn't be many ways for Sun TaiZhong to have his hands on it.

Charlie is still thinking, his right thumb is subconsciously rubbing against the tip of his middle finger, it's a soundless snap.

You: You weren't willing to tell me all of these before this, why are you suddenly willing to tell me?

It's as though there's a highly tensed string finally managed to relax, Charlie lifts his face up and leaned against the seat, placing the back of his hand to his forehead.

Charlie: You saved her with me, the girl named Xiao Zhen. The feeling of watching someone you wanted to save dying to an unknown reason, it's terrible. So you should also know the truth.

These words are so serious that they are almost unlike him. I nodded, and in a click, I buckled up my seatbelt.

You: Let's go then.

Charlie: Go?

You: Since you believe that I should find out the truth, then I should search for it with you too.

Charlie: How could I ever stop you, fiancee?

A moment later, he smiles as he shook his head.

Charlie: Ever since you ran away (from the engagement), I should've known-- Regarding this question, I'll only receive a single answer even if I were to ask you a hundred times.

By the time the car stopped once again, it's right before a villa.

You: Where's this?

Charlie: My father's residence in Guang Qi City. Don't worry, he's not here. The socializing after the press conference should keep him busy for a while. I've investigated about Sun TaiZhong, there aren't anything suspicious about his experience. So we can only investigate from the perspective of his industrial relationship with NOVATEN.

You: So you're saying, we're going to investigate his contacts with NOVATEN secretly at this place.

Charlie: That's correct. One point for fiancee.

Charlie walked towards the door, and a ray of light scans Charlie's face, it's probably a certain type of facial recognition device.

With a click, the brass doorknob made a turn, and the entrance of the villa opened, followed by a gentle female voice.

Gate: Welcome home with your friend, Charlie.

Charlie frowned a little.

You: What's wrong?

Charlie: Why doesn't it say, "welcome home with your fiancee, Charlie"? 

You: ......

I followed him and entered the door, and my visual is immediately impacted by a scene full of black and gold.

You: Is this really your father's home and not yours?!

I can't help but to widen my eyes, even the display are almost similar to the house Charlie usually lives in Guang Qi.

Charlie: The perfect people are always being impersonated. Yet the impersonator could never grasp onto the essence.

You: You're saying even if it's by your father?

Charlie: That's right.

Charlie looks around his surroundings, and clicked his tongue in disdain.

Charlie: The interesting thing is, I have never invited him to my house.

Before I can understand what he said, my body has already shivered subconsciously, as though there's a pair of eyes watching our actions right now.

I turned around only to see Charlie walking into the depths of the villa.

You: Wait for me!

Charlie seemed to have jolted because of me.

Charlie: Fiancee, you don't have to be so agitated, I'm not going to abandon you.

You: I didn't mean it that way, it's just that... I find this house a little cold.

A warm pair of hands are placed on my shoulders, and Charlie moved me in front of him.

Charlie: It's probably because the windows of the living room aren't closed properly, so it's windy. I've blocked it off for you, it's not cold now, right?

Although there's some distance between us, I could still feel the heat radiating from the chest behind me. I looked back from the corner of my eyes, and met right into a pair of smiling purple eyes.

You: It's not cold anymore, let's go.

Charlie: Go up the stairs, that's right, towards left, mhm, turn right. Can you open it?

I held onto the poppy-shaped doorknob, and noticed that can be turned easily.

Charlie nodded at me, reaching his arm out, and opened the door.

This room looks like an office, and also like a study. There's a wide office desk with several ceiling-height bookshelves.

It feels like the room is of a completely different world compared to the outside. The interior style is no longer like Charlie's house, but extremely similar to the NOVATEN building.

Charlie: The mezzanine on the third layer of the second row of bookshelf.

You: What?

Charlie: He will place documents over there. Even though NOVATEN has a complete internal system, he still doesn't trust recording everything digitally.

I had a look at the second row of the bookshelf, but I can't see anything special.

You: How did you know?

Charlie: No matter how the arrangement changes, the furnishing placement in this villa is the same as the one at home.

He took a deep breath.

Charlie: When I was little, he always opens that cabinet in front of me, and pulls the mezzanine out. He would then say, everything here will be all yours, arrogant things like these.

Perhaps it was just my misperception, but the complaint sounded oddly sad. I punched the edges of his palm softly to express comfort.

I can't help but to have some scary thoughts, if NOVATEN is really related to Xiao Zhen's death--

???: You're back? 

???: Yeah, I'm back. How did your day go?

???: Pretty good.

You: What sound is that?!

Charlie: My father's home.

Perhaps it was because my subconscious panic that looked overly funny, not only Charlie was nervous, but he smiled instead.

You: Why are you still laughing? Aren't we stealing? What happens if he finds out about it?

Charlie ended up laughing even more.

Charlie: We don't plan to take anything away, how can we call that stealing? It's more logical to call it a tryst. Fiancee, how about we make that true? 

I glared at him, signaling him to first solve the important matter, and Charlie finally looked serious again.

Charlie: I'll have a way to explain it, otherwise I wouldn't bring you here just like this anyway.

You: But you'll still need a while to read the documents. What happens if your father come straight up? How about this, I'll go downstairs and greet him, and buy you some time.

Charlie stunned for a moment, his hair nuzzled on my cheek.

Charlie: My fiancee is so impressive, that I am getting unwilling to let you go downstairs anymore. 

You: Well of course.

I carried and adjusted my sling bag. There's a measuring tape that I've always kept with me. I had an idea as soon as I saw it.

I trailed backwards along with the staircase.

I saw the figure of Charlie's father. He's now taking off the suit, and hanging the hat onto the rack.

You: Hello, Mr. Zha.

Before my tone of speech dies off, the man in black hair has quickly turned around, with an alertness that he has yet to put off in his gaze.

Eyes like a venomous snake, I suddenly recalled what Charlie said.

Zha ZhaoPeng: Miss Y/N, what brings you here? Where's Charlie?

By the time I looked towards him again, to my surprise, I noticed the alertness in his eyes has already disappeared, it was as though it's just my misperception.

Purposely avoiding his last question, I took out my measuring tape.

You: You see, you have commissioned me to alter Charlie's suit previously. He also wished to customize one for you, so he brought me here to take your measurements. We came here while you were absent without informing you in advance, because he wanted to give you a surprise.

I spoke as cold sweat filled my palm. What I said was not completely logical, so if he insisted to ask Charlie to come up, or to go upstairs--

Zha ZhaoPeng: Is that so? Why don't I think that's the truth?

You: Well of course it's true, aren't you willing?

I forced myself to look natural.

Charlie's father squinted his eyes, and my heart is about to leap out from my chest. But--

Suddenly, he clapped and laughed.

Zha ZhaoPeng: "Let my father to also have a taste of having arrangements made by others". Rather than giving me a surprise, I'm afraid that this is what he actually said.

You: ??!

Zha ZhaoPeng: You don't have to cover it up for him, Miss Y/N. I understand Charlie. There are always phases like this for every parent who are in the progress of raising their children, do you agree?

You: I... am not too sure.

Zha ZhaoPeng: Mm, this is normal too, you two probably don't have much experience for that.

You: Well that isn't really the case--

Although I don't really wish to participate in parental talk, but every second I could buy is valuable, and I don't wish for the topic of conversation to end here too. Hurry, think, say something for him to keep going.

Zha ZhaoPeng: Miss Y/N, don't be nervous. I will not force you to fulfill that engagement.

You: Eh?

Zha ZhaoPeng: You are just as cautious as how you met me in this afternoon. So I dare to make assumptions, that it is perhaps related to how you once rejected the engagement with Charlie.

Well this topic works too!

You: Yeah, that's correct. I'm sorry.

Zha ZhaoPeng: No need to apologize, I think you made a very courageous choice.

I'm suddenly unsure of how to respond to the sudden praise, and I stunned at it.

Charlie's father smiled a little, caressing the ring finger on his left hand. There's a purple jeweled ring on it.

The ring gleams bright and clear under the sunset, reminding me of a certain pair of clear eyes.

Zha ZhaoPeng: But the two of you still met under the arrangement of destiny. When I saw the two of you standing together, I can always recall the times I spent with my wife. That was the most wonderful period of my life. I truly apologize if that has offended you.

You: Yeah... it's fine.

Zha ZhaoPeng: She passed away when Charlie was very little. It's also very difficult for me to accept a truth like this even until now. Did you hear the voice of the villa door lock?

You: I heard it. This voice sounds very different from normal digital voices, it's very...

Zha ZhaoPeng: Very gentle. That is a voice that imitates my wife. If it's anything of hers, as long as there's a way to retain them, I would be willing to give it all a try.

He sighed, and the corners of his eyes seemed a little dampened.

Everything Charlie told me about his mother, about how she wasn't able to step out of the courtyard, about the manipulativeness, everything immediately surfaced altogether in my mind.

I opened my mouth overcautiously, but I wasn't able to make any sound.

However, Charlie's father did not mind my response, his gaze looked behind me, and showed a pleasant smile.

Zha ZhaoPeng: Charlie, where were you? You're customizing a new suit for me, we should have a celebratory drink for it. With Miss Y/N too, okay?

Charlie didn't know I looked for such an excuse, so I quickly turned my head backwards.

You: Yeah yeah, I was just about to take measurements for your father--

I couldn't finish what I say, because I saw Charlie's expression.

Charlie: Next time then.

I saw a rich darkness veiling his eyes, it's so deep that it is as though it can swallow everything.

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You can now read Chapter 14-14 here!