Capítulo 49: Chapter 49: Giving Light
As we climbed into Lin Xue's car, she played the song by Uneko, "Yu Guang" or "Giving Light." I leaned against the lush leather couch as I listened to the amazing song and replayed episode 0 of Dragon Raga in my mind.
"Thanks for helping me out, the both of you."
Even though I enjoyed Uneko's song, I wasn't rude enough to forget to express my gratitude to the two girls. They had helped me, after all. It was only natural.
"No problem, but I'm pretty sure you already had the problem well in hand."
Lin Xue glanced at me through her rearview mirror. She wasn't reckless enough to turn her eyes away from the road, but a quick glance at the mirror was safe. She couldn't help but smirk, an expression I caught on the same mirror.
"You called us here. You told me there will be a good show to watch, which means you already predicted that this would happen."
"Yeah, but I didn't anticipate everything. I didn't think you would get the director involved." I sighed and leaned my head back, dreading the day when I would officially go to Caliban Chao University and meet him. Well, I doubted I would get the chance. Normal students like me would normally never meet the director directly.
"Oh, I didn't either. I was recording everything because I thought you were right about this being a good show, and then I sent the recording to the director. I know that it would be something that would interest him greatly and validate his rejection of Hui Zhang's application." Her grin grew wider. "And yes, before you ask, I am privy to the applications to our university. They ask me for advice regarding potential juniors. I'm sometimes asked to scout prospective psychics."
"I see." I bet her psychic power was also what allowed her to be prescient about recording the whole thing in the first place.
"Yes, and you also asked me to come along as insurance." Vivian nodded as she reclined beside me. "You didn't have to because we're linked telepathically, but the fact that you approached Ms. Lin Xue to join this farce demonstrates that you were prepared for this."
"I won't deny that." I chuckled, and then frowned. "Speaking of which, what was with that whole princess thing? And Prince Haakon? His personal vinery and fruit juice brewed by him? How did you even get that all set up?"
"Oh, that's easy." Vivian laughed softly. "In order to craft my identity in this world, Sprue pulled a lot of strings and somehow inserted me into the social fabric of your world. It was discovered that my DNA is 99.99% similar to that of the British royal family, and so it was easy to make me a distant relative from a branch family that held some prestige, but not so close to the main family that it will draw attention. Basically, three cousins removed, that sort of thing. With those connections plus the technology to alter memories, we were able to establish connections with other royal families and people from the upper echelons of society, as well as construct an artificial history for my background."
"Alter memories?" I repeated incredulously. "You altered memories?"
"Pretty harmless process, so don't worry," Lin Xue said. "You watched Men in Black, right? It's kind of like their neuralyzer, but instead of wiping memories, it changes them. I'm not sure how it works, you'll have to ask Vivian for more details."
"Holy Terran Empire technology," Vivian replied, as if that explained everything. Well, it did. I doubted I would understand even if she gave me all the details.
"Well, anyway, we're here." Lin Xue pulled her car to a stop in front of a mall in the upper-class commercial district in Bei City. I blinked in confusion, and she grinned. "You two take your time and have a date here. I'm off. I have work to do. But you two can enjoy yourselves."
"Huh? What?"
"Surely you didn't expect us to offer our help freely?" Vivian was smiling mischievously. "This is your repayment."
"Sure, I don't mind. But what about senior?"
"Nah, I don't want to interrupt your date," Lin Xue said with a wave of her hand. "Vivian will murder me."
"I will not."
"You'll make my life miserable somehow."
"…I won't deny that."
Oh, come on. At least deny that tactfully, you foreign yandere. I wasn't sure if foreign was the right word. I was about to call her alien, but she was just as human as she was, even if she was from another planet. Damn, this was making my head hurt.
"Then how am I supposed to repay you?"
"You don't have to." Lin Xue chuckled and held up her smartphone. "You already did. The footage you gave me an opportunity to record…thanks to that, the director now owes me a favor. That's a much better reward than anything I can ever ask for."
"Oh…glad I can help."
"Thank you for chauffeuring us, Ms. Lin," Vivian said as she opened the door and disembarked. I followed her, also expressing my thanks and waving as my senior gunned the engine and accelerated her hi-tech car that was the brand of a local sponsor away. Because brand product placement was important for commercial potential, am I right?
"Stop it. This story isn't going to win anything in the Spirity Contest, and it's not going to get a manhua or animation adaptation." Arondight sighed. "Face reality and accept that the author is awful and this story is trashy."
"Just let me dream, okay!?" I threw my hands up. Then realizing that Vivian wasn't amused, I quickly bowed and escorted her along the shopping district.
Even at this time of the night, when the sun had long since set, the commercial district was still brightly lit. It was like a city that never slept. Restaurants with quaint music playing in the background, their waiters in tuxedoes serving Western cuisine on silver platters. Jewelry shops with sparkling gems and diamonds. Fashion shops featuring clothing of famous brands worn by international superstars and models. Perfume shops that spread a fragrance through the interior of a mall. Classy stores that bragged about their wares. Music shops with polished instruments.
There was even a concert hall a few blocks down, and apparently a performance had just ended because people wearing formal attire were filing out. Opposite it was an art museum, featuring historical artifacts and sculptures that archeologists claimed stemmed from the Tang Dynasty or something.
Vivian happily explored the place, her eyes wide in wonder as she took in all the sights and sounds. She spun around gracefully, almost as if desperate to absorb everything in her surroundings.
"This is so different from…where I was born." She paused and shook her head. "But most of my upbringing was based in a military environment, and there was never any time for such luxuries. Art, music, fashion, culture…all of these were denied to us."
"What do you guys do for fun? Or you just trained and fought everyday?"
I had difficulty believing that. Soldiers were humans. Even the most battle-hardened veterans needed some form of entertainment to keep going. Some played cards and gambled. A few sought solace in the bottle. Many smoked. And during nights off, soldiers would hang around in entertainment districts, desiring company with women, and even physical intimacy. It wasn't as if we did nothing but train and fight all day either.
"No, we had media and shows. Books, even. But nothing as…luxurious as this." Vivian waved her hand around.
"Well, I'm glad you have a chance to explore."
"Yes." Vivian giggled as she stopped beside me and leaned her head forward. She had caught sight of a group of youngsters about my age hanging out in one of the corners. "Speaking of which, I wonder what's happening with your schoolmates. We've seen their reaction, but what are they doing right now? Did they continue with the party, or would it have been too awkward for them to remain there?"
"Who knows?" I shrugged and chuckled. "I bet none of them would ever have imagined that I would be picked up by a blond 'foreign' beauty and chauffeured away by a senior from a prestigious overseas university."
"Yes. Their expressions were priceless. I believe Ms. Lin has the recording. Perhaps I will ask her for a copy of the file later, to watch for my amusement."
That was quite the weird hobby that she had, but I didn't blame her. Most people these days had bizarre hobbies.
"I'm pretty sure someone will post the whole thing on social media and circulate it widely, so you'll be able to watch it again later."
"Very true." Vivian laughed. Then she stopped and stared through the window of a jewelry shop. "Oh, that looks lovely."
I followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at a pair of sapphire earrings.
"Oh, you want those? I'll buy them for you." I held up a hand before she could protest. "It's thanks for you helping me out today…for going along with my selfishness and taking part in such an embarrassing farce."
"There's nothing embarrassing about earlier," Vivian argued, but I snickered.
"No, but it is admittedly petty and childish. You know, like the kind of edgelord scenario written in cultivation web fiction for wish fulfilment purposes. Anyway, this is on me."
I went into the shop, and the storekeeper beamed at me, nodding when I entered with Vivian.
"Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Is there anything that interests you?"
"Um, we aren't married…" I muttered.
"My apologies." The storekeeper maintained a polite smile. He was a man in his thirties, with a neat mustache and dressed in a tuxedo. "Are you perhaps looking for something suitable for your girlfriend then?"
I was too lazy to explain and I just nodded vaguely before pointing at the sapphire earrings. "How much are those?"
"Ah, about ten thousand and five hundred yuan. Before taxes. I can sell them at a complimentary discount since your girlfriend is so beautiful." The storekeeper was grinning. I shrugged and nodded. Why not? I had the ten million yuan that Fu Er Dai's father gave me for saving his son's life so many months ago, so I had no reason to stinge.
"Deal."
As I paid and the storekeeper took the earrings out to put them in a package, he suddenly stopped and offered them to a waiting Vivian.
"Would the madam want to try them on?"
"Is that all right?"
"Yes, of course." The storekeeper nodded enthusiastic and handed the pair to her. She received them hesitantly before she affixed them to her ear. The accommodating shopkeeper even had a mirror prepared when she was done, placing it on the counter in front of her. "You look lovely, ma'am." He then turned to me with a grin. "You're a lucky man, sir."
"Um, thanks." I scratched my head and then caught an anticipatory stare from Vivian. Knowing what she was expecting, I sucked in a deep breath. "They look really good on you, Vivian. A perfect match."
"That's great to hear." She chuckled and leaned over to give me a hug. "Thank you for the gift, Tian Xing."
"N…not at all." I couldn't help but feel embarrassed, but I wasn't such a shy dude that I would withdraw, so I gently patted her on the back. When she let go of me, I saw that the jewelry shopkeeper was watching us with a big smile.
"Oh, sir and madam. If you're ever considering engagement and wedding rings, we have special packages here. I'll make sure to give you a massive discount if you come back here."
"Um, thanks, but that's…kind of far into the future. Maybe many years later." On one hand, I didn't know if I was going to commit to a relationship with Vivian, probably because it was still too early in the story and fans would be outraged if their one true shipping/pairing was sunk right on the onset. Had to tease them as to who the final heroine would be, right? On the other hand, though, I didn't want to risk upsetting Vivian. She was still my mentor, and she was already pretty strict with me during training.
So I left it at that and beckoned Vivian to follow me out of the jewelry shop so that we could continue exploring the commercial district over the rest of the night.
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