下載應用程式
2.1% Skyfire Avenue / Chapter 19: Same Clothes, New Person

章節 19: Same Clothes, New Person

編輯: AtlasStudios

Zhou Qianlin glared at Lan Jue. “You tell me, what are we going to do about that?”

Lan Jue took a deep breath. “What’s done is done. It was my fault. All of this was because I mistook you for someone else. I don’t know how I can make up for this either. You tell me what I can do, and I’ll do it.” The mistake had been made. He was a man, and had to face up to his wrongdoings, doing everything in his power to make it right.

Zhou Qianlin stared at him, her eyes a tangle of emotions. Lan Jue had changed, no longer dressed in the clothes he’d worn when we abducted her.

He wore a white shirt, and paneled deep blue pants. His neat clothes and his tousled hair gave a strange merger of order and chaos.

That dangerous glint in his eye from before was gone, and he’d assumed a more apologetic stance, like a child who’d done wrong.

Nibbling her lower lip, Zhou Qianlin got up from the bed.

“Find me some clean clothes.”

“Right away.” Lan Jue spun on his heel and left without hesitation. He’d only gone a few steps before pausing, then went directly to the closet furthest inside the apartment.

He paused before the closet as though uncertain, opening it after a moment’s consideration. He quickly grabbed a few articles of clothing from within and returned to Qianlin.

Qianlin regarded him coldly. “You seem awfully practiced at bringing women home.”

Arriving before her, he gently placed the clothing at her side. A spark of sadness shone in his eyes. “Your sister’s.”

Zhou Qianlin stared at him, catching that passing look. Though Lan Jue hid it well, his innermost anguish was too profound to hide completely.

Lifting the clothes by her side, she caught a whiff of a clear and refreshing scent. Each piece had been painstakingly folded. Lan Jue looked on, watching the clothes as though they were precious pieces of jewelry.

Even on Skyfire Avenue, even close friends, none knew that in the Jewelry Master’s heart the closet of clothes was more precious than his entire stock.

“Hey!”

Lan Jue was shaken from his reverie. He lifted his head, looking directly in to Zhou Qianlin’s hard stare.

“I’m sorry.” He pressed his hand to his chest, an unconscious habit of his gentile mannerisms. He turned away and stepped aside.

A quiet rustling could be heard from behind him, but there was no excitement in Lan Jue’s heart. In truth it was drowned in disappointment and sadness.

She is not Jinyu, even if she looks just like her. She’s not my Hera. Where it not for the grief in his heart, and the fact she was her sister, Lan Jue never would have opened that closet. Of course, it was merely to make amends that he opened it.

Footsteps approached, and Lan Jue subconsciously turned his head.

She wore a long dress, white as snow, and a little thin. Tight-fitting but modest, with no extra fabric. Though the spotless dress was unadorned, the gem-encrusted gown she’d worn to the wedding made it look downright plain.

However, that raven black hair melded beautifully with the white dress. Those deep blue eyes were like the most fetching gems on the planet. Her beauty was almost otherworldly, perfect in every detail. Such beauty that it took your breath away.

“Jinyu…” his voice trembled.

She rose to her feet and moved towards him. In an instant she found herself wrapped in a firm, warm, shivering embrace.

The hug was like a thaw, and though she should have been angry she instead found herself almost automatically returning the embrace.

“Jinyu, my Hera, I miss you so much,” Lan jue, his eyes closed as though trying to keep a hold on the past. He seemed unaware his body had grown so feverish.

Zhou Qianlin tried to admonish him several times, her mouth opening though no words came out. But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to ruin what she saw in front of her.

What she saw was his intimacy, the fact that he still remembered her favorite color, an unblemished white. Contrary to the common woman she had no taste for fancy jewelry, in fact quite the opposite from Lan Jue. Moreover he kept saying she was the most precious gem he had. If a bottle of Romanee-Conti was considered some great treasure, then she could only be described as the most dazzling jewel in the crown of the gods.

Zhou Qianlin’s face softened, the chill leaving her features. In the face of today’s events any girl would have her rage clearly written on her features.

But that burning hug, as though magic, melted her cold exterior. Her rigid body eased, and thus so did her heart.

It is common for one man loves one woman, but it was unexpected to see this level of devotion.

The coldness receded from her expression.

One of his hands rested on her waist, the other gently stroking her messy hair. His tender ministrations helped settle it back in place.

This was care, a care derived from the depths of the heart. An adulation more precious than life.

“Hera, Hera…” he whispered. She never gave a response. That familiar body, with that familiar scent, but without her tender voice.

Lan Jue composed himself, suddenly standing straight and looking at the woman in his arms.

Zhou Qianlin looked like a frightened bunny, quickly extricating herself from his arms. She hugged her arms to her chest, features growing red from embarrassment.

Lan Jue looked as though he were in a trance. His clothes were the same, he appeared no different, but the man was changed. The woman before him looked for all the world exactly like Hera. But she didn’t have her eyes, eyes which could melt the coldest heart.

A silence fell over the room. Lan Jue uttered not a sound, Zhou Qianlin never opened her mouth. Their hearts each were flooded with conflicting emotion, but the emotions in each were as different as night and day.


章節 20: You Owe Me

編輯: AtlasStudios

“Where are we.” Zhou Qianlin was first to break the awkward stillness in the room.

“My home,” Lan Jue responded.

The corner of Zhou Qianlin’s mouth twitched. She’d been brought up from a very young age to be cultured and refined, but facing the guy in front of her, more than once she fought the impulse to curse him out.

Lan Jue started, aware of the mistake. “Oh. This is Skyfire Avenue.”

“Skyfire Avenue?” Zhou Qianlin certainly knew of Skyfire Avenue, in fact everyone in the Eastern Alliance knew of it.

It was a unique place, a sanctuary for nobility. It was independent from the outside world, the one area where machinery wasn’t permitted. An exotic oasis.

Even after many years, in the face of many former Eastern Alliance dynasties, none were able to altar the avenue’s rules.

“Take me home,” Zhou Qianlin said softly.

“Yeah.”

The sky was dark, night had arrived earlier than usual. The two walked along Skyfire Avenue side by side, but with a foot of space between them.

“What do you plan to do?” As they reached the end of the two-thousand forty-eight meter Avenue, he couldn’t help but ask.

Of course he knew that after what had happened today, how could she face the stress and troubles.

Had she been Hera, of course there wouldn’t have been any problem. He’d have had a good reason for his actions. But she wasn’t. So the mistake was his, and a very grave mistake it was.

Zhou Qianlin stopped, turning towards him with a grim look. “It isn’t your concern.”

Lan Jue shrugged his shoulders. “Now’s not the time to pout.”

Zhou Qianlin glared at him. “Oh, can you turn back time then?”

“Ugh… you don’t need to worry about that.” Lan Jue didn’t possess that power. In fact, it was exceptionally rare to find someone with that Discipline. At best they were able to roll back time only a very little while, and even then only in a very small location.

Still less, some things simply can’t be undone…

Zhou Qianlin’s eyes grew cold. “I’ll handle it, it isn’t your concern.” She began to hurriedly walk away.

“I’ll send you back.” Lan Jue moved to catch up. Before them, they’d reached the end of Skyfire Avenue’s scope.

Zhou Qianlin turned her heard to look at him. “Do you want to be a public enemy of the Eastern Alliance?”

Lan Jue stopped in his tracks. That’s right! All of Skyfire City could be in turmoil because of her kidnapping.

“I’m not that fragile. I can handle myself. Go back,” Zhou Qianlin said.

He stared at her dumbly. From the obstinance in her eyes, Lan Jue could see the Hera he knew, the Hera who was gentle as water and a moment later throwing a fit. It was something he also dreaded.

“This is my interstellar communication number.” He produced a slip of paper and pressed it in to her hand. “If you need anything, let me know.”

The ambiguity of his statement caused Zhou Qianlin’s pretty face to redden. Lan Jue immediately recognized his error, but she didn’t wait for him to explain, instead turning and walking away.

“Your wedding dress is still at my place,” he called after her.

“I don’t want it. You’ve polluted it.”

“Well, when are you going to give me back that dress,” he asked.

Zhou Qianlin stopped, spinning to fix him with a burning glare. “I’m NOT!” She turned away again.

The corners of Lan Jue’s mouth twitched. This girl’s temper is worse than her older sisters, and cold as ice. Damnit! What did have I done?

Zhou Qianlin’s voice wafted from the distance. “You owe me, and you better pay me back! When I know what I want from you, you’ll hear from me.”

As her words dissipated in to silence, so too did she disappear into the dark.

He stood in silence for a long while afterward, staring in to the darkness where she left, stunned.

Gradually his face grew hard, and a pale light flickered in his eyes. A thick anger rose within him, from his very bones.

Zeus, enraged!

That woman.. Pearl!

If not for her information, I never would have arranged such an ordeal. Worse, it brought trouble upon a loyal brother. That precious block of technetium, and this is what I get in return?

“You don’t look like you’re in the best mood,” a deep voice uttered not far behind him.

Lan Jue turned to see the Wine Master at his back, clad in an impeccable and crisp business suit. Lan Jue walked towards him. “New suit?”

“Mm.”

“Nice fabric.”

“One hundred sixty thread count.”

Lan Jue stared at the Wine Master. “I won’t bring any trouble to Skyfire Avenue. If something happens, I’ll assume all the responsibility.”

The Wine Master spoke after a moment. “Have a drink?”

Lan Jue’s eyes brightened. “What are we drinking?”

The Wine Master considered. “Your situation… red wine isn’t appropriate. Whiskey, I think.”

The edges of Lan Jue’s mouth curled. “We nobles are certainly capable of self-control.”

The Wine Master’s lips revealed the ghost of a smile. “You had quite the murderous look in your eye a moment ago. It looked like you wanted to something a noble shouldn’t do.”

“Compared with drinking, it isn’t urgent,” Lan Jue replied quietly. “A true noble must be responsible. At the same time, they have a responsibility to help those in need, bear their responsibilities. This benefits society, so how is it something an aristocrat shouldn’t do? If someone had taken your 1990 Romanee-Conti, would you be laughing?”

The Wine Master’s face stiffened, obviously recalling that unpleasant day.

Lan Jue grinned. “Whiskey then. Talisker, 1985 single malt, what do you think?”

“Henceforth you are persona non grata in the Gothic Winery. You’ll not see me again.” The Wine Master turned and began to walk off.

Smiling, Lan Jue hurried to catch up. “Take it easy, I’ll pay.”

“No!” he replied indignantly.

Lan Jue sighed. “I really am not in the best mood. If you want to hear my story I can tell you.”

The Wine Master glanced at him. “I don’t have 1985. I have a bottle of Talisker 18-year, though. You want it or not?”

“Off we go!” Lan Jue said categorically.

The Wine Master grinned. “Aristocrats have such high moral integrity.”

Lan Jue shot him a puzzles glance. “I do! I’m not going just for a drink. The Iberian ham from before has already been cut, if someone doesn’t eat it it’ll go bad. Whiskey goes well with ham. Yeah, the Gourmet’s method of heating it up really was something. In fact let’s call him, his meal preparation is deserving of your praise.”

The Wine Master sucked in a breath. “You are no noble, you’re a damn bandit!”


Load failed, please RETRY

禮物

禮品 -- 收到的禮物

    每周推薦票狀態

    批量訂閱

    目錄

    顯示選項

    背景

    EoMt的

    大小

    章評

    寫檢討 閱讀狀態: C19
    無法發佈。請再試一次
    • 翻譯品質
    • 更新的穩定性
    • 故事發展
    • 人物形象設計
    • 世界背景

    總分 0.0

    評論發佈成功! 閱讀更多評論
    用推薦票投票
    Rank 200+ 推薦票榜
    Stone 0 推薦票
    舉報不當內容
    錯誤提示

    舉報暴力內容

    段落註釋

    登錄

    tip 段落評論

    段落註釋功能現已上線!將滑鼠移到任何段落上,然後按下圖示以添加您的評論。

    此外,您可以隨時在「設置」 中將其關閉/ 打開。

    明白了