Chapter 73 Chapter 73 "Yingzi, I wish you a happy birthday in advance..."
29.
To be honest, my first reaction was that Lei was so tempting, I would be missing out if I didn’t take advantage of him. After all, opportunities are fleeting, and it’s rare for a handsome guy to be so proactive...hmmmmmm.
However, my reason quickly suppressed my impulse. Or maybe it wasn't reason, but some...instinct that sent chills down my spine.
Maybe it's because he's guilty as a thief, always worried that a silver-haired killer will push the door open soon...
Even though I knew he wouldn't come. Yesterday, Gin and Vodka went on a mission together, the kind that took them out of Tokyo. I've been sleeping in the bar's attic for the past two nights—no, probably three or four days. Otherwise, how could this meeting with Lei be considered "the perfect time, place, and people"?
Vodka had muttered before that they would be away for at least three days, and asked me to take care of myself and be careful about everything.
Could Gin have predicted that Lei would use his beauty on me? Besides, this was a Black Organization mission. Given Gin's personality, there was no way he would suddenly turn back for no reason in the middle of a mission.
Feeling relieved, my attention finally returned to what Lei had just said.
He said, "There were two people that Gin personally asked him to kill with his own hands."
I almost immediately thought of what Gin said when he came to the laboratory to pick me up.
——"I have avenged you."
This was said incoherently and I didn't understand it at the time. However, what happened afterwards was so important that this incomprehensible sentence was obviously not as important in comparison, so I put it out of my mind right away.
Now I have found it back, dusted it off, and well, this memory is still useful.
Putting it all together, maybe this is what Gin meant?
Putting these two things together, could this be what Gin was referring to? This isn't just me being overly sentimental or flattering, is it? Could his mention of "revenge" actually correspond to what Ley revealed about "two people who must be personally eliminated"?
Okay, then the question arises, what grudge do those two people have against me?
It's strange that I, an ordinary bartender, have enemies. Or are they from other organizations besides the Black Organization?
...Wait, Hashidou Sack.
Could it be... related to my deceased parents whom I have never met?
As an orphan raised in the Black Organization, I'm a purebred orphan, born without parents (not insulting anyone, and I wouldn't insult myself, haha). Naturally, I've always been curious about what my parents were like, especially since most of the people I grew up with, aside from those who were actually adopted from orphanages, knew their parents' identities. Mello is a prime example; she even has a name, while I only have a code name.
But I couldn't ask. So, I naturally assumed my parents were peripheral members with little status, and therefore, I was a peripheral member with little status, too. After all, the Black Organization truly prioritizes bloodline. Not only are purebloods trusted, but descendants generally inherit their parents' codenames and status. For example, Rum, right? That's all I have to say.
So, perhaps my parents were sacrificed in a conflict between organizations? And Gin, in this large-scale gang-on-gang operation, followed the clues and found the enemy who directly caused my parents' deaths, and then... "incidentally" avenged me?
It's really difficult for him. It must be difficult to find out who in other organizations killed the peripheral members, right?
My breathing became more and more rapid.
Lei was keenly aware of my change, and the arm around my shoulders tightened slightly. A low voice sounded in my ear with a question: "Yingzi?"
"Um... I'm fine." I subconsciously struggled slightly in his embrace. He considerately loosened his arms, and I took the opportunity to pull away a little, smiling, "Leyi, have you... found anything else?"
"Hmm?" he uttered a single questioning sound.
"For example...about my parents?" I asked directly.
Lei's eyes suddenly became unreadable, a complex mix of emotions flashing across them. His lips moved slightly, but he ultimately said, "I thought... you'd prefer to ask Gin."
"Brother..." I paused, a hint of pleading in my tone that I didn't even notice. "So, did you find out anything? Can you... tell me?"
Although I have never seen them, the blood relationship is there and I really want to know who they are.
The reason I chose to ask Lei was... I don't know why, but I felt that Gin would be like everyone else, not knowing, or not telling me.
It's so strange, I always have a special trust in Lei, and it's different from the trust I have in Bourbon, the trust I have in the paper man I like...
The very strange kind.
It's a bit like he saw that I vaguely knew that his identity was not pure, but he never really worried that I would say it out loud.
"I'm sorry," he was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head, "I can't find any specific information about your parents."
Just as a hint of obvious disappointment crept into my eyes, he suddenly changed the subject, reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulled out a palm-sized black velvet jewelry box, and handed it to me.
"But this is for you."
This was the first time I received such a gift from a man other than Gin. I took it in surprise: "What is...?"
At Ley's prompt, I eagerly opened the jewelry box. Lying quietly on the black velvet lining were two incredibly delicate earrings. The main body of the earrings was perfectly inlaid with tiny pink diamonds in the shape of five cherry blossom petals. Each petal was vivid, shimmering softly and brilliantly in the dim light of the bar.
"A birthday present." He slowly smiled at my surprised look, his dark green eyes curved, dispelling some of the coldness and adding a touch of genuine warmth. "I learned from Rum that tomorrow is your birthday."
"Yingzi, I wish you a happy birthday in advance."
Five years before Ke Yuan, when I was twenty years old, I learned my birthday for the first time.
November 24th.
30.
"What's wrong, little cutie?" Vermouth smiled and shook the wine glass in her hand. "I've been sitting here in a daze since then. Isn't that to your liking?"
Vermouth had made an appointment with me a long time ago, saying that she would wait for me to get off work and take me out for a midnight snack.
This would have been nothing, but then I thought about it and looked through the chat history again, only to find that ever since Vermouth and I became familiar with each other, she seemed to really take me out for a big meal every year at this time.
Is it because...she already knew that today is my birthday?
But, Lei chose to tell me, why didn’t she tell me?
Is she worried that once I find out, I will ask her about my parents and she won't be able to give an answer?
Besides, if Vermouth knew everything, what about Gin?
He was able to track down the person who murdered my parents and avenge me, so he must know my birthday, right? In fact, not only in the past three years... even in the year I became his girlfriend, he hadn't said a word.
Did he really not know, or did he... feel that there was no need for it at all?
After all, he is Gin, and I...
Not to mention he's still out on a mission, so it's even more impossible for him to celebrate my birthday. Again, how can I compare to the Black Organization?
"No, maybe it's because I ate some snacks at the bar, so I'm not that hungry now." I glanced at the dazzling array of beautiful dishes on the table and picked up a small piece of cherry tomato. "Hey, so sweet!"
"It's good to have something you like to eat," Vermouth chuckled, but her eyes were inquiring. She gracefully cut off a small piece of steak and spoke in a long, thoughtful tone, "Otherwise, I would have thought..."
My instinctive question was, “Why?”
"I thought you missed someone else more than me right in front of you?" Vermouth dropped her long eyelashes in a feigned loss. When she looked up again, her beautiful eyes, like hooks, stared at me. "How long has he been gone? Do you miss him? More than me?"
"That's not the case." It's been a long time since I was so tempted by Vermouth. My cheeks instantly became hot and I couldn't help but stutter when I spoke.
My silly look obviously pleased Vermouth very much. Before my face turned red enough to burst, she kindly let me go. Seeing that I was getting ahead of myself, she stopped teasing me and elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She said softly, "Well, since you're not hungry, let's go home."
I nodded dumbly, and only realized after I got to the car: "No, you've been drinking!"
Vermouth leaned casually against the car, raising her eyebrows: "What's wrong?"
"Did you call a designated driver?" I said seriously, "Don't drink and drive, and don't drive after drinking. One glass of wine from the driver brings tears to your eyes."
Vermouth chuckled softly. Perhaps she hadn't expected a Black Organization member like me to still be so law-abiding? Well, perhaps she was laughing at my still-cowardly nature? Or perhaps she was laughing at my lack of trust in her sanity and driving skills?
Vermouth said nothing, only pulling a slender woman's cigarette from her purse and holding it between her red lips. Then she lowered her head slightly, holding the lighter in one hand, and lit the cigarette. The faint blue flame flickered in her deep eyes.
She took a slow puff of the cigarette, raised her face, and exhaled a wisp of white smoke ring into the night sky.
In the smoke, the blonde woman looked over my shoulder and looked behind me, her voice tinged with a hint of teasing:
"I did call a designated driver, and he was an amazing one at that."
It turns out that Vermouth had already called a designated driver. No wonder she said "Let's go home" in the restaurant instead of saying she would take me home.
Judging from the tone of Vermouth, I felt that the "designated driver" she mentioned was someone we knew who was called over by her to serve as a strong man, rather than the designated driver team of the Black Organization.
If it's someone they know? Bourbon, one of the distillery's sisters, is now meeting Vermouth?
I blinked in confusion and turned around in confusion, following her gaze.
The night wind seemed to be a little colder, perhaps because the alcohol I drank just now had taken effect. The wind made me feel a little dizzy.
Otherwise...how could I have such an outrageous hallucination?
I actually saw... Gin walking towards me step by step from the dim shadows.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Apologies for being late, I will give everyone a red envelope in the comment section
*
Current debt:
Nutrient solution: 1
I'll owe you a while
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
