Chapter 108 I Can't Bear to Part with You
As the cable car descended, the dazzling night view of Victoria Peak gradually transformed into a sea of stars beneath our feet, and then it became completely dark.
Jiang Chuan escorted Lin Yu through the crowd and into a taxi that was already waiting by the roadside. The neon lights outside the car window flashed by like flowing water. As they got closer to the hotel, he gestured for the driver to pull over and turned to look at Lin Yu.
"Shall we take a walk?"
The two got out of the car and strolled slowly along the Avenue of Stars. The skyscrapers on the opposite bank poured neon lights onto the dark water, breaking into millions of shimmering spots of light in the night of Victoria Harbour.
There were many street performances along the way, creating a lively atmosphere. One of the two-person bands caught Lin Yu's attention.
The guitarist, a bearded man, sat with his eyes closed on a worn-out suitcase, gently strumming the strings. Beside him, the lead singer wore an out-of-place straw hat, tilted his head slightly back, held the microphone, and sang with abandon.
The two's appearance was a bit affected, but their singing was melancholic and affectionate, as if it could penetrate the night and reach the heart.
A small circle of passersby were surrounding them. Lin Yu stood on the outermost edge, admiring them, a smile unconsciously appearing on his lips.
When the song ended, she casually took out her wallet from Jiang Chuan's suit pocket, pulled out a HK$100 note, and bent down to put it into the guitar case in front of her.
Because of her extravagant donation, Lin Yu was pushed onto a makeshift stage amidst cheers and jeers. As the melody of "I Can't Bear to Part with You" began, the lead singer smiled and handed her the microphone, indicating that she could hum along to the music.
During her university years, Lin Yu had listened to many Cantonese songs, but she could only sing a handful of them, and this one happened to be one of them. Standing on the stage, she hesitated for a moment, then subconsciously looked up and gazed at Jiang Chuan across the crowd.
With his hands in his pockets, his figure half-hidden in the night, he gazed at him quietly and intently. In that one glance, Lin Yu's heart settled instantly.
The night breeze from Victoria Harbour caressed her cheeks. As the intro began, she closed her eyes and held the microphone to her lips. Following the music's build-up, she began to sing softly, her voice gradually blending into the guitar chords.
Looking back at my beginnings, I was searching and living in confusion... but thanks to you, I was able to find my way...
Lin Yu was still wearing Jiang Chuan's black suit jacket, the oversized coat loosely covering her slender body, like a gentle harbor for a fledgling bird.
To be honest, her singing wasn't perfect. Her Cantonese pronunciation had a raw, childish quality, she was occasionally off-key, and her high notes trembled slightly. However, it was her unreserved dedication that made her exceptionally moving.
With her eyes closed and a faint smile on her lips, she swayed gently to the deeply melancholic melody, pouring all her emotions into the song.
It was as if her entire being had transformed into musical notes, flowing gently with the night. The crowd unconsciously quieted down, and some began to softly sing along.
"I cherish the love you gave me, I am grateful for your concern, but in the end we have to part ways."
"I can't bear to part with you, but I have to create a future together. A simple, ordinary love like this isn't enough for my own extraordinary life..."
"...May you find the deepest love in your heart, a love that will never change. My heartfelt blessings are with you..."
The moment the outro began, Lin Yu opened his eyes and was caught off guard, falling into Jiang Chuan's eyes, which were even deeper than the waters of Victoria Harbour.
He gave himself the coat, and at this moment he was only wearing a thin white shirt, which was tightly wrapped around his body by the fierce night wind, outlining his upright shoulders and slender waist.
After the music ended and a brief silence followed, enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.
Lin Yu put down the microphone, his heart churning. He unconsciously pushed through the applauding crowd, leaving Jiang Chuan behind.
She hadn't gone far when three young boys with brightly colored hair and full-arm tattoos nimbly squeezed to her side, surrounding her and trapping her in the middle.
One of them put his arm around Lin Yu's shoulder, his breath reeking of cigarette smoke and cheap cologne, and whispered in her ear, "Hey sis, aren't you a plant? You're singing so sweetly, it's irresistible!"
Lin Yu couldn't understand Cantonese, and turned her head in surprise, only to meet the malicious smile of the tall red-haired man, whose gaze lingered on her without any attempt to conceal it.
She was in a bad mood, frowned, shook off the hand on her shoulder, and turned to walk away. "Get out of the way."
"Don't be so cold, let's be friends? What's your phone number?" Another shorter, stockier man spoke in broken Mandarin, gesturing to block her way.
"No." Lin Yu's face turned cold as he tried to walk around them, but they blocked his way again.
Before she could react, the silver-haired boy suddenly reached out and pulled off the coat that was draped over her shoulders.
"What? Give it to me!" Lin Yu was startled and turned around to grab it.
Taking advantage of the moment she turned around, the red-haired boy seized the opportunity, snatched the phone from her hand, held it high above his head, and grinned smugly.
"Still saying you don't have it? What is this? Sister, it's not good to lie."
Lin Yu stood on tiptoe and reached out to touch him, but the other person was too tall and had too long an arm, so she couldn't reach him at all.
Seeing her anxious expression, the red-haired boy smiled even more triumphantly, and took the opportunity to grab her outstretched wrist with his other hand, pressing her palm against his face.
Feeling the smooth texture of her skin, he said in a flirtatious tone, "Your voice is quite nice, and your hands are quite smooth..." The two people behind him laughed lewdly upon hearing this.
Lin Yu felt as if a snake's tongue had slithered across the spot where that hand had touched her, making her feel nauseous. She struggled to break free and pushed the other person away, but due to the disparity in strength, she staggered back two steps.
She unexpectedly bumped into a firm, warm chest, the familiar cool breath instantly enveloping her. Jiang Chuan's strong arms naturally wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her behind him.
His gaze first fell on Lin Yu's still-shaken face, and only after confirming that she was unharmed did he look up at the group of thugs. His expression was calm, and his voice was deep. "Gentlemen, what business do you have with my wife?"
The three of them were stunned when they heard Jiang Chuan speaking fluent Cantonese, and they looked him up and down.
But emboldened by their numbers, the short, stocky boy still spat on the ground and sneered, "Madam? Tsk, that sounds nice, I think it's more like a concubine?"
"No wonder they wouldn't let you touch her, turns out she's a prostitute!"
"Watch your mouth." Jiang Chuan's tone was calm, but Lin Yu felt the grip on his arm tighten instantly.
"What, we were right?" The red-haired boy tossed Lin Yu's phone back, even more smug. "Trying to look convincing, but you can tell at a glance he can't fight. Trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress?"
Lin Yu, enraged, seized the opportunity and, with all her might, slammed her heel into the man's instep. "You lunatic! Give me back my phone! If you break it, you couldn't pay for it even with ten lives!"
Jiang Chuan's appearance seemed to instill great courage in her, allowing her to break free from her previous conciliatory attitude and become unyielding.
The red-haired boy screamed, humiliated in front of his brother, and instantly flew into a rage. He raised his hand, ready to deliver a hard slap to Lin Yu's face.
Seeing this, Jiang Chuan took two steps forward, blocking Lin Yu behind him. With his back supporting his arm, he delivered a clean and crisp right straight punch, directly hitting the red-haired boy in the face.
Caught off guard, the other person cried out in pain and staggered backward, blood gushing from their nose instantly.
Seeing the situation was turning bad, the silver-haired boy grabbed the suit jacket in his hand and threw it at Jiang Chuan's head, trying to distract him. Unexpectedly, Jiang Chuan didn't even lift an eyelid. With a flick of his wrist, the jacket covered Jiang Chuan completely.
Taking advantage of the man's obstructed view and momentary lapse in concentration, Jiang Chuan swiftly raised his long leg and delivered a powerful kick to the man's stomach. The man groaned, curling up like a shrimp and staggering back several steps, nearly collapsing to his knees.
After his companions suffered repeated setbacks, the red-haired boy charged forward, yelling.
Jiang Chuan seemed to have anticipated this, taking a half step back and dodging to the side, but the ring on the other person's hand still grazed his face, leaving a thin, long bloodstain on his chin.
Jiang Chuan frowned slightly, taking advantage of the moment when the other boy's punch missed and his center of gravity shifted forward. He swiftly reached out with his left hand and gripped the red-haired boy's wrist, which was holding the phone, like an iron clamp.
He had only intended to get his phone back, but when he thought about what that hand had just done, he suddenly changed his mind.
Jiang Chuan exerted force with his wrist, twisting it outwards with a sharp crack. The red-haired boy screamed in pain, his arm went numb, and his fingers involuntarily loosened. The phone slipped from his grasp and landed back in Jiang Chuan's hand.
The whole process took only a few dozen seconds. Jiang Chuan had no intention of continuing the fight, ignored the few people behind him who were groaning in pain, and pulled Lin Yu away.
"What are you doing!" A sharp shout came from not far away, and the beam of a patrolling policeman's flashlight swept over.
Jiang Chuan reacted quickly, shoving the phone into Lin Yu's hand, and the next second he grabbed her wrist tightly and started running in the opposite direction with her.
The sound of the wind mingled with the shouts of the police behind me and the loud curses of the thugs.
Everything happened so fast that Lin Yu's mind went blank. He could only let him lead him through the astonished crowd and run wildly along the brightly lit Avenue of Stars.
Jiang Chuan led Lin Yu through the empty corridors of the cultural center, and in a flash, they hid in the shadow of a huge diamond ring billboard under the open-air plaza.
After confirming it was safe, he let go, leaning against the cold metal frame to catch his breath, the changing neon lights flickering on his face.
Lin Yu, clutching his heaving chest, finally managed to catch his breath. "The police are here! Why...why are you running? Shouldn't they be the ones running?"
She looked up at him, and in the dim light of the billboard, she caught a glimpse of the new scar on his chin, like a minor flaw in white jade, glaringly obvious.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuan lowered his head to meet her gaze, a faint smile appearing in his eyes, mixed with lingering sharpness and an indescribable interest.
"It's nothing..." He raised his hand, following Lin Yu's gaze, and gently wiped the blood from his chin. His voice was hoarse, seemingly real yet unreal. "I just wanted to... experience what it's like to be on the run with you."
Lin Yu was taken aback. Looking at his wind-blown black hair, his slightly open shirt collar, and his eyes that seemed particularly deep in the afterimages of the neon lights, where was his usual calm and composed demeanor?
In just one afternoon, she seemed to be witnessing more and more unknown aspects of Jiangchuan.
A strange flutter welled up in his heart, but he couldn't help but scold, "Are you crazy? You're so old, why are you trying to act like a ghost boy?"
Jiang Chuan's chest heaved, and he chuckled softly. He didn't reply, but just looked at her quietly, his gaze filled with too many things that Lin Yu couldn't understand, or dared not understand.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, the distant city noise faded into a blurred background sound, and only the sound of each other's rapid breathing could be clearly heard.
Lin Yu felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and instinctively hugged his arms tightly. Then he realized with a start that his coat was still left in the square. "Oh no, your coat!"
Jiang Chuan looked up, his gaze slowly moving upwards from her slender shoulders, sweeping over her slightly flushed cheeks and slightly disheveled hair. After a moment's pause, he spoke calmly, "Just a piece of clothing."
"But..."
"No, no." He interrupted Lin Yu softly, his tone and eyes both becoming calm. "As long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you."
Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat, all the words she hadn't said stuck in her throat. She was speechless, staring at the faint mark on Jiang Chuan's chin left from protecting her, and at the burning passion in his eyes that he no longer concealed.
The bowing gesture on that fortune slip was fulfilled by him in such a forceful manner.
The neon lights on the opposite bank transformed into a hazy sea of light behind him, making his tall figure appear like a dream, which was heartbreaking.
Just then, a burst of colorful fireworks suddenly erupted over Victoria Harbour, instantly illuminating the night. A roar of cheers erupted from the crowd, as if celebrating this unexpected declaration of romance.
The sounds of the world receded in an instant. In the dazzling light and shadow, Lin Yu looked up into Jiang Chuan's dark eyes, where the shimmering lights of Victoria Harbour were reflected, as well as two bewildered versions of himself.
Remembering how he addressed him in front of that group of people, Lin Yu subconsciously asked, "Why did you just call me your wife?"
The cheers continued, and Jiang Chuan's arm tightened slightly, his palm still resting on her shoulder. He leaned close to Lin Yu's ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Do you remember, Banban? We were supposed to get married tomorrow."
His words were like a boulder crashing into the water, stirring up towering waves in Lin Yu's heart. The shock caused a hidden tremor within her bewilderment, and within that tremor, she felt a long-forgotten dizziness.
Lin Yu's heart pounded violently amidst the deafening noise and the breaths that were so close.
She knew, of course, that he was referring to the promise they made to watch the sunrise at Chenluo Mountain. But the past was the past, and they were no longer in a relationship where they could discuss marriage.
She neither broke free from Jiang Chuan's embrace nor offered any words of agreement, but simply turned her head to look at the river not far away. "That was before, but now... we've broken up!"
"Is that so?" Jiang Chuan leaned down and gazed into Lin Yu's slightly bewildered eyes, his fingertips gently stroking her shoulder. "But it seems... I haven't agreed yet."
"You..." Lin Yu frowned and looked up at him, but Jiang Chuan didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence.
"Breaking up is fine too..." He retreated as a way of advancing, leaning forward.
Lin Yu was completely enveloped in his broad shadow, and his familiar, cold aura once again assaulted her senses. "Girlfriend or wife? Banban, this time you choose!"
Just then, the New Year's bells rang, and the first night breeze of 2020 brushed against the hem of their overlapping clothes.
Lin Yu suddenly realized that she and Jiang Chuan had been entangled for a whole year since their first encounter.
It seems that every important holiday bears his mark, even though the two have long since lost the status of celebrating together.
She suddenly remembered the obscure art film they had watched together last New Year's Eve. Although she had been dozing off the whole time, she still remembered one scene.
In the movie, a potted plant in a flowerpot can wither and bloom three times in one minute. She thought that she and Jiang Chuan seemed to be trapped in such a cycle, constantly confirming each other's feelings in a short yet long wait.
"Lovers are just travel companions who have traveled along the same road for a while. If a fork in the road appears ahead and we happen to choose different directions, then we should part ways gracefully."
Lin Yu paused for a moment, then continued, "Jiang Chuan, you will eventually meet someone on your own path who is willing to walk the rest of the way with you."
"So-so." Jiang Chuan raised his hand and brushed Lin Yu's hair, his fingertips lingering near her ear. "Don't jump to conclusions so easily."
“If the direction is different, I can replan the route. If there are high mountains or mud pits ahead, I can build bridges and pave roads. Even if there is really no way to go, I will forge a new path.”
"I never believe in fate, I only believe that things can be accomplished by human effort."
"..." Lin Yu opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
It was as if all the pre-set defenses and all the determination not to reconcile had become shaky under this series of unexpected events and his almost blatant advances.
The night view of Victoria Harbour was still dazzling. The fluorescent lights of the diamond ring billboards swirled around them, illuminating the complex and unfathomable emotions in their eyes. It was so fitting, yet so unspoken.
It seemed that all emotions were suspended between these unfinished words and these overly close breaths, waiting for her to put pen to paper.
"Jiang Chuan..." After a long while, Lin Yu spoke with difficulty but determination, looking straight into Jiang Chuan's eyes.
"Perhaps this time, I won't jump into any pre-set answers for me."
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