Chapter 9, Tempting Business (3)

She stood at the entrance of the store, listening to the shopkeeper until he finished singing

Private

She remembered that at that time, Cheng Mu Yang merely fixed his gaze upon her and said, somewhat ambiguously, "This island will not have any residents, visitors are prohibited, and there needs to be a coast guard to prevent outsiders from entering. It would be best to build pink houses on the island, along with villas, tennis courts, and luxurious gardens. Moreover," he paused for a moment, as if recalling, "this island indeed exists, in Greece, valued at approximately 200 million pounds, and the owner is Athena Onassis."

She lowered her head and smiled, continuing to scan the lines of text aimlessly. Her two fingers glided down the lines, almost as if she were genuinely focused on something. Until Cheng Mu Yang grasped her two fingers, she finally lifted her head.

It was the Lunar New Year of a certain year, and they were dining at the City Hall Square in Ypres, located 80 kilometers southeast of Brussels. Since it was not a local holiday, there were not many people around. Two individuals, accompanied by a Russian named Katyusha, ultimately chose a Chinese restaurant called "Red Sorghum".

"Miss, I heard that you are currently at sea." The laughter from over there is cheerful

Later, everyone gathered together, laughing and joking, and before they knew it, it was midnight

The door to the room opened, yet she turned around, took two steps back, and blocked him outside the door

She smiled silently, caressing his shirt with her face. Due to the fatigue from a sleepless night, she found herself feeling somewhat dazed. It must be admitted that at certain times, Cheng Mu Yang is an absolutely gentle man

She made a sound of acknowledgment and looked up at him

However, it is indeed too noisy here

She listened, both amused and bewildered, when Katyusha touched her eyes and said, "Whatever kind of dream you have, that is what you will become." She was even more delighted: "Alright, let our dreams be grander; we should all marry someone who owns a small island"

They danced for a long time, so long that there were almost no people left in the dance floor, so long that someone had already told them that dawn was approaching. Cheng Mu Yang quietly said something to the waiter, and soon the waiter bowed and left, completely clearing the venue

Nanbei opened her mouth but could not utter a word. Instead, she fiercely and deeply pinched his other arm under the table. Initially, it was just to vent her frustration, but to her surprise, he remained completely unfazed. By the end, she felt it had gone too far, and when she finally released her grip, his once snow-white arm had already developed a layer of bruising.

Do not wait here," she nudged him, "it will have a negative impact.

She placed her hand on his waist, pressing against him, without answering the question

The first word is my name. He deliberately repeated what he had said at that time

Before long, two arms encircled her sides, resting on the edge of the round table: "I thought we would have to wait until dawn"

Katyusha was captivated, frequently covering her mouth and screaming.

She does not possess his linguistic talent, but her memory has always been quite good

She took a hot shower in just five minutes, and under the flow of the showerhead, her mind was filled with layers of fragmented memories. Those images from their first meeting to this encounter, as well as the kiss that she could not escape moments ago. Her fingers pressed against her lips, still able to recall Cheng Mu Yang's gentle treatment of her just now

"Alright," his voice softened, "I will wait for you in Shen's room."

Cheng Mu Yang escorted her back to her room

Cheng Mu Yang, holding her, glanced at his watch: "Should we go back to the room and take a nap?"

The room was dark, and she turned around, simply taking a clean towel from the bathroom. While drying her hair, she dialed a number. "Hello," came the voice on the other end, devoid of any emotion.

North and South

"Indeed, in the open sea, near the Bus Strait," she said softly, picking up a cushion from beside her. "Do me a small favor; I need to look up some information, but I cannot let Nan Huai know."

Hmm? Because of the light, she squinted her eyes slightly to look at him

The true meaning of this sentence is, "He also leaned close to her ear and told her, 'Cheng Mu Yang is my man.'"

He smiled and said, "You are welcome to redeem it anytime, anywhere"

After a moment of silence, the other party still agreed to her.

The operator on the phone finally changed her tone and politely informed her that Mr. Bodongha was on the line and would hang up within ten seconds to answer a call from the North. In fact, it took less than ten seconds; almost simultaneously, the operator's call was disconnected.

A space for only two people

The restaurant has three or four tables of Chinese patrons

The first time I heard this song

Nan and Bei had no choice but to grasp the hem of his shirt, leaning close to his ear to whisper to him

It is not considered standard pronunciation and is not as pleasant as he claims

She responded with a soft "oh".

After finishing her words, she finally went to ask him: "Now can you tell me the true meaning of hetushucomcom?"

He placed her finger against his lips and gently touched it: "Do you still remember the phrase I taught you?"

Cheng Mu Yang's hand slid down her spine, supporting her waist, allowing her to stand more comfortably. The tips of their noses touched, their lips brushed gently against each other in an intimate manner, yet there were no further actions taken.

He made a sound of acknowledgment, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, waved to summon the waiter, and ordered red wine

The call was disconnected at 10:30

Later, the two of them had some red wine. No one here knew them, and the dim, shifting lights layered upon one another created an atmosphere where the midnight music no longer struck fear into the heart, gradually becoming soothing and gentle. She and he began to dance slowly at the edge of the crowd in the dance floor, and when someone passed by from behind, he finally pulled her into his embrace at just the right moment

Only two questions were raised by the North and South: first, the purpose of the Shen family's journey; second, the experiences of Cheng Mu Yang, detailed to every month of each year.

Cheng Mu Yang told her that this is Madonna's song from 1986

Both Nan and Bei were momentarily taken aback, but then they recalled the unfair wager.

Cheng Mu Yang's voice carries a rare, indulgent sensuality

The two individuals, drawn closer by the extravagant rhythm, found their bodies increasingly near, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, much like all the couples in the dance floor. Cheng Mu Yang quietly leaned down, gazing at her: "Do you believe that I am serious about you?"

Everything became intoxicating. The fatigue of sleepless nights, under the influence of alcohol, made her gaze even more dazed. Cheng Mu Yang watched her intently, every movement, every expression. Even the way she looked weary with her eyes closed.

With the end of the family's decades-long turmoil in Nanhuai, she was no longer an individual since her return from Belgium to Wanting.

Nanbei changed into a dark green dress to go to the bar

After a while, she softly asked him: "The small island you mentioned, could it be an empty promise?"

She asked for the name of the song, and he replied in Spanish, "La Isla Bonita," and told her that it translates to "Beautiful Island." Regarding the word "island," Katyusha had a particular fondness for it; she kept expressing in the taxi her dream of marrying someone who owns a small island

The music quietly shifts, a melody known only to the two of them

At that time, she quietly asked Cheng Mu, whose song is this, and why have I never heard it before

I will wait for your message at seven o'clock tomorrow morning

At the moment the door was closed, the light filtering through the crack still revealed him gazing at me without a moment's pause

At this moment, remembering it again has already made a significant difference

At closing time, the shopkeeper played this tune. She even hummed it with great feeling, donning a heavy coat while listening to this closing song rich in Spanish flair

Her right hand, due to her distraction, turned up the hot water.

At that time, he was earnestly following Cheng Mu Yang to learn that phrase in Russian. After repeating it three or four times, he had basically memorized each pronunciation. Therefore, when he was asked again, he could easily recite it.

Bodongha

With a click, everything outside the door was finally cut off

He stood with his back to the corridor light, his face outlined vividly by the glow behind him. His brown eyes appeared misty, resembling amber: "Alright, I will wait for you"

What kind of person is Cheng Mu Yang, and what sacrifices will be made by being with him? She needs to be fully prepared

They were very close to each other, and she even felt that if she said one more word, their lips would touch. However, she did not respond quickly; instead, she placed her hand on his bare shoulder and softly told him, "Go to the third floor and wait for me, at the bar on the third floor. I will come find you after I finish getting hot water."

North and South reminisced about his words at that time, lazily leaning against him, their dance steps no longer resembling a dance.

She suddenly smiled and softly asked him, "Do you still remember?"

"Go ahead," Cheng Mu Yang said with a hint of amusement, leaning his arm against the door frame, "I will wait for you"

The rapidly rising water temperature nearly scalded her

The three-story bar is filled with young people, most of whom are juniors. Aside from the young and those of lower status, others would not appear here at this time, thus, she and he are here as if they are on a secret rendezvous

She did not deliberately seek him out; she simply sat in the corner, flipping through the drink menu in her hand

Upon hearing this, Katyusha immediately took Cheng Mu Yang's arm: "Did you hear that? Strive for this, young man."

She also lowered her head and smiled, taking Cheng Mu Yang's words as a joke... At that time, she was still in exile, and these descriptions, this island worth hundreds of millions of pounds, could only be a jest among impoverished students studying abroad

My memory has always been excellent, especially when it comes to matters concerning you

I want to take a hot shower she said softly

"Does it hurt?" She felt an inexplicable pain in her heart and reached out her finger to gently rub it for him

No, I am Nanbei