#light and night
[L&N] Carefree Summer Event (Pt. 3)
Charlie: Fiancée, we haven’t even tried the chocolate… and you’re already distracted and wanting to have a taste of something else?
Facing Charlie’s smiling eyes, my hand trembles.
MC: No, don’t let your mind wander! I just wanted to wipe some cream off your chest.
Charlie glances at the cream on my finger, and seems to be pondering over something.
Charlie: It looks like you have a little hobby of getting me dirty. It’s a pity that the dessert’s already finished and I can only satisfy you next time.
Charlie places two tiny cakes onto a plate. Then, he bends down and retrieves a slender, coffee-coloured bottle from the freezer.
Charlie: Before trying the dessert, let’s whet our appetite with a pre-meal beverage.
MC: What’s this?
Charlie twists open the bottle cap, then pours brown liquid into two wine glasses.
Charlie: In Di Li Xiu Si, there’s a famous chocolate liquor known as the “Drink of God”. Everyone probably wants to know how it tastes.
While watching his practised movements, I recall how Charlie doesn’t seem to like the taste of alcohol.
Noticing my puzzled gaze, Charlie smiles with understanding.
Charlie: Don’t worry, it has a very low alcohol level and it’s almost negligible. Here - cheers to this trip.
Charlie places a cup of wine into my hand and clinks his against mine gently.
I tilt my head upwards to drink it. The liquid flows into my mouth, and a unique taste spreads out. Cherry, raspberry and other similar fruits gradually drift over, mingling with cocoa. It’s akin to a melting blackforest cake.
The refrigerated wine has a rich texture and smoothness. I can’t help but take a few more sips greedily.
For some reason, Charlie frowns slightly as he puts the glass down. He has an odd expression on his face.
Charlie: Why does this taste a little different from what I expected?
MC: Really? I think it’s pretty good.
Charlie looks at the wine glass in my hand, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Charlie: This “Drink of God” has a pretty strict requirement when it comes to the way its poured. I guess I might have failed with this glass.
His head droops, and he looks slightly crestfallen. I hurriedly stuff my glass into his hand.
MC: Try my glass. There might be a problem with the wine itself.
Charlie hesitates for a moment. Then, he lowers his head, holding my hand and drinking the liquid in my glass.
His originally furrowed brows seem to smoothen, and a dazzling aura once again returns into his eyes.
Charlie: Sure enough, your glass seems a little sweeter than mine. You should try mine too.
In an extremely natural manner, he pushes his wine glass towards me. I carefully lean forward and take a sip -
It has the exact same taste!
MC: Charlie, you lied to me. These two glasses clearly taste the same.
Charlie: Fiancée, does this count as a traditional wedding toast?
- [Trivia]Charlie is referring to a custom called 交杯酒 (jiao bei jiu) in traditional Chinese weddings, where couples drink from each other’s wine glass to symbolise longevity in their marriage
MC:[blushing]You aren’t answering the question.
Despite what I said, my face flushes honestly.
Perhaps due to the alcohol in the liquid, my heart races more fiercely than before.
Charlie: Actually, there’s another half of the “Drink for the Gods” that I haven’t told you about.
Charlie leans over, his slightly bewitching tone causing me to listen more intently.
Charlie: In legends, it’s said that cocoa is a gift from God. Its slight bitterness makes one nostalgic, and it’s been thought of as harbouring a miraculous magic.
MC: What magic?
I stare into Charlie’s eyes, wanting to quell my curiosity. He leans closer to my ear…
Charlie: This magic is… the sensation of falling into the river of love.
The moment he finishes speaking, my heart leaps once again.
MC: So what we drank was…
Charlie: Don’t worry. How could I bear to let my fiancée drink such a primeval beverage? Although the legend is wonderful, the “Drink of God” tastes bitter and spicy in reality, and it’s difficult to swallow. This chocolate liquor is one that I had requested a professional bartender to prepare. As for the feeling of falling into the river of love, we’re free to experience it…
My emotions undulate in an unrestrained manner, as though I’m on a rollercoaster.
MC: So you were deliberately toying with me?
Charlie: How could I dare to lie to you? From the start till the end, I never said that this wine was the “Drink of God”. Were you truly emotionally stirred by me?
My ears flush pink, and I have no strength to respond.
Charlie: But my emotions have been stirred since a long time ago. Even without drinking it, I’ll be deeply captivated by you, fiancée.
✧Moments:here
Very soon, the day of our vacation arrives. The cocoa journey has officially begun.
As Charlie’s private plane makes its gradual descent, a lush rainforest unfolds before my eyes, and the scent of a foreign land rushes over.
The moment we step off the plane, a man with tanned skin and a straw hat welcomes us.
???: Mr Zha, Miss MC, welcome to Di Li Xiu Si. I’ve been waiting for you.
Charlie: Thanks for welcoming us, Santos my friend.
Santos: Mr Zha, we have arranged everything that you asked us to. You and Miss MC can enjoy this trip to your heart’s content, and nobody will disturb the both of you.
While saying this, he hands something over to Charlie in a respectful manner.
Before I can get a clear look at what it is, Charlie quickly keeps it in his pocket before giving Santos a nod.
Santos: I shan’t disturb you further. May the both of you have a happy trip.
Santos hastily turns around, disappearing into the depths of the lush rainforest.
MC: That’s strange. Isn’t he our tour guide?
Watching as I stare at Santos’ retreating figure, Charlie arches his brows and points at his chest.
Charlie: Fiancée, your most thoughtful tour guide is over here.
MC: But the plantations are hidden in the rainforest… Also, the routes are very complicated. Even if you’ve done your research… can we really do this without a local guide?
His purple eyes see through my doubt.
Charlie: Don’t worry. Nobody’s more familiar than this place than I am. If you’re scared, hold onto my hand tightly.
Right after saying this, Charlie takes my hand firmly, encasing it in the familiar warmth of his palm.
His footsteps are unusually steady, as though he’s very certain about the routes here.
The deep sense of mystery surrounding the rainforest gradually recedes. A strong and intoxicating fragrance of exotic flora and fauna envelop us.
Charlie: Look over there.
Charlie points at a plantation not too far away. A few workers are currently using tools to select cocoa beans from matured fruits before leaving them to dry under the light.
Charlie: The first harvest of cocoa begins in July. It’s still early. The cocoa fruits which matured early will be given to a few small workshops for their products.
Looking at the white fruits, I find it difficult to associate them with the cocoa powder I typically see.
MC: I didn’t expect cocoa powder to look so different from their old ancestors.
Charlie: You’re right. From the planting of cocoa seeds, harvesting, cleaning, roasting, grinding, and the final step of refining them, there are seven steps in total. Using your analogy, they would have gone through seven generations before reaching the customers in a completely changed state.
My eyes widen slightly, not expecting the production of cocoa beans to require that many processes.
But what’s even more unexpected is how familiar Charlie is with these processes. From my understanding, Charlie doesn’t have any related industries under his name.
As though reading my gaze, the corners of Charlie’s lips curl upwards in satisfaction.
Charlie: Fiancée, don’t underestimate my repository of knowledge.
MC: Is that it? I have a feeling that you’re hiding something from me.
Charlie: Shh, don’t get antsy.
With a smile, he takes my hand in a secretive manner and leads me down a small path.
At the end of the path, beneath tall trees that soar into the sky, a petite wooden hut appears in my field of vision.
Intricate flowers are engraved on the golden coloured signboard at the small entrance. I take a step closer to look -
MC: “Charlie’s Chocolate Workshop”.
After reading each golden syllable aloud, I turn my head around incredulously to look at Charlie.
MC: Charlie, could this be your…
Charlie: Correct. This is my personal workshop which is exclusively used for producing creative desserts.
MC: When did this start? I’ve never heard you mention it…
Charlie: After we spent Valentine’s Day together. The custom-made heart-shaped chocolates back then gave me the impulse to construct a chocolate workshop exclusively for us. Since I can blend my creativity into desserts and share this sweetness with my fiancée, why not?
It turns out these deeply buried small ideas had gathered to form a part of Charlie’s romance.
And all of this started since a very long time ago.
MC: Have you been here before?
Charlie: Yes. A while ago, I did on-site checks on a few locations in various parts of the world. Finally, I selected this place for my chocolate workshop. Three months after that, it happened to be 520, and I thought of bringing you here to look at our little hut.
Charlie speaks as though this is nothing out of the ordinary - that the amount of thought put into this is a given.
My questions from earlier are resolved and my heart suddenly grows tender.
Charlie: But there’s no need to feel moved this early. The surprise begins inside.
From his pocket, Charlie retrieves the item that Santos had given to him earlier - a tiny, intricate key.
He inserts the key into the lock, then opens the door of the little wooden hut gently.
The interior of the hut brims with a sweet fragrance, and has been decorated gorgeously and intricately. It’s completely different from the rainforest outside, and there’s a certain familiar aesthetic to it.
There are freshly picked cocoa beans on the ingredient counter, a few tools for making chocolates, and all sorts of baking equipment. Although this is a chocolate workshop, there aren’t any staff around.
Charlie: There are usually two pâtissiers and a few helpers working here. They’re responsible for bringing the freshest cocoa beans over, designing and creating desserts. Mr Santos is one of the helpers.
I nod in understanding.
Charlie: Today is a festival exclusive to us. I specially told them to give us sufficient time and space.
Looking around my surroundings, the amount of ingredients and tools causes my eyes to light up.
MC: Are we going to make chocolates?
Charlie: Not exactly. How could a perfect person give the same gift as the one from Valentine’s Day?
Charlie looks into my eyes meaningfully.
Charlie: This isn’t ordinary chocolate, but a creative dessert that I’ve recently come up with. It’s inspired by the longing for one’s beloved. Today, I’ll be preparing it in front of you.
After saying this, Charlie busies himself. However, a strange emotion surfaces in my heart.
MC: If I remember correctly, your previous original recipe was cocoa cup noodles?
Charlie: That’s right. It has the same unique taste that will guarantee a sweetness to your heart.
Seeing his smile, the strange feeling in my heart is replaced with bubbling curiosity.
Even if Charlie makes something terrible today, I believe that I’ll be able to play along and finish everything.
After he begins work, Charlie takes on the appearance of a master chef while I help out at the side.
Charlie: Fiancée, squeeze some jam for me.
Charlie is currently holding a whisk to make cream, and doesn’t have any free hands.
But when I twist the cover open, the jam spurts towards Charlie’s chest with a “pfft”, leaving a conspicuous red mark on his grey black shirt.
MC: Sorry, I didn’t mean to…
Charlie: It’s okay, this shirt has become more special now.
Charlie smiles while consoling me, but this causes me to feel even more guilty. After all, this is a shirt that he specially selected for 520, and yet it has become dirty.
MC: How about this…
Charlie: Hm?
MC: Wear an apron for now. It’d be problematic if something else gets on your clothes if I’m careless again.
I search the cupboards for an apron before handing it to him.
Charlie: Something else? Don’t worry, nothing-
Charlie suddenly stops in the middle of his sentence.
He stares at the apron in my hand before revealing a smile of understanding.
Charlie: It turns out that my fiancée has such thoughts…
MC: Yeah, so change into it quickly!
I stuff the apron into Charlie’s hand and watch as he disappears into the changing room in the corner.
I can vaguely hear soft muttering from behind the door…
Charlie: Tsk tsk tsk. Sure enough, designers have amusing interests…
MC: Interests?
I blink in confusion, but my tiny doubts are cast aside shortly after.
I turn around, continuing to squeeze the strawberry jam into the bowl of cream before mixing them. Then, a voice with a satisfied tone burrows into my ears.
Charlie: Fiancée, what do you think of my kitchen look?
Lifting my head to look at Charlie’s appearance, I find myself sucking in a breath.
MC: …Charlie, why did you run out looking like that?
His upper body is only clothed with an apron, and the lines of his muscles are discernible beneath the thin fabric.
A red hue surfaces on my cheeks. Pleased with my reaction, Charlie draws even closer.
Charlie: Isn’t this what you requested, Fiancée?
I frantically cover my eyes.
MC: I’ve… I’ve never made such a request.
In the narrow gaps between my fingers, Charlie tilts his head in confusion.
Charlie: Fiancée, are you doubting my memory? Change. Into. The. Apron. Quickly. Isn’t this what you instructed?
His teasing remark enters my ears, which turn crimson.
MC: What I meant was for you to change into a new outfit before putting the apron on…
Charlie: Oh. So you’re saying that I misunderstood you? Don’t worry, there’s an ancient phrase which goes, “holding a pipa with a half-hidden face”. Don’t you think that I’m more perfect and flawless than usual this way, and have a hazy beauty?
MC: What…
I turn away in embarrassment.
Charlie: No?
Charlie’s voice drifts to my ears. His tone takes on an abrupt shift, and he sounds pitiful.
Charlie: Fiancée, I only brought two sets of clothes for this short vacation. If I change into it now, I won’t have anything to wear on the day we return. Can you bear for my body to be seen by so many people?
MC: Well… fine.
I release a sigh, giving in easily. Even if a bare Charlie walks around casually, all I can do is close an eye.
Fortunately, Charlie finishes his dessert pretty quickly. Soon, all that’s left are the cream decorations.
MC: Leave the rest to me.
As a newbie at making desserts, I’m naturally interested in tinkering with the ingredients in the kitchen,
Unexpectedly, while trying to squeeze the cream, I once again lose my grip. A tiny bit of cream spurts out, landing on Charlie’s bare skin, rising and falling along with his muscles.
My face pales. Fortunately, Charlie doesn’t realise what happened. In order to prevent him from having other strange ideas, why don’t I wipe it off for him?
Touch his…
Charlie: This Dare is way too simple.
Charlie straightens up, a look of anticipation on his face. It’s clear that he’s ready to welcome all sorts of compliments.
MC: Hmm… let me think about it.
Complimenting Charlie isn’t a difficult thing to do. But things like “perfect man” and “Guangqi’s famous doctor” have been said many times, and they lack novelty.
As the cogs in my brain turn, a vexed expression involuntarily surfaces on my face. Charlie looks at me with confusion.
Charlie: Is it really that difficult?
Charlie: I have tens of thousands of merits. Shouldn’t compliments to me be at your fingertips?
A wave of dejection appears in Charlie’s confident expression. He furrows his brows slightly and purses his lips. He’s really cute.
Just as I’m about to console him, he quickly returns to his usual pleased expression.
Charlie: I get it. It must be because I have too many merits and my fiancée’s having trouble picking one. After all, whether it’s in my career or love life, I’m considered a winner.
MC: That’s right. Why don’t I summarise all your merits into one line?
Tapping open Moments, I quickly weave a sentence together and show it to Charlie.
Charlie: Not bad. Sure enough, my fiancée understands me.
MC’s Post: Charlie - a brilliant doctor who effects miraculous cures and Guangqi City’s Model Fiancé!
Charlie: One more sentence - “Handsome, cool and rich, his heart only loves his fiancée.”
Bro Mao: Good job, Dr Zha!
Should I pick “yes” or “no”…
[ SCENARIO 1: YES ]
After seeing the card, I nod without hesitation.
MC: Of course. And it’s what I’ve been doing. I enjoy sharing trivial parts of my day with you, especially heartwarming moment since you’re usually busy with work. As a doctor, there are times when you have no choice but to face the complexities of reality. I hope that the trivial moments of my day can bring you some happiness and joy, and help you to relax and spend each day happily.
Just like the wish I had made from before, I wish that Charlie can be healed by the world. And of course, I’ll be the first person to heal him.
Charlie looks at me, a gentle warmth surfacing in his purple eyes.
Charlie: Fiancée, you’re truly good.
MC: I’m not…
Charlie: But I need to add on to that.
MC: Hm?
Charlie: Aside from happy moments, you can share your frustration, gloomy, and occasionally emo moments with me too. Don’t forget that I’m your exclusive happy fruit.
[ SCENARIO 2: NO]
After giving this question serious thought, I shake my head.
Charlie: Why not?
MC: Although we have a close relationship, I feel that there’s a need to give each other some freedom and space. After all, everyone has their personal troubles and secrets. As long as both parties’ hearts are connected, they don’t necessarily have to share everything with each other.
Charlie nods in understanding.
Charlie: That makes sense.
MC: Does this make you unhappy?
Charlie: Of course not. Sharing is something you’re free to do. I completely understand and respect your decision. But I think a little differently from you.
I look up at Charlie, and see a tender smile surfacing on his face.
Charlie: When I see a flower bloom or the clouds scatter, I want to share all of these moments with you, so that you feel the same romance and happiness that I’m experiencing.
Deep affection are in his purple eyes as he looks at me tenderly. The clear depths of his eyes sparkle, as though bright stars have been embellished in them.
Charlie’s Post: I sent my fiancée a text half an hour ago and she hasn’t replied. I’m hurt TAT
MC: Ahhhh sorry, I replied mentally.
Charlie: It’s okay, I’ll take it that you’ve mentally accepted my invitation for a picnic. See you over the weekend, Fiancée.
-
Charlie’s Post: I sent my fiancée a text half an hour ago and she hasn’t replied. I’m hurt TAT
MC: No no, I didn’t understand the contents of your text so I was searching it up.
Charlie: Why didn’t you ask me about it? The meaning behind “Mg + ZnSO4 = Zn + MgSO4″ is that your beauty has stolen my heart.
- [Note]This is a Chinese pun
-
Charlie’s Post: I sent my fiancée a text half an hour ago and she hasn’t replied. I’m hurt TAT
MC: Don’t feel hurt. I’m here, so give me a chance to make it up to you!
Charlie: In that case, I’ll invite my fiancée to make up for it with a kiss. That isn’t unreasonable, is it?
MC: Huh? Isn’t it a little early to think about this question?
Charlie arches his brows slightly as he looks at me confidently.
Charlie: Actually, I’ve been preparing for it for a very long time.
Charlie takes out his phone before tapping open a document in a seasoned manner. It’s filled with thousands of words.
MC: Wow, is this a guide?
I scroll down. The guide contains all sorts of locations, from Milan’s La Scala to the Caribbean. It’s incredibly detailed.
There are even priorities marked out in the footnotes based on my likes.
Comments at the side are filled with notes about important things such as the optimal time to visit certain scenic spots, and trivial things like medication to prevent heatstroke or to keep away the cold - there are matters big and small.
MC: You’ve put in so much effort into this guide! Dr Zha, you’ve worked hard!
Charlie: After all, it would be the first long trip with my fiancée, so any amount of effort will be worthwhile. I’m also looking forward to exploring the world with you and leaving traces of our love in every corner.
Charlie’s expression is calm and composed, but my heart feels so moved that it’s brimming with warmth.
I browse through the guide. There are far too many locations and scenic spots on it, and I don’t reach the end even after scrolling for a very long time.
MC: Since there are so many locations, I’m afraid we won’t get to experience all of them in a month…
Sensing my dejection, Charlie takes my hand gently.
Charlie: It’s okay. The honeymoon is simply the start of our happy life. After that, we’ll have a very, very long time that’s enough for us to visit any location we wish to go to.
✧Text:here
After searching through my bag of props, I finally find the sticker that I’ve meticulously selected.
Charlie: A tangerine? No, it’s a tangerine wearing sunglasses.
MC: Doesn’t it resemble you?
Charlie puts a hand on his chin, scrutinising the sticker in my hand in a serious manner.
Charlie: Its chubby figure doesn’t resemble mine, and the leaf on its head doesn’t resemble me either.
Charlie: But the aura it emits when wearing glasses and showcasing its biceps issomewhat similar to mine. Considering how unconventional it looks, I’ll accept what you said.
MC: I’ll stick it on for you then?
Charlie: Go on.
I’lll stick the tangerine sticker on him!
MC: Adorable!
Charlie glances at himself in the mirror before revealing a pleased expression.
Charlie: It’s pretty nice. But why did you stick a tangerine on me, Fiancée?
MC: Hehe, this is where your knowledge has a blindspot. Tangerines symbolise “luck”. I heard that pasting a sticker of a tangerine will help you to become luckier!
Charlie: Did you prepare this sticker specially for me because of my bad luck?
MC: Of course. Although you’re already perfect enough, I hope the God of Luck can take better care of you.
Charlie closes his eyes. After taking a deep breath, he opens them slowly, as though composing himself.
Charlie: Thank you, Fiancée. Actually, the God of Luck has already taken good care of me. Otherwise, how could I have met such a thoughtful and kind-hearted you?
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: I suddenly feel like eating tangerines~
Charlie: No problem. I’ll have them washed and sent to your place tonight.
-
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: Has your luck changed for the better?
Charlie: Of course. I won the lottery that I just bought. As a show of gratitude, I’ll take you out for a feast tonight. How does that sound?
-
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: I was correct when I said that the both of you are similar~
Charlie: Nope. The reason why I feel a sense of closeness is because seeing tangerines makes me think of you.
Osborn: It’s time for a break. What do you want to play? I’ll teach you.
His gift: LEGO Scooter
Evan: May this young lady have control over her time, as well as… my time.
His gift: Watch with small embossed bees
Sariel: While I’m on business trips, don’t be lazy and skip breakfast.
His gift: Multi-function breakfast maker
Charlie: I’ll protect my fiancée’s soul. As for the windows to the soul… leave it to this.
His gift: Eye massager
Jesse: Nobody will know that you’re telling me a secret right now… right?
His gift: Audio bluetooth glasses
- Original artist:Hotaru咕咕咕
- Source llPermission
- Please do not repost!
Warm sunlight slopes across the land, and soft clouds drift in a patch of azure.
With my head plopped on the table, the tip of my pen glides across the sketch book aimlessly. When I return to my senses, a series of numbers have already climbed all over the page - 520, 520, 520…
MC: It’s going to be 20 May next week. I wonder what Charlie’s busy with… Could he have his own plans? He might not have the habit of celebrating this festival either…
The sheet of paper is full of scrawled characters, and various thoughts emerge and vanish from my mind. At this moment, a crisp bird call shatters my vexed train of thought.
MC: It’s Charlie’s exclusive ringtone.
With an upward curl of my lips, I tap on the answer button.
Charlie: Hm? You picked up this quickly? Fiancée, be honest. Were you thinking about me?
MC: No way, I just happened to be looking at my phone!
Charlie: Oh. So you happened to be thinking about me then. Sigh, admitting it isn’t a big deal. Anyway, I happened to be thinking about you too.
MC; Huh, really…?
Charlie: Of course. It’s the reason why I called to make arrangements for a sweet 520 vacation with my fiancée. Will you consider it?
MC: I’ve been busy working overtime these days…
Charlie: Do you have other plans?
MC: Of course not! Since I’ve been working overtime frequently, I’ve applied for two days of leave, and they should be around 20 May…
Charlie: So that’s what it is. I didn’t expect my fiancée to be even more thoughtful than myself. Working overtime in advance to make time for a date - why does this tactic seem somewhat familiar?
MC: Didn’t I learn it from you… Cough cough, let’s not dwell on this. Tell me more about what you’ve planned!
Charlie: For this 520, I’ve planned a trip to a tropical rainforest.
MC: We’re going on a… trip?
Charlie: That’s right. We’ll be going to the faraway “Town of Cocoa”, Di Li Xiu Si . We’ll be able to smell the fragrance of cocoa beans while finding the source of sweetness under the tranquil shade of trees. Bitterness before the sweetness. Fiancée, don’t you think this is similar to our journey of love?
Hearing his plans for the trip causes ripples to surface from the depths of my heart.
MC: You’ve been making so many plans in secret…
Charlie: After all, it must be worthy of my fiancée’s week-long anticipation.
MC: HAHAHA. Isn’t it a little late to start looking forward to such a high quality trip?
Charlie: Late? There’s no concept of “late” in our treasury of love. It’s simply a layback and cha cha. So there’s no need to feel burdened about it. I’ll pick you up punctually on the night before 520, my dear fiancée.
After hanging up, the pleasant surprise and sweetness from earlier seem to reverberate around me.
I lift up my pen, striking out today’s date on the calendar excitedly -
MC: Come a little sooner, 520.
✧Part Two:here
- Event Time: 17 May - 23 May 2022
It’s early summer, and busy days of work pass by.
Sunlight streams through the large French windows, spilling into the office of Team A.
A number of pictorials are piled on the table, all of them featuring good locations for vacations.
Li Man Man: It’s almost 520. Has anyone asked you out yet?
- [Trivia]“520″ is the short form of “May 20″, a date akin to Valentine’s Day in China. In Chinese, “520” sounds phonetically like “I love you” (我爱你 - “wo ai ni”) ♡
Li Man Man glides over to me on a swivel chair, speaking softly with a gossip-hungry grin.
MC: Not yet…
Hao Shuai: Me neither!
Hao Shuai leans over.
Hao Shuai: Why don’t we have a Team A bonding activity and celebrate together?
Bro Mao: You might not have plans, but I do…
Bro Mao doesn’t speak loudly, but every word strikes Hao Shuai’s sore spot. Li Man Man follows up with another strike.
Li Mao Mao: To be honest, me too.
Hao Shuai: Hey hey hey, why are you guys putting your lovers before your friends! Am I going to spend such a wonderful day decaying at home…
Hao Shuai’s sighs and groans make me feel that I shouldn’t waste the day either.
A breeze courses by, causing a corner of a pictorial to flutter upwards, showcasing swaying reeds beneath a clear sky, a stream beside a cluster of mountains, and gravel sparkling with faint light along the coast…
MC: How nice.
I support my head with my hand while muttering to myself.
Hao Shuai: It doesn’t matter whether I celebrate the festival. I just want to have fun outside even if it’s only for the weekend.
Agreed - even if it’s only for the weekend.
Consecutive days of working overtime have caused this originally peaceful afternoon to become gloomy. Although the coffee on the table has been finished, it’s difficult to dispel the drowsiness.
The scenery on the page seems to merge with the azure sky outside the window, stirring to life.
I find myself unlocking my phone. My fingertips glide across the text messaging platform, and a familiar conversation bubble appears before my eyes.
I want to spend this 520 with him…
☀️ Go on a trip to the tropical rainforest with Charlie:here
- Original artist:地瓜儿苗y
- SourcellPermission
- Please do not repost!
- Original artist:地瓜儿苗y
- Source llPermission
- Please do not repost!
Jesse and Greek Mythology - Character Study (At a Glance)
This is a simple essay to gather my thoughts about the use of Greek mythology with Jesse, and what I think this might mean for his future development.
First, I honestly believe he’s being written as a Greek tragedy:
The usual irony in Greek tragedy is that the hero is both extraordinarily capable and highly moral (in the Greek honor-culture sense of being duty-bound to moral expectations), and it is these exact, highly-admirable qualities that lead the hero into tragic circumstances. The tragic hero is snared by his own greatness: extraordinary competence, a righteous passion for duty, and (often) the arrogance associated with greatness (hubris).
[Wikipedia]
Second, in his personal route, there are two references that support this. In Chapter 1, Jesse plays Orpheus in his musical. In Chapter 2, the story of Hippolytus gets brought up between Jesse and K, his cousin from an exiled branch family.
The TL;DR about Orpheus and Eurydice is that they were lovers until Eurydice died one day. Then Orpheus went down to the underworld to bring her back but under the condition that he could not turn around to look at her shade as they traveled up to the mortal world. In the end, Orpheus turns to look and Eurydice returns to the underworld and then Orpheus dies in his grief.
The TL;DR of Hippolytus is that Hippolytus offends the goddess Aphrodite because of his worship for the goddess Artemis and so Aphrodite creates a tragedy where she makes Hippolytus’ stepmother fall in love with him. The stepmother commits suicide rather than disgrace her son, but a letter after her death accuses Hippolytus of raping her and so Hippolytus’ father prays to the god Poseidon to curse his son with death or exile. Hippolytus ends up grievously injured because of this but, on the verge of death, Artemis appears before the father and clears up this misunderstanding. Hippolytus dies after forgiving his father (in some versions, he gets revived and is then exiled to become king elsewhere).
Naturally, there’s many versions of these Greek stories but, in my opinion, the tragedy that happens in them is because the hero refuses to stop being who they are; they are trapped in their tragedies by the very traits that caused the tragedies to begin with.
For example, it can be argued that in all versions of Orpheus and Eurydice, it is because of Orpheus’ love that he can brave the underworld to get back Eurydice and it is because of love that he ends up looking back. (Eurydice trips and Orpheus turns back to help her, Orpheus cannot hear Eurydice and turns back because he fears he’s been tricked and he wants to make sure she is there, Orpheus makes it out of the underworld and turns around to hug Eurydice but forgets that they both need to be out of the underworld, Orpheus cannot tell Eurydice that he cannot look back but he does so to reassure her of his love when she anguishes over how he doesn’t love her anymore).
For Hippolytus, his worship and honor of Artemis is praiseworthy but it is precisely because his worship gets coveted by Aphrodite that a tragedy gets set in motion, and then it is because he never changes in his worship of Artemis that in the end he dies because of his father.
Now, how does this relate to Jesse? Up to now in Chapter 14 of the main story, there has been this tragic irony of Jesse being the person with the least amount of information about everything going on, and the information that he does manage to get comes from using taboo magic that corrodes his body.
There has been some criticism of the heroine for not sharing her information with Jesse; however, the fact is that both Jesse and the heroine suffer from loving each other so much that they don’t wish to drag the other person into their current affairs. They literally have no idea what the other person is going through because they are too good at protecting each other. Do you see how it’s precisely their love for each other that creates this tragic irony?
However, there is another view of these Greek tragedies. In Jesse’s personal route, Chapter 2:
Jesse: A long time ago someone asked me, if I were Hippolytus, how would I avoid the tragedy from happening? I couldn’t answer.
MC: If I were him… Ah, this question is really hard.
MC: But I think I wouldn’t change my faith to avoid a disaster.
MC: If he dies due to faith, then he can live due to faith.
MC: Maybe the next Hippolytus will be saved by Artemis.
[…]
K: What exactly is Hippolytus supposed to do to be able to live… I don’t agree with your answer.
K: He was cursed to death by his father and his tragedy is because his father was king, so when his father wants him to die then he can do nothing but die.
K: So, he needs to become king.
K: You said one thing wrong, Jesse, my alias “K” does not come from my surname, it stands for “King”.
Jesse: But would the Hippolytus who wants to be king still be that original Hippolytus?
Jesse:Before you even achieved your goal, you’ve already lost your original intention.
Jesse: Those who die due to their faith, will live due to their faith. This is the best answer I’ve heard and I’ll share it with you.
K: Hahaha, this is an answer that’s extremely like Hippolytus.
K: Jesse, maybe you’re the true Hippolytus…
The heroine and Jesse (and essentially the game) believes that remaining true to yourself is not a tragic crime, and that perhaps fate may change one day because of this.
Future development of Jesse? In Jesse’s first trajectory, [SSR If I Am In Disorder], another Greek mythology gets brought up:
He didn’t understand, why did he have to have this damnable talent? If someone else wanted it, then he would give it to them.
Why couldn’t he be a normal person, why did he have to bear so much heavy things?
His father’s expectations, his family’s revival, they were all like heavy shackles crushing his shoulders.
He was like Sisyphus pushing the boulder, climbing up the steep mountain top with difficulty and repeating this futile and hopeless action every day.
Then, in the release PV, Jesse has the line “I will be the one to end the Möbius strip of fate”. In concept, the Möbius strip represents infinity and endlessness because, as you travel along the strip, you actually traverse the entire strip but end up right where you started.
We can see that story of Sisyphus and the Möbius strip thematically mirror each other, where the action taken is futile and endless.
So, putting everything together, what I’m afraid of seeing is that Jesse’s nature of protecting the heroine, but not letting her in on everything that he’s doing, will bring him very close to things that have happened in his life before, ex. the loss of people close to him (the heroine?) or nearly dying himself (his dad’s sacrifice for him).
Of course, given that this is an otome game and we can’t have a male lead die, I’m sure he’ll accomplish breaking out of this repetitive loop and change his and his heroine’s fate somehow (this includes her potential fate of needing to sacrifice herself as the goddess of creation for the supernatural world).
Post link
Happy 1st Anniversary Light & Night! The announcement of a wedding series comes with a lot of touching callbacks of everything we experienced with the men and so I thought it would be nice to point them out.
OSBORN 【Unswerving Vow】
Fun Fact: The 海誓 in the card title likely comes from 海誓山盟 which is pledging everlasting love in oaths as high as mountains and vows as deep as the sea.
Everyone has poems assigned to them and their cards and Osborn has “Put Out My Eyes” by Rainer Maria Rilke.
There are pearls sewn into the heroine’s wedding dress and she has a pearl anklet too, which is probably a nod to his summer event. One of his nicknames now for the heroine is “Little Pearl”.
EVAN 【Meaningful Contract】
His poem is “In My Sky At Twilight” by Pablo Neruda. But did you know that he also quotes Pablo Neruda in his museum date? There he reads out “Every Day You Play…” by Pablo Neruda, which some may find familiar since it has the iconic line “You are like nobody since I love you”.
In the first version, you can see him putting on the heroine’s shoes, which should remind you of Cinderella. In his birthday date and Valentine’s date, there are branches where they joke about the heroine being Cinderella.
SARIEL 【Sealed With A Kiss】
His poem is “Unending Love” by Rabindranath Tagore. Unexpectedly, this is also consistent like Evan because in Chapter 12 of the main story, Sariel quotes a line from “Stray Birds” by Rabindranath Tagore, specifically the first line since Stray Birds is a collection of untitled poems. (By the way, I really recommend this poet, his poems are so good).
Oddly, you think Charlie would get birds in the background of his cards, but Sariel is the one who gets them. His winter card had two birds beside each other watching them and it’s probably a nod to the heroine’s nickname of “Foolish/Clumsy Bird”.
CHARLIE 【Heart of Diamond】
Fun Fact: You cannot convince me that they are not playing with the Engish phrase, “heart of gold”.
His poem is “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns.
The caption that goes with his card (not the PV) says “I’ve won this round of Russian roulette” and it’s a callback to the first time Charlie and the heroine met in Chapter 7 and he invites her to play Russian roulette with two pills in his hand to test how far she’ll actually go for her freedom (naturally, both of them were safe).
Charlie always mentions their marriage so it’s not a callback, but his PV line of “The entire universe heard my confession, this time you can’t run away” is just adorable.
Fun Fact2: If you have eagle eyes, you can spot Sherry and her boyfriend on the cake topper beside the mini Charlie and heroine!
JESSE 【Cupid Express】
His poem is “Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art” by John Keats.
He’s brought up Cupid before in his Spain date, even calling the heroine “Miss Cupid”, and talking about being shot by her arrow of love. In addition, Cupid is the Roman god of love and his counterpart in Greek is Eros and well… Jesse has tons of Greek mythology references, so this one can pretty much count as one because the Romans copied the Greek gods.
The caption that goes with his card (not the PV) says “We are perched on the golden arrow of Cupid, chasing the early summer wind” and not only is this another nod to Cupid but also a nod to the “summer” in his Chinese name, Xia Mingxing. Summer is one of his symbols!
Post link
Rating:T
Characters:Osborn/Reader
Word Count:3080
Summary: Even if you see through the other person’s tiny schemes, it’s only polite not to expose them because it means they’re thinking of you. (Pre-Relationship).
You had just arrived home after a busy day of work and then a night out with a friend when he unexpectedly dropped into your city for a work trip. Thankfully, it was Friday and you were ready to simply collapse onto your bed and sleep until the next afternoon.
Unfortunately, the anticipated date with your bed was interrupted by a phone call. For a second, you deliberated on ignoring the call because who would be calling you at 11:00 PM? But you still checked, just in case it was an emergency, and your diligence was rewarded when you saw that the caller was Pu Ning, who rarely called you and would only do so if something happened to Osborn.
There was no hesitation in accepting the call while you scooped up the purse you had dropped to the ground and stepped into your shoes again.
“Hello? Pu Ning? Is something wrong?”
“Sister-in-law! Please come and get Osborn! He’s drunk and won’t listen to any of us!”
“Huh?!”
It took a moment for the words to register, and you were so surprised you ignored the title Pu Ning gave you. Although you didn’t know Osborn for that long, maybe a year or so, he didn’t give the impression of someone irresponsible enough to get drunk outside and be a burden on others. There also didn’t seem to be a trigger for this. As far as you knew, the racing season was having its mid-season break and so there were no celebrations to be had.
Pu Ning didn’t give you a chance to ask for clarification though and continued speaking, “I’ll text you the location. But please come as soon as you can!”
In the noisy background of people talking and laughing, you heard a familiar but low voice ask Pu Ning what he was doing, Pu Ning stammering for Osborn to calm down, and what sounded like a short chase before the call ended with his yelp.
No way… was Osborn a belligerent drunk? Ridiculous and strange scenes flew through your mind, originating from the noises you heard through the phone earlier, as you rushed out the door, locked it, and called for a taxi. Just as the taxi pulled up to your street you also received the location and room number where Pu Ning and Osborn were, which seemed to be a normal bar in the city.
You arrived at the bar a short time later and, even though it was almost midnight, the nightlife in the city was as lively as ever. Groups of people walked on the streets or hung around outside, drinking and smoking, and music could be heard leaking out of the bars and clubs on both sides of the street.
When you entered the bar, loud music assaulted your ears and, as you took a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, you were impressed with their soundproofing because you barely heard their music from outside. Fortunately, most of the noise came from the dance floor and, after you got directions from the bartender and went down a hallway to where the private rooms were, the noise decreased significantly.
After finding the right room number, you knocked politely to give a warning before opening the door.
The sight that greeted you was cleaner than you expected. Everyone present were members of Osborn’s racing team and, while the thick smell of alcohol made you wrinkle your nose, you noticed that there didn’t seem to be that many beer cans on the table in front of Osborn.
Speaking of Osborn, his head snapped up the moment he heard the door open and surprise and something that seemed like joy flashed through his eyes, but it was gone before you could confirm what you saw. Then he frowned and dropped his head into his hand as if he was feeling uncomfortable.
Pu Ning stood up when he saw you at the door and ran over to receive you, greeting you with a “Sister-in-law!”.
However, this earned him a growl through gritted teeth from Osborn. “Pu Ning.”
The other man snapped his mouth shut and laughed nervously, shooting a nervous look back to Osborn, who didn’t lift his head.
Everyone else wisely read the atmosphere and greeted you with your name. You nodded and smiled back in greeting, ignoring the embarrassment you felt at the unspoken address you could hear in their words, before you quickly made your way to Osborn’s seat and reached out to tentatively pat his shoulder to soothe him. Just from that short interaction, you could tell something went down between Osborn and Pu Ning and that currently Osborn wasn’t too happy with the man.
“It’s okay, don’t be mad. I don’t mind.”
“Really?”
Osborn raised his head again to look at you and, for a second, you completely lost your train of thought and could only reflexively nod in a daze. His cheeks and ears were faintly flushed from the drinks he had, giving him a warmer and more approachable look, but the most deadly change to his appearance from being drunk was how the corners of his eyes were a deeper red, emphasizing the layer of mist in his eyes that changed those aquamarine eyes to gentle, rolling waves of blue and green, tempting you to submerge yourself in them and explore the depths of his ocean.
If Osborn’s looks were a 10/10 on a normal day then right now he was a 11/10 and you absentmindedly thanked whoever booked this private room, otherwise there was no doubt that Osborn would have girls swarming all over him right now.
Swallowing past a dry mouth and suddenly feeling a little nervous and jittery, you averted your eyes with great effort and tried to withdraw your hand but Osborn reached out and circled his fingers loosely around your wrist. He had to tighten his grip in the next second though when you unconsciously jerked away at his scorching temperature.
Osborn also felt the difference in your temperatures and he frowned with unhappiness. “Why are you so cold?”
He reached out to grab your other hand and brought both of them to his cheeks, as if to help you warm them up, but also because he found their coldness to feel nice. Meanwhile, you inhaled at how his face was even hotter. You always knew he ran warmer than ordinary people but now, and maybe it was the influence of the alcohol in his body, he seemed to veritably burn.
“How much did you drink? Are you feeling OK?” You couldn’t help but ask.
“Mn,” he responded lazily with a nasal note, which wasn’t an answer at all, and then he nuzzled his face into your hands, closed his eyes, and sighed in pleasure.
Your cheeks heated up as you imagined you could feel the occasional glance in this direction from everyone else in the room. They did their best to mind their own business, resuming their games and conversations, but the noise level had dropped considerably. You didn’t know whether that was because they were being considerate or because they wanted to hear what you and Osborn were talking about.
Coughing to hide your embarrassment, you tugged your hands ineffectively against his hold. “Okay, great. I’m here to pick you up. Did you drive?”
Osborn didn’t respond and just kept his eyes closed.
Pu Ning helpfully jumped in at this point. “He did, but I can drive his car back to his place while you two take a taxi.”
You nodded in thanks. “Osborn, where’s your car key?”
Osborn opened his eyes and looked up at you through his eyelashes. Inwardly, you clutched at your heart and screamed at this perfect lady-killer move, especially when just enough of his face was revealed in your hands to show off the beauty mark below the corner of his right eye.
“Be good, I don’t like troublesome drunks.”
Your joking words seemed to jar him into action because he released you and shot up from his seat at a speed which startled you. You instinctively raised your hands to catch him if he stumbled but fortunately there was no need.
However, after standing, Osborn didn’t do anything but lower his head and stare at you with those misty eyes, looking very much like an obedient but silly dog who didn’t really understand his owner’s words but was trying to please her as best as he could.
So, you had no choice but to brazen it out and reach into his pants pocket and keep your hand to the outer side so as not to accidentally touch… dangerous territory. You studiously ignored the heat and hard muscle of his thigh that you could feel even through the fabric of his pants, and the way his breaths brushed across the top of your head. Luckily, it didn’t take long before you touched something metallic and you pulled out the contents in his pocket.
Success! You heaved a sigh of relief under your breath at not needing to check his other pocket. Anyway, you found the key to his car and his place, which you decided to hold on to temporarily since you were going to send him home.
“We’ll be leaving first then,” you told everyone as you handed over Osborn’s car key to Pu Ning before you turned to coax Osborn. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“Mn,” he responded but still didn’t move, so you could only helplessly grab his coat for him, drape it over him, and then take his hand and pull him into following behind you.
As you retraced your steps through the bar to leave, the establishment was more crowded than when you first arrived and you had to split your attention into making your way carefully across the dim floor and into ensuring that Osborn was still with you and not drunkenly stumbling into anything. Surprisingly though, he actually acted as a barrier between you and the other customers and your path out of the bar was smoother than when you had entered the bar.
At one point, just when you were about to reach the entrance hall, your foot caught on something on the ground and you would have fallen if it wasn’t for Osborn quickly wrapping an arm around your waist and holding you up against him.
“Phew.” When you finally got outside, you took a deep breath of the cool air and then called for a taxi. Osborn stayed beside you obediently, holding onto your hand without any sign of impatience or restlessness, and you were glad that he wasn’t a fussy drunk like what you heard through the phone with Pu Ning at the start.
Once you both got into the taxi when it arrived and you gave the address to Osborn’s place, you turned to check on him again.
“Still with me?”
“Always.” There was a seriousness to his voice that made your heart stutter and, for a second, you wondered if he was really drunk.
However, Osborn didn’t do anything other than stare at you like he had since you appeared at the bar to pick him up, so you dismissed the thought. “Okay, you can stop staring at me now, I’m not going anywhere. Close your eyes and get some rest.”
He tilted his head, as if considering your words, and then leaned over to rest his head on your shoulder. You couldn’t help but laugh helplessly at how far he had to bend down to do that and reached up to pat his head. Who would have thought that Osborn would be so clingy as a drunk? Figuring it would be more trouble than it was worth to correct his posture, you left him alone.
After reaching Osborn’s place and using his key that you had grabbed earlier from his pocket to open his door, you settled him on the couch in the living room and went into the kitchen to prepare some lemon water for him. This wasn’t your first time at his place and so you were familiar enough with where everything was placed.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?” Seeing him shake his head, you nodded in relief at how you didn’t need to dig through his medicine cabinet. “Make sure to drink this entire glass so your hangover won’t be as terrible tomorrow and go to sleep early.”
You covered your mouth when you reflexively yawned at the thought of sleep and got up to leave, but then your wrist was suddenly grabbed.
“Leaving already?” Osborn asked.
“Mhm, it’s already past midnight,” you spoke through another yawn and patted the back of his hand holding you, “I’m exhausted from running around all day.”
His eyes seemed to dim in response to your words, but when you blinked past the tears that came to your eyes from your yawns to take a second glance, he looked down and the shadows cast by his eyelashes hid his emotions from you. “I’ll send you home.”
“What? No, you’re drunk,” you immediately replied.
Osborn shook his head and let you go to stand up. “I’m not that drunk.”
The certainty in his voice caused suspicions to form in your mind and, as you stared at him, your suspicions only grew when you saw the way his eyes evasively slid to the side.
“Why did you drink so much tonight?”
Osborn was stunned for a moment, as if not expecting that you would ask this question. He shrugged. “I was a bit unhappy.”
“Don’t you go for drives when you’re unhappy?”
“I did that earlier.”
“What made you so unhappy that even going for a drive didn’t help and you had to turn to alcohol?” You asked, raising your eyebrows. Normally, at this point, you would have been concerned over what troubled him but the picture you were putting together in your head stopped that.
He looked at you and you could see him weighing the pros and cons of telling you with a clarity of mind that only strengthened your suspicions.
“I was going to ask if you wanted to have dinner together after your work. But when I reached your company, I saw that you already had plans.” His voice was low like he was reluctant to speak about this.
After work? You went through your memories and recalled that this was when your friend came to pick you up. Suddenly, the last puzzle piece clicked into place in your mind and you felt a surge of amusement, affection, and exasperation. There was also a bubbly feeling of embarrassment and giddiness at being this important to someone that spread through your body.
This was how the story went. Osborn came to pick you up, but saw you and your friend. He became upset and went to drink with his racing teammates. Somewhere during this, Pu Ning couldn’t stand Osborn’s moping anymore and called you over, using the excuse that Osborn was drunk. Osborn caught him in the act and was unhappy, but you knew that if he really wanted to stop Pu Ning then he could have, meaning he was also complicit in this scheme of letting you think he was drunk. Honestly, this man… You wouldn’t expose him but you wouldn’t let him off easily either.
“Are you stupid?” You held back your laugh at the way Osborn’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting you to suddenly call him that. “You can just ask me who he is instead of going around in circles like this.”
Osborn opened his mouth and closed it. Then, as if bracing himself, he clenched his jaw and went for it. “Who was he?”
“A friend.” You couldn’t help but tease. At his skeptical look, you elaborated, “A friend who is already in a deep, loving relationship. I recommended that couple’s bakery for him to bring a gift back to his girlfriend from his work trip and, along the way, he got something for me as thanks. That’s all.”
Osborn’s eyes brightened again. “Oh.”
“Yes,‘Oh’. In the future, you can just ask me what you want to know instead of going off to sulk by yourself.” You knew things weren’t that simple, especially when it involved feelings, but you wanted to lighten the mood.
“I wasn’t sulking.” Osborn averted his eyes sheepishly. “But I’ll go looking for you directly next time.”
“If there even is a next time. Now that you’re feeling better though, I’ll be going home.”
“Let me send you,” Osborn immediately suggested again.
“No, because you’re drunk,” you emphasized the last word heavily and saw how he subtly winced and pulled his shoulders up. “You’re punished to stay home and rest.”
If he was going to put on an act, then he had to act to the end. However, when you saw him look at you like a puppy being abandoned by his master, your heart couldn’t help but soften.
“But to make up for all the trouble you gave me tonight… you have to buy me breakfast tomorrow.” Osborn’s head shot up at your words. “Didn’t you say the place downstairs has the best breakfast? I’m definitely not going to wake up before noon tomorrow so you have to deliver it to me.”
A grin spread across his lips. “Leave it to me.”
He followed you to the door and watched you put on your shoes and grab your purse, but just as you turned and were about to head out the door he grabbed your wrist.
“Text me when you get home.”
“Okay."Your heart warmed at his concern for you.
But Osborn still didn’t let go. He lowered his head to look at his hand and it was only when you trembled at the ticklish feeling of his callused thumb stroking the thin skin of your wrist that the corners of his lips curved.
"Then… it’s a date.”
You saw his mischievous smirk and the teasing light in his eyes when he glanced up at you and felt an affectionate exasperation at how the return of his confidence also meant a return of his teasing. So, even though your cheeks heated up at his half-joking and half-serious tone, you replied in the same nonchalant manner.
“It’s a date.”
The last thing you saw before you turned around to leave and hide the deepening blush on your cheeks was how the curve to his lips became more genuine, transforming into a lopsided smile.
