chsdbacks Chapter 64 Fragments of Memory: That Rainy Night, Who Forced a Kiss on Whom?
Chapter 64 Fragments of Memory: That Rainy Night, Who Forced a Kiss on Whom?
The tide of memories was still surging, completely engulfing Lin Zhou's consciousness into that cold, rainy night seven years ago.
The dim light bulb in the rented room hissed and crackled, as if it might go out at any moment.
Su Qingge, standing outside the door, was soaked to the bone. Her white dress clung tightly to her body, outlining her slender yet resilient figure. She stood barefoot on the cement ground, her toes red with cold, and her whole body trembled slightly uncontrollably.
That was a Su Qingge that Lin Zhou had never seen before.
Gone is the arrogance of a school beauty, gone is the reserve of a rich heiress; she is like a stray cat abandoned by the world, disheveled yet fierce.
"Su...Su Qingge?"
Lin Zhou, as I recall, was clearly terrified, nearly dropping the instant noodle bucket in his hand. "What happened to you? Did something happen at home?"
Su Qingge did not answer.
She just stared intently at Lin Zhou, her eyes burning with a frightening intensity, a desperate resolve.
She took a step forward, approaching Lin Zhou, bringing with her a chill and the smell of rain:
"Lin Zhou, did you bring your household registration booklet?"
"Huh?" Lin Zhou was stunned. "I...I brought it. It's in my bag."
"See you at the Civil Affairs Bureau at 8 a.m. tomorrow."
Su Qingge's voice was cold and her speech was rapid, as if she were giving her last words or issuing an order: "Get married to me."
"ha?!"
Lin Zhou's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He instinctively shrank back and reached out to touch Su Qingge's forehead. "Are you running a fever? Getting a marriage certificate? With me? Sister, even though we're classmates, isn't this a bit too much of a leap? Besides, I know my place, I'm a penniless nobody..."
"I know you're poor."
Su Qingge interrupted him without any politeness, a desolate, cold smile curling at the corner of her lips:
"It's precisely because you're poor, precisely because you have nothing, precisely because the whole school knows you're a good-for-nothing... honest guy."
She took a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes, but stubbornly refused to fall.
"My dad cut off my credit card and wants to marry me off to that fifty-year-old real estate developer to pay off his debts. My brokerage firm wants to give me away to that disgusting investor. The whole world thinks I, Su Qingge, am a commodity to be sold."
"Since they want me to marry someone, then I'll marry him! But I refuse to marry the person they've arranged for me!"
"I'm going to marry the most insignificant, useless man in this city, someone who has absolutely no connection to their circle! I'm going to slap them in the face!"
Su Qingge grabbed Lin Zhou by the collar and pulled him towards her, their noses almost touching.
"Lin Zhou, do you dare?"
"If you dare to marry me, I'll protect you for the rest of my life. If you don't dare..."
Looking at the crazed girl before him, Lin Zhou's Adam's apple bobbed, and his expression slowly shifted from shock to complexity. He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something comforting, or perhaps, "Don't be impulsive."
However, Su Qingge did not give him a chance to speak.
Seeing Lin Zhou's hesitant gaze, she assumed he was refusing, and a hint of despair and shame flashed in her eyes.
"Even you don't dare?"
She gave a bitter laugh, then suddenly stood on tiptoe, gripped Lin Zhou's neck tightly with both hands, and kissed him fiercely at the doorway of the cramped, instant noodle-smelling rented room, with an air of mutual destruction.
That was a forced kiss.
There were no techniques involved, only the pain of teeth clashing and the salty taste of rain mixed with tears.
Cold, yet scalding hot.
The image freezes at this moment.
In reality, Lin Zhou suddenly opened his eyes, panting heavily, as if he had just emerged from the deep sea.
The campfire was still burning, and the applause and cheers around us returned to our ears.
The girl he remembered, soaking wet and desperately begging for a kiss, was now anxiously holding his head, repeatedly calling his name.
"Lin Zhou! Lin Zhou, don't scare me! Doctor! Quick, call a doctor!"
Lin Zhou's gaze gradually focused.
He looked at Su Qingge, who was so close to him, and saw the pure worry and panic in her eyes. His heart felt like it had been squeezed hard by a large hand, and he felt a sharp, aching pain.
So that's how it is...
There was absolutely no "persistent pestering" or "taking advantage of someone's vulnerability."
Seven years ago, he caught that girl who was falling.
And she, with seven years of youth and protection, fulfilled the promise she made on that rainy night: "I will protect you for the rest of my life."
Even if they publicly claim he's a kept man, even if they let him bear the stigma, it's actually a form of protection. They're hiding him under their wing, keeping him away from the feuds of the wealthy and the filth of the entertainment industry.
"Fool……"
Lin Zhou's voice was terribly hoarse, and his eyes were burning.
He raised his hand and, with some effort, stroked Su Qingge's cheek, his thumb gently caressing the corner of her eye, his movements incredibly tender.
Su Qingge was stunned, and her shouts stopped abruptly.
She stared blankly at Lin Zhou, feeling that at this moment, there was something in his eyes that she had never seen before.
Profound, compassionate, and also... a sense of relief after seeing through everything.
"I'm fine."
Lin Zhou took a deep breath and, with Su Qingge's help, slowly sat up straight. He felt all his strength drained away, but his heart was at peace like never before.
"I just suddenly remembered some... things from the past."
He leaned close to Su Qingge's ear and whispered something in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Honey, so that night... you were the one who forcibly kissed me?"
Su Qingge froze.
She stared wide-eyed at Lin Zhou as if she had seen a ghost. The color drained from her face instantly, then flushed even more rapidly, all the way down to the roots of her neck.
"You...you remembered?"
She stammered, her eyes darting around in a panic.
This memory is her deepest secret, and also the last line of defense for her to maintain her aloof persona in front of him.
Now, the defenses have collapsed.
"I remember now."
Looking at her humiliated and indignant appearance, Lin Zhou couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth, his roguish charm returning. "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect Su Tianhou to be so wild when she was young. She almost knocked out my teeth."
"Shut up! Don't say another word!"
Su Qingge was so embarrassed that she wanted to cover his mouth, but Lin Zhou grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his palm.
Okay, I won't say.
Lin Zhou looked into her eyes and said with utmost seriousness, "From now on, it's my turn to protect you."
Su Qingge stared at him blankly, her heart pounding like a drum.
Just when the warm and tender atmosphere was perfect, and it seemed like a heartwarming "reconciliation" was about to unfold like in an idol drama, things took a turn for the better.
That damned, jarring loudspeaker blared again, relentlessly.
"Ahem! Well... although I didn't want to interrupt your reminiscing..."
Director Yan Min stood on the stage, pushed up his glasses, and his smile was extremely sly:
"But we still have to go through the procedures."
"The letter reading segment just now was very touching. Let's give another round of applause to Su Qingge and Lin Zhou!"
Sparse applause broke out as everyone was still recovering from the shock of fainting.
"Now that the touching segment is over, it's time for what everyone's been waiting for—the punishment segment!"
Yan Min waved his hand, and several staff members brought up a huge colorful turntable.
"Based on the previous 'Truth or Dare' points tally, Lin Zhou's father has earned the title of 'King of Lies' this week because he received the most red lights on the lie detector!"
"Therefore, as punishment, Lin Zhou must draw an item from this spinning wheel and perform it in front of everyone!"
The audience's attention instantly shifted from the previous warm atmosphere to a spectacle-watching mode.
"Performance?"
Lin Zhou rubbed his temples, stood up from the ground, looked at the colorful spinning wheel with a helpless expression, and said, "Director, can I get cash instead? Can I pay you?"
"No! We have to perform!"
The audience began chanting, "Perform! Perform!"
Lin Zhou sighed and had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk onto the stage.
"Spin it!"
Yan Min forcefully turned the turntable.
The pointer spun rapidly, passing over options such as "push-ups," "sing nursery rhymes," and "imitation show."
At last.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone holding their breath.
The pointer slowly slowed down, passed through what seemed like a safe area, and finally stopped on a pink square decorated with hearts and bows.
Yan Min leaned closer to take a look, and then burst into a deafening burst of wild laughter:
"Hahaha! It's fate!"
He raised the megaphone and announced in a tone that suggested he was enjoying the spectacle:
"Congratulations, Lin Zhou's dad! You've won the ultimate punishment—"
"Wearing the original stage outfit, dance to the hottest, sweetest, and most alluring girl group dance of the moment—'Love You'!"