Mr. Lizard Outside the Window - Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Jiang Lin
When Banxia returned to the concert hall that evening, the two-day preliminary round had ended.
The number of contestants had been halved, from over eighty to forty. Due to the large number of participants, there was no formal announcement. The names of those advancing to the semi-finals were simply displayed on a large screen in the lobby, scrolling in festive red letters.
Contestants and their families crowded around the screen, anxiously searching for their names.
Some cheered and hugged each other, overjoyed. Others, unable to find their names, wept on their parents' shoulders.
Before Banxia could even find her own name, Xiao Lian, perched on her shoulder, began to wag his tail excitedly. Following his gaze, she saw her name near the bottom of the list and breathed a sigh of relief.
The girl who had recommended the boat tour was standing nearby.
Seeing Banxia, she asked, "Did you go on the boat tour? Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes, it was beautiful! The willow trees were so pretty! We don't have many willow trees where I'm from. It was worth it. Thank you," Banxia said, smiling.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," the girl murmured, her head down, her voice barely audible. "I… I didn't make it past the preliminaries. Maybe I should have… taken a break, relaxed a bit, like you."
Her face was pale, dark circles under her eyes, her chin trembling slightly. Though she wasn't crying, her disappointment was palpable.
Banxia remembered how, just yesterday, she had been practicing diligently, preparing for the next round, staying up all night.
And now, she wouldn't even have the chance to compete.
There were many others in the hall, their faces etched with disappointment, some weeping openly in their families' arms.
Like Banxia, they had dedicated their childhoods to music, sacrificing their free time, enduring the tedium and loneliness of endless practice, honing their skills, competing fiercely, finally rising above their peers.
And now, on the cusp of their dreams, their first step towards a professional career, they had been eliminated, their hopes dashed.
The path of a musician was long and arduous, yet countless young people continued to choose it, drawn by the beauty of the music, the allure of that perfect performance, that transcendent experience, worth any sacrifice.
The day before the semi-finals, a light rain fell over Beijing.
Banxia, having finished rehearsing with her accompanist, returned to the hotel to collect Xiao Lian and go out for dinner.
"I found a place with really good zhajiangmian. And it's not expensive. Want to try it? I can even bring some back for you," she said.
But more than the savory noodles, she craved the sweet taste of her… companion.
She wanted to coax him into his human form, to explore his beautiful body in the darkness, to hear his soft moans.
Xiao Lian, perched on her shoulder, glanced at her, his beautiful eyes filled with unspoken longing.
Banxia's heart melted.
It was cold outside. She tucked him into her pocket, his little head peeking out, and patted him gently.
I'm so happy, she thought, smiling as she opened her umbrella, ready to step out into the rain.
Just then, a luxury car pulled up to the hotel entrance.
The doorman hurried to open the door, and a well-dressed, distinguished-looking man stepped out.
Several people rushed out of the hotel to greet him, shaking his hand enthusiastically.
"You're finally here! We've been waiting for you!"
"It's been years since you've been back to China! We're so excited for your performance!"
"Welcome back, Jiang Lin! Maestro Jiang!"
The name "Jiang Lin" made Banxia freeze.
The cold rain stung her face like needles.
The world-renowned violinist, his face wreathed in smiles, was ushered into the hotel.
His assistant directed the staff as they unloaded his luggage, carefully carrying two exquisite violin cases.
Banxia, her back to them, stood motionless in the rain for a moment, then turned and walked away, the rain falling steadily around her.
The rain intensified, the drops drumming against her umbrella.
Banxia, one hand in her pocket, the other holding the umbrella steady, walked to the noodle shop.
She ate her noodles, her head down, then ordered another bowl to go, her expression giving nothing away.
Xiao Lian peeked out of her pocket and climbed onto her shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft.
Banxia looked at him, surprised, then down at her feet, watching the raindrops splashing in the puddles.
"It's… nothing," she murmured. "The man who just arrived at the hotel… he's my father. Biologically speaking."
"You mean… Jiang Lin?" Xiao Lian asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Back at the hotel, Banxia, as if nothing had happened, sat by the window, practicing for the semi-finals.
The world outside was a blur of grey, hidden behind the curtain of rain.
The soft patter of the rain mingled with the music, but no matter how hard she tried, the melody felt… wrong.
After a while, she stopped playing, rubbed her temples, and forced a smile at Xiao Lian.
Xiao Lian's heart ached for her.
No matter the situation, no matter the hardship, she always seemed so resilient, so full of life.
But it was a facade. Everyone had their moments of vulnerability, of sadness.
And when he was hurting, she was always there for him, her warmth and kindness a comforting balm.
But what could he do for her now?
There was only one thing he could offer her, one thing that truly made her happy.
As night fell, Banxia, exhausted from practicing, put down her violin and turned off the light.
She leaned against the wall, sighing softly in the darkness.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
Warm, firm arms, pulling her close, a knee pressing against her back, trapping her in his embrace.
He bent his head and kissed her, his lips soft and gentle against her hair, her ear, her neck.
The air around them seemed to thicken with warmth, her skin damp with sweat. A drop of salty sweat trickled down her neck, and his tongue darted out, catching it.
His touch became cool and smooth, scales appearing on his skin, a faint, sweet fragrance filling the air.
The scent, cool and intoxicating, unleashed the frustration and restlessness that had been simmering within Banxia all evening.
No matter how hard she tried to maintain her composure, the encounter with her father had left her feeling unsettled, a knot of anger and resentment tightening in her chest.
She had forced herself to suppress those feelings, to maintain her usual cheerful facade for Xiao Lian's sake.
But he had seen through her, his touch, his scent, a silent invitation to release her pent-up emotions.
She turned suddenly, pushing him down onto the bed, her teeth sinking into his shoulder.
A soft moan escaped his lips.
"You can bite harder," he whispered.
Banxia's teeth tightened, and a whimper, a mixture of pain and pleasure, escaped him, like the cry of a small animal.
"You like that, Xiao Lian?" she murmured against his skin, her tongue tracing the curve of his neck.
"Pain… is easier to remember," he whispered, his voice husky. "I want to remember this… every moment of happiness you give me."
Banxia pulled back, looking at him in the darkness, his eyes gleaming.
He knows me so well, she thought. He knows exactly what to say, what to do, to make me lose control.
Just like I know his secrets, his vulnerabilities, how to bring him to the edge of ecstasy and agony.
"You started this, Xiao Lian. You can't run away now."
She bent her head and licked the mark she had made on his shoulder, her fingers finding his tail, tracing the spaces between the scales, a slow, deliberate exploration.
In the sweet darkness, his voice, thick with desire, whispered, "I… I wanted you to…"
His words were lost as her lips found his.
"Yes," she murmured against his mouth. "Make me happy."
And the lizard who had offered himself so willingly had no regrets as she led him to the pinnacle of pleasure, a wave of ecstasy washing over them, obliterating everything else.
As the tide receded, Banxia held him close, her lips against his burning skin. "When I was little, I had such silly fantasies," she whispered, her eyes closed, her voice soft in the darkness. She had overheard her grandmother talking about her father.
He had sounded like the perfect father, handsome and successful, standing in the spotlight, his smile gentle, his music captivating.
A famous violinist.
Though her mother never spoke of him, young Banxia had clung to the fantasy that he would one day appear, take her hand, and let her hear his music.
She had collected newspaper clippings and articles about Jiang Lin, the violinist, reading them secretly under her covers.
Until the year her mother fell ill, her illness worsening, the medical bills piling up, beyond their means.
A thirteen-year-old Banxia, desperate, had hatched a crazy plan: to find her father and ask for his help.
He happened to be performing in a city near her village.
Close enough for a determined teenager to reach.
She had traveled to the city, spending all her lunch money on the journey, only to find she couldn't afford a ticket to the concert. She had helped unload equipment at the concert hall all day, and the kind manager had given her two small bills.
She had told him she didn't want the money, she just wanted to hear Jiang Lin play. She didn't need a seat, she could stand, she could even crouch in a corner, as long as she could hear the music.
The manager had agreed.
And so, hidden backstage, she had finally heard the music of her… father.
He was just as she had imagined, elegant and handsome, standing in the spotlight, bathed in applause, his arms filled with flowers.
In the front row sat his young wife and their daughter, dressed in a pretty pink dress, like a princess.
After the performance, Jiang Lin had taken his daughter's hand and left, his smile warm and loving, leaving Banxia alone in the shadows.
"I was so stupid," Banxia said, her voice barely a whisper. "My mother was sick, and I wasn't there for her. I went all that way, chasing after a man who meant nothing to me."
Xiao Lian turned and held her close, his dark gold eyes narrowed into slits.
"I don't… feel anything for him anymore. He's just… a stranger," Banxia closed her eyes. "I just… I feel sorry for my mother. That's all."
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