Mr. Lizard Outside the Window - Chapter 61
Chapter 61: Meeting the Family
This was the first time Ling Dong had seen Banxia like this.
He knew she was perceptive and empathetic, her music a testament to her deep understanding of human emotions.
But she was also resilient, her vulnerability hidden behind a strong, protective shell.
She had endured physical pain without complaint, faced her father's indifference with quiet dignity, mourned her mother in private, her tears hidden from the world.
Even when faced with the imminent loss of her beloved, she had shown no outward signs of grief, supporting him, comforting him, sharing his last days with a quiet strength, her music a final farewell, a poignant expression of her love.
And now, finally, the uncertainty over, the dust settled, she had collapsed, her tears falling silently onto his back as he carried her home.
Even now, she didn't want him to see her cry, her face hidden against his back.
But her tears, like sparks from a hidden fire, burned his skin, searing his flesh, his bones, his very soul.
He wanted to turn around, to comfort her, but his hands were tied, his body bound by her embrace. He reached out with his tail, a silent gesture of comfort, of love.
Feeling the familiar touch of his tail, she stopped crying, a small smile touching her lips.
She loves Xiao Lian more than me, he thought, a strange pang of… something, a mix of sadness and… jealousy, perhaps, in his heart.
But he quickly forgot such thoughts, lost in the intoxicating pleasure of her touch, her body pressed against his, their souls merging, a sweet torment, a blissful surrender.
To make her happy, I would endure anything, he thought, his fingers gripping the bed frame, his body flushed, his heart pounding with a joy so intense that it was almost painful.
There was a kind of happiness in this world that could bind two souls together, their hearts and bodies as one.
For a while, the pain and uncertainty of the past few days seemed to fade away, his mind empty, his heart soaring.
The sweet, cool fragrance of him filled the room.
Banxia opened her eyes, switched on the light, and leaned over, her lips gently tracing the contours of his neck, his shoulders, kissing each scale, his muscles tensing beneath her touch.
She smiled, her voice teasing. "You look so thin, but your muscles are… surprisingly firm."
"I've been… traveling a lot lately," he mumbled, his face buried in the pillow. "From the table to the bed, from my room to yours… it's a long journey."
Even in this small apartment, for a tiny gecko, it was a vast distance. He had finally admitted it.
Who would have thought the aloof, untouchable Senior Ling Dong would be like this? she thought, amused.
Only I have seen this side of him, she thought, his flushed cheeks, his husky voice, the soft moans escaping his lips as she teased him, a secret she would cherish.
Her kisses became more insistent, her tongue tracing the spaces between his scales, her fingers finding his tail, teasing him, her touch both a promise and a threat, his voice, a low, husky whisper, calling her name.
"We have… plenty of time tonight, don't we?" she murmured against his skin.
"I can finally… get to know you properly, Senior Ling Dong."
Explore every inch of you, every secret you hold within, she thought.
Ling Dong had a short dream. He was a giant lizard, living in a dark forest, carefree and content.
One day, a little girl, barely taller than his tail, wandered into the forest. She loved playing with the lizard, and they became the best of friends, singing together, sharing wild berries.
At night, they would lie together among the fallen leaves, the girl's arms wrapped around his long tail, her gaze fixed on the stars. "I wish you could become human," she said. "Then we could be together, always."
"But I don't know how to become human," the lizard said.
"Close your eyes and go to sleep," the girl said, closing her own eyes. "And in your dreams, you'll be a human boy."
The lizard closed his eyes and dreamt of becoming a human, holding the little girl's hand, their hearts as one.
He woke up in the darkness, the room dimly lit, and he was still human, his body whole, his hands, his skin, his heart, beating steadily.
A girl sat by the window, playing a soft, gentle melody on her violin, the song he had written, their seven days together a lifetime, a fleeting eternity.
The warm fire, the joyful music, the precious moments they had shared, so brief, yet so intense.
She had heard the song only once, yet she understood it better than anyone.
Outside, the night was dark, the clouds obscuring the moon.
The girl by the window, bathed in the soft light, looked like a princess from a fairy tale, her world a haven of sweetness and light, the shadows and monsters receding, leaving only the beauty of the music, the warmth of the dream.
"You're awake?" she said, winking at him. "I should go back to my room now. Secret rendezvous with the handsome senior next door… I wouldn't want my Xiao Lian to find out."
The "handsome senior next door" suddenly felt a pang of jealousy towards… himself.
The news of Ling Dong's return to school spread quickly.
Pan Xuemei, bursting into the dormitory, announced excitedly, "Guess what? Senior Ling Dong is back! He's back at school!" She was a huge fan of his piano playing. "I have to go to the piano department's recital! I can't miss it!"
Her roommates, however, looked at her with strange expressions.
Preoccupied with her own exams for the wind instrument department, Pan Xuemei hadn't heard about the… dramatic events at the violin department's recital.
She put down her flute case and backpack, then remembered something else. "Oh, Banxia called and invited us to dinner tonight! She's finally introducing us to her boyfriend! I can't wait to see what he looks like! She's been so secretive!"
Qiao Xin and Shang Xiaoyue exchanged glances, their expressions even stranger.
"What's with you guys?" Pan Xuemei asked, puzzled. "And Qiao Xin, why did you tell me to practice playing the flute upside down?"
Qiao Xin hesitated. "I… I don't know how to explain it. You'll see."
That evening, they met at a Western-style bar near the campus.
The usually boisterous student hangout was strangely quiet tonight.
Though the bar was relatively full, the patrons were whispering among themselves, the atmosphere subdued, almost… awkward.
Pan Xuemei quickly understood why.
The source of the awkwardness was a man sitting by the window.
He wore a crisp white shirt, his pale forearms exposed, his head bent slightly as he read the menu, his features delicate, his expression serene, the evening sunlight filtering through the window, illuminating him, as if even the dust motes in the air were held captive by his beauty.
It was Ling Dong, the legendary senior from the piano department.
Not just a campus celebrity, but a national icon, his face once a familiar presence on television, an object of admiration for countless Rongyin students.
"Senior… Senior Ling Dong?" Pan Xuemei whispered, tugging at Qiao Xin's sleeve. "What's he doing here?"
And even more surprising, the notoriously aloof senior, seeing them, stood up and nodded politely.
And behind him, stood a face Pan Xuemei knew very well.
Banxia, her arm casually draped around Ling Dong's waist, waved at them cheerfully. "Over here!"
Pan Xuemei felt like she had been turned to stone, her mind reeling.
Even after they were seated at their table, she was still speechless, the shock of the revelation slowly giving way to… a dawning realization.
"So… all those lunchboxes you brought to school… he made them?" she finally managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper.
Banxia, sitting beside her, blinked innocently.
If Ling Dong hadn't been sitting right there, Pan Xuemei would have strangled her. She leaned closer and hissed in Banxia's ear, "Do you know how much his hands are insured for? And you had him cooking for you?! Are you insane?!"
"But his cooking is so good! You loved it too! Could you resist?" Banxia whispered back.
Pan Xuemei's resolve wavered. Her principles crumbled in the face of such delicious memories.
"Um… aren't you going to… introduce us?" she mumbled.
"No need for introductions. I know everyone here," Ling Dong said, pouring them each a cup of tea, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he smiled at them. "Hello, Xuemei, Xiaoyue, Qiao Xin."
Pan Xuemei pinched Banxia's arm. "So you finally remembered to introduce your friends to your… boyfriend?"
Banxia covered her face. Introduce? You've met him countless times! And every time, you've practically thrown yourselves at him! I'm the one who's been protecting his virtue!
On their way home, Banxia, remembering her friends' reactions, couldn't help but laugh.
"You scared them! They never thought you'd be so… approachable," she said, cycling beside him along the quiet village road, their laughter echoing in the night air.
"I always thought you were… aloof," she continued, the cool night breeze ruffling her hair. "You probably don't remember this, but I've met you before."
Ling Dong turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a quiet curiosity.
"It was last year. I was a freshman. We met at the rehearsal for the New Year's concert," she said, recalling the memory.
"Everyone was talking about you, the award-winning senior. And you… you came over and talked to me."
"I didn't know what you wanted, but I was so flattered! I stood up straight, all nervous and polite, and introduced myself."
"I don't think I said anything wrong," she scratched her head, frowning slightly. "I just said, 'Hello, Senior, I'm Banxia. Nice to meet you'."
"And then, you just… frowned, and walked away without saying anything."
"I heard you went on leave after that. I never saw you around school again."
"That wasn't the first time we met," Ling Dong said, his voice barely audible above the wind.
"What? What did you say?" Banxia asked, cycling closer. "When did we meet? I don't remember."
They stopped their bicycles in front of Aunt Du's house.
It was the seventh day after her death, and according to local custom, they burned offerings for her in a small brazier outside her house.
Apart from a middle-aged man in mourning clothes tending to the fire and a few chanting monks, the courtyard was empty.
Banxia and Ling Dong entered the house, lit incense, burned joss paper, and placed a few traditional snacks on the altar: candied fruit, peanut brittle, sesame candy… simple, inexpensive treats, not the kind young people usually enjoyed, but the kind Aunt Du had always asked them to buy for her.
The man in mourning clothes glanced at them and the offerings, his face impassive.
Ling Dong and Banxia, after paying their respects, walked through the flower-filled courtyard, the mournful chanting echoing behind them.
"She was a wise woman. I learned a lot from her," Ling Dong said. "She loved her flowers more than anything. She spent her last few months transplanting them, hoping they would survive without her. It's a shame… she couldn't protect them."
Banxia, remembering his words, his desperation, his fear of disappearing, took his hand. "Is that why you… tried so hard to protect me? Because of Aunt Du?"
Aunt Du couldn't protect her flowers. And Ling Dong, afraid of his own impending… disappearance, couldn't bear to leave her unprotected.
That's why he had poured all his energy into his music, moved to V-Station, shared his earnings with her, a desperate attempt to provide for her, to ensure her future, even if he wasn't there.
Ling Dong's dark eyes softened. "I know you're not a delicate flower, Banxia. You're strong. You can survive on your own. I was just… lost, I think. Trying to… leave something behind."
Aunt Du couldn't protect her flowers, he thought. But I have faith in you, Banxia. You'll be fine.
As they were leaving, the man in mourning clothes hurried after them.
He bowed slightly and asked, his voice hesitant, "Those snacks… why did you bring those?" His accent was strange, like someone who had lived abroad for a long time.
Probably her son, Ling Dong thought, pointing to the doorstep where the elderly woman had always sat, her wrinkled hand offering a few coins, asking passersby to buy her these simple treats.
"She… she liked them. So we bought them for her, even though they're… not very special," Ling Dong explained.
The middle-aged man paused, his eyes widening, then filling with tears. "My mother didn't have a sweet tooth. Those weren't her favorite snacks. They were… what I used to ask her for, when I was a child."
Her children lived far away, their visits rare, and even though he was no longer a child, his mother had still remembered his childhood favorites.
"She was lonely in her old age. I wasn't a good son," he said, his head bowed. "Did she… have any last wishes?"
Ling Dong told him about her love for her garden, her fear that her flowers would be neglected after she was gone, her painstaking efforts to transplant them, a final act of love, a legacy of beauty.
The man was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you. I'll… reconsider. I'll try to… preserve her garden."
Ling Dong and Banxia, relieved, continued on their way.
As they reached their building, Banxia stopped. "The New Year is coming soon, after your exams. Do you want to… come home with me? To my village?"
Ling Dong's eyes lit up.
"I… I miss my grandma. I want you to meet her," Banxia continued. "My family's old house is a bit like Aunt Du's. No one lives there anymore. We can clean it up and stay there for a few days."
"Why are you blushing?" she asked, teasing him, not realizing the implications of her invitation, the unspoken promise of a future together, of meeting her family, of making their relationship… official.
Ling Dong, his face flushed, squeezed her hand in response, unable to speak.
AHHHHHH
ReplyDeleteI'M SO HAPPY!!! I FEEL LIKE I CAN SLAP PEOPLE TO FAINT!!
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