Book 4: Chapter 18 - Cannot Bear To Part
Love Code At the End of The World
Xing Chuan hadn’t kissed Arsenal; instead he had most likely kissed his own thumb. I reckoned he should still be irritated about Arsenal.
I still remembered how he’d thrown the water that Arsenal had given him to Sharjah. He was merciless and cold, showing no compassion and care for women at all. He’d treated a girl like that, let alone a guy. Hence, it made sense that he’d been able to throw me off so mercilessly.
“Raffles, you came?” Harry said next to me. I looked to the side. It was really Raffles.
Raffles watched me with concern. Harry walked over to him. “Keep her company since you’re here. I have to watch over that bunch of people from Silver Moon City,” Harry said, glaring at Xing Chuan underneath with a glum look.
Xing Chuan seemed to feel something and subconsciously looked up. The moment he saw us, he narrowed his eyes.
Harry smiled and waved at him, but Xing Chuan pretended to not see anything and turned to leave Arsenal. He walked past her without any reluctance.
Now there was only Arsenal standing there all alone.
“I’ll let you take care of Lil Bing.” Harry patted Raffles’ shoulder and returned to the banquet hall.
Xing Chuan sat on the chairman seat, while Elder Alufa smiled and stood up. “Young men, what are you waiting for? If you want to dance with Princess Arsenal, go ahead. Don’t be shy.”
He was hinting to the people who wanted to propose to Arsenal.
Moorim, Mosie and many other guys stood up simultaneously. Dressed in their best, they surrounded Arsenal.
Xue Gie and Ming You helped Brother Qian Li and brought him to the middle of the banquet hall. He knelt down on one knee among the guys.
Looking down from above, it was a grand sight.
“If you are willing to throw a coming-of-age ceremony, it would definitely be grander than Arsenal’s,” Raffles smiled and said.
I was stunned. When I looked up at him, he smiled bashfully. He looked shy. his grayish-blue eyes shimmering like a pool of spring water.
“You don’t mind?” I wasn’t from this world and hadn’t been brought up with such worldviews and values. I wasn’t used to it. I found it more acceptable when girls surrounded a guy. I wouldn’t find it strange if a guy married a few wives, as long as it wasn’t the guy I liked.
He nodded as his lips moved. “I don’t mind.” Then, he blushed and lowered his head. “There are so many men who like you… I would feel proud…” he said softly as he touched the back of my hand with the tip of his fingers.
My body stiffened, my heart racing as my face became hot. Slowly, his fingers lifted mine and he gingerly held my hand experimentally. Seeing that I didn’t reject it, he held my hand tight and laced his fingers through mine.
I instantly blushed. He clasped my hands tight, his burning gaze falling upon my face without moving an inch.
My heart began to race while I remained frozen. I fixed my gaze on Arsenal who was picking her husband, because I didn’t know where I should be looking at.
I could faintly feel another pair of cold eyes on me, which sent shivers down my spine. Following that feeling, I found Xing Chuan. He lifted his face slightly as he looked at us in disdain. He seemed to be mocking the relationship between Raffles and me as an engaged couple.
I didn’t continue to look at him but he kept watching me. It made me very uncomfortable, and I couldn’t help but clench Raffles’ burning hand tighter.
In the middle of the banquet hall, Da Li and the other flower girls carried a velvet tray with an exquisite crown on it.
Da Li carried a small gold crown that would be for the primary husband. The primary husband was the head of all husbands.
Looking at Arsenal selecting her own husbands, as a female chauvinist I found it amazing. In my world, women had been the chosen party for five thousand years. It was about time for women to have the right to choose.
Arsenal slowly put the golden crown on Brother Qian Li’s head. Brother Qian Li lifted his head in surprise, his eyes turning towards Arsenal’s face although he couldn’t see.
Arsenal helped him up. Arsenal had only selected Brother Qian Li.
The music played again and the other guys returned to their original seats in disappointment.
Arsenal and Brother Qian Li returned and everyone began to dance.
Blue Charm returned to Xing Chuan’s side while Xing Chuan continued to fix his gaze upon me. Following his gaze, Blue Charm looked up and was surprised to see me. Just then, Xing Chuan suddenly took back his gaze and stood up to pull Blue Charm to dance.
Blue Charm stared at Xing Chuan in surprise. Xing Chuan pulled Blue Charm onto the dance floor. Xing Chuan had an overbearing manner. Like how he’d pressed me against the glass arrogantly, how he’d seized my throat arrogantly, how he’d given Gale a tight slap arrogantly. All his actions had never required anyone’s permission. He could control everyone around him as he pleased.
Of course, his domineering aura was definitely captivating to Blue Charm.
“It’s a pity that I can’t dance with you,” Raffles said in disappointment.
I turned around and looked at him with a smile. “Why not? Because I am a guy now?” I extended a hand to him and Raffles smiled. In Raffles’ bashful smile, there was also an overbearing manner that belonged to Raffles.
Looking deeply into my eyes, he took my hand without hesitation. We started to dance along with the music on the second floor. It was our parting dance.
At night, I began to pack in our room. Raffles had also prepared some gadgets for me. Realizing that Harry had yet to return, I contacted him. “Harry, come back and pack.”
“I don’t have many things. Tell Raffles to pack for me. I have to look after Xing Chuan and his men.” Harry was still watching over Sharjah and the others.
There was a light knock on my door. I turned around and saw Raffles. He held a tray as he walked in. Coming up to me, placed the tray on my bed, next to the grayish-blue dress.
He stared at the dress for a while before he came back to reality. Then, he took out a black singlet from the tray and placed it before me. “This is a shaping singlet that I’ve just designed.” He flipped the singlet inside out, showing me a circle of silver around the chest area. “I covered it with Nami robots. They could reshape your body to a man’s brawny chest.”
He succeeded! He did it!
I stared at him in surprise as I took the black singlet from his hand. The singlet looked very cool. It had two reflective lines on the waist that looked like they would glow in the dark.
“I prepared three sets of these for you.” He put another two pieces of singlets into my bag.
Then, he picked up a pill and stared at me solemnly. “Eat this. It will interrupt the system when Silver Moon City carries out body scanning, and make the system determine you as a man.” He placed the pill before me.
His attention and consideration made me indescribably touched. He’d thought it through so comprehensively. I’d never even thought of being scanned by the equipment.