21 Sleeping Beauty (1/2)

TWO WEEKS LATER….

\”POP!!!\” A champagne bottle was opened, bubbly foam sprayed out and loud cheers quickly followed.

In Cafe Éclair a large banner ran across the counter, it read \”Goodbye Mao Lu.\”

\”I still can't believe this, thank you so much for throwing me this leaving party! \” Mao Lu felt emotional and dumbfounded as he stared at the decorations, treats, and all his co-workers.

15 minutes earlier, Mao Lu had come to Café Éclair for his last shift ever. Yet when he came to the store it appeared to be closed, it was dark and all the lights were off. Confused Mao Lu went through the back and into the store. The moment he stepped inside he heard, \”SURPRISE!!!\”

The lights had flickered on and Tanaka Kato, the Owner and Mao Lu's other co-workers were all throwing party poppers and confetti, hollering at the top of their lungs.

Now, Tanaka Kato slung his arm over Mao Lu's shoulder, \”How can you not believe this? As one of your best friends even if everyone else didn't come I would have thrown you a party you idiot. Don't you know I'm going to miss gossiping with you on shifts, and who am I gonna drag to get drinks with me after work now. And of course everyone else came because you're a hard worker. It's a shame to see you go.\”

Mao Lu felt a large ball of happiness swell up in his throat. He hugged Tanaka tightly. \”Thank you so much.\”

Tanaka giggled, \”It isn't just me throwing this party you know you should be hugging the Boss and everyone else.\”

Mao Lu pulled away from him and laughed, \”You're right.\”

The entire afternoon was spent eating and dancing.

When it was time to part everyone gave Mao Lu gifts, it was so touching.

\”I guess you don't really know how people feel about you until you leave them.\” Mao Lu had expected Tanaka to be upset when he left the Cafe, and the Boss had been very good to him over the years. But he never expected everyone else to go so far with a surprise party and presents.

He bowed to all of them, \”Thank you so much for everything. I will never forget this place and the amazing years I've spent working here, and I'll never forget all of you.\”

The boss of Cafe Eclair, Cedric Degel, smiled at Mao Lu and patted his shoulders. \”You're welcome back anytime.\”

As Mao Lu left Tanaka followed him, \”Why're you leaving so early, we can go catch some drinks or do something else if you want. Just us two. You've left all your other jobs now right so it shouldn't be a problem right?\”

\”I can't, I have that full time job that I'm doing now. I need to get to that, I'm rather busy right now, so we should hang out another time.\”

\”That mysterious full time job, hmmm well don't stress yourself out too much if the workload is big.\” Tanaka nagged like he was Mao Lu's mother.

\”Is it really that cool? Hmm then I can't wait to see it. Oh yeah I heard you moved back to your old place in Chaoyang, when's the housewarming party?\”

Mao Lu's eyes widened slightly, \”Who told you that?\” He hadn't told anyone about gaining his old family home yet. He'd only just finished furnishing the place and getting the internet, electricity and water working. Not only that but there was the...other thing. So he hadn't mentioned it to anyone yet, just in case his friends wanted to come over.

Tanaka laughed sneakily, \”I heard it from Fei Bing Bing. She was hanging near Sun Park and saw you walking around with some movers. Even though she lives in Xicheng her family home is also in Chaoyang right, and her Mother apparently told her that it looked like the Zhang's old home seemed to have been bought. Bing Bing guessed that you must have gotten your old place back, especially since it looks like you've moved out of your old one. She asked me to investigate for her when she came by the Cafe yesterday, and well now you've just confirmed it. So when is the housewarming party?\”

Mao Lu rolled his eyes slightly, he'd just played right into Tanaka's hands by confirming that he'd moved. \”Maybe in a few weeks I might have a housewarming party, but I only got the electricity, internet and water working recently. I still haven't sorted out the heating and I'm still sorting out furniture and it's not ready yet. When it's all good I'll tell you okay.\”

Tanaka gave a toothy grin, \”I'll be waiting.\”

Mao Lu turned a corner and in front of them was a black Maserati Gran Turismo. A two door four seat coupé, a racing car in the luxurious body of a sedan, a foreign pure Italian car. Current market price around £90,000 converting to around ¥794,000 RMB. Tanaka couldn't help but wolf whistle the moment he saw the vehicle.

\”Is this the car you told me you bought.\” Tanaka's eyes were wide and he drooled slightly.

\”Yep it is. If you ever want a ride just message me Tanaka.\” Mao Lu smiled as he got into the driver's seat.

\”Hell yeah, I'm messaging you everyday. Damn!\” Tanaka shouted as Mao Lu's car started.

\”Oi Lu before you go, are you coming to the cafe with me and Bei Lao this weekend or what?\” Tanaka walked up to Lu's window.

Mao Lu was confused, \”Cafe?\”

\”Don't you remember? You agreed to come to that Gay Cafe with us two weeks ago but then you bailed on us because you were busy. So I want to know if you're free this weekend. Then we can go to the cafe together and get you a boyfriend.\”

\”Ohhhh!!!\” Mao Lu remembered, it was the night Bing Bing and Detong had told him they were getting married, and then Tanaka had come around with Bei Lao, and he ended up agreeing to go to a cafe with them. Because his Gatekeeper training was so hard he ended sleeping through the day they planned to go. He'd apologised and promised Tanaka he'd go another time.

\”So we're on this Saturday. I will not take no for an answer, you are not going to be single forever do you understand me.\” Tanaka's face was deadly serious.

\”I'll come. I'm free saturday so I don't mind coming.\”

\”Good.\” Tanaka harrumphed and then waved off Mao Lu as Mao Lu drove away.

\”You promised me that when you got rid of all your prior responsibilities you'd focus entirely on being a Gatekeeper.\” Gates sounded irritable.

Mao Lu carefully maneuvered his car, \”I am focusing entirely on being a Gatekeeper. I have been training very hard haven't I?\”

\”You should spend every second trying to achieve completion of sensing your realm so that you can progress in the merging stage. Instead you're distracting yourself with making time to go to a Cafe to hang out with your friends.\”

Mao Lu frowned, \”I will dutifully complete my job as a Gatekeeper, just because I'm not spending every second working on it doesn't mean I'm not serious. And it's healthy to take breaks.\”

\”Dutifully completing your job?\” Gates almost spat. \”If you were so dutiful you would have followed my orders but instead you insist on keeping that Practitioner in your home. By using a Gatekeepers key he deserves death or at least some punishment but you insist on taking care of him. I don't think that's dutifully doing your job!\”

Mao Lu gripped the wheel in anger, \”You're so heartless Gates, and I guess you expect a Gatekeeper to be as heartless as you. No wonder all the previous Gatekeepers of this realm were so pathetic, if they mindlessly followed your orders and became equally as heartless. Am I the Gatekeeper or are you? You are supposed to be guiding me yet I feel like you're trying to control me.

That man is extremely hurt, I will make a verdict on whether he should be punished or not, when he wakes up and I find out why he used that Gatekeepers key. Until then, Gates I'd like it if you were silent on the matter, the more you talk about killing and punishment the more I dislike you.\”

Gates went silent. Mao Lu couldn't tell whether it was sulking or so angry it couldn't speak.

Mao Lu continued to drive, he was pleased that he'd said that. He felt like Gates enjoyed ordering him around a lot. In this world of magic and martial arts, Mao Lu was lost and Gates had more knowledge, so he had to listen to the thing. When it came to learning and knowledge Mao Lu was very glad he had Gates but when it ordered him to do things like focus solely on being a Gatekeeper and don't make time for your friends, or punish and kill this man. Mao Lu wasn't comfortable with it.

Since he was supposed to be this powerful and respected person then he should have control over his own actions. He wanted to show Gates that he was in control, and he had the power to listen or not to listen to it.

Every Gatekeeper has a Gates. Their role is to advise the Gatekeeper and aid them in their training and give them knowledge on topics that they are ignorant about. All the Gates or rather the Book of Gates was created by One when One made the Gatekeepers. One gave each Gatekeeper a Gates and told them this is your guide. Mao Lu's Gates has been the Gates of realm 145 since the realm came to life 14 billion years ago. It has watched time and time again as Gatekeepers failed under its guidance.

Gates had adapted its guidance to what it believed was the most effective way to produce a decent Gatekeeper, yet now Mao Lu had said its guidance was wrong. \”Heartless...controlling…??? I made them pathetic?\” Gates couldn't comprehend what it was being told. It quietly contemplated this information, its consciousness descending into the depths of the dimension that lay within its pages.

…..

Mao Lu drove all the way back to his home in Chaoyang. Over the last two weeks he'd had the place furnished, he'd gotten the water, electricity, and the internet working. He'd moved out of his previous flat and was now properly living in his old family home in Chaoyang.

Mao Lu parked in front of the Vermillion entrance. He smiled at the stone lions and strolled into the first courtyard, heading towards the east building.

He opened the sliding doors.

Lying on the queen sized bed was the young man he'd met two weeks ago.

After Mao Lu had reversed the time on the poison, the young man had fainted. Mao Lu ended up bringing him all the way to Chaoyang despite the protest of Gates.

Even though his life essence appeared healthy again, he still hadn't woken up over these two weeks.

Mao Lu had tried reversing the time on the poison in the his veins further, in an attempt to completely remove it, but it seemed like the poison had been lying dormant within the young man for many years.

Mao Lu still wasn't strong enough to control time to such an extent and decided to leave it be.

Gates had told him it was fine, the poison had been rewound to before it was activated, it wouldn't harm the young man unless it was activated again.

As long as whoever activated it isn't around to reactivate it, then he should be safe.

He will wake up when his body recovers.

Mao Lu stared at him, he looked like a painting. His hair was against the white pillows, like ink or perfect oil strokes against a white canvas.

His skin was softer than the silk sheets he lay in, his eyelashes were so long as well. Even his lips were plump like one of those models on TV. Mao Lu couldn't help but stare. He really was a work of art. A sleeping beauty.

Mao Lu had never seen someone so handsome. He secretly enjoyed watching him.

\”I wonder who poisoned you. I wonder when you'll wake up.\” Mao Lu muttered, \”Why did you use the Gatekeepers key…\” Mao Lu sat on the corner of the bed and gazed at him a bit longer. \”I wonder...what's your name?\”