Chapter Volume 5, The Angel Falls Five: Friendly Act; Merciless Deception (2/2)

She said all that with a smile, and the smile looked familiar to me for some reason. I could not remember where I might have seen it before though.

“I see. Looks like I have much food to prepare.”

I just hope we do not shock this lady too much. This family’s consumption is not exactly easy to process for normal people. I prayed that Poseidynne’s appetite was not too big. Should I prepare a triple serving or quintic serving for her? I do not know if merpeople have normal appetites… perhaps I should not make fish?

She suddenly asked, “Why not take a step forward? Because you’re a vampire? Everyone knows they exist now, so it’s not that important anymore, right?”

Actually, people in the family then already knew I am a vampire. However, knowing they exist and marrying one are two completely different matters. There were too many factors to consider…

“Mr. Vampire?” She called my attention back.

“It is too late. She has passed away already.” I did not explain further.

She paused, then quickly said, “I’m sorry.” In an effort to change the subject, she introduced, “I’m Lin Ding.”

I asked suspiciously, “‘Ling Ding’ as in gukulingding, solitary suffering?”

She smiled and explained, “‘Lin’ as in forest, ‘Ding’ from the ‘dingdong’ of a bell.”

I did not know what to do after she finished introducing herself. It was about time to start cooking dinner, but I could not let Lin Ding stay in the living room by herself. There were too many temptations, and I simply could not allow a recently acquainted person to be here where everything was worth upwards of one million.

Should I ask Melody to come over? Is she even home?

Fortunately, Aren walked in. He looked at Lin Ding with some surprise and turned to ask me, “Charles-gē, is this your friend?”

“No. She is Aurora’s drummer. Ah Ye brought her over.”

“Mm? Drummer?” Aren asked suspiciously, “Ah Ye brought you? What does he want with you?”

That was decidedly a little blunt to ask, but I would like to know too. Why did the young master buy a piano upon heading out and bring a drummer back? Does he want to form a band?

Lin Ding smiled and explained, “He heard that I wrote all the songs for Aurora, so he wants me to write a song for him.”

“Write a song?” Aren was shocked and muttered, “He really wants to become a singer? Luo Chu-gē will definitely cry… Dammit! I think I want to cry, too.”

Looking at the clock on the wall, I quickly said, “Aren, can you keep Lin Ding company for a bit? I must go cook dinner now.”

Aren shrugged and said, “Sure. I wanted to watch the news here anyway while waiting for dinner. Dell-gē and his bunch should be coming down soon, too.”

I really am running short on time to cook! I told Lin Ding hurriedly, “I must cook now, so please help yourself. You can watch TV, or if you are interested in books, please take whatever you would like to read.”

“Don’t mind me,” Lin Ding said brightly, “though can I use your piano?”

“That’s Ah Ye’s piano.”

Lin Ding uttered a “huh” and said, “But Ah Ye said he bought this piano for you.”

…The young master bought the piano for me? Does he want accompaniment for when he sings? Either way, my priority right now is to cook.

“If that is the case, please use it as you please. I shall go cook now.”

To think I am so busy that I must use x-speed to cook. If X saw me using my powers from becoming an adult vampire like this, he would probably get rid of me in the name of all vampires.

Moving to the living room with x-speed, I brought out black tea and sweets before being able to breathe a sigh of relief. Cooking this meal has been as exciting as fighting a battle.

“Ding Ding said she’s gonna write an entire album of vampire songs for me!”

The young master brought both Briar and Poseidynne over, but he spent the whole evening talking to Lin Ding about songwriting and barely talked to anyone else.

Mr. Bramble, May, Dell, and Aren did not care at all. They ate their food diligently and did not care much for conversation. However, Briar and Poseidynne were here as well, and their motive for coming over was definitely not dinner.

Briar would occasionally send a questioning look to the young master, then bring her attention back to her food to eat, but Poseidynne blatantly showed an unhappy expression.

May and Dell both realized the unnatural situation and kept tabs on the progression of things out of the corner of their eyes. Aren even went as far as to mutter under his breath, “Your first and second wives are both here, yet there you are chatting away with another woman. Such… skill!”

However, the young master noticed nothing at all and kept talking to Lin Ding. Lin Ding did not come across as the oblivious type and should not have not noticed anything, but her eyes lit up whenever she talked about music. Putting the strange atmosphere aside, she did not even notice how unnaturally large the appetites of these people were, or things like how Poseidynne’s hair was beginning to float.

After dinner ended, and after the tables were already cleared, the young master was still only talking to Lin Ding. The table was covered with lyrics and scores, and there was some occasional singing. Sounds like there is some vocal coaching going on. Nevertheless, no matter what they were talking about, as long as they sounded happy, the first wife and the second wife… Um, Briar and Poseidynne, would be extremely displeased, especially when the young master kept calling Lin Ding “Ding Ding.”

The young master has always decided on fiancées casually. He had decided to become engaged with Briar just because he saved her. Now he is having such a good talk with Lin Ding… No wonder Briar and Poseidynne do not look too well.

With everyone giving me meaningful looks, I could only go up to the young master and ask, “Ah Ye, it is getting late. Should we call a car for Miss Lin Ding?”

I should actually ask the young master if he would like to give Lin Ding a ride out of courtesy, but Poseidynne’s eyes are as stormy as the ocean. If I say anything about letting the young master give Lin Ding a ride home, I might be sunk into an ocean somewhere as soon as the young master steps out of the door. Vampires can drown too.

“Hmm? Is it late already?” The young master turned to look at the clock and asked, “It’s only nine?”

“Ah Ye, there might be safety issues if Miss Lin Ding goes home too late.”

If Lin Ding leaves any later, the young master might have safety issues himself. Poseidynne’s true strength is unclear, but she can control water, and that is a troublesome power. If she douses the apartment, no matter how strong the young master is, he would still only have the choice to fly away.

“It’s nine?” Instead, Lin Ding was shocked as she exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s a show at Seaside at ten. I need to go!”

“I will call for a car at once.” I rushed to dial Nitewalker’s number.

The young master nodded too as he said to Lin Ding, “I’ll walk you downstairs, then.”

“It’s okay!” Lin Ding waved him off coolly as she hurriedly stuffed the sheet music on the table into her bag. She said a quick “Thanks for having me” to everyone and sprinted out the door. The young master followed.

However, it seemed like Lin Ding did not leave at once but lingered at the door to talk to the young master. At last, the young master’s voice came from near the door, “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Ding Ding. Bye!”

Hearing this, Poseidynne stood up abruptly, but was stopped by Briar when she grabbed the hem of her clothes. Poseidynne looked down at her, appearing very unhappy, but Briar shook her head. Poseidynne hesitated, but sat down after all.

I began to understand who the first wife was and who the second wife was. Even though this conclusion is quite unreasonable, as the first wife is the older one in most cases, the young master’s case seems to be the complete opposite. The first wife Briar probably is not even as old as the second wife Poseidynne’s age’s end digits.

At this time, the young master walked back in. He did not at all notice Briar and Poseidynne’s foul mood, but said to me, “Charles, Yue Gang’s outside. He said he wants to see you, but wouldn’t come in. Why don’t you go check it out?”

I paused and quickly replied, “of course,” then proceeded to walk to the door, but unexpectedly, Yue Gang was not standing by the door. Instead, he was standing a distance away near the elevator.

I walked over as I said, “Yue Gang? Can I help you with anything?”

“You jerk!” Yue Gang rushed up without any more words, and just as I was confused, he punched me out of nowhere. The punch was actually very slow to me, perfectly avoidable… had I not frozen.

I took the punch solidly, but the shock was much greater than the pain…Yue Gang actually punched me?

He shook his hand as he swore, “Damn, vampires have hard faces!”

I paused, and before I could say anything, Yue Gang was yelling already, “That’s right! I know you’re a vampire. How dare you fucking lie to me!”

That’s right, I was revealed to be a vampire at the filming studio, yet I had forgotten that the news would eventually reach Yue Gang. I was silent for a while, yet I could not come up with anything. I could only say, “I am sorry.”

Yue Gang humphed coldly and growled, “You’d better not create any problems. I’ll arrest you just the same if you do!”

With that, he turned and left with no hesitation, as if he did not want to hear any explanation. And the truth was, I did not have anything to explain. The lie had been exposed, and that was all there was to it, so I did not say anything to stop him, except, “Yue Gang, do not buy too many weapons in the future.”

In the future, he will likely not borrow money from me anymore, so he had better not be too poor to buy food and even annoy his father into not giving him food.

Yue Gang’s footsteps paused. Then, he walked into the elevator.

Staring at the closed elevator doors, I regretted losing this friend. But there is no surprise here. The outcome was determined the moment I lied to him.

I turned to walk back home, but did not expect to hear furious yelling as soon as I stepped in.

“You jerk! Have you forgotten what you have promised me? I can wait for you to be single again, but I won’t allow anyone else! You can only be with Briar-mèimei before you get together with me!”

The person yelling was Poseidynne. She bellowed at the young master lividly while Briar hung onto her hands with all her might, looking like she wanted to tell Poseidynne to stop, yet she had tears glistening in her own eyes.

The young master had a bright red palm print on his face. Poseidynne obviously hit much harder than Yue Gang, but the young master only touched his face stupefied and asked confusedly, “Why did you hit me?”

Hearing this, Poseidynne glared at the young master angrily and screamed, “Don’t play dumb! Where did that Lin Ding come from?”

Everyone, including Briar’s father Mr. Bramble, lowered their heads. The one reading the paper kept reading, and the ones watching the news kept watching. The one who could not find anything to do could only pretend to exercise.

“Ding Ding?” The young master admitted very honestly, “I met Ding Ding at a club…”

“A CLUB?!” Poseidynne sounded even angrier. Her roar sounded even scarier than the Hollow Roar of vampires. It was as if the sentences were echoing in a valley. “Ding Ding? Ding my foot! Don’t you DARE go hang out with her again!”

“I can’t do that!” The young master’s eyes widened as he said, “I need her to write songs for me!”

Hearing a refusal, Poseidynne’s anger flared… No, it flooded. I heard explosions and ensuing sounds of gushing water in both the kitchen and bathroom. It appears that we will need a plumber.

“Poseidynne! Don’t be like this!” Briar held onto Poseidynne tightly for dear life.

Poseidynne spat the syllables out one by one, “An. Xiang. Ye. Are you really going to meet her again?”

The young master did not appear to give it much thought and nodded.

Poseidynne humphed loudly, grabbed Briar, and said, “Briar, let’s go.” Then she really turned to leave, slamming the door behind her.

“Young Master, do you not need to follow after her… them?” I glanced at Mr. Bramble, but he showed no reaction, as if his daughter had not been taken away by an angry merperson, just by an auntie for a walk.

“Follow?” The young master blanked for a second, then yelled angrily all of a sudden, “No! Why did Poseidynne hit me for no reason?”

Aren muttered, “I wouldn’t really call that for no reason? Ah Ye, you really have been kinda weird lately. Get your dad to come give you a check-up!”

I have had the same sneaking notion. As a matter of fact, the others should have noticed too, but no one could bring it up to the young master, since we are after all his employees. The young master has also not done anything terribly out of ordinary either.

He just goes to clubs, slacks off on his hero duties, wants to be a singer, and has a good time chatting with other females. None of these seem extraordinarily serious, just, like Aren said, “kinda weird.”

Fortunately, we still have Aren to bring up the suggestion, but will the young master listen?

Surprisingly, the young master only replied confusingly, “Have I really been acting weird?”

Aren answered with no hesitation, “You’ve been weird.”

“Well then. Charles, call Bàba for me.” The young master finished, then mumbled to himself worryingly, “Don’t tell me it’s something that strange prisoner from that other time did…”

The young master was troubled about that himself, too? I quickly responded, “Of course,” and dialed Mr. An Te Qi’s number… and that of the plumber.

The water had flooded out here to the living room.