Chapter 19: Castle in the Sky
1549 Words
Brittany and Robert locked eyes with an expression that no one could understand. Robert took out a delicate gift box from his pocket, as if he had been preparing it for a long time, and opened it. Inside was a necklace with crystals and diamonds.
The lighting technician turned off the lights in the hall and used a spotlight to illuminate Robert and Brittany, making them look so glamorous. I could no longer feel my own existence in the darkness.
“I had the best jewelry designer in the country design this crystal and diamond necklace. There is only one like it in the world, and I have named it... Beloved, to represent my most sincere and pure love for you, just like the diamonds and crystals. Give me a chance to put it on for you myself... okay?”
I wanted to tell Brittany that what he said was wrong. Anyone with money can buy a woman a crystal and diamond necklace, but the sincerity and purity derived from love comes from the heart and does not need the help of any material things.
But how many women will believe in such a most innocent truth? The sparkle of the diamonds has long since captivated their eyes.
In the end, I did not refute Robert, but just sealed myself in the city in my heart, shrinking smaller and smaller...
Everyone at the scene was moved by Robert, and they encouraged Brittany to accept Robert's confession with applause.
Brittany looked into the corner of the darkness, and finally nodded in silence. The applause and cheers intensified. Robert, full of excitement, put the necklace on Jane's neck. At this moment, a man and a woman fell in love at Harlan and Natalie's wedding, and happiness was added to happiness!
At this moment, no one except me remembered that in the rain that evening, we had agreed to take a wedding photo with the theme “silent joy”.
...
The wedding banquet was drawing to a close amidst the excitement of the crowd. The guests were saying their goodbyes, and I was walking unsteadily alone towards the hotel.
The sunshine outside was so bright that it hurt my eyes. I leaned against a pillar and squinted at the blue sky and white clouds. In my drunken haze, I seemed to see the city in my heart floating up into the sky with the air, blending with the blue sky and white clouds, gradually becoming crystal clear, and unable to see a trace of loneliness or pain!
Natalie and Harlan, both wearing wedding dresses, supported me on either side as I teetered.
Natalie said apologetically, “Lucas, I'm sorry. We really didn't know that Robert was going to confess his love for Brittany at our wedding... You must be feeling bad. I'm sorry!”
“Haha... I'm not sad, how could I be sad? ... By the way, did you guys...did you see the city in my heart fly into the sky, hidden in the sunlight, crystal clear...” I mumbled, and pulled the transparent film from the cigarette pack to cover my eyes and search for that city in the sky.
Natalie and Harlan glanced at each other, and Harlan took the film from my hands and said to me, ”Don't talk nonsense...I'll find a driver to take you home.”
“No need to go to so much trouble, I can go back on my own, I'll take a taxi,” I said, breaking free of Natalie and Harlan's hands and walking towards the street.
While staggering, I saw Brittany supporting the drunken Robert coming from the other side. She took the car keys out of Robert's pocket as she walked, and then opened the door of the black Range Rover. Harlan and Natalie hurried over and took Brittany's hands to help her put Xiang Chen into the car.
Actually, I'm not sad at all when I see a scene like this. At least I can still stand with difficulty, while Robert is already drunk unconscious. This time, he's the one who fell down. He's the grandson, I'm the grandfather, a lonely and grieving grandfather!
I stood there, watching as Brittany started the car and drove off with Robert towards the city's bustling downtown.
...
That afternoon, I sat on the greenbelt by the moat, smoking cigarette after cigarette. Finally, I ran out of cigarettes, so I closed my eyes and laid down, feeling the autumn afternoon breeze blowing past me.
Even though I had drunk too much, the extreme pain in my heart made me unable to fall asleep. Instead, the pain was magnified several times over in the alternative sobriety of drunkenness.
In the past, she had written on the car window with great urgency, waiting. Today, she silently nodded her head in acceptance of Robert's confession. The two images alternated in my mind, flashing faster and faster, as if they were trying to tear me apart. I clutched my head in pain, huddled up and whimpering.
The pain in my heart became more and more unbearable. I really wanted to end my life and follow that city that had already peeled away from my heart and transformed into the city in the sky.
With the remaining strength I took out my phone from my pocket and dialed the most recent number in the call history.
After a long time, the phone was answered, and Renee's resolute voice came from the other end. She said to me, “No matter what excuse you use this time, I won't let you off the hook. You must move out today. I don't want a liar living in my house.”
I smiled and said to Renee in a surprisingly calm tone, ”If you're free now, hurry up and come to the moat.”
My seemingly senseless request made Renee even more angry. She asked in a heavy tone, “Why should I go?”
“Hurry up and stop me. I want to jump into the river, I really will!”
Without waiting for Renee to respond, I raised my hand and threw the phone into the moat. I didn't lie to Renee. Driven by alcohol and pain, I became numb and really wanted to pursue that crystal clear city in the sky.
A warm breeze blew pleasantly, and before I could take a step, the accumulated alcohol suddenly rushed up. I looked up at the dizzyingly blue sky, and suddenly my body went limp, and I fell to the ground and passed out.
...
When I woke up, it was already dark. The street lamps on both sides of the moat were already lit, reflecting on the surface of the water and swaying with the waves. The honking of cars on the road along the shore could be heard from time to time. Under the dual stimulation of sight and hearing, the blurry world suddenly became real.
My head ached like hell, but I looked blankly at the sky full of twinkling stars...
A pleasant, feminine fragrance drifted into my nostrils on the evening breeze. I looked over and saw that it was Renee sitting next to me, and that she was wearing my jacket.
I sat up and Renee realized that I had woken up.
“You're awake.”
“Why are you here?”
We said to each other at almost the same time.
Another gust of night wind blew, and the already yellowed maple leaves fell, falling into the river not far away, drifting with the current against the backdrop of the twinkling stars.
We both looked at the river surface, and it was only after a while that Renee answered my question: “I came to see if you were dead.”
“What do you mean dead?” I asked, puzzled, having already forgotten about calling Renee before I fell asleep.
“So you're cheating on me again, aren't you?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about!” I exclaimed.
Renee said to me with patience, “You called me at noon and said you wanted to jump into the river. If you still have doubts, you can check your phone's call history.”
“Let me see,” I said, and started to feel in my pockets.
“Hey! Where's my phone?”
Looking at the river again, I finally remembered that I had thrown my phone into the moat out of impulse. My memory then opened up, and I remembered that I had indeed called Renee like a lunatic at noon and said I wanted to jump into the moat...
I said apologetically to Renee, “I'm sorry, I had too much to drink at lunch and was talking nonsense. I really wasn't lying to you.”
“Scum, shameless liar!” Renee scolded without mercy.
“Can you stop cursing me?” I paused and then said, ‘It's not like I'm going to jump in the river, and I'm making it up to you now, so it's not too late, is it?”
“Go ahead and jump,’ Renee said to me as she looked at the river.
“I'll jump,” I said, walking towards the river and leaping onto the railing.
- Writer
