TCOR CH39

Chapter 39: Colourful and soul-stirring

What a strange dream.

I sat up from the floor and looked around, but I couldn’t see Pei Huanchen’s figure.

Why didn’t he say goodbye to me? I muttered as I walked towards the entrance of the tree house. Halfway there, I felt something extra in my hands, and when I looked down, I realised I was hugging a blanket.

I quickly put the blanket back and rubbed my face to clear my head. Then I checked my phone, but there were no new missed calls or messages.

It was after four o’clock, could it be that Shen Wunian was still chatting with Liang?

As I walked downstairs, I suddenly felt a little disoriented as I came face to face with the lush, towering plants. Following my memory, I walked down a path, trying to find the exit, but I went in the wrong direction, getting deeper and deeper until I was completely lost.

I tried to call for help, but there was only a weak signal. I dialled a number, but there was no service and I couldn’t send a message after half a day of trying. There was WIFI, but unfortunately I couldn’t connect without the password.

Someone will come looking for me, right? They can’t expect me to stay here overnight.

I’m in no hurry to leave, so I switch to exploration mode and start wandering around.

In addition to the huge spherical main body, there are also some ‘little balls’ embedded around the edges of the greenhouse. These small glass greenhouses are connected by automatic doors and contain plants or vegetables that require more precise temperature control.

Each time I open the door, it’s like a treasure hunt and I’m starting to look forward to seeing what plants will be waiting for me the next time the door opens.

As I walk from one small greenhouse full of orchids into another, a palm-sized blue butterfly flutters past me as I enter.

Black iron frames were scattered on the floor and the containers on top of the frames were filled with fresh pineapple slices. Some butterflies landed on the pineapples and leisurely searched for food, some rested on the leaves of the plants, on the glass and on the brick floor, while others flew around in the air looking for the next place to land.

This was indeed a butterfly greenhouse.

It was the first time I had seen so many butterflies of different sizes and colours and I was amazed.

After seeing the film <The Iliad> in the cinema, I became curious about Greek mythology and looked for books on the subject to learn more. In Greek mythology, butterflies are the embodiment of Eros, the god of love. They bring lovers together in spring and send their blessings in summer.

Now it is late spring and it is time for them to transform into Cupid and lead the way.

I gently tapped a black butterfly with white spots on a leaf and bargained with it, saying: ‘Little butterfly, I don’t need you to lead me to my beloved as hard as you do. Just take me to the exit so I can go outside, OK?

This is a joke, of course. After watching the butterfly fly into the sky for a while, I sighed and walked along the path. Soon a rock garden appeared in front of me, and I could faintly hear the sound of a small stream at the other end.

It was very dark inside the rockery, but fortunately I could see the exit after only two or three metres.

Pushing aside the hanging Monstera deliciosa, I walked out of the hole with my head down, not wanting to frighten the many butterflies. They fluttered about randomly, and some even flew towards my face.

I unconsciously turned my head to the side and closed my eyes. When I opened them, I happened to see Shen Wunian not far away, looking in my direction.

The pale yellow water lilies in the pond were blooming in the setting sun. He was standing in front of the pond, wearing only a black shirt, with his suit jacket draped over his shoulders. His other hand was in the air, a black and white butterfly perched on the tip of his finger.

It was as if a hammer had struck my head, with a resounding ‘dong’ that echoed through the rafters, and my soul trembled.

With the gods watching over me and Cupid showing me the way, I had indeed found the person of my dreams.

That’s rare. This time you found me first,’ Shen Wunian said, and the butterfly flapped its wings but didn’t fly away.

‘God…’ I took a few steps in his direction, so shocked I couldn’t even speak.

My heart was pounding with excitement at this dramatic encounter. I pressed my hand to my chest and for a moment I felt as if my heart would turn into something alive, jump out of my chest and run towards Shen Wunian.

Seeing someone can make your heart race, make you want to rush over to them, and make you smile without even realising it… That is a unique existence.

What?’ He frowned slightly, not having heard me.

I quickly came to my senses and shook my head with a smile, ‘Nothing. But I was even more certain of my own feelings.

I almost jogged up to him and used both hands to pick up the butterfly, but before I could touch it, it seemed to sense something and flew away, wings flapping.

My eyes followed the butterfly for a while, and I hid the part about the Love God’s manifestation, saying only, ‘I’ve just met this butterfly too, and it led me to you.

Shen Wunian probably found this explanation very interesting and repeated it with a smile: ‘It brought you to me?

I knew he wouldn’t believe me just by looking at me, so I just exaggerated: ‘Yes, and he also told me that he has three wives and nineteen children.

The smile on his face got even bigger: That’s something.

At that moment a black butterfly of the same species happened to pass by. I pointed to it and said, ‘Look, this is his child. As I followed the butterfly with my eyes, I made up more and more stories to embellish the butterfly’s story. This one is called Wood Ear because its colour resembles that of black fungus. It also has a younger sister called Sesame. I’ll show you later…’

I turned to see that Shen Wunian had taken off his glasses and was kissing me.

After all this time, Shen Wunian’s technique has improved a lot and he no longer bites my mouth every time. But I can’t defend against Shen Wunian’s bad technique and I can’t defend against his improved technique.

I’m backed up, my back against a plantain tree, and my breathing slowly becomes rapid as the kiss deepens.

My mouth is full of the taste of Shen Wunian. My head was spinning, my body felt limp, and it felt as if all my strength had gone with my breathing.

My body instinctively tried to save itself by pushing the man in front of me away, but my brain stopped me before I could make a move. So my hand just stayed there awkwardly, torn between pushing and not pushing, until Shen Wunian grabbed it and took complete control.

The strength of his tongue lashing increased, and he even pinned my jaw so I couldn’t escape.

The temperature in the greenhouse was already high, and as the kiss continued, my blood was forced to every part of my body by the powerful heartbeat, and I began to feel the heat.

My face, limbs and unspeakable parts all became incredibly hot.

The remaining hand was raised to try and stop Shen Wunian before the situation became too embarrassing, but as he gently licked my upper lip, I was so stimulated that I suddenly clutched a piece of banana leaf in my hand.

My fingertips were pressed into the soft surface of the leaf, and the broken wound oozed juice, soaking my palm.

The hand on the lower jaw finally let go, and Shen Wunian turned his face to the side, his voice tinged with laughter: ‘You’re touching me.

My already paralysed brain took a few seconds to figure out what he meant, and then my five fingers suddenly tightened, crushing the banana leaf in my palm.

I closed my eyes and tried to calm my nerves, but the heat in my body kept reaching new heights, as if I had become an active volcano, ready to erupt.

Let me go… I pleaded, my voice shaking.

Shen Wunian leaned close to my earlobe and breathed hotly into my ear: ‘I have a better option. With that, his hand moved from my chest to the spot he had just complained about.

In the space where only the sound of a thin stream could be heard, there was suddenly an additional sound – the sound of metal rubbing against metal.

This sound would not be loud enough to attract anyone’s attention in the open air, on a busy road with heavy traffic, but in such a quiet environment it simply stung my eardrums.

‘Don’t…’ This is broad daylight, on someone else’s property. If anyone comes by, today’s performance will not be a revelation of love, but the arrival of a nightmare.

This place is worth a try, otherwise…’ He nipped my earlobe lightly and said hoarsely, “How will I know if it works?”

‘It works…’ It works too well, and I’ve been getting into trouble all the time. I don’t want it anymore.

Our ears rubbed together, and my refusal did not stop Shen Wunian’s actions.

I only believe in my own experience.

As I struggled, the little monster stuck its head out and rubbed its hand gleefully against Shen Wunian’s.

My knees buckled, and I almost lost my face kneeling on the floor. Luckily, I was leaning against the plantain and Shen Wunian was supporting me.

This is crazy.

Even though I know I’m indoors, in a private residence with tight security, the surrounding ecology still gives me the illusion that I’m outdoors.

To keep from making weird noises, I had to let go of the banana leaves I had ravaged and cover my mouth instead.

It was only the second time we had met, but it was as if the little monster already knew my preferences. It was happy and trembling no matter how I scratched and rubbed it.

Did it really like Shen Wunian that much, or was Shen Wunian just that good at it? How could it be so comfortable?

Breathing in, I could smell the fresh scent of plants. Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, and I bit my lip as I couldn’t help but rest the back of my head against the thick branch behind me. Shen Wunian chased after me, nibbling playfully at my chin and Adam’s apple. The force wasn’t strong, but it still left a noticeable sensation.

My heart was full of joy.

I looked up at the blue sky peeking through the leaves and an unintelligible phrase popped into my head.

The little monster is playful but useless. It’s like a battery that charges quickly but discharges even faster. It’s always full of energy, but it can’t last more than five minutes.

‘Hmmm…’ Mingming covered her mouth, but her voice came out through her nose, slimy and sloppy, like a sob.

Shen Wunian didn’t seem to expect that just stroking the little monster a few times would make him vomit. He pulled his hand back, stared at the sticky vomit on his hand and laughed, “I’m very pleased with the look, it’s just that the duration is a bit… He lifted his eyes, licked the stuff that had overflowed between his fingers and spat out his verdict, ‘Poor’.

I was completely powerless, and my brain hadn’t recovered yet, so I didn’t care what he thought.

What does it have to do with Zhong Ai that the little monster has a bad duration?

It doesn’t matter anymore. He pulled away and kissed me again.

It was so bitter.

Between my lips and teeth, there was the bitterness of plants and another kind of fishy bitterness, intertwined and mixed into a strange kind of bitterness.