Chapter 182: Skipping through some bits…
*Bing-Bong*
The following scene has been removed because it was deemed, “too goddamn sugary sweet to the point that a fucking dentist was needed.”
To sum up what occured though…Zhen Yue and Santiago being so cute together that it would take an animated short done by Di$ney and written by Korean drama veterans to properly convey the sheer mushiness. It did not help that Zhen Liu’s brain buddy kept broadcasting Korean love songs. Thank the heavens that nobody noticed that it was coming from him at least…
Bellona and Zhen Yue we’re nearby as well, but their particular outing can best be described with…shonen comic romance? It’s implied but not explicit.
Let’s hope that doesn’t come to bite him in the ass later…
That being said, Zhen Yue’s and Santiago’s engagement was made official that very evening with the presentation of a ring with a big ass rock on it, about five carats.
After that, the soon-to-be happy couple returned to the Zhen Clan grounds, made the announcement official to everyone’s joy, and then partied with the clan like there was no tomorrow, food and drink flowing like mad.
Not much happened there either…well…except for one thing.
*Bing-Bong*
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[Boo! Hiss! Hate! Come on maestro, let us go party with the rest of them too!,] Hurricroak complained. The mental image of a frog woman rolling around on the floor in whining protest played through Zhen Liu’s head.
[Calm down Hurricroak,] Nepherage interjected, [We’re not exactly the inconspicuous types and we don’t have a good enough excuse to be out and about. They think we’re puppets, remember?]
[Relax…,] Frosttusk advised.
[I know, I know. It’s just boring in here…gah! I wish we had mortal disguises.]
As the party went on, and several people were getting drunker than skunks and fatter than bears by the minute, someone thought now would be a good time to put on some performances.
Well more specifically, Zhen Hou decided to embarrass his daughter by singing…while Carlos decided to embarrass his son by helping Zhen Hou with his performance, by playing an instrument.
What followed was a surprisingly decent drunken love ballad. Nothing to write home about, but a fond memory to look back on.
Some found it hilarious, others were surprised, while a few(read: Zhen Yue and her new fiancee) were straight up beet red embarrassed.
That being said, Zhen Liu and Bellona were in the “surprised” category.
The two of them were on the outskirts of the courtyard where the party/performances were taking place. Not entirely private, but far enough for them to have some form of quiet conversation.
“Not gonna lie, did not know my uncle could sing,” Zhen Liu observed.
“I didn’t even know father could play a mandolin like that,” Bellona added.
The two of them continued to watch the performance off to the side with mixed feelings, until Bellona decided to switch conversation topics.
“I’ve been meaning to ask this, what’s the deal with the whole ‘auspicious day’ thing? Your grandfather seems to care that my brother and your cousin get married on a specific date and time,” Bellona asked.
“Ah, that. It’s an old Roaring Tide tradition,” Zhen Liu explained, “the idea is that if someone were to get married on a specific day, the happy couple would then be guranteed a long and happy life together.”
“Huh…does that actually work?”
“Based on my own family? Seven times out of eight.”
“What happened to number eight?”
“Terminal illness.”
“Oof. My condolences.”
“It’s cool.”
As the conversation ended, Zhen Hou and Carlos decided to change things by doing a duet of a drinking song instead of just one singing and one playing. It was mildly less embarrassing when others joined in later on.
“So…that girl over there. You two are an item?,” Bellona asked while gesturing her head towards Jin Fang. The girl in question was currently standing at attention, ready to be of service at a moment’s notice.
It took Zhen Liu a couple of seconds to realize where and who Bellona was gesturing towards, but he nodded in agreement once he realized who she was referring to.
“Yes, actually,” Zhen Liu answered point blank and with little hesitation, “we are childhood friends turned lovers as it were, like in the stories. Been together even when I was crippled.”
“Really? You decided not to dump her the moment you could enter the upper echelons of society?,” Bellona asked, genuinely curious. The downsides of mind reading is that she had met a lot of couples who have some form of infidelity mixed into their relationship, internalized hatred for each other, or using each other for the sake of status. She had met those who were genuinely together for love, but they were far and few between.
“No, why would I do that?”
“Well, I heard that your father planned for you to get engaged with the daughter of a friend of his, who also thinks fondly of you. A miss Alicia Goldshire? You seem to have a knack for attracting pretty girls,” Bellona teased.
“Not really…,” Zhen Liu trailed off while scratching the back of his head, “I think I’m just…lucky.”
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‘Shut up, middle of something.’
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“Regardless of luck, and to be blunt, it sounds as if Alicia is a step up from Jin Fang in ways that society would deem appropriate,” Bellona continued.
“Yeah, and…”
“You’re not afraid of polite society looking down on you or your family for dating an attendant?”
“Pfft! Polite society can kiss my ass. If none of them like it, well then, I’ll become powerful enough that high society will be beneath me,” Zhen Liu stated, “besides, my family is technically considered an exile of high society. I’d like to think we don’t care about that stuff either.”
“Huh…”
The funny part was, Bellona knew he meant it too.
She was shocked to see this absolute honesty and willingness to rend and tear whatever stood in his way for the sake of this one girl…she couldn’t help but feel a little bit jealous that Jin Fang got there first.
“Out of curiosity,” Bellona continued, “how far have you gone with either of those girls?”
Normally, Zhen Liu would have deflected from the question since it was mildly embarrassing to talk about, but he was caught up in the rhythm of the conversation as it were.
“Well…I’ve only kissed Jin Fang so far, and haven’t done anything with Alicia…except share in a life or death struggle with her twice…once with Jin Fang too actually…”
“So what you’re saying is, I can catch up with Jin Fang and get pass Alicia?”
“Huh?”
Unprompted, unexpected but not out of left field, Bellona took the initiative and kissed Zhen Liu square on the lips. And held it there…for a while.
[Oh my.]
[Oooh! Damn, get it queen! Go for the tongue.]
[First…kiss…?]
When they finally parted lips, Zhen Liu looked positively shocked while his mind was basically a blank line.
“There, not only did I have my first kiss. But I have also caught up,” Bellona said with a smile.
Zhen Liu wasn’t sure how to respond…but for a moment, he understood why Jin Fang would freeze up when he kissed her unexpectedly.
