Chapter 159: Back To That Key Moment
TL: Sarah, SnowTime
The adjutant opened the car door for Rhine and asked, “Sir, would you be returning to the camp or your mansion?”
“The mansion.” Rhine sat in the back seat, his gloomy eyes peered through the windows and fell into the endless distance.
The car was driving fast on the road, and the car was silent. The adjutant, who was the driver, felt an invisible pressure. He would talk to the chief executive at ordinary times. Now he has no courage to speak.
Just then, Rhine suddenly ordered: “Stop!”
The adjutant got a fright, but his excellent quality made him react immediately. He parked the car at the side of the road smoothly and quickly, and at the same time kept an alert eye on the situation around him.
“Sir, what happened?” Asked the adjutant.
Rhine did not answer, his eyes were completely attracted by the figure appearing across the road at the moment.
He was wearing a blue casual coat, a white shirt and close-fitting black trousers, outlining his long legs. The flame-like flowers he held greatly contrasted his gentle smile and gave color to his grey world.
The buildings, flower beds, signs on the roadside… it was like life was injected into it all and gave the world gorgeous colors.
Rhine walked out of the car uncontrollably, looking at the rainbow of colors on the path ahead. He took a step forward and started to chase like a man possessed.
“Sir.” Cried the adjutant hastily.
“You can go back first, don’t follow me.” Leaving this sentence behind, Rhine has gone far away.
Traffic on the road shuttled back and forth, and pedestrians on the street reciprocated, but Rein’s eyes were only fixed on that one color before his eyes. Following him step by step, he did not care about the passage of time or the change of environment. Everything around him became quiet and peaceful, as if he would never come to an end.
There was a faint scent in the air. Rhine thought it was the fragrance of flowers before, then realized that it was the smell of pheromones on him. Sweet, passionate, gentle … Each kind makes him sentimentally attached.
He didn’t know how long he walked, the young man in front of him suddenly paused, then sped up and rushed to the door of a shopping mall. There was an alpha dragging an omega rudely with an unfriendly face.
The beautiful atmosphere was instantly broken and Rhine returned to the noisy world.
“Mother.” Shang Ke reached out to fend off the alpha and tugged at Jiva’s he asked coldly, “Uncle Gerald, what are you doing?”
Gerald is Fillmore’s father’s younger brother and has always had ulterior motives for Jiva. But because of the power of his eldest brother, he did not dare to take any actual actions.
“Fil, there you are.” Jiva immediately smiled happily at the sight of his child.
“Mother, was he coercing you?” Shang Ke stared at Gerard frostily.
Without waiting for Jiva to speak, Gerald defended himself first: “Who said I coerced him? I just saw that he was holding some things and wanted to help.”
“Is that how it is? Then I have really misunderstood you Uncle, my apologies.” Shang Ke spoke in a flat tone. “Let me handle this kind of matter, you should be busy Uncle so we will not take up anymore of your time.
Gerald faked a few chuckles and walked away.
Shang Ke was now a lieutenant (he was promoted to colonel only before he died) so Gerald did not dare to offend him.
When the irksome presence left, Shang Ke pushed the flower into Jiva’s arms, and took the shopping bag from his hand. He placed a hand on Jiva’s shoulder and led in a direction, “Mother, let’s go. I’ll take a walk around with you.”
“Okay.” Jiva was very happy.
While Gerald walked to his car gloomily, he was completely unaware of another cold gaze staring at him from the distance.
Rhine did not have this person in his memory so he was presumably not someone important.
It was that Jiva omega who had some impression on Rhine. It was because he had come into contact with Jiva’s husband a couple of times. Another name also came to mind—Filmore.
A few years ago, as a prospective military school graduate, Filmore was sent to Via City to take part in the graduation test. As a result, he was besieged by the arthropods. After losing their commanders one by one, this self-sacrificing man risked his life and held his ground for several days and nights until reinforcements arrived, saving tens of thousands of lives.
After that, he had personally ordered to pull this man into his own unit. But all other information after that he couldn’t remember. He can see the future of most people by his side, only his memories of Filmore were the most indistinct.
Rhine continued to follow behind them as he silently watched them happily chat. An envious feeling rose in his heart as well as… jealousy.
After they finished their stroll, Shang Ke ate with Jiva at a restaurant.
Rhine was sitting in a corner more than ten meters away from them; the position was at the perfect angle for him to see Shang Ke from the front.
A handsome appearance paired with a smile, his every movement gave off an indescribable energy. The blurred image in Rhine’s mind gradually cleared up and became more real.
After dinner, Shang Ke declined the invitation to go home with Jiva and escorted him to the car before waving him goodbye.
Rhine paid his bill and walked out of the restaurant, the food on his table completely untouched.
The sky was already dark, and lights lit up the area. Two figures quietly wandered upon the road, one in front and another behind.
Rhine didn’t understand why he didn’t take the initiative to greet him, like he was afraid of something. He would rather be an unidentified stalker and follow his footsteps silently.
Just then, his communication device rang.
Rhine turned it on and immediately the adjutant’s voice came from inside: “Sir, where are you now? Would you like me to come pick you up? “
Rhine glanced at the time and finally noticed that more than six hours had passed.
“No need, I’ll go back myself.” He ended the call and looked back up. But that figure had already disappeared from his sight.
Rhine’s heart suddenly tightened and he fell into panic. He hurried through the crowd looking for the figure of the man.
A faint remained in the air, and like a warm breeze, it gently soothed Rhine’s restlessness.
Rhine stopped and quietly pinpointed the source of the fragrance.
A little while later, he opened his eyes and the ashy world became colorful again. The figure that disappeared just now had reappeared in his sight.
The distance between the two people gradually shortened as the other side approached. Rhine’s fear of breaking this dream was about to become reality at the moment.
“Sir, what a coincidence. Did you come shopping too?” Shang Ke stared at the man in front of him, his eyes flashing with joy.
He had just sensed this man’s pheromone. Even if it was mixed with the rest of the crowd, his remained clear and intense. As such, he came back and accurately found him.
Rhine moved his lips slowly and called out his name: “Fil …”
Shang Ke noticed his hesitation and uneasiness and was a bit confused.
The current Rhine should be in his period of high-spiritedness. Why would he show such a sad and gloomy atmosphere? Plus, with their relationship, even if they are unlikely to show their affection in public, they shouldn’t be unfamiliar like this.
His expression looked as if he was both familiar and unfamiliar with Shang Ke. There was also a rigidness to him that showed he didn’t know how to interact with him.
Shang Ke had just come back to this world so he still did not know the situation. In such circumstances he wouldn’t act rashly.
He suggested with a smile: “Since we met, let’s have a walk around.”
Rhine nodded.
The two walked side by side. Shang Ke told all kinds of interesting stories about the market easily and naturally. From time to time, he would also buy some small things and shove them into Rhine’s hand or pocket.
Rhine just watched, listened, ate and let him approach without any defense.
He seems to have not felt this kind of feeling in a long time. As if he had experienced lifetimes of loneliness and finally found the lost warmth he craved.
“It’s so late?” Shang Ke looked at the time and said to Rhine, “Shall I take you home?”
“Mmm.” Rhine promised, “Let’s go back together.”
The so-called back together means having Shang Ke stay overnight.
Shang Ke took Rhine to the entrance of his home and was immediately “invited” into his residence.
After getting along for an hour or two, Shang Ke found that Rhine had really changed. The former Rhine had a sharp edge and was full of fighting spirit. The current Rhine was dignified and restrained. He also gave off a feeling of obscure melancholy and great hidden danger.
After taking a bath, Shang Ke found Rhine sitting in the living room drinking.
While wiping his hair, he walked over to him and sat down. He asked, “Oh right, Sir, I’ve heard that we got a new assignment. How come there has been no notification?”
“The mission for shifting the camp?” Rhine looked at his wet hair and answered, “I refused.”
Shang Ke paused and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes: “You refused, why?”
This mission was his route to death. Before he could ready himself for a counter attack, Rhine had already killed the danger in the cradle first?
Could it be… he also went back in time?
But if he did, why was his attitude towards him so strange? He didn’t act familiarly, but he had no defenses. He wasn’t intimate, but he wasn’t drifting away either.
Also, drinking at night was a habit Rhine never had before. He very seldomly drank, especially in his presence.
“I don’t know, I just felt that I couldn’t take that mission.” Rhine picked up his wine glass and took a sip. His every action was very natural.
“Drinking at night hurts your stomach, shall I cook you something to eat?” Shang Ke put down the towel and got up to go to the kitchen.
Rhine leaned lazily on the sofa but his eyes followed him all the time.
It was not until the smell of food came from the kitchen that Rhine felt hungry. He followed Shang Ke for several hours today and didn’t really eat. Now his stomach was stirred up by the stimulation of the food fragrance.
Shang Ke brought out the food and placed it on the table in front of the sofa. It was already very late, they didn’t need to be so picky about manners.
Rhine put down his wine glass, picked up the bowl and chopsticks and ate heartily. Even while he ate he carried the air of a soldier, his every movement neat and efficient.
The living room was quiet aside from the slight noises from Rhine’s bowl and chopsticks.
After he finished eating, Shang Ke stared at him silently for a moment before calling out softly, “Rhine.”
“Hn?”
“You… cried?”
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KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS THE REAL TRANSLATOR NOTE AND WASN'T MINE
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇
Sarah: finally they’re together again!! TAT https://ko-fi.com/sarah_min
SnowTime: I guess the meme didn’t quite fit. I was basing purely off of memory hahahaa