Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 375: An Old Friend From the Arctic (1)

Dragon Raja 3

The torrential rain poured down as the landlady of the lovers’ inn stood under the eaves with an umbrella. The dripping water from the eaves formed a dense silver curtain. She anxiously watched every taxi that passed by, her eyes filled with worry.

Earlier in the day, a group of menacing figures from the underworld had rushed into the inn, showing her two photographs and asking if the man and woman in the pictures had stayed there. The landlady immediately recognized Lu Mingfei and Uesugi Erii, and for a moment, her heart raced, and her face changed. However, she was a worldly woman and quickly calmed down. She respectfully told them that guests at her inn usually stayed for only one night or even just a few hours—who would choose a lovers’ inn for a proper stay? Her straightforwardness, along with the reputation of the inn, convinced the underworld figures. They didn’t search the place but left a business card, asking her to call them immediately if she saw the couple again. They promised a generous reward for any information.

The landlady couldn’t fathom how this innocent young couple could have offended the underworld. Still, she trusted Uesugi Erii, who seemed far more harmless and trustworthy than any underworld figures. She stayed late at the inn, waiting past midnight to warn the couple to leave quickly, as the area was no longer safe—they were being watched.

Thunder rumbled across the sky, and a flash of purple lightning split the darkness, illuminating a young man walking toward the entrance with an umbrella. His hair was drenched, as were his clothes, and he looked disheveled. In his hand was a plastic bag containing cold milk and rice balls.

“The landlady is still on duty?” Lu Mingfei was a bit surprised.

“Did you come back alone?” The landlady hurried over, her wooden clogs clacking on the ground.

“Oh, she went home,” Lu Mingfei replied casually.

He lowered his head and saw his reflection in the puddle under the eaves. What a mess of a man. He had driven back in a Porsche, but it looked as if he’d walked through the rain for miles.

After losing the protection of Lu Mingze, he had also lost his gorgeous “fake girlfriend” and the Porsche 911. Now, he was back to his original form, like Cinderella who had lost her pumpkin carriage, glass slippers, and fairy godmother. Before midnight, he had been dancing gracefully in a crystal palace, but after midnight, he was left wandering the streets, avoiding the gaze of night walkers.

“Someone came looking for you today. They seemed like some very dangerous men,” the landlady whispered.

“It’s fine now. She’s gone home, and those people won’t be coming back. Don’t worry,” Lu Mingfei said. “Thank you for covering for us.”

The landlady mistook his dazed expression for sadness, and she felt a pang of sorrow. She looked up at the rainy sky, imagining a romantic story of lovers eloping against their families’ wishes. Her mind drifted away.

Seeing the landlady’s “pear blossoms bathed in rain” expression, Lu Mingfei was a bit alarmed. He thought to himself, Could it be the anniversary of her husband’s death? Is this some kind of Japanese custom where a widow keeps vigil for her late husband? I’d better leave her in peace and make a quick retreat.

He quickly brushed past the landlady, trying to sneak upstairs unnoticed.

Suddenly, the landlady turned around, bowed deeply, and shouted, “Please don’t lose hope in life! Ganbatte!”

Lu Mingfei hurriedly echoed, “Ganbatte, ganbatte!” But he thought to himself, I’m not disappointed with life at all—I’m just scared! This time, I betrayed someone for a beautiful girl, but I have no idea how the Secret Party punishes traitors. If they deduct points or kick me out of school, that’s fine. But please don’t let it be some kind of corporal punishment. After all, the Secret Party has been around for almost two thousand years. Back then, humanitarian principles weren’t exactly a thing. When the ancestors were hunting dragons around the world, humanist pioneers like Rabelais weren’t even born yet. Who knows if the college rules include some bloody punishment, like piercing a traitor’s shoulder blades and hanging them with iron chains… Wait, that’s not right—that’s a trick used by the monkey in Journey to the West to deal with demons.

His mind was a chaotic mess as he went upstairs and pushed open the familiar door to the familiar suite.

Little toys were scattered on the coffee table. Shoeboxes and shopping bags were strewn everywhere, along with takeout containers and various drink bottles. The kettle hummed in the darkness, still half-filled with water reflecting the lights outside.

To prevent the staff from snooping, Lu Mingfei always hung the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door handle. So for the past few days, only the two of them had entered this room. Uesugi Erii was completely clueless about keeping a room tidy. No one had likely ever taught her how to tidy up a room in preparation for marrying a good man. All she knew was how to put away her little toys and neatly hang her favorite dresses in the wardrobe. Everything else, including personal items like lingerie and stockings, was casually thrown around. Lu Mingfei wasn’t much better at cleaning up—his dorm room with Finger was notorious for resembling a doghouse.

Though she was gone, the room still held the distinct scent of someone who had lived there. The unmade bed bore the imprint of a body, and the faucet in the bathroom wasn’t fully turned off, causing water to drip into the bathtub with a crisp, echoing sound.

Outside, the rain poured down.

Lu Mingfei didn’t bother turning on the lights. He sat by the coffee table, silently watching the lights and rain outside. Gradually, his mind calmed.

It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, he had lived in this room with such a beautiful and obedient little monster. They had cohabited—just the two of them, a young man and a young woman, with no boundaries. At first, he had been on edge, but gradually, Uesugi Erii had begun to obey his every command. Then, it had all ended in such a bittersweet parting. It was amusing to think how people become familiar with each other—without any special reason, just because they spend enough time together.

It’s like those who keep a cat. The first thing they do when they come home is call out, “meow, meow, meow,” hoping to see the little creature emerge from some corner to greet them. Then one day, the cat runs away, and no matter how much you call, it doesn’t come out to rub against your legs. Only then do you realize just how big and empty the house is.

Now, Lu Mingfei felt that this room was big and empty. It was, after all, the largest and most luxurious suite in the inn, yet he had never noticed until now.

It seemed like Erii’s scent still lingered in the air. Without needing to try too hard, he could recall the image of the girl sitting by the coffee table in her semi-transparent nightgown—the fragrance of her freshly washed hair, the soft curves of her body like gentle hills in spring, and her skin faintly visible beneath the fabric.