Chapter 27 – Our Secret
Novel Title: 一屋暗灯 (Ephemeral Light)
Author：麦香鸡呢 (McChicken)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 宋谨 (Song Jin -MC), 宋星阑 (Song Xinglan -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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The next morning, the hospital arranged for a car to pick up Song Xinglan. The people from the Toronto company were also about to get off the plane. They would go to the hospital to meet Song Xinglan.
Song Jin didn’t go with them. He felt it was unnecessary.
Song Xinglan was very obedient. After breakfast, he went to wash the dishes. When the car arrived, Song Jin was squatting in the yard playing with the cat. Song Xinglan stood beside him and said, “Ge, I’m leaving.”
“You’ll be back in the evening. You don’t need to be like this.” Song Jin didn’t even look at him, “Go. Remember to eat more for lunch.”
“I want to have braised pork for dinner, Ge.” Song Xinglan said, “I really want to eat it. Even just one piece is fine.”
“What else can you do besides eating?” Song Jin stood up, “Hurry up and leave.”
“I’m leaving then. Ge, if you need to buy groceries, take money from my piggy bank. It’s all yours.” Song Xinglan looked at Song Jin’s face as he hinted and emphasised repeatedly.
“I got it.” Song Jin paused in his tracks. He reached out to tidy up Song Xinglan’s hoodie and hat, “Behave yourself outside. You cooperate well with whatever you’re asked to do. Don’t act up.”
“Okay.” Song Xinglan nodded earnestly. He then turned his head to glance at the door. No one came in. So he leaned over and kissed Song Jin on the face.
After kissing him, he ran off and waved to Song Jin, “I’m leaving!”
***
With Song Xinglan not at home, the yard suddenly felt empty and quiet. Although Song Xinglan would usually go out to play mahjong or something, Song Jin would subconsciously feel that he was still in the village. He was very close to himself, rather than feeling as remote as now.
Having lunch alone, Song Jin only made two dishes. The seat across the table was empty. Since his mother passed away, Song Jin had been living like this for many years. He had long been used to it. But now without Song Xinglan sitting across from him, talking to him, and helping him pick dishes, he did feel somewhat uncomfortable for a while.
After just a few bites, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was an unfamiliar number. After some thought, he still answered it.
“Hello, Ge!” Song Xinglan’s voice was very cheerful. “Have you eaten?”
Song Jin turned his head to look outside the door. The sunshine was brilliant. This year’s autumn seemed particularly long. The falling leaves glided through the air and landed on the ground, basking in the sun.
“I’m eating right now,” Song Jin said. “Have you eaten?”
“I just finished eating. It tasted terrible,” Song Xinglan said. “It’s not as delicious as what you make. I don’t know anyone around me. And I can’t understand what they’re saying.”
“You cooperate well with the examination and don’t throw tantrums,” Song Jin put some vegetables into his bowl and said, “I’ll make braised pork for you tonight.”
“Really?!” Song Xinglan’s tone rose, “Thank you, Ge. Thank you, Ge. Thank you, Ge. Thank you, Ge!!!!”
Song Jin could already imagine the expressions of those doctors and company employees next to Song Xinglan.
Later, the phone was taken back by someone from Song Xinglan’s company, who told Song Jin about Song Xinglan’s examination results. The prospect of memory recovery is still bleak. But fortunately, there has been significant intellectual recovery. For now, Song Xinglan still relies on Song Jin and cannot do without him at all. So he can only ask Song Jin to help take care of him again and see what the results of the next examination will be.
The other party also asked if Song Jin could try to stimulate Song Xinglan’s memory more often during normal times, without being too deliberate. The doctor said that if it could be done gradually and progressively, there is a chance for Song Xinglan to recover. But it would just take a bit longer.
Song Jin said, “Okay. I understand.”
He understood that if Song Xinglan were to recover his memory one day, he would be the first to suffer.
***
In the evening, as the sky gradually darkened, Song Jin finished his work and went to the kitchen to make dinner. Just as he started chopping vegetables, he heard the sound of a car outside the main gate.
His heart seemed to quicken in a split second. Song Jin stared at the cutting board, suddenly unsure whether to cut horizontally or vertically. He wanted to turn his head to look outside. But for some reason, he could only maintain a still posture. He remained like that until he heard the gate open. He heard footsteps passing through the main gate, through the living room, and through the corridor outside the bedroom.
Song Jin finally decided not to turn his head and focused on cutting his vegetables.
Someone approached him but didn’t speak. Then, he came closer, standing behind Song Jin.
It felt like there was a magnet on his back, sensing an inexplicable force of being pulled. But ultimately, Song Jin attracted the other person. Song Xinglan hugged Song Jin from behind. His chin rested on his shoulder and he said in a coquettish tone, “Ge, I miss you so much.”
Song Jin’s movements paused for a moment. Then, he said, “Let go. I’m cutting vegetables.”
“You can still cut like this.” Song Xinglan nuzzled Song Jin’s neck. He was being overly clingy, “It’s so boring outside. Being at home is much more comfortable.”
Song Jin suddenly asked him, “Do you know why you went to the hospital?”
“Yeah. My head was injured. And there’s still a scar.” Song Xinglan kissed Song Jin’s earlobe as he answered nonchalantly. It was as if it was irrelevant to him.
“Do you want to get better?” The knife blade rested on the meat without cutting further. Song Jin stopped all movements and asked softly.
“Is that important?” Song Xinglan asked back, “I’m happy now, Ge. As long as I’m with you, I feel fine. I feel more than fine.”
Song Jin didn’t say anything more.
After dinner, Song Xinglan suggested going to the rooftop to see the stars. Song Jin then cut some fruit and went up to the roof with him.
However, there didn’t seem to be many stars that night. The moon, on the other hand, was very bright. Its shimmering light covers the sparse starlight, hanging high above the night sky.
As usual, Song Xinglan enjoyed the night without looking at the sky. He was only looking at Song Jin. He ate oranges and stared at Song Jin’s profile. Song Jin looked at the sky. The moonlight fell on his fair and clean face. Even his eyelashes were bathed in light.
“Ge,” Song Xinglan suddenly said, “When I was at the hospital today, they said I’ve forgotten everything. I find it funny.”
“What’s so funny about it?” Song Jin didn’t look at him. He just looked up at the moon.
“I feel like I haven’t forgotten anything. Look, I remember you. You’re so good. And I like you so much. You must be everything to me. What else do I need to remember? Nothing at all.”
Is the moonlight so dazzling? It was dazzling to the point that Song Jin felt his eye sockets ache. Even his heart felt sour and painful.
His brother’s words sounded so nice. In the past, Song Jin felt that Song Xinglan was dragging him into the abyss. Now, it was also the same. Song Jin stood on the precarious edge of a cliff, with morality, reason, a perilous path. Meanwhile, Song Xinglan held his hand, using all his ignorant and sincere confessions to lead him into another abyss.
The more Song Jin remembered how crazy the past Song Xinglan was, the deeper he would be harmed by the person in front of him now.
Song Xinglan peeled an orange. He cleaned the fibres and handed it to Song Jin. He said, “Ge, there are so few stars tonight.”
“Yeah,” Song Jin took the orange and replied, “Maybe the moon is too bright.”
“Why aren’t there any stars during the day?” Song Xinglan asked.
Song Jin ate his orange and slowly said, “When daytime comes, the stars will extinguish and turn into ash, drifting away.”
Just like how it was between them. Whenever Song Xinglan regained his memories, the night sky would be torn. The stars would collapse. All the beauty would disappear in an instant.
“That’s why I like the night. Only at night will you have time to sit with me and talk.” Song Xinglan leaned over, looking up at Song Jin from below. He asked, “Ge, can I kiss you?”
Song Jin turned his head. Above him was the deep blue night sky, bathed in moonlight. From Song Xinglan’s perspective, Song Jin’s features were as soft as the breeze tonight. His hair swayed, much like the trees swaying in the wind seen by Song Xinglan when he looked at the distant mountains. Song Jin’s straight nose welcomed the moonlight, reminiscent of the clear stream in the mountain valley.
Everything was quiet. The rustling of leaves, occasional soft sounds from the fields, the wind swirling past their ears—every subtle yet immense detail became a background murmur, setting the stage for romance under the moonlight.
Song Jin lowered his eyes, avoiding eye contact. The moonlight, indifferent to his thoughts, cruelly illuminated his face and the faint red marks on his ears, making them clear. After a while, he turned his head back to face Song Xinglan and said, “Okay.”
Reflected in Song Xinglan’s watery pupils was the outline of Song Jin’s face. He reached out, encircling Song Jin’s neck. Without a word, he leaned in and gently bit Song Jin’s lower lip.
The distant mountains and forests, the quiet fields, the tranquil moonlight—all the grand yet peaceful surroundings isolated from the world—were their backdrop as they sat under the night sky. The late autumn air was cool and clear. But the kiss was warm. The scent of oranges lingered, held in their hands, like a secret that belonged only to them.
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*Translator’s Note: Well, that was beautiful. -K
Next update: -Daily-
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