Chapter 45 – The Attack
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 person across the alley was wearing a black mask. If it weren’t for the conspicuous dagger in his hand, Song Jin might have just taken him for an ordinary passerby.
The glint on the blade almost pierced his eyes. There was no time to hesitate. Song Jin turned and ran. But the narrow alley seemed endless. He was still carrying the cat carriage, and the intermittent cries of Grapefruit could be heard from inside. Footsteps were closing in behind him. The cold edge of the knife seemed to be pressing against the back of his neck. Song Jin didn’t even dare to look back.
His shoulder was bumped. He wasn’t sure if it was the person’s fingertip or the knife tip. In the midst of panic and intense heartbeat, Song Jin couldn’t think of anything. Something was blocking his chest. All he could think of was that Song Xiangping’s call was indeed just to confirm his attitude. When he discovered that his seemingly obedient son had no feelings for him, he directly ordered someone to act. Killing him might be too much. But Song Jin could roughly predict the consequences.
It was hard to say which emotion, absurdity or terror, dominated his heart more. The instinct to survive surged, and the last thing that appeared in Song Jin’s mind was Song Xinglan. When this name fixed itself, he coughed hard as if he suddenly could speak and stammered, “Help…-“
Before he could fully utter ‘Help me’, a person suddenly appeared at the alley entrance ahead. In his wavering vision, he could only barely make out his figure. But in an instant, it felt like a hand was holding his heart. Song Jin gasped and opened his mouth, “Song…-“
Song Xinglan almost took a few steps to reach Song Jin, grabbed his shoulder to shield him behind, and then raised his hand to intercept the blade coming straight at them. With a twist of his elbow, he pinned the attacker to the ground.
Fine dust floated in the air. Song Xinglan was dressed simply in a black hoodie and a black baseball cap, probably having just gotten off a plane. He pressed his knee against the attacker’s back and looked up, whispering to the person running from the other end of the alley, “Are you fucking useless?!”
His tone wasn’t intense. But the low, ruthless voice carried a stronger sense of coercion, clearly indicating genuine anger.
“I’m sorry. It was my oversight.” The other person rushed over to take over holding down the person Song Xinglan had pinned to the ground and said, “I was originally guarding the entrance of the other alley. But I didn’t expect Mr. Song…”
He glanced at Song Jin with lingering fear and said, “I didn’t expect Mr. Song to take a different alley.”
Song Xinglan grabbed the person’s hair and lifted his head. Song Jin, standing behind him, couldn’t see his expression but heard him ask in a low voice, “Song Xiangping is struggling to protect himself. Yet he still extends his reach this far?”
The person gritted his teeth and remained silent. Song Xinglan stood up and stepped on his head, asking, “What did he want you to do to Song Jin?”
The sound of traffic was cut off outside the alley, leaving a silence in which Song Jin could only hear heavy breathing and a few pained groans. The other person still didn’t speak. Song Jin shifted his feet and said, “Xinglan…”
Song Xinglan turned his head. The brim of his cap casted a shadow that divided his face into light and dark, making his jawline particularly distinct. He coldly said, “Don’t tell me you’re going to plead for him now.”
Song Xinglan’s demeanour was very familiar. He was still the same ruthless person who showed no reason when he was cruel. Song Jin swallowed and said, “No, your hand…”
When he had blocked the knife earlier, it seemed to have cut his palm. Now, bright red blood was dripping down his fingers.
Song Xinglan glanced at his palm, then turned back and said, “Take him away and find out Song Xiangping’s whereabouts.”
“Got it.”
“If he refuses to talk,” Song Xinglan threw the bloody dagger onto the ground with a clear sound, “investigate his background and let him taste what it’s like to have his family hunted.”
“Understood.”
Then, Song Xinglan turned around, grabbed Song Jin’s wrist, and led him out.
“I’ll take you to the hospital.” Song Jin started the car. His voice was trembling slightly.
“No need.” Song Xinglan took off his cap. He leaned back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes with a frown. “We’ll go to your place.”
The coldness and anger still hadn’t left him, making him somewhat intimidating. But Song Jin quickly grabbed a few tissues to press against his wound and said, “No. We’re going to the hospital.”
“Ge.” Song Xinglan reversed his grip on Song Jin’s hand and said, “Let’s go to your place.”
“Hospital first.” The tissue was quickly soaked with blood. Song Jin gritted his teeth, insisting, “Listen to me, Xinglan.”
Song Xinglan opened his eyes and looked at Song Jin for a few seconds before finally nodding.
***
By the time they left the hospital, it was already evening. Song Jin drove Song Xinglan home. Going to the hospital had been the right decision, as the cut on Song Xinglan’s hand was deep and nearly reached the tendons. The doctor instructed him not to get it wet and to return to the hospital for regular dressing changes.
The car was very quiet. After the harrowing chase, Song Jin suddenly had many questions he wanted to ask.
“Song Xiangping called me,” Song Jin said as he drove. “He repeated the same things he had said to Yuan Ya, calling us ingrates.”
Song Xinglan remained silent with his eyes closed. After a moment of silence, Song Jin asked, “When you were little, when he beat you… did it hurt?”
The question seemed absurd. It was a brutal case of domestic violence. If it didn’t hurt, Song Xinglan wouldn’t have grown up so twisted. Nor would he have confronted his father with a knife. But when it came to discussing this, there seemed to be no better way to phrase it.
“I forgot,” Song Xinglan replied.
As if he could really forget. He just didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“I wanted to call and tell you. But I couldn’t get through,” Song Jin said.
“My other phone was off on the plane. I didn’t turn it back on afterward,” Song Xinglan said. “I’ll probably stop using that number while I’m back in the country.”
“Who was that other person just now?” Song Jin asked, pressing his lips together. “Have you been having him follow me?”
“Yes,” Song Xinglan admitted without lying. “Since Yuan Ya said Song Xiangping called her, I’ve had someone watching you two.”
“When I got off the plane, I saw the message from him saying you were at the vet hospital. I came over. But the main entrance was blocked. So I had to go through the alley and happened to run into you.” Song Xinglan frowned, “He’s been following you for so long. But he failed at the critical moment.”
“He probably didn’t expect me to take a different alley,” Song Jin said. “You don’t…-“
“If you take the money, you better get the job done,” Song Xinglan said in a low voice. “If I had been a bit later today, that knife would have been in you.”
His tone carried a hint of sarcasm: “Most of Song Xiangping’s former subordinates have been dealt with. He’s probably at the end of his rope, only able to send out this kind of lowlife for one last gamble.”
Song Jin’s mind was in turmoil, mostly filled with lingering fear. Yet, sitting in the car with Song Xinglan, he felt a strange sense of security. His brother had just pulled him out of a bizarre and terrifying situation not long ago. Though it had only been a little over two hours, Song Jin felt as if a long time had passed.
“Song Xinglan,” Song Jin asked, looking ahead, “the night you had the car accident last year, you bought a cake. Were you coming to see me?”
“Yes.” There was a brief silence in the car before Song Xinglan answered.
“Why were you coming to see me?”
“Do you really need to know?” Song Xinglan turned his head and looked at him, asking.
Song Jin tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly. After a moment of silence, he sighed and said, “Leave it at that.”
Then, Song Jin hesitated and asked, “Have you ever thought that the car accident that night might have been…-?”
“-It’s hard to say,” Song Xinglan answered. “When I woke up, it was over two months later. Within a few days, the company higher-ups were pushing me to go back to Toronto. I did consider that possibility later. But I was too lazy to verify it.”
He glanced out the window and said, “Anyway, I won’t let him have a good end.”
***
When they reached the community, Song Jin drove around to the garage at the back of the house and saw Zhao Hai already waiting at the back door.
“Are you okay?” Zhao Hai asked as soon as Song Xinglan got out of the car. He grabbed Song Xinglan’s wrist to inspect the hand wrapped in bandages. “Is the wound deep?”
“I’m fine,” Song Xinglan replied. “Just take the luggage inside.”
“Okay.” Zhao Hai turned and opened the trunk, taking out a suitcase. As he did, he said, “I’ve never seen such a heartless, unreasonable father. He even attacked his own son!”
“You should be careful too. If anything feels off, let me know.”
“Sure, sure. Go inside and rest. You look like you didn’t sleep well on the plane.” Zhao Hai pulled the suitcase. He then turned to ask Song Jin, “Xiao Jin, are you okay? Can you park the car yourself?”
Song Jin, who had been silent, stood by the car and nodded, “I can.”
However… as he watched the two walk inside with such familiarity, he suddenly couldn’t quite grasp why Song Xinglan had so naturally brought his luggage to stay here.
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*Author’s Note:
Song Xinglan: I’m moving in. Just like that.
-McChicken
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*Translator’s Note: Yeah. He just moved in just like that. Teehee! -K
Next update: -Daily-
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