Chapter 6 – The Banquet
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 sin.Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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About half a month later, Song Xiangping hosted a banquet at a hotel, inviting a group of close friends and relatives.
As Song Jin, who had returned to the Song family after many years, was unfamiliar with the people on his father’s side, he couldn’t hide in a corner in silence. It was Song Xiangping and Yuan Ya’s big day. So he had to stick close to Song Xiangping, greeting different people and trying to appear less awkward and out of place.
“Where’s the younger son? Why isn’t he here?” a friend asked.
Song Xiangping smiled, holding a glass of wine. “He just finished school. The driver went to pick him up.”
As he spoke, the doors of the banquet hall opened. Song Xinglan walked in with his school bag.
“Speak of the devil. Here he is,” Song Xiangping also noticed Song Xinglan and waved at him. “Come over here. Come say hello to Li Shushu.”
Song Xinglan walked up to them and greeted nonchalantly “Hello, Li Shushu,” and then went straight to an empty seat at the main table to start eating.
“Doesn’t know how to behave. I’ve spoiled him,” Song Xiangping frowned.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Kids, at this age, it’s normal to be a bit unruly. He’s quite spirited,” a friend intervened.
Song Jin glanced over and saw Yuan Ya sitting next to Song Xinglan, smiling and talking to him. However, Song Xinglan just kept his head down, eating his food without any sign of turning his head or engaging in conversation. He was clearly ignoring her.
Yuan Ya then said a few words and prepared to get up. As she stood up, she patted Song Xinglan’s back, probably encouraging him to eat more.
Unexpectedly, Song Xinglan, who had been unresponsive, raised his hand and swatted away Yuan Ya’s wrist, saying something. Judging by his lip movements, he seemed to be saying “Don’t touch me.”
Yuan Ya’s expression unavoidably darkened. It was not out of anger. But out of embarrassment from being bluntly rebuffed in such a situation. Even the people sitting nearby were momentarily stunned, exchanging subtle glances.
Song Xiangping was chatting with someone with his back to the table and was completely unaware of what was happening behind him. Song Jin was afraid that if he found out, it would lead to an unpleasant situation. So he walked a few steps to Yuan Ya’s side and said, “Ayi, why don’t you go with my dad to chat with the guests? He’s had quite a bit to drink.”
Yuan Ya forced a smile that seemed a bit strained and nodded, “Alright. Both of you enjoy your meal. I’ll go over there first.”
Song Jin gently patted her arm and said, “Alright.”
After Yuan Ya left, Song Jin sat back in his seat. He didn’t want any unnecessary interaction with Song Xinglan. He just hoped to finish the meal peacefully without any further incidents.
Song Xinglan continued to eat without expression. He occasionally poured red wine into his glass and drank it with a subtle, yet unsettling motion of his throat.
His phone in front of him kept lighting up, whether with messages or calls. But Song Xinglan only glanced at it briefly before ignoring it.
Not long after, Song Xiangping and Yuan Ya returned to their seats. Song Xiangping seemed a bit drunk. His face was full of undisguised joy. He invited everyone to raise their glasses together, thanking them for attending the banquet.
Everyone else stood up. But Song Xinglan remained seated, unmoving.
“Song Xinglan,” Song Xiangping called out to him. His voice sounded heavy.
Song Xinglan acted as if he didn’t hear him as he took a sip of wine and continued to eat.
Song Xiangping put down his glass. He had always been someone who knew how to handle situations gracefully with mindfulness of appearances. But perhaps due to drinking too much this day, or perhaps because he couldn’t bear Song Xinglan’s defiance on such a day, or maybe because his patience with Song Xinglan had reached its limit under the influence of alcohol, he chose this occasion, which should have been free of any disturbances, to address the underlying conflicts that had been brewing in their relationship. He followed along with Song Xinglan’s rebellious behaviour, as if he needed to get something off of his chest.
“You need to know your limits, even if you’re acting out,” Song Xiangping stared at him. “Don’t act like everyone owes you something.”
The room fell silent. Song Xinglan finished his last sip of wine, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and looked up. “Of course, you don’t owe me anything. In fact, you’ve taught me a lot,” he said with a smile. It was a smile that Song Xiangping found to be chillingly cold.
“Ever since I was in preschool, you’ve been bringing women home every day, giving me a real education in sex, haven’t you?” he continued.
Song Xinglan’s words caused Song Jin to involuntarily hold his breath. He didn’t dare to look at Song Xiangping or Yuan Ya’s expressions. He just felt that he hadn’t guessed wrong. Beneath all of Song Xinglan’s calmness lurked a terrifying undercurrent. He would always cruelly expose the truth at the least appropriate moment, revealing a side that was so insane and unreasonable, leaving no room for negotiation.
A muffled sound of something breaking brought Song Jin back to reality. He shuddered and looked up to see red liquid dripping down Song Xinglan’s fair face. It wasn’t blood. It was red wine. Song Xiangping had smashed his glass over Song Xinglan’s head.
The people around them seemed to awaken from a dream, pulling Song Xiangping aside to calm him down. Yuan Ya, flustered, approached Song Xinglan with tissues to wipe his face. But he stopped her.
His attitude towards Yuan Ya at this moment was relatively calm, because from start to finish, the other end of the conflict had always been Song Xiangping. Yuan Ya was just caught in the crossfire.
Song Xinglan picked up his phone from the table, wiped the red wine from his mouth with the back of his hand, and smiled coldly. “Baba, enjoy your new marriage. I’ll go take a call.”
Song Xiangping sat in his chair. He was breathing heavily and glaring fiercely at him.
Yuan Ya, trying to appease Song Xiangping, turned to Song Jin anxiously. “Xiao Jin, go check on Xinglan. Make sure nothing happens to him.”
Song Jin really wanted to tell her that Song Xinglan was the least likely person to get into trouble. His heart was so tough that you couldn’t imagine.
But he could only nod and say, “Baba, I’ll go check on him first.”
Song Xiangping waved his hand, not wanting to say much.
Song Jin stood outside the hall, calming his thoughts for a long time. From beginning to end, he felt like an outsider. In fact, everyone present, except for Song Xiangping and Song Xinglan, were all outsiders. However, those two were Song Jin’s closest relatives by blood. He might be able to stay out of it on the surface. But deep down, he wanted to do something more than anyone else.
He took a deep breath and walked towards the corridor to the restroom. If Song Xinglan hadn’t left the hotel, he should be in the restroom.
As he passed a door to a partially open safety corridor, Song Jin heard voices inside.
“Song Xinglan, can’t you stop this?”
It was a girl’s voice. Song Jin paused. He stood by the door. The difference in light inside and outside the door wasn’t significant, but it wasn’t clear either. So Song Jin stood there relatively hidden.
He saw a girl in the same school uniform as Song Xinglan standing in front of him, with long hair. She looked very beautiful from the side. But her expression seemed off.
“How can you just break up like that? I just talked to him, there really isn’t anything between us. Can’t you trust me?”
The girl’s tone was urgent, with a hint of coquettishness as if she was trying to please him. Song Jin recalled the constant flashing of Song Xinglan’s phone at the dinner table. It was probably messages from this girl and now she had followed him here directly.
“Whatever’s happening between you two, I don’t care,” Song Xinglan’s voice sounded indifferent. “Breaking up is simply because I’m tired of you. Don’t read too much into it.”
But the girl was unwilling to give up. She hugged Song Xinglan by the waist and tried to kiss him.
Song Xinglan turned his head away as he frowned.
“Xinglan…” The girl’s voice was already on the verge of tears.
Song Xinglan pushed her away from him by the shoulders. He then took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.
“You can leave now,” Song Xinglan said.
Song Jin had no intention of eavesdropping any further. He pressed his temple, feeling rather unbecoming of himself, listening in on his high school brother’s private conversation.
Just as he was about to move away, he heard the girl say, “I’m not leaving. You’ve had too much to drink. Shall we get a room?”
Song Jin froze in place.
He turned his head back towards the door and saw Song Xinglan lowering his head, cigarette in his mouth, lifting the girl’s chin with one hand, as if examining something on her face.
Then, Song Xinglan took the cigarette from his lips and said, “Alright. If you give me a blowjob right here, I’ll go get a room with you.”
His tone was flat. There was a faint red wine stain on his lowered side face. In the dim light, amidst the cigarette smoke, he exuded a sensual aura of cold-blooded madness. It was as if anything in his hands could be firmly grasped.
Song Jin felt like his head was about to explode. He wanted to leave, to turn his head away, but it felt like a hand was gripping his neck. It was forcing him to look through that crack in the door and witness it all.
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*Translator’s Note:
In Chinese culture, “小” (xiǎo) is often used as a prefix in names or nicknames. It literally means “small” or “little” and can have a few different connotations:
- Affection and Familiarity: Using “xiǎo” before a name can convey a sense of endearment or closeness, similar to calling someone “little” or “young” in English. For example, “Xiao Ming” (小明) might be used affectionately to refer to someone named Ming.
- Youthfulness: It can indicate that the person is young or the younger of two people with the same name. For instance, if there are two people named Wang, the younger one might be called “Xiao Wang” (小王).
- Nickname: It’s commonly used to create a nickname, often based on a part of the person’s full name. This is especially common among friends and family members.
- Respect for Elders: In some contexts, using “xiǎo” before one’s own name can be a humble way to introduce oneself, especially when speaking to elders or superiors.
-K
*GLOSSARY:
- Mama = mom/mommy
- Gege/Ge = (Big) Brother
- Baba = Dad
- Shushu = Uncle
- Ayi = Auntie
- Didi = (Little) Brother
☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation. I won’t be using English words for most titles that are being called out.
Next update: 2024.06.30
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