〈Parallel Universes〉24
24. The Paradise Inn
1. First Arrival at Lake Lucerne
The travel writer Lin Xiao-Yang came to Europe on an independent trip, writing travel columns for domestic newspapers and travel magazines. His purpose in making this journey was to search for his missing girlfriend, Xie Hui-Jun. One year earlier, after the two had a fierce argument, Hui-Jun had angrily traveled alone from Taiwan to Europe, but had disappeared without a trace ever since. Lin Xiao-Yang checked into the Paradise Inn beside Lake Lucerne in Switzerland and unexpectedly became entangled in a struggle for survival between opposing factions of vampires in the dark world.
After entering Room 504 of the inn and putting down his luggage, Xiao-Yang was immediately drawn to a large mural. The signature identified its creator as Huang Li-Hua, a Chinese artist.
Xiao-Yang rode his bicycle to the shore of Lake Lucerne to take photographs and scout locations. There he met a blond young man named Wilson, a street musician who played the violin.
Wilson took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Xiao-Yang. Not only did he know that Xiao-Yang was staying at the Paradise Inn, he also said that Huang Li-Hua had told him this information.
Xiao-Yang felt confused and curious because he had never met Huang Li-Hua. He only knew that this man was the artist who had painted the mural in his room.
Xiao-Yang thought to himself, “It seems that these people have already been keeping an eye on me. I just dont know what they really want to do to me.”
After returning to the inn, Xiao-Yang organized the photographs he had taken and his travel notes. When he woke up from a short nap, the artist who had painted the mural, Huang Li-Hua, had unexpectedly appeared inside his room.
Huang Li-Hua, who possessed the ability to read minds, took the initiative to speak with Xiao-Yang. He explained his background and told him that he had been trapped here for several decades, yet his body had not aged with the passage of time.
After Li-Hua explained everything in detail, Xiao-Yang lowered his guard.
Li-Hua then took him into the world inside the mural using the ability to pass through walls. They attended a concert in the dark world and walked around the streets for a while, giving Xiao-Yang a whole new perspective.
But neither of them knew that their movements had already been watched by Robert, the innkeeper, through his informants.
Li-Hua led Xiao-Yang to visit his studio. The walls were filled with paintings arranged by category, including watercolors, Chinese-style paintings, prints, and sketches. The largest number were oil paintings.
More than three thousand paintings left Xiao-Yang marveling in amazement.
Li-Hua then took Xiao-Yang to a large floor-to-ceiling mirror and solemnly warned him, “Dont come in here on your own unless Im personally accompanying you, or you may get lost and never find your way out.”
Huang Li-Hua and Wilson entered the Sky Castle together to meet Princess Maria and receive her instructions.
The princess said, “We will soon take action to subdue Robert and the others under Anderson who are entrenched in the Paradise Inn, and we will use the inn as a forward command center in our struggle against the Anderson Group.”
The Dragon Knight under the princess said, “Our deep-cover agent inside Bat Castle, the headquarters of Anderson, has reported that we have found the girl named Xie Hui-Jun. Anderson has taken her into his service, and she has already become a vampire.”
Huang Li-Hua was shocked. “General, are you saying that you have found Lin Xiao-Yangs girlfriend, Xie Hui-Jun?”
The Dragon Knight said, “Yes. This is a secret mission assigned by the princess.”
The princess said, “Li-Hua, if Lin Xiao-Yang learns this news, he may have difficulty accepting it for a while. But all of this is the will of heaven. In the future, I will bring your granddaughter Huang Min-Hua and Xiao-Yang together. You and Wilson must act according to my instructions.”
2. Huang Li-Hua Gives a Warning
Huang Li-Hua invited Lin Xiao-Yang to the lobby for coffee and whispered a warning in his ear: “Today is Friday the thirteenth, the Day of the Hundred Ghosts, when yin energy gathers. You must leave the inn as quickly as possible before sunset.”
Xiao-Yang was curious and wanted to ask for a clearer explanation.
Li-Hua said, “More than fifty years ago, I was killed on the night of the Day of the Hundred Ghosts.”
Xiao-Yang did not understand what he meant for a moment.
Li-Hua asked Xiao-Yang to write a line of words in the palm of his hand, then lowered his voice and said, “Come back tomorrow and find me in the sculpture garden.”
Li-Huas behavior aroused the suspicion of a waiter. Robert, the innkeeper, immediately sent people to seize him.
Seeing that something was wrong, Xiao-Yang quickly checked out and left the inn. He went to a nearby restaurant to eat.
At the restaurant, Xiao-Yang happened to run into Wilson.
“Huang Li-Hua warned me that tonight is the Day of the Hundred Ghosts and told me to leave the Paradise Inn immediately to avoid being killed. After warning me, Li-Hua was forcibly taken away by the waiters.”
Wilson said, “You dont need to worry. Ill take care of this.”
That night, Xiao-Yang found another nearby inn and checked in.
He carefully went over everything that had happened during the past three days from beginning to end and decided to return to the Paradise Inn the next day to find out what was really going on.
Late that night, in the basement of the Paradise Inn, Huang Li-Hua was bound to an interrogation rack and questioned by Robert.
Robert demanded, “What exactly is your relationship with Lin Xiao-Yang, and why did you tell him to leave the inn immediately?”
Li-Hua calmly replied, “Lin Xiao-Yang is my future grandson-in-law. I dont want him to suffer the same fate as I did.”
Robert asked again, “Huang Li-Hua, why did you violate the prohibition and take Xiao-Yang into the dark world?”
Li-Hua said, “I was simply trying to satisfy his curiosity.”
Robert naturally doubted this answer.
He therefore ruled that Li-Hua should first have a spell seal placed on his forehead, turning him into a stone statue. He then sent a report back to the headquarters in Sicily and waited for Ghost Emperor Andersons order concerning how to deal with him.
The next day, Lin Xiao-Yang returned to the inn.
Sure enough, he found Huang Li-Huas stone statue in the sculpture garden.
Xiao-Yang carefully examined the statue of Huang Li-Hua. The clothes on the entire statue were exactly the same as the clothes Li-Hua had been wearing the previous evening.
Following Li-Huas instructions from the day before, Xiao-Yang walked around to the back of the statue of Huang Li-Hua.
He saw that the hand, which had originally been held in a half-clenched fist, was now slowly opening its five fingers.
Three lines of writing and a roll of microfilm appeared in the palm of the hand.
Xiao-Yang carefully read the three lines.
Huang Li-Hua urged him, “Get away from this dangerous place as quickly as possible. All the waiters in the inn are vampires. Take the microfilm with you and make my works known to the world.”
With tears glistening in his eyes, Xiao-Yang promised Li-Hua, “Senior, I will bring your works back into the light of day. Thank you for sacrificing yourself to save me.”
Xiao-Yang immediately took the roll of microfilm to a photo studio for developing, then took the album of photographs of the works with him to Paris.
3. Ghost Emperor Anderson
Far away on the island of Sicily, inside Bat Castle, Ghost Emperor Anderson and his subordinates were holding a meeting.
A messenger from Robert arrived with a letter. Besides the letter itself, it also contained several photographs.
After the Grand Mage Rufe read the letter, he instructed the messenger to return and tell the innkeeper, “I will send someone to investigate the truth and then decide how to deal with the painter Huang.”
Rufe handed the photographs to the witch Sumei beside him.
Sumei picked up one of them and said, “The young man with the Oriental face in the photograph looks strangely familiar, but I cant remember where I have seen him before.”
Rufe praised her, saying, “Sumei, your sixth sense really is remarkably sharp. Although I remain skeptical about the theory of reincarnation, the facial features and build of this young man from the East do indeed resemble those of David Fili, the former chief of the guards.”
Just then, Anderson walked in.
Upon hearing the name “David Fili,” he reacted strongly and said, “Sumei, use the crystal ball and find out everything you can about this young man from the East as quickly as possible. If he really is David reincarnated, eliminate him as soon as possible to prevent endless trouble in the future.”
Rufe gestured and said, “Master, I believe we should make every effort to win this young man from the East over to our side and make him an asset to us. Unless he joins Maria and poses a threat to our side, there is no need to rush to take his life. If he is driven into a desperate situation and fights for his life, we may suffer casualties and losses.”
Sumei took a transparent crystal from inside her clothes and began to activate the spell.
Very quickly, an image of Lin Xiao-Yang appeared.
“This young man is traveling by train. The scenery along the way seems to be in the eastern part of the area near Paris.”
Rufe said, “This clue is enough. I will immediately send my female disciple Annie there.”
Sumei asked, “Grand Mage, are you planning to use a beauty trap?”
“I want Annie to approach David on her own. That will lower his guard. David is a worthy opponent. If we can persuade him to join our side, we can weaken Marias power accordingly.”
Anderson agreed at once that confronting him head-on would be a poor strategy. The Grand Mages method was indeed feasible.
Annie entered Rufes training room.
Rufe told her to go to Paris immediately to carry out a mission.
Pointing to a leather pouch on the table, he said, “There is a photograph and mission instructions inside. Follow the instructions, find the boy in the photograph, approach him on your own initiative, and become his girlfriend. Remember, you must act alone on this mission. Do not make contact with any of our local branches, lest you alert the other side and arouse suspicion.”
Next, the couple Lorna and Keith entered the training room.
Rufe ordered the two of them to go to Lake Lucerne and secretly investigate Robert, the innkeeper.
Robert and the painter Huang had had some conflicts in the past, and Rufe wanted to determine whether Robert was using this opportunity to settle a personal grudge.
Once they discovered the truth, they were to deal with the matter according to his instructions.
After speaking, Rufe handed Lorna an envelope.
After the couple received their orders and left, Rufe whispered, “David, the grievances between you and me from our previous lives are already in the past. If you really are David reincarnated, I dont want David to become my love rival and sworn enemy once again.”
4. Sweeping Away the Evil Spirits at the Inn
Wilson entered the Sky Castle and encountered the Dragon Knight at the entrance to the official residence.
Wilson said anxiously, “General, something unexpected has happened at the inn. We need to report it to the princess immediately.”
“Dont panic yet. The princess has just received a report from our spy about this matter.”
Wilson said, “Huang Li-Hua was captured by that evil spirit Robert and transformed into a stone statue with a spell.”
“Because Huang Li-Hua warned Lin Xiao-Yang to leave the Paradise Inn in time, Robert was alerted. The princess just gave me two missions. First, eliminate Robert and all the other evil spirits inside the inn and take complete control of it. Second, rescue Huang Li-Hua. The princess gave me a bottle of holy water that can remove the spell from Huang Li-Hua and bring him back to life.”
The Dragon Knight decided to take action that very night.
He ordered Wilson to disguise himself as a waiter and, after dark, block anyone and any vehicles from entering outside the Forgotten Forest.
Once he had taken complete control of the inn, he would send someone to notify Wilson to return to the inn.
The two of them split up to carry out their respective tasks.
Night fell.
At the entrance to the Forgotten Forest, Wilson was dressed as a waiter.
He planted a sign in the grass.
The sign read in German, French, and Italian: “The inn is undergoing interior renovations. Lodging services are temporarily suspended.”
Wilson unfolded a spring bed and placed it across the road to block the way.
He reclined diagonally on the bed, using it as a roadblock, and leisurely drank beer.
The Dragon Knight led a small squad of palace guards out of the mural in Room 504, one after another.
The Dragon Knight disguised himself as Robert, while the palace guards each disguised themselves as waiters.
They immediately left Room 504 and began their operation to capture the evil spirits.
Disguised as Robert, the Dragon Knight entered Roberts bedroom and easily subdued him.
He forced Robert to swallow a Dragon Blood Pill and turn away from evil to the side of righteousness.
The palace guards quickly took complete control of the inn.
Not a single ghost soldier managed to escape.
Huang Li-Hua found Lin Xiao-Yang and thanked him in a dream for helping establish a scholarship foundation in his name.
He also predicted that in the spring of the following year, during the third month, his granddaughter Huang Min-Hua would come to the shore of Lake Lucerne to paint from life and stay at the Paradise Inn.
Li-Hua asked Xiao-Yang to return to the Paradise Inn and become its owner, and to take good care of Min-Hua.
Their marriage in this lifetime was destined, because Xiao-Yang and Min-Hua were fated to be together.
Li-Hua used magic to give Xiao-Yang his own artistic ability and also entrusted him with a bank account and travelers checks.
After Xiao-Yang woke up, he saw a photograph of Huang Mei-Hua on the table.
He felt a strange sense of familiarity, as though he had seen her somewhere before.
5. The Gentle Trap
In an exhibition hall at the Louvre Museum, Lin Xiao-Yang met Annie, a woman with long blond hair falling over her shoulders and an Oriental face.
He mistook her for his missing girlfriend, Xie Hui-Jun.
She seemed completely unfamiliar with Xiao-Yang.
Xiao-Yang thought to himself, “But how could there be someone in this world who looks so much like her, even with exactly the same voice, except for that blond hair?”
Xiao-Yang had no idea that he was already falling into a beauty trap.
Annie had deliberately approached him to attract his attention.
Xiao-Yang followed Annie.
They happened to encounter a staged street robbery that had been rehearsed in advance.
Lin Xiao-Yang arrived just in time to play the hero and rescue the beauty, displaying astonishing martial arts skills and supernatural abilities.
This unexpected episode naturally created an opportunity for the two of them to develop a closer relationship.
Annie invited Xiao-Yang for coffee.
Xiao-Yang took a photograph of Hui-Jun from his wallet and showed it to Annie.
Several fragmented images gradually flashed through Annies mind, but she could not piece them together into a complete sequence all at once.
She was astonished by this.
Xiao-Yang asked, “Do you remember that we used to be boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Annie looked completely bewildered and said, “Your girlfriend really does look a lot like me.”
But she knew exactly why she was there, so she said, “Im from Shanghai. Im a fashion designer, and I came to Paris to attend a fashion design exhibition.”
Lin Xiao-Yang set out and returned to the shore of Lake Lucerne.
The main entrance of the Paradise Inn was half open, and all the stone statues in the sculpture garden had been removed.
Lin Xiao-Yang moved his personal belongings into Room 504.
He then went downstairs to the lobby.
At that moment, Wilson appeared at the entrance.
“Huang Li-Hua told me to come here and apply for a job. You will be my new boss.”
Xiao-Yang concernedly asked what had happened to Li-Hua after he had been turned into a stone statue.
Wilson said that several friends had already rescued Huang Li-Hua.
Xiao-Yang thought that he was in an unfamiliar place and that he really needed someone who could help manage the inn.
So he instructed Wilson, “Go contact some workers to renovate the place and recruit a new group of employees. The next task is to pack up Huang Li-Huas works and notify the people in Paris to send a vehicle to transport them here.”
Lin Xiao-Yang rode his bicycle around the lake, taking photographs and scouting locations. At an open-air music pavilion, he met a performer named Adornod who performed ventriloquism and juggling. Adornod said to Xiao-Yang, “Painter Huang said that you would give me a good job.”
Lin Xiao-Yang brought Adornod back to the inn. When they saw Robert, the former innkeeper, Robert respectfully bowed to him. Wilson said, “Robert has turned away from evil and embraced righteousness. He is now the head waiter at the inn.”
Huang Li-Hua sat in a corner of the lobby, leisurely reading and drinking coffee.
Xiao-Yang went over to chat with Li-Hua.
Li-Hua asked, “Did you meet those people in Paris?”
“I met with three museum directors and reached agreements with them to establish dedicated exhibition spaces for you, preserve your works in their collections, and establish a scholarship fund.”
Li-Hua was relieved and, pretending to be mysterious, made a prediction.
“My granddaughter Huang Min-Hua will appear at the entrance of the inn the evening after tomorrow. First, put two portrait paintings of Min-Hua outside the entrance to attract her attention. After Min-Hua checks into the inn, I will take her into the Sky Castle inside the mural and persuade her to believe that all of this has been arranged by Princess Maria.”
6. Xiao-Yang’s Destined Woman
Two days later, the person who arrived that evening was not the long-haired beauty from the portrait paintings.
Instead, she wore overalls and had a short crew cut, making her look like a young boy. However, her delicate facial features had not changed.
She was gesturing back and forth with the young woman at the front desk while pointing toward the two portrait sketches at the entrance.
The receptionist pointed toward Lin Xiao-Yang, who was painting on the small balcony.
Huang Min-Hua walked toward Lin Xiao-Yang.
Sure enough, what Huang Min-Hua wanted to ask about was the two portrait paintings at the entrance.
“Boss, those two paintings were taken when I went to Kenting on my graduation trip from college. How did they end up here?”
Lin Xiao-Yang looked toward the corner, wanting to find Huang Li-Hua to explain the situation, but Li-Hua was no longer in his seat.
Xiao-Yang awkwardly looked at Min-Hua.
Suddenly, he remembered that the Huang Min-Hua standing before him was the female teacher from the Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University who had once substituted for one of his classes in Taiwan.
Min-Hua seemed to remember that past encounter as well.
Since the two of them already knew each other, they had a shared topic of conversation, and Min-Hua lowered her guard.
Xiao-Yang arranged for her to stay in Room 505 and instructed the front desk, “Miss Huang Min-Hua can stay as long as she likes. Everything she eats and uses is free.”
Huang Min-Hua did not understand why he was offering her free accommodations.
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Tonight, I’ll take you to meet someone, and then you’ll understand.”
Min-Hua came to Room 504 as promised to meet Xiao-Yang.
Xiao-Yang led her across the threshold of the large mural and into the dark world to meet Huang Li-Hua, the grandfather she had never met.
When Huang Min-Hua saw the grandfather she had known only from photographs, she was unable to call out to him for a moment.
Li-Hua used a spell to temporarily immobilize Min-Hua because he did not want her to become involved in the conflicts of the dark world.
Li-Hua told Xiao-Yang the entire story of the grievances and conflicts between Maria and Ghost Emperor Anderson’s group.
He also said, “Xiao-Yang, in your previous life, you were the princess’s chief guard, David, and Anderson was repeatedly defeated by David and has always been deeply wary of him.”
After Min-Hua woke up, she looked astonished.
She said that Huang Li-Hua really was her grandfather, and that she had only seen photographs of him when he was young in her father’s photo album.
“I heard that Grandpa went to France to study, and a few years later, he lost contact with his family.”
Xiao-Yang then told her about how Huang Li-Hua had rescued him in time earlier.
When Huang Min-Hua heard that vampires were involved, she was frightened and instinctively felt a chill run through her.
Huang Min-Hua followed Lin Xiao-Yang to the mural titled “Open-Air Concert.”
Xiao-Yang took the terrified Min-Hua by the hand and led her across the threshold.
Inside, the garden courtyard was filled with music and laughter.
A band in the courtyard was playing a lively dance tune, while couples danced together.
Old people and children happily chatted at the café tables while eating desserts and drinking beverages.
Min-Hua felt that this place was just like the legendary Peach Blossom Spring, and she seemed completely captivated by it.
Huang Li-Hua walked toward the two of them.
Min-Hua looked at Huang Li-Hua’s profile and thought to herself, “Is this person really my grandfather? Otherwise, how could he look so much like the man in the photographs? And how can he still look so young?”
The two followed Li-Hua through narrow streets and alleys until they came to a three-story garden villa.
Lin Xiao-Yang introduced Huang Li-Hua to Min-Hua.
Min-Hua looked timid and wanted to greet him, but when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back.
Huang Li-Hua suddenly reached out and gently brushed his hand across Min-Hua’s face, casting an immobilization spell on her.
Lin Xiao-Yang saw the expression on Min-Hua’s face freeze.
Her entire body suddenly became completely motionless, as though she had been turned into a statue.
He knew that Li-Hua had used magic to temporarily prevent her from hearing the conversation that was about to take place between the two men.
Li-Hua explained, “There are some things Min-Hua should not know and does not need to become involved in. Anderson is an ambitious vampire in the dark world, and this Paradise Inn is operated by his followers.”
Huang Li-Hua’s shocking revelation finally allowed Lin Xiao-Yang to understand the strange series of events that had happened earlier.
Li-Hua continued, “After I was killed, I became Anderson’s private painter. The duke has quite a narcissistic complex and often asked me to paint portraits of him.”
Lin Xiao-Yang finally understood.
It turned out that Li-Hua had previously been under Anderson the Duke’s control the entire time.
Li-Hua said, “Later, I met Wilson, one of Princess Maria’s followers. He took me to meet the princess, and I agreed to return to the inn as an undercover agent. The princess is the leader of an alliance in the dark world. Duke Anderson is one of the evil vampires who has opposed the princess for a long time. To strengthen his own power, he often sends his followers to bite innocent people and then forces the victims to join their side.”
Lin Xiao-Yang nodded with a smile, finally understanding the whole story.
“Why did you tell me this secret?”
“The princess will need your help to fight the duke in the future. You will become a capable assistant to the princess because in your previous life you were Richard David, the chief guard of King William and the princess’s husband. The princess found you through me. The duke was once defeated by David, and he has always been deeply wary of him.”
Lin Xiao-Yang asked in confusion, “The me of today is just an ordinary travel writer. How could I possibly make any difference?”
“Xiao-Yang, your potential has not yet been developed. Once the seal on your body is removed, you will remember your previous life, and the potential within your body will be restored at the same time.”
“When will that happen?”
“I don’t know either. But from now on, I ask you to protect Min-Hua carefully. Do not let Min-Hua go out alone. As long as she stays inside the inn, she will be safe.”
“All right. I will protect Min-Hua.”
“Xiao-Yang, actually, all those employees at the inn are people sent by the princess.”
Only then did Xiao-Yang realize that all the people working under him were vampires.
After Li-Hua finished speaking, he gently brushed his hand across Min-Hua’s face.
Huang Min-Hua immediately woke up.
Lin Xiao-Yang took Huang Min-Hua by the hand, and the two walked toward the bustling city streets.
Xiao-Yang took Min-Hua on a tandem bicycle tour around Lake Lucerne.
In autumn, the mountains and waters around Lake Lucerne were breathtaking.
Flowers and fragrant grasses bloomed everywhere along the lakeshore, with fallen blossoms scattered throughout, making the place seem like a paradise on earth.
The two admired the mountain and lake scenery and strolled together across the green lawns along the lakeshore.
Min-Hua said, “People here live at a very leisurely pace. It feels like being on vacation. And I still have two weeks of vacation left. After that, the university term begins, and I have to return to Paris to attend classes and study painting.”
Min-Hua then asked, “What other attractions around here are worth visiting?”
“There really are quite a few attractions around here. But there have been some things happening at the inn recently, so I can’t get away. Otherwise, I’d be very happy to be your guide.”
“Xiao-Yang, there’s something strange about the inn you run that I can’t quite explain. That mural, and the grandfather I happened to meet in a foreign land—these strange encounters and unusual experiences are just like something out of a fantasy novel. And you seem to have so much on your mind. Your life doesn’t seem easy.”
Lin Xiao-Yang comforted her, saying, “Min-Hua, I don’t want you to become involved and suffer any undeserved misfortune.”
“I want to help ease your burden if you’re willing to tell me what’s troubling you.”
Huang Min-Hua took Xiao-Yang’s hand on her own initiative.
“Min-Hua, the fact that you care is enough.”
Xiao-Yang gently kissed her on the forehead.
Huang Min-Hua was about to leave for Paris.
In Room 505, Lin Xiao-Yang and Huang Li-Hua held a farewell gathering for Min-Hua.
Huang Li-Hua reminded Min-Hua to take good care of herself.
“I’ve deposited some money into a bank account for you. Use it whenever you need it. You don’t need to work part-time while you’re away.”
Huang Li-Hua took out a sandalwood box.
Inside was a cross, a gift from Princess Maria.
Its magical power could protect Min-Hua from being harmed by demons.
Huang Min-Hua took the cross and was about to open the sandalwood box when Xiao-Yang stopped her hand.
He reminded her to wait until Li-Hua had left before putting it on, in case its magical power might harm Li-Hua.
“When the school vacation comes next spring, I can come back here again for a vacation. I’ve already sent an email to my parents telling them about meeting Grandpa again. My parents were astonished. They really want to come here immediately to meet Grandpa, but I know that things here may not be peaceful lately, so I’ve temporarily held them back.”
Huang Li-Hua knew that the young couple probably had some private words they wanted to say to each other, so he left first.
At the moment when they were about to part, Huang Min-Hua also had something she wanted to say to Xiao-Yang.
Seeing Xiao-Yang’s cheeks gradually turning red, Min-Hua had already guessed what he wanted to say to her.
So she took the initiative to embrace Xiao-Yang, and the two kissed passionately.
At that moment, the expression on Lin Xiao-Yang’s face suddenly changed.
His entire body felt as though it had been electrified, and one image after another rapidly flashed through his mind.
Lin Xiao-Yang was startled.
Those must have been memories from his previous life.
“Could it be that the seal on my body has finally been broken?”
Huang Min-Hua noticed that Xiao-Yang’s expression had suddenly become very strange, so she asked him, “Xiao-Yang, what’s wrong? Your expression looks really strange.”
“Just now, your passionate kiss gave me quite a shock.”
Xiao-Yang used this to brush the subject aside.
“That was my first kiss. But you seemed like you knew exactly what you were doing.”
Xiao-Yang told her about his first love, Xie Hui-Jun.
After they had a quarrel the year before last, she had traveled alone to Europe out of anger and, not long afterward, disappeared without any further contact.
The reason he had come to Europe to travel and write was originally because he also wanted to find Hui-Jun.
Huang Min-Hua, who was sensitive and perceptive, immediately understood.
She asked, “If your former girlfriend Hui-Jun appears, would you want to go back to her?”
At this moment, even Xiao-Yang himself was confused.
Huang Min-Hua did not feel sad or disappointed because of Xiao-Yang’s confusion.
She understood how he felt at that moment.
So she made an agreement with Xiao-Yang.
“If Hui-Jun really does appear, I will wish you and Hui-Jun happiness.”
That night, Lin Xiao-Yang and Huang Min-Hua were both unable to sleep in their respective rooms.
Huang Min-Hua lay on her bed with her eyes open, thinking back over the conversation they had just had.
Xiao-Yang was thinking about the missing Hui-Jun, while Min-Hua was wondering whether Xiao-Yang was a faithful man.
But when it came to matters of the heart, there was no reason for Xiao-Yang to make up a lie just to deceive her.
Min-Hua asked herself, “If Xiao-Yang’s missing girlfriend really does appear someday, will I truly be able to walk away so gracefully? But why should I be the one to step aside?”
Lin Xiao-Yang sat before his desk, his thoughts equally turbulent.
His heart was being pulled between two women: one was an old love, and the other was a new love.
7. The Love Triangle in Paris
In the afternoon, sunlight passed through a row of mahogany trees and slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting scattered patches of light and shadow across one side of the lobby, where Huang Li-Hua and Lin Xiao-Yang were sitting in a corner. Lin Xiao-Yang had received a joint invitation from the directors of several museums in Paris and showed the letter to Huang Li-Hua.
“You should go. Take some pictures and send them back to me.” Huang Li-Hua looked completely relaxed.
Lin Xiao-Yang said in puzzlement, “Senior, you’re the main guest. You should be the one going to the museum opening!”
Huang Li-Hua smiled. “If I show up there, I’m afraid I’ll make headlines with all kinds of bizarre supernatural stories. Those curious reporters certainly won’t let me off easily. They’ll make a big story out of the contrast between my appearance and my age.”
“You could just show your face and refuse any interviews, couldn’t you?”
Huang Li-Hua waved his hand. “Things won’t be as simple as you imagine, so don’t make things difficult for me.”
Seeing that Huang Li-Hua had made up his mind, Lin Xiao-Yang could only smile wryly. “All right!”
Huang Li-Hua reminded him, “When you get to Paris, make time to visit Min-Hua.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As soon as Lin Xiao-Yang arrived in Paris, he received a call from Annie, who invited him to dinner.
Xiao-Yang arrived at the restaurant on time, and Annie was already waiting for him at the table.
When Annie saw that Xiao-Yang was carrying his luggage, she asked thoughtfully, “Did you just arrive in Paris, Brother Lin?”
Xiao-Yang placed his luggage beside his seat and sat down. “Yes! I haven’t even found a hotel yet.”
A waiter brought over the menu, and Annie placed it in front of Xiao-Yang.
Annie said, “Since you’re in Paris on business, why don’t you stay with me for a while? I rented a small apartment, and the guest room is empty.”
Lin Xiao-Yang was flattered and stammered, “Wouldn’t that be inappropriate? You’re a young woman…”
Annie smiled. “I happen to be here these days attending a fashion design exhibition. Having a man around makes me feel a little more secure.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “All right! I’ll be your protector.”
Annie said, “Brother Lin, I’m waiting for you to order.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Ha! I’m really hungry.”
Lin Xiao-Yang ordered a simple French meal that came with fruit juice.
Annie smiled. “Brother Lin, you’ve come all this way as my guest. Why are you being so polite with me?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “I’m not a picky eater, and I don’t eat much. This is enough.”
“Then I’ll add two or three of this restaurant’s signature dishes, and we can share them…” Annie checked three dishes on the menu, placed it at the corner of the table, and pressed the service button. The waiter immediately came over, took away the menu, and left the bill.
Lin Xiao-Yang said with a smile, “All right. Then I’ll make an effort to eat a little more.”
Annie asked, “Brother Lin, how long will you be staying in Paris this time?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “A few days. I’m attending an opening ceremony and meeting a few friends.”
Annie asked again, “And after that?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “I’ll go back to Switzerland. I run an inn near Lake Lucerne.”
Annie said, “So you’re the owner?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Yes! You’re welcome to come visit me at Lake Lucerne.”
Lin Xiao-Yang followed Annie into the apartment building and then into the apartment she had rented.
“When you’re traveling, it’s best to keep things simple.” Annie pushed open the wooden door to the guest room, and the two of them walked inside.
“This guest room faces the Seine River, so it gets plenty of natural light.” Annie continued, “The bathroom is shared, and my room is right next door.”
Lin Xiao-Yang placed his luggage on the chair beside the desk, walked to the window, and pushed it open. From the elevated view, the Seine River stretched out before his eyes in the night. Along the riverside walkway beneath the streetlights, pedestrians strolled in small groups.
“You should freshen up and get some rest first. I still have some work to do.” After saying this, Annie turned and left.
Lin Xiao-Yang walked to the desk, took his laptop out of his suitcase, and placed it on the desk. He took off his shirt, suit pants, and leather shoes, then took out his underwear and razor before entering the bathroom.
Early the next morning, sunlight streamed into the room, and Xiao-Yang woke up. He went into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. When he came into the living room, breakfast had already been placed on the dining table, with a note held down on the tabletop:
“Brother Lin, I had something to take care of, so I left first. Breakfast is ready. Call me on my cell phone this evening, and we can have dinner together.”
8. Investigating Annie’s True Identity
At noon, Lin Xiao-Yang and Huang Min-Hua chose a restaurant for lunch together.
After ordering, Xiao-Yang handed the menu to the waiter.
Huang Min-Hua asked, “Which hotel did you stay at last night? Give me your phone number. I’ll come find you when I have some free time.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “I stayed at a friend’s place last night.”
Huang Min-Hua said, “Give me the address.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said awkwardly, “I didn’t have a chance to let my friend know in advance, so it wouldn’t be very convenient…”
Huang Min-Hua asked in puzzlement, “I’m your girlfriend. What’s inconvenient about me coming to see you?” A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she pressed him, “Unless your friend is a beautiful girl. Is that it?”
Lin Xiao-Yang answered honestly, “She is indeed a woman. She’s from Shanghai. We just met two months ago. She came to Paris on business, and we happened to run into each other.”
Huang Min-Hua’s expression darkened. “Then you’re living with her, aren’t you?”
Lin Xiao-Yang hurried to explain, “We’re not living together. I’m just temporarily staying at her apartment.”
The waiter brought their food, temporarily interrupting their conversation. After the waiter turned and walked away, Huang Min-Hua immediately asked unhappily, “A man and a woman alone together in the same room—if that’s not living together, what is it?”
Lin Xiao-Yang quickly pulled out his wallet and took out a photograph of his girlfriend. “The woman in this photo is my missing girlfriend.”
Huang Min-Hua instinctively asked, “You found her?”
Lin Xiao-Yang then opened the photographs on his phone and showed Min-Hua. “This is a photo of the friend who is letting me stay at her place.”
After comparing the photograph with the picture on the phone, Huang Min-Hua said, “Other than the different hair color, they’re obviously the same person!”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “At first, I thought the same thing you did, but there really are people in this world who look that much alike. This girl’s name is Annie. She hasn’t told me her real name. She only said that she’s from Shanghai and studies fashion design.”
Huang Min-Hua’s curiosity was aroused, and she reasoned, “Could this Annie be your girlfriend’s twin sister?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said firmly, “Impossible! I’ve never heard my girlfriend or any of her family members mention her.”
Huang Min-Hua tapped her temple with her finger. “Let me think… Hmm. If that’s the case, there’s only one possibility. Maybe this Annie is actually your missing girlfriend. Perhaps something happened to her and she lost her memory…”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “What you just said reminds me of something. But she treats me like a complete stranger. She doesn’t have that feeling of familiarity with me at all…”
Huang Min-Hua snapped her fingers. “I have a way to verify Annie’s true identity! Does your girlfriend have a birthmark or mole somewhere on her body?”
Lin Xiao-Yang thought for a moment. “Yes, she has a birthmark, but it’s in a private area.”
Huang Min-Hua said, “Then installing a hidden camera in the bathroom should work, right?”
Lin Xiao-Yang waved his hands and said uneasily, “I can’t do something like that.”
Huang Min-Hua asked with a wry smile, “You can’t? Otherwise, were your intimate relationship and everything you had together in the past all fake?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Hui-Jun is a Catholic. We never did that.”
Huang Min-Hua pressed him, “Didn’t you say earlier that you were talking about getting married?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Yes! But we really never did that.”
Huang Min-Hua asked again, “Then how do you know she has a birthmark in a private area?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “I accidentally discovered it when we went swimming at Baisha Beach in Kenting. It’s below her navel.”
Huang Min-Hua burst out laughing. “Oh, come on! How is below the navel a private area? Anyway, this makes investigating her true identity much easier!”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Oh? What method would you use?”
Huang Min-Hua said, “The old-fashioned way! Give her a chance to wear a two-piece bikini.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said hesitantly, “But what if she wears a one-piece swimsuit, and the fabric becomes opaque when it gets wet…”
Huang Min-Hua smiled. “Then take the initiative! Find an excuse to give her a two-piece bikini!”
Lin Xiao-Yang asked foolishly, “But what excuse could I use to give her such a personal gift? Besides, we’re not even that close as friends.”
Huang Min-Hua said, “Isn’t Valentine’s Day in two days? Use that as your excuse!”
Lin Xiao-Yang asked, “If I give her such a personal gift for Valentine’s Day, won’t Annie find it strange?”
Huang Min-Hua said, “No. When a girl receives a personal gift from a man, she usually thinks, ‘That guy is interested in me.’ Unless she has absolutely no interest in you, this plan will definitely work!”
“All right! I’ll try it this way…” Lin Xiao-Yang was persuaded by Min-Hua.
Huang Min-Hua said, “Let’s eat first! The soup is getting cold.”
At this moment, Huang Min-Hua was actually extremely uneasy. She was afraid that if the girl named Annie really was the girlfriend Xiao-Yang had been searching for, and had simply become a different person because of amnesia, then once Annie’s identity was confirmed, Xiao-Yang would certainly do everything he could to restore Annie’s memory. If that happened, Min-Hua herself would become a genuine third party in their relationship. How could she possibly bear that?
Lin Xiao-Yang, meanwhile, was thinking: “If Annie really is my missing Xie Hui-Jun, should I take this gamble? Should I wait for Hui-Jun to recover her memory and let Min-Hua go? But if Annie isn’t my missing Xie Hui-Jun, how could her voice and eyes be so remarkably similar?”
That evening, the two of them agreed to meet outside a café on the Champs-Élysées. Annie was wearing a peach-pink dress with a close-fitting cut that accentuated her graceful figure and gave her a dazzling youthful charm. The two of them strolled along the pedestrian walkway of the shopping street lined with luxury boutiques.
“Annie, Valentine’s Day is in two days. This is a gift for you.” Lin Xiao-Yang handed Annie a shopping bag.
Annie took the shopping bag and asked shyly, “Oh? But we just met, and we’re only just starting to date…”
Lin Xiao-Yang gathered his courage and said, “Would you spend Valentine’s Day with me?”
Annie said, “Brother Lin, does this count as a confession of your feelings for me?”
Lin Xiao-Yang nodded shyly with a smile.
Annie smiled. “All right! But let’s start as good friends. After we’ve dated for a while, we can decide whether we’re suitable as a couple. Is that okay?”
That evening, in the living room of the small apartment Annie had rented, Lin Xiao-Yang stared intently at Annie as she stood before him wearing the two-piece bikini. Xiao-Yang cried out inwardly, “My God! Annie really is my missing Hui-Jun!”
Annie turned around once in front of Xiao-Yang and said, “It fits perfectly! And it’s a color I really like.”
Lin Xiao-Yang said tenderly, “Annie, you’ve always loved peach pink. You said it represents gentle happiness.”
Annie asked curiously, “Brother Lin, how did you know that peach pink is my favorite color?”
Lin Xiao-Yang said, “Of course I know. You are my girlfriend, Xie Hui-Jun!”
Annie shook her head. “Brother, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else…”
“Hui-Jun, I don’t care whether you still remember me, because I still love you deeply.” Xiao-Yang reached out to embrace Annie, but Annie stepped back two paces. It was not because Annie was pretending to be shy or reserved. Rather, she sensed a powerful masculine energy surrounding Xiao-Yang that made her feel frightened. Annie waved her finger at him and said, “Brother, don’t do this. We agreed that we would start as good friends.”
Lin Xiao-Yang was deeply moved. “Hui-Jun, I don’t know what happened to you before you lost your memory, but I’m willing to start over with you.”
Annie asked in confusion, “Why do you keep treating me as your missing girlfriend? Do you only see me as her substitute?”
Seeing her reaction, Lin Xiao-Yang tried to reassure her. “Annie, I’m sorry! I lost control just now.”
Late that night, Annie entered Xiao-Yang’s bedroom. The desk lamp was still on, and there was a diary and a photo album on the desk. Curious, Annie sat down and opened the photo album. Inside were graduation photographs of Lin Xiao-Yang and Xie Hui-Jun, as well as intimate photographs of the two of them traveling together. She then read the diary entry Xiao-Yang had written before going to sleep.
“The birthmark below her navel finally confirmed that Annie is the missing Hui-Jun. What happened to Hui-Jun that caused her to completely lose her memory and have no response to me at all? What am I supposed to do? God! Why did you give me such a difficult problem?…”
Annie looked at the sleeping Lin Xiao-Yang, her expression filled with emotion. “It seems that Brother Lin still cares deeply about this girl named Xie Hui-Jun. And there really is a girl who looks exactly like me. Brother Lin is such a deeply devoted man. Even if I really am the amnesiac Xie Hui-Jun, we now belong to two different worlds, one of the living and one of the dead. How could I take advantage of his deep love for Hui-Jun?”
Annie made a decision. She wrote a message after the diary entry and then got up and closed the bedroom door behind her.
The next morning, Lin Xiao-Yang woke up and was about to tidy up the desk when he discovered Annie’s message in the diary:
“Brother Lin, I accidentally read through your photo album and diary. Regarding the missing girlfriend you have been searching for, whether or not Annie is actually Hui-Jun who lost her memory, Annie wants to tell you this: Thank you for your deep love for Hui-Jun! The truth is that Annie is a vampire who was given a mission, but I cannot bear to take advantage of you or hurt you. Please forget Annie completely. Annie has left. Brother, please take good care of yourself.”
Xiao-Yang’s mind suddenly became completely clear. He rushed out of the bedroom, but the living room had already been tidied up. Xiao-Yang entered Annie’s bedroom and found that none of her personal belongings remained on the bed or the dressing table. He could not help but collapse to his knees, overcome by grief, and cried out, “Hui-Jun! Hui-Jun…!”
