Life: A Black and White Film (一生一世，黑白影画)

Chapter 2.1 - The Person at the Foot of Mercy's Seat (1)

An arm encaged her tightly. She was unable to push it away, utterly unable. Her entire body was breaking out in sweat from panic.

Suddenly, as if imparted with immense brute strength, she shoved the man fiercely away.

And then, she abruptly sat straight up in bed, her breathing heavy and only darkness before her eyes. Outside the window, no moonlight shone. There was hazy blackness, and it seemed even to be raining.<>If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

September was indeed Nepal's rainy season.

From morning to night, the rain had drizzled down without so much as pausing.

The sound of raindrops against the window caused the night to seem cold—especially cold. The hands of the bedside clock glowed, and they now showed a time of twelve o'clock.

She had slept for only two hours before awakening? Feeling somewhat edgy, Wen Han pushed open the window, but unexpectedly, her face was doused with rainwater, and she hastily shut it again. In this space of time of opening and closing the window, she spotted a man's silhouette drawing closer, walking leisurely along the narrow, rundown road paved in stone. When she lowered her head for a look, that figure also happened to lift his face and seemed to be looking up at the third and fourth floors here.

It was him?<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Wen Han retreated back a step.

No, wait. She should not be hiding. He could not see her.

It was obviously brighter outside the window than in the room, so how he could possibly even see into here? Wen Han comforted herself in this way before throwing a surreptitious glance out the window again. There was no longer anyone there. He should have returned to his room. Didn't he just go to buy coffee? Why did it take two hours to come back? she puzzled to herself. But suddenly, she realized she was showing an out-of-the-ordinary amount of care and interest in this man.

Wen Han warned herself, You cannot pay such attention to him anymore.

However, there still remained an uncertainty that swirled at the bottom of her heart. She returned to the bed and lifted open the blanket, wanting to attempt to sleep once more. Then, she heard the distinct sound of a pair of men's boots approaching her direction. Next was a knocking sound. It was someone knocking on the door of the neighbouring room? Sure enough, she soon heard Agnesa's voice, a tone of delight in it, saying with a laugh, "What's that? Have some drinks? Sure... Okay, no problem. I'll tell a few more friends to come along. Oh, and... thanks for the coffee."

The man's footsteps moved away.<>If you are not reading this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

Very shortly, Agnesa was knocking on Wen Han's door, telling Wen Han to go downstairs with her to party the entire night away with all the other guests whom fate had brought together in this place.

"A rainy night in Nepal is just too suitable for events like this one," Agnesa stated. Wen Han, however, could not find the connection between "a rainy night in Nepal" and "partying the night away." She was unable to refuse, though. The female innkeeper, Little Fox, was too charismatic, and the dozen or so guests who were staying on the four floors of the little inn all came in response to the invitation.

Fortunately, what gave her some peace of mind was that Wang Wenhao and Roman had also come downstairs and would accompany her down.

Since she was, after all, travelling with male companions, her anxiousness was somewhat eased. At the very least, she felt that that man likely would not so readily come and harass her again. After changing into an ankle-length skirt, she deliberately selected a top with a proper-looking collar line and mid-length sleeves. Dragging out the process for a long time, she at last went downstairs with Wang Wenhao. A lively atmosphere had already filled the entire first floor, and someone was playing a Russian song on an accordion.