Hints at GL - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The lights on the stage had almost completely faded, and the warm-up music had been playing for a while. Occasional whistles pierced through the crowd, and the hum of conversation gradually weakened as most people began moving toward the stage.

After returning, both Zhong Ning and Jing Yang bore complicated expressions.

Finally, Su Yuan stood up, walked over to Zhong Ning, and turned to ask, “Do you two want to go to the front?”

Jing Han shook her head, saying flatly, “I don’t like overcrowded places.” Seeing the restless look on Jing Yang’s face, she added, “Jing Yang, if you like, you can go over there with them.”

Normally, even if Jing Yang didn’t know most of the bands performing at the Proms, she would definitely want to be at the very front. But after her conversation with Zhong Ning, she didn’t dare leave Jing Han and Ruan Mu alone together, that would be a recipe for chaos.

“I’m not going. I’ll stay here with you,” she said, hiding her inner turmoil as she flatteringly took Jing Han’s arm.

“Mhm,” Jing Han looked down at her and responded gently.

“Let’s buy drinks first.”

The two stood before the temporary bar. The sounds of loud laughter and noisy speakers mixed with the occasional clinking of bottles. Soon, it was their turn. Su Yuan turned back and asked, “What are you drinking? My treat.”

Zhong Ning looked around but found herself in a dilemma.

She had been in the UK for nearly four months, but she still couldn’t remember all the brands. She knew a bit about whisky, but beer was difficult… no matter how she tried to recall, she only remembered that British beer was categorized into Ale, Lager, and Stout.

Zhong Ning thought for a moment and answered casually, “Um… you choose for me. As long as it’s a Lager.”

“Oh?” Hearing her use that word, Su Yuan laughed with some surprise. “You even know about Lager?”

Zhong Ning said bashfully, “Not really. I know too little; I only know how to drink it.”

“Drinking a small glass of whisky isn’t very fitting for a place like this, so take this if you don’t mind.” Su Yuan’s slender fingers gripped the top of a can as she handed over a pear-flavored cider. “I quite like this flavor; give it a try.”

She stood beside Zhong Ning, looking toward the dim stage. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took a sip of her own bottle. Her exquisite collarbone peeked out from the neckline of her thin shirt; her slender legs and supple waist, combined with the way she held her beer, gave her an indescribably alluring aura.

Zhong Ning stared at Su Yuan for a bit too long, causing the woman’s gentle gaze to turn toward her. “What is it?”

Zhong Ning’s face flushed as she replied shyly, “Nothing.”

By now, a band had taken the stage, and the cheers from the crowd grew louder.

The closer they moved to the front, the more the scent of cologne invaded their lungs. Zhong Ning glanced around absently, but for some reason, she suddenly froze.

That person is…

She thought she saw a man with chestnut-blonde hair, around 40 years old, with deep features and an elegant bearing. Most strangely, he didn’t look like a staff member, yet he was wearing a full suit at an event like this, making him stand out remarkably.

“What’s wrong?” Su Yuan leaned down, whispering close to her ear.

“Do you remember that BBC program about supernatural abilities I asked you about before?” Zhong Ning whispered back, worried their conversation might be overheard. “That man looks like the host of that show.”

Su Yuan followed her gaze and frowned. “Which one?”

Zhong Ning pointed again. “The one over there in the black suit.”

Su Yuan looked in that direction for a while but shook her head. “I’m sorry, I really don’t see him.”

Zhong Ning opened her mouth to speak, but she suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It felt as if this conversation had somehow returned to the loop of her hypnosis—as if none of this would end unless she made herself clear.

She told herself she was overthinking and didn’t press the matter further.

However, this brought up another issue: “It’s fine. By the way, how are we going to see Theo? Go backstage after it ends?”

“Mhm. I have a friend who is volunteering at the Proms; he’ll take us in.”

Su Yuan nodded and comforted her softly, “Don’t worry. Hurts is the headliner, so they definitely aren’t here yet since the show just started. Just enjoy the performance.”

Zhong Ning nodded. Glancing over, the host in the black suit was gone.

While she was lost in thought, the band’s bassist began to play. The rhythm was short and fast, and the crowd began to surge toward the stage. “Let’s go,” Su Yuan said, taking her hand and leading her toward the front.

Once the live set began, Zhong Ning forgot everything else. Just hearing the people around her singing along to She, Wonderful Life, and those songs where she wanted to scream the moment the intro started, she felt, Heavens, I have literal goosebumps.

Halfway through, with Simple Minds appearing, the Proms reached a minor climax. The people in the front didn’t feel it, but some punk lovers in the middle started pogoing, crashing into each other. She and Su Yuan couldn’t avoid being bumped by those nearby.

Su Yuan put her arm around Zhong Ning’s waist and leaned in close to her ear. “They’re pogoing. Do you want to join in?”

Zhong Ning opened her mouth, but her words were swallowed by the music. She saw Su Yuan frown slightly and felt a bit bashful, but she still hooked her arms around the woman’s slender neck and raised her voice, “No! Can we go to the side?”

Behind the crowd.

Jing Yang took a few steps forward, then looked back reluctantly. “Then I’m really going?”

Jing Han looked at her and nodded. “Go if you want to. Find us here after it ends.”

Su Yuan pulled Zhong Ning to the west side of the stage. From here, they could see the backstage area clearly, and it wasn’t too far away. Away from the pogoing crowd, the atmosphere was a bit quieter, even if they were less “immersed.”

Hurts finally took the stage. Being the headliners, the crowd became even more congested.

During a gap in the soundcheck, a woman seemed to scream, “Hutchcraft!!!!” Su Yuan and Zhong Ning couldn’t help but look at each other and laugh.

Theo, wearing a suit just like the one on the Happiness album cover, paused for a moment upon hearing the shout, then smiled and replied, “OK.” His thick North Yorkshire accent made the crowd go wild.

The whole venue was singing along, and this was the first time Zhong Ning heard Su Yuan sing.

Su Yuan held her from behind, originally to prevent her from being crushed, but it had turned into an intimate posture. She lowered her head slightly, singing into Zhong Ning’s soft ear.

As the intro to Stay began, Zhong Ning felt her entire body go numb. “-tonight.” Su Yuan’s voice blended perfectly with Theo’s, beautiful beyond words.

Unaware of the arm tightening around her waist, Zhong Ning’s body began to flush with heat.

Finally, during the chorus when the instruments and keyboards paused for a second, Zhong Ning felt a momentary silence in her ears. A warm breath brushed against her neck, and Su Yuan kissed the back of her ear.

The next second, the music surrounded them again.

Her emotions reached a breaking point. She instinctively wanted to turn around, but a fervent kiss trailed along her neck to the corner of her lips. Su Yuan placed her thumb on Zhong Ning’s cheek, and her lips finally covered Zhong Ning’s. Zhong Ning began to lose track of everything around her, throwing herself into another intoxicating world of tenderness.

“Thank you.”

Jing Han accepted the small glass of whisky Ruan Mu handed her and nodded politely.

Ruan Mu smiled and leaned in closer, pointing at the figures still visible in the crowd. “Your sister is quite likable; she’s a sweet talker.”

Jing Han took a sip of the drink and replied with a cold expression, “Mhm. And?”

That flat tone didn’t make Ruan Mu feel frustrated; instead, she naturally put an arm around Jing Han’s waist. With her eyes curved, she said, “No ‘and.’ I just still like you.”

Jing Han knit her brows. She had originally just wanted Ruan Mu to stop being so attentive, but she hadn’t expected to dig a hole for herself.

She was about to say something when the scent of cologne drifted over. Two tall, thin men approached, asking if they could take them to a club for drinks after the show.

Before Jing Han could speak, Ruan Mu was already unhappy.

She declined with a rare lack of a smile, “Sorry, we just started dating. Can’t you let us be alone for a while?” Upon hearing this, Ruan Mu could feel Jing Han’s body stiffen. She knew Jing Han intended to object, yet for some reason, she remained silent.

The two men walked away.

“Can you let go of me now?” Jing Han said flatly.

“I don’t really want to,” Ruan Mu said, delighted by this rare acquiescence and unable to stop herself from pushing her luck.

“…” Jing Han swept a glance at her. Although she said nothing, the look in her eyes showed she was displeased.

Even without mind-reading, Ruan Mu could tell. She curled her lips and let go. “I’m just a bit surprised you didn’t deny it.”

Jing Han looked ahead and replied calmly, “As long as you’re happy.”

“Jing Han,”

Ruan Mu looked at her profile and suddenly couldn’t help saying, “Can I start chasing you again?”

The sentence vanished the moment the music surged again. Jing Han turned back, looking at her with a frown. Ruan Mu mistakenly thought she hadn’t heard, so she smiled and didn’t intend to repeat it.

After a long silence.

That cold gaze roamed over Ruan Mu’s face for a while. Jing Han replied, word by word:

“No.”