Chapter 915: Chapter 915 Learning to Say No (5)_1
So Howard Coleman couldn’t help but listen intently.
It wasn’t until the woman singing behind him reached the point of heartbreaking sorrow, wailing “I’ve always stood where you hurt me, you’ve always lingered in the distant place that made me weep,” that Howard suddenly remembered why this song was so familiar to him. It was because, once when he was passing under a bridge with Madeleine, she gave a lot of money to a young man busking, asking the man to sing this song several times over.
I’ve always stood where you hurt me, you’ve always lingered in the distant place that made me weep.
Howard’s throat felt somewhat choked up, he remembered giving that busking man a lot of money, and from him he learned that Madeleine had said, “It seems like I’m about to lose the man I deeply love.”
Howard clenched his glass tightly, and in the next second drained all the alcohol in it, then opened his wallet, violently grabbed a handful of money, and threw it on the bar counter before stumbling out of the bar.Howard drove back to his apartment, opened the door, and was greeted by pitch darkness. Turning on the light, the whole room looked empty, just as empty as his heart.
His gaze swept over the entire place, finally pausing at the kitchen doorway, thinking to himself, why isn’t that woman appearing yet, appearing to ask, “Howard, do you want a midnight snack?”
Howard’s chest began to heave slightly, his teeth clenched tightly, his gaze turned sharp, and after a long while, he firmly pursed his lips, then snatched the car keys he had casually placed on the Foyer’s shelf, turned around, and walked out of the apartment.
–
Madeleine went out with Andrew Henris to eat her favorite noodle soup on Fourth Ring Roadside in the evening, then followed him to a movie. By the time they came out, it was nine at night, and they went to Copper Street for a late night snack afterward.
Andrew had come from Oceania to Ciawell without a car, so Madeleine lent her car to Andrew. Andrew had already booked a hotel, and before returning there, he insisted on dropping Madeleine off at her home first.
The car pulled up in front of the apartment building where Madeleine lived. After organizing her bag, she said to Andrew, “See you tomorrow.”
Then she reached out and pushed the car door open.
Suddenly, Andrew called out, “Madeleine.”
In the over three years she’d known Andrew, he had always called her “Ms. Madeleine.” Hearing “Madeleine” from him caught her slightly off guard.
Andrew didn’t rush to speak but instead turned off the car, then turned his head to look at Madeleine.
Even though Andrew was from China, he had spent so much time in Oceania that he lacked some of the reserve and restraint Easterners have about love; instead, he was direct and romantic in the Western style. So when he opened his mouth, he went straight to clarifying the reality: “Madeleine, I would give up my career in Oceania for you, and start over in China.”
Madeleine was not unaware of what that meant, but after a half-minute of silence, she forced a smile, pretending not to understand, turned her head away, and said to Andrew, “Mr. Henris, that’s quite a grand joke you’re making.”
“Madeleine, I’m not joking with you. I’m serious this time.”
[4,000 more words to go. Let me have a piece of cake to replenish my energy and continue writing! What are you eating? Come, let me give each of you a piece~]