Hidden Love
Han Yu Pin Yin: Cang Ai
Author: Jennifer
Source: AAE Village
Translators: Evie
The next day, he slept till quite late. This trip to London meant to be a holiday for him, therefore there isn't any particular plans for the day. During school time, whenever there are holidaydays, he will take a drive to the countryside all by himself. Although London is one of the world's most exciting destinations, but everyone needs an occasional break from the city.
After breakfast, he decided to take drive to the countryside for some sun, and he wanted to take a walk by the seaside too...The weather in London is always gloomy.
When he passed by the St. James Park, he decided to stop. As he towards the lake in the park, from far, he could see a drawing stand and drawing kits on the ground.
"I knew that you will be here!"
Looking at her painting, she is almost done with it. Guess she must be here quite early in the morning.
"Xue Zhang...Good Morning!" She turned over to take a look at him...then back to continue to draw the ducks at the lake.
"Do you want to go to the seaside with me?" Sounds interesting but....
"Let's go to Brighton...to enjoy the sun, the beach, the sea breeze....what do you think?"
"But I'm not done yet..."
She wanted to go with him and at the same she wanted to finish up with her painting too...
"Come on, tomorrow these ducks will be here again...let's go!"
Without awaiting for her to say anything, he already started packing up for her...and quickly took all her stuff to his car...and she had to run to catch up with him..
Brighton is the most enchanting, exiciting, extraordinary seacity city outside London. Around 11.30am, they reached Brighton. The scenery here really didn't disappoint them at all. The sky is so clear and ...the sea is very blue too..
He suggested to visit The Royal Pavilion first. The Palace, administered by Brighton City Council, has recently undergone major restoration work. It is filled with mythical creatures, astonishing colours and superb craftsmanship.
"The Royal Pavilion, the seaside residence of George IV. Maria Fitzherbert, whom he had married unlawfully in 1785, had her own house closeby. The following year the Prince commissioned Henry Holland to add a circular saloon and a further wing to the house in the neo-classical style. Holland's bow windows and iron balconies became fashionable Regency features. Between 1801 - 03 the interior was decorated in fanciful Chinese style and further extensions were made to the building. In 1803 the enormous domed stable block was built behind the Pavilion by William Porden, in an Indian style. " He explained to her the history and the background of the palace as they walks into the Great Corridor or Long Gallery. This is the most resolutely Chinese part of the Pavilion. When they enters the Music Room, it is dazzling. It was lit by lotus shaped gasoliers. There are crimson and gold landscape murals and under a superb dome of gilded scallop shells. The tall porcelain pagodas, the dragon chimney piece in white marble and the original furniture all had an oriental theme. She was absolutely impressed with this palace.
She woke up very early this morning to the lake, so she is quite hungry already by now. He smiled and took her to the Queen Adelaide tea room. She enjoyed the Regency teas and had some light lunches and refreshment too. They seated at its balcony area which provides sweeping views over the newly restored gardens.
"This place is wonderful, isn't it?" She asked him.
"The blue sky, the cotton like cloud, the greens, sea view, and the sun...how I wished if I have my drawing kits with me now...." She smiled brightly at him as though she is so happy and contented (xing fu) now...Looking at her, he felt really 'warm' in his heart..
"Xue Zhang, all the beautiful things on earth is free right?..." As she looked out to the garden..
He smile to agree with her...somehow looking at this world from her point of view, everything seems to be so simple and beautiful...Today seem to be much beautiful than last time...is it because he is falling in love........?
Next destination is town market...This place is like a maze...shops are joined back to back. But tourists have no worried to get lost as shops are linked to one another. It has one of the best selections of unusual and specialist shops. She walks beside him as he took her around the market. Both of them didn't realize that time passed so fast..it's already 3.30pm...
Knowing that she got up early today, he asked her, "Are you tired? Do you need to take a rest first?"
"Nope! Don't worry..The more fun I have, the more energy I have..." She smiled sweetly at him..reassuring him that she is having lots of fun with him.
Her cheeks is so red like an apple now after under the sun for so long.
All along this pier, from the start to the end of it, first half are mostly sweets and desserts stalls. The other half of it is a amusement park.
They took a seat by the pier. He went to buy fried dry cuttlefish and the most famous, apple sweets.
"This is apple sweet..Local people called it as Brighton Rock. There are many colors of it..." He gave it to her. Looking at the way she enjoying the sweets so much, he couldn't help but to laugh at her...
"You looks like a small kid now...do you know that?"
"So...?" She making her cheeky face at him...Sudddenly she realized that she is like a small girl, and somehow kind of shy over her own behavior, she looks away to the sea.
Maybe it is because of her cheerfulness had 'transmitted' to him....he felt like going for car racing at the amusement park.
"Xue Zhang, this looks really exciting."
But when she looks at the race track...how fast the cars race, she is quite worried too...
"If you are scared, you just wait for me as the side here.." He doesn't want to force her to join him.
"It's ok. Shouldn't be a problem.." She have been to the roller coaster ride and she have no problem with it, so just car racing, should the same, she assumed it.
Assuming that she is all right, he enjoyed the fast car ride to the max.
She sits at passenger, holding really tight at the seat belt, eyes closed tightly, doesn't want him to know that she is scared, she bites her lips tightly from the start till the end of the race. Although the race just took a few mins, she felt she have been in there for a century.
When she steps out from the car, she could hardly feels her own feets already.
Realizing that she doesn't looks all right at all, he quickly hold onto her. "Are you all right?" He worried about her.
"I'm....I'm all right.." She forced herself to calm down...but she still feeling dizzy and almost falls into his arms.
Quickly he led her to take a seat over at the side there. After a while, she recovered from her dizziness.
Very fast it is already evening....he decided to take her for seafood dinner. Looking at her having such a good appetite, he felt better knowing that she is fine.
"I'm sorry to spoilt your day at the amusement park..." She apologized to him.
He jokingly said, "Miss Zhen San Mei, do you really have to act to be so tough all the time? Don't you worry that guys might scared off by you?"
"I have no worries....can catch them back right?" She smiled.
But the truth is once his heart isn't with you, it is quite impossible to catch back already ...You Zheng is like this isn't it? She haven't thought of him for quite some time already. Guess time is the best medicine to heal heartaches.
She looks down and away to the sea...Everything seems to be so quiet all of a sudden except the sound of wave only.
"You have problems? Would you like to share with me?" He asked her...
"Nothing can hide from you isn't it?" She smiled but not happy at all.
"Remember? You said that I have the mind reading ability. San Mei, it's not that I want to interfere your privacy, it just that sometimes it would be better to say out what is bothering you to someone, at least it would make the heart feel better."
His sincerity and gentleness, somehow let her felt that he is someone whom can be trusted.
Slowly, she told this man whom she met 3 times only ... her story about her relationship with You Zheng and her good friend Xu Ying Mei.
"Maybe You Zheng never really did love me before, I guess it must be...." She is really hurt...
The truth is that they grew up together...and most likely...all this while he treated her like a younger sister....
He listen to her story patiently and that day in the coffee house, the couple she meet there must be You Zheng and Ying Mei, he assumed so...and guess that is why she cried after they left...
"Xue Zhang, thanks for listening to my this incomplete story..." Her eyes is watery but yet she looks very calm...
Gently he asked, "Still feel sad about it? "
This is the second time he sees her cried...No idea why but he felt heartache whenever she cries...
She shook her head. "Actually I haven't been thinking about them for quite some time already. I don't what is wrong with me today...all of a sudden thinks about them..."
"That's the right spirit! Zhen San Mei is so pretty and talented modern woman, there must be a whole lot of guys waiting to impress her!..."
"Are you always such a good listener and an excellent "psychiatrist" ..?." She smiled while wiping off her tears....
Finally, she is smiling... He felt a little relieved to see that beautiful smile of her again...
Looking towards the sea, it's such a beautiful sunset infront of them. "What a pity...how I wished I have a camera now to capture this beautiful moment..." She sighed...
"You still can capture it with your eyes...keep it in your heart, "take" it out to enjoy it whenever you think about today."
She turned around and looked at him, " Xue Zhang, you take pictures with your eyes all the time?"
He smiled. Didn't say anything at all.
For very long time already, he can't seem to find anything that he wants to remember by capturing it with his eyes and keep it in his heart...
They stayed at the beachside until the sun has goes down.
They headed back to London.
Tomorrow, he is taking her to ride on Thames River Cruises.
After a long day, she fell asleep on the way back. Looking at her, sleeping so soundly...He couldn't help but not to wake up her..just sitting next to her...watching her...
Did you know Zhen San Mei...that beautiful smile you have....suits you the best....
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