Chapter 75
Every day is a joy for me
I pick up another dozen kebabs. The girl is equally voracious, clinging to my arm without a care in the world as she drags me through every luxury store, then heads straight for a roadside snack stall. I devour the meat, enjoying the sight of her seductive lips' perfect image being destroyed by a greedy beak's pecking.
The girl always chews the delicious food, occasionally motioning me to open my mouth so she can ram food and drink straight down her "boyfriend's" throat.
The girl giggles, her big round eyes narrow, all I can see are her lashes curling up. Since she calls me Lang, her smiling eyes always seem to be saying:
"Every day is a joy for me!"
Tsk, it seems that I am a little overly cheesy. But I let it go, as long as the girl is happy on this meaningful day, even if I'm turned into a fool standing and writing poetry, I still accept it.
Short-term boyfriend excitedly joins temporary girlfriend for the hands-on experience, and we "run wild" everywhere, playing all kinds of challenging games, from simple, easy-to-eat ones like cooking to hard-to-chew bones like singing karaoke.
The girl thinks I am rude, and that maybe my "domineering" singing voice is the same as my bad temper. She jokes so persistently that she invites me and other couples to play a game.
Before the lucky draw, the participants promise the host and the audience that no matter which performance is randomly picked (of course, they do not force couples to kiss or do anything impossible), the players must complete it.
The result is just as the girl expects and the crowd wants to hear the singing that has 1‑0‑2 uniqueness of the most ferocious guard in the galaxy.
The girl giggles so much her shoulders shake, everyone purses their lips tightly but still cannot help laughing, because I stand with my hands on my hips, face looking like I just lost my entire rice ration book.
My silent appearance is similar to the photo of the "watching without laughing challenge" that causes a storm on the Internet last year.
No one dares to urge. She's laughing her ass off with tears streaming down, gleefully watching me, as I have no way in hell to stall for even one more goddamn second. Boyfriend is tortured until dizzy. I walk forward in boredom to get the microphone. The game owner boldly asks:
Turn on the music?
I close my eyes, take a deep breath, exhale, and say to turn on the music. He hesitates and glances at Rose. She gives a thumbs up, confident that he does not have to be afraid because she is protecting him, but he still presses the button tremblingly. My mouth gapes, listening to the background music of the song:
The light of a shooting star sweeps past your eyes
Everyone cheers excitedly to the familiar lively music and begins to jump to the rhythm of all eras of dance icons. I roll my eyes lethargically, staring at Rose's eager teasing.
I mutter "swear words" to the crowd who loves "pranks"; this guy will tease, causing everyone's laughter to burst their bellies.
I sing however I want. I deliberately distort my voice, sometimes screaming louder than a pig being slaughtered, and sometimes roaring louder than a bull in heat.
The audience is prepared to have their ears tortured, but everyone still does not expect the "super product" to reach the point where birds scatter in chaos and children laugh out loud.
Rose stares with her eyes wide open to "admire" me. Everyone is in disbelief, staring intently, holding their stomachs and laughing until tears come out. You all deliberately troll me, but I remain calm and sing the whole song twice as a comeback against the "insulting the artist" game.
Sometimes I imitate the sound of a eunuch, which causes many people to cough until their intestines twist, but they do not dare to ask me to stop singing. At the end of the song, applause rings out from all directions, and all the audience laughs happily... praising me:
- Kai handsome guy is about to be usurped by you as the best singer in the world!
- It is always a masterpiece. Hahaha!
- Today I have one more idol.
- Sam patin is the NO.1!
- National hero Hoang Kim. Man God Kai. Handsome Sam... unparalleled in the world!
I pretend to glare at the "goods" who have just played a trick on me. He's so scared his butt twists, his trunk shrinks, his face turns pale, and he regrets playing foolishly. I smack my lips and laugh to ease his fear... so that he will not wet his pants and lose the fun. Everyone laughs.
Throughout this super classic performance, Rose cannot close her mouth from beginning to end, her refreshing voice floating along with the superb singing. Her giggles echo and spread wherever we go.
The girl blinks and asks:
- Are you mad at me?
I glance at the girl, who's covering her mouth as she laughs, her naughty eyes sparkling with endless joy. She keeps teasing until we reach the South—where the imaginary believers are immersed in the virtual-reality fantasy world—and I clear my throat:
- As long as you're happy, even if I become a joke, I'll still accept being the clown!
Hearing these "loving complaints", she immediately laughs until her eyes squeeze shut. But she quickly realizes that something is wrong. I slightly open my mouth and give a taunting laugh.
The girl is stunned, opens her mouth wide, and stares foolishly at her "boyfriend," who's deliberately wearing a "look of revenge". I say nothing, but the idea of "this game is old-fashioned" is obvious in every anti-damage expression, and I laugh happily:
Rose is not a rose.
Rose is a lioness.
Feisty, not charming, combo with clumsy.
Rose is not a rose.
Rose is voracious and loves to drink!
One serving of chicken with honey sauce, two bowls of rice noodles in crab soup, and three bowls of semi-cooked beef noodle soup!
She sucks the bottom of the milk tea dry, dessert mixing lucrative melons!
There are many tourists having fun around. Rose ignores the pointing, the whispering and gossip, the flashing camera lights. Every time I sing a line, she pinches my mouth. I open my mouth wide and laugh, letting her vent her anger and sulking:
- How dare you trick me...
The girl suddenly stops grabbing her boyfriend's hair. I narrow my eyes when she imitates the "giggle" icon:
- Oh, you suddenly get excited and tease me, this is so suspicious!
I shrug, unmoved:
- I'm no longer a brand-new sedge mat!
The girl smiles until her eyes narrow because I am showing a pose similar to the "want to be spanked" icon of the praying-mantis shrug.
I smile, contemplating her face glowing all the time when I am with her. She blushes shyly but is happy to realize something strange. I feel that the strange thing has never existed... and... the girl has been waiting for a long, long time.
The new sedge mat is once again unrolled. I don't understand why she smiles slightly, her bright eyes flashing heart-shaped, staring absent-mindedly at a place without me. After blinking for two seconds, she secretly slips past my eyes.
The girl repeats that strange behavior over and over again. I don't realize what she means, but under the nitpicking eyes of everyone, I cannot let her be shy and embarrassed.
The guy is about to no longer be a fool in front of the girl and immediately flashes a charming smile — a slightly forced smile that still paints the rose a fiery pink color.
The weather is cold, and breath emits cold smoke. The strange air current rises again, burning cheeks. The crowd of people watching are peeping. I smack my tongue, pretend to check my watch, and say in a panic:
- Damn, it's already four o'clock — my brother has a press conference in an hour, I don't want to miss the chance to watch him lock the vulture's mouth tightly.
Rose laughs at this logical excuse and quickly accompanies me to the check-in counter. The beautiful receptionist smiles:
- Welcome to the virtual world. May I ask...
I interrupt immediately:
- It's not my choice this time. - I point at Rose - It's the lioness!
The receptionist raises her hand to cover her mouth and smiles at Rose, who is hitting my shoulder. Rose turns to the girl and says:
- I want to go back to the Middle Ages and travel to the desert steppes!
I tilt my head and raise my eyes to blink at Rose. I don't expect that the girl and I have the same hobby. But then I realize the girl is ignoring me. I have always been an idiot when it comes to girls, but I've still noticed that whenever she wants to hide something subtle, or feels shy and confused, she plays the role of "I don't know, I don't know."
Rose doesn't give me a chance to blurt out. She takes two cards from the receptionist and hands me one. I transfer the money. Rose says nothing and takes my arm to enter the imaginary world.
We come to the silver-grey gate. The pillar on the left is as transparent as water, with an image of a phoenix dancing in the sky carved on it.
The pillar on the right is a pure black steel block, with a half-human, half-devil image carved on it, towering like a god, purple lightning flashing across space from its body.
"He" points his sword straight to the sky, with a proud demeanor similar to that of General Thiet Nam — a legendary general of the Prehistoric Kingdom.
Above the door is a painting of a powerful prairie wolf, with bared fangs and claws, and bloodshot eyes that seem to want to devour all visitors.
I have been here countless times, yet I am always as eager as the first, unable to contain my excitement. There are two guards standing at the door.
One is wearing the leather armor of a grassland general, holding a scimitar in his hand, and his twisted braided hair hangs on his shoulders.
The other is wearing the armor of a medieval general of the Prehistoric Kingdom. The two bow and take the crest from me and the girl:
- The crest is valid!
"General Prehistoric" continues:
- The male plays the role of General Thuy Phung... The female plays...
I don't have the patience to wait to read the role assignment, and I immediately drag the girl through the gate. My body is enveloped in hazy mist as my clothes instantly transform into ancient costumes.
Rose giggles as I turn into a real warrior, wearing wolfskin boots, hands covered in silver protective rings, leather armor underneath, and iron armor on the outside.
Hearing the laughter, I immediately look up at Rose. My mouth is open like the letter A, and my eyes are rounder than the letter O... contemplating... Rose's graceful figure in the snow-colored skirt. She is tall, and her "full" body and curvaceous curves are like a rainbow in the rain.
Up until now, I have thought that she was attractive only when she wore bold outfits that hugged her sexy body. I never expect that her fiery "body" that burns the eyes of lustful men now transforms into an ancient beauty, as fragile as a rose in the mist smoke, as soft as a willow branch swaying under the wind.
Once again I become that idiot writing poetry on the spot. My eyes unconsciously stop staring and start to admire.
Indeed, I am admiring the rose in full bloom... between... the desert steppes.