Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part1 (1/2)
Illusions, Lies, Truth Volume 2: Human Doll Contract Part Two
Original novel in Chinese by: 御 我 (Yu Wo)
Chapter 2: Confused; Confined by Part 1—The First Clash Between Lies and Truth—translated by lucathia (proofread by Trespa.s.serby)
House Keeper knocked on the door and patiently waited for the other person to open it.
Soon after, Jiang Yu pulled open the door and smiled warmly. ”Did you need to borrow something?”
As she spoke, she looked curiously at the person behind House Keeper. It was actually a foreigner. Even though House Keeper's eyes were dark green, making him look like someone of mixed descent, the one behind him was blond-haired and blue-eyed. He was completely a foreigner.
”No.” House Keeper took a step back and introduced the person behind him. ”This is my younger brother, Hold Keeper. He recently moved in with us, so I brought him over to greet you.”
They're brothers? Jiang Yu was momentarily stunned. She had really never seen brothers who looked so unalike. Their only similarity was their handsomeness, but what little brother would come to stay at his older brother's girlfriend's home?
House Keeper took the initiative to explain, ”We are brothers with the same father but different mothers, so we are not very alike. Many people find it difficult to believe that we are brothers.”
A laugh escaped from Jiang Yu, and she said, ”Can't blame them. You two really are very different. Is your brother here to visit?”
”He came from overseas to study abroad in Taiwan. He plans to stay for two years.” House Keeper explained with a gentle smile, ”Hold Keeper's Chinese isn't up to par yet. Please forgive him for his blunders.”
Hold Keeper took a step forward and bowed slightly. He spoke with a smile, ”I am Hold Keeper. I am in your care.”
Jiang Yu was a bit overwhelmed by the greeting. No one was that courteous nowadays. She hurriedly said, ”We're all neighbors. There's no need to be so polite. Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”
Hold Keeper turned his head to glance at House Keeper, like he was asking him for permission. House Keeper smiled slightly. ”Let's head in for a bit. They have two adorable girls. You know of them, too.”
Oh wow! What kind of well-behaved child is this? Jiang Yu was a bit shocked. In this age, there actually still exists a younger brother who gives so much respect to his older brother? He even turned to ask his brother first. You only see something like that from young children!
”Okay.” Hold Keeper said with great humbleness, ”Then, we'll be bothering Sǎosǎo.”1
Jiang Yu couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. She quickly welcomed them inside and rushed off to make the tea and prepare the snacks.
The moment Jiang Yu went into the kitchen, Hold Keeper dropped all of his courteousness. He glanced at his ”brother” out of the corner of his eye and said, ”I told you I could pull it off. There's no need for you to fret.”
”You pulled it off too well.” House Keeper said flatly, ”Didn't you see her shock? No one is that polite these days.”
”Are you in any position to tell me about politeness?” Hold Keeper said in frustration, ”Besides, you told me to be polite, and now you're saying it's wrong to be polite?”
”I am not saying it's wrong, just that you overdid it,” House Keeper replied calmly.
”How did I overdo it?” Hold Keeper frowned and said, ”Rather, I was too impolite. Not only did I not wear formal clothes, my words were too straightforward. I didn't use a bunch of deferential words, and furthermore, I didn't embellish my speech. I didn't even bring a gift, even though I don't want to give anything…”
House Keeper fell silent. He really didn't know how to explain it to the other person. Previously, he had already flipped through the other one's story. Compared to himself, the content of Hold Keeper's story was even more distant from present day life than his.
He looked at the clothes Hold Keeper was wearing. In actuality, those were his clothes, not Hold Keeper's. If he had worn those grandiose priest robes out, anyone would be able to tell there was something off about Hold Keeper. It was even worse than his dress s.h.i.+rt, dress pants, and vest combo. He really didn't know why Mistress had agreed to buy him those clothes.
Perhaps I should ask Mistress to order some everyday clothes? House Keeper began to realize that his own outfit could not really be considered ”normal” enough.
”What are you staring off into s.p.a.ce for?” Hold Keeper lowered his voice and said, ”Where are those two little girls?”
House Keeper looked around the apartment. The layout was exactly the same as his mistress's apartment, just that the décor was completely different. This place had several small decorations, the walls were covered with pastel, flowery wallpaper, and the color of the curtains and tablecloth were both similarly rather soft. Compared to Mistress's home, it looks… warmer? I think that is the word?
Perhaps I should also decorate the apartment like this? But wallpaper with small flowers does not seem to fit the swords and weapons on the walls…
”Really, what are you staring off into s.p.a.ce for? Don't forget our business.”
Hold Keeper felt exasperated. He had only come over to see if he could help. The one who had to do the actual task wasn't him, yet that person who was supposed to do the deed kept staring off into s.p.a.ce.
House Keeper returned to his senses and said nonchalantly, ”They are probably asleep. Children sleep a lot. It is just past noon. They should be taking an afternoon nap.”
Hold Keeper said in a low voice, ”How about I detain the mother, and you head into the room to dispose of the kids?”
”Do you want to kill me?” House Keeper said flatly, ”My disappearance would do you no favors. Mistress would make you do the housework. I am of the opinion that you would be unwilling to do such things.”
Hold Keeper's face reddened, and he bit out angrily, ”Who wants to kill you? Didn't that woman want us to come and get rid of those two girls?”
”Just one.” House Keeper frowned. Hold Keeper didn't even listen to Mistress's words clearly. ”We are only opposing the artifact demon. We must not ever provoke the other one.”
Hold Keeper waved his hand impatiently, but he glimpsed Jiang Yu coming over with a platter through the corner of his eye. He immediately dropped his waving hand, sat up straight and tall, a faint smile on his face. His appearance and actions were impeccable.
Jiang Yu couldn't help straightening upon seeing him. House Keeper already made people feel he was very ”polite.” Fortunately, he seemed rather gentle and easy to approach, like he would be easy to get along with.
However, this Hold Keeper was already eye-catching enough with his blond hair, blue eyes, and beautiful appearance. Even his actions were so elegant that his entire person gave off a strange, powerful aura. No matter how you looked at him, he should be the type to be kept at a palace… Right, right! Once she thought of a palace, Jiang Yu felt that this Hold Keeper was practically like a prince!
Yet right now, the background behind the prince is wallpaper dotted with small flowers. It doesn't fit at all!
Jiang Yu felt the urge to move a pot of roses to place behind him as the background.
”We only have Tieguanyin oolong tea right now, and some jujube walnut cakes.” Jiang Yu was a bit distressed. Shouldn't this prince have something like black tea with biscuits and the like instead?
”Thank you for the welcome.” House Keeper quickly added on, ”Sorry for making you go through this trouble.”
Hold Keeper also expressed his thanks by inclining his head. He said rather elegantly and gently, ”You have my grat.i.tude for the tea and snacks.”
Jiang Yu decided to keep her gaze on House Keeper more. This Hold Keeper really made her feel too much pressure.
”Yu Shu seems very busy lately?”
Truthfully, she didn't see Yu Shu often, mostly only interacting when they waited for the garbage truck. However, recently, House Keeper had been the one taking out the garbage, so she hadn't seen Yu Shu for a long time already. But she didn't eliminate the possibility that she was too lazy to take out the trash, tossing the job at her boyfriend.
Even though they hadn't been acquainted for long, Jiang Yu already thoroughly understood Yu Shu's lazy personality.
House Keeper swallowed the tea that had been in his mouth and nodded. ”Her ma.n.u.script is giving her some trouble.”
In actuality, she was behind on her ma.n.u.script because she had previously been busy with readying a doll for Hold Keeper to use as a body. Now, she was being badgered by her editor, drinking coffee like water every day to rush out her ma.n.u.script.
”She's always shut away at home and won't even go out for a walk.” Jiang Yu said worriedly, ”That's not good for her health! House Keeper, you have to persuade her otherwise.”
”I will do my best.” House Keeper couldn't reveal that his mistress actually did go ”out” for walks, just that this ”out” was in the barrier dimensions he and Hold Keeper were from. She did not even need to leave through the door to go there.
”Gē, didn't you say there are two little girls?” Hold Keeper finally couldn't keep quiet. If they kept dallying like this, when would they ever accomplish their task?
Jiang Yu glanced at Hold Keeper, whose face held a trace of impatience, making him appear like an impatient young man. He didn't give off overwhelming pressure like before.
Seems like his courteous appearance from earlier was just the way he treats strangers. Once we're more familiar, I probably won't see that ”prince” appearance much anymore.
Jiang Yu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She glanced at him again, much more at ease with what she saw. This Hold Keeper was rather handsome. Sitting together with House Keeper, the two brothers were a feast for the eyes.
Scrutinizing House Keeper and Hold Keeper, these two youngsters, Jiang Yu suddenly felt something was odd. ”Hold Keeper, how old are you?”
Hold Keeper was taken aback. He had asked about the little girls, yet he got asked about his age in return. He couldn't digest the question right away, yet he didn't think about it either before he replied, ”Twenty-three.”
Youngster? Jiang Yu laughed at herself. Hold Keeper was actually older than her, yet she called him a youngster. Really, just because I'm married and have kids, I've forgotten that I'm only just past twenty.
”Then, how about you, House Keeper?” Since she had already asked one of them, Jiang Yu grew curious and asked the other one too while she was at it.
”I am twenty-five,” House Keeper answered with a tranquil smile. Even though Hold Keeper rolled his eyes at him, his expression didn't change at all.
In the books, he was over one hundred fifty, but of course he couldn't speak the truth. He also couldn't say that he wasn't even one year old—it hadn't been a year since Yu Shu had created him.
”Then, how old is Yu Shu?” Jiang Yu got addicted to asking and happily continued her inquiries.
”She is twenty-eight.”