Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 482 - 347. Those Past Events, End Up Repeating (2nd Update 2)
Facing the fact that the past was being revealed by another person who went through it all, Rosa felt a little breathless.
He was right, after that night she threw away her favorite fairy tale book. Because that night... because it was that very night that old man first walked into her room!
After that night she felt so disgusted with herself, she didn’t even want to bathe, thinking she was so dirty that she would dirty her hands.
So after that night, she felt that she could no longer bear to see those fairy tales, as if their smiling faces were mocking her, so she threw away her beloved fairy tale book too.
She didn’t dare face those fairy tale books anymore, essentially not daring to confront her past experiences.
Shi Nian held tightly to Rosa’s hand under the table, softly reminding her, "It’s all over, you’ve grown up. You’re no longer that little girl who was helpless about herself."
James, however, took out a book, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Rosa.
"But, I kept it for you, I’ve been holding onto it."
It was very old, bearing the marks of time, with pages slightly yellowed and edges curling.
Rosa felt even colder, her hands and feet turning icy. She forced herself to flip through the pages, turning to the third page where she saw the clown she had drawn herself.
Shi Nian saw it too. The colors used on the clown were warm, casting a bright and warm image, reminiscent of the warmth and joy of the McDonald’s clown.
Shi Nian understood that, at the time Rosa drew this clown, she had not yet met the Old Buddha, not yet gone through what happened later, so her mood in drawing the clown was one of affection and joy, even gratitude.
But after everything that happened later, she could no longer face the clown she had drawn with such feelings.
Seeing the old item, Rosa felt no joy, instead, she avoided it like a viper, reaching out to push the book away, and yelled out of control, "What do you keep it for? What do you want?!"
James didn’t even glance at the fairy tale book that was knocked to the ground, only narrowed his eyes with a smile: "Don’t be afraid, I said it, I don’t hate you anymore. I said I hated you, because I was a child and didn’t understand. Now we’ve grown up, we have the ability to distinguish right from wrong, we also have the ability to take revenge. The things we went through back then cannot just be wasted, right? Let me help you, let’s take back what we lost back then, shall we?"
"No!" Rosa covered her ears and screamed, "It’s over, it’s all over. I don’t want to mention it again. None of you, don’t drag me back into this!"
James stood up and grabbed Rosa’s wrist with a bang, "You think it’s over just because you say it’s over? You say you don’t want to pursue it anymore, what about me? Although you’re innocent too, what I suffered is closely related to your events. I’m not going to just let it pass, and you can’t just let go of it either!"
Shi Nian stood up, and with all her strength, pried open James’ fingers, pushing him back to his seat, "That’s enough!"
James unexpectedly fell back and sat, but still smiled at Shi Nian.
"You think I don’t recognize you? You’re the mistress’s woman. Didn’t you just break up, why are you still so involved with him, don’t want me to give him trouble?"
Shi Nian stared at him without speaking. He and Rosa had been talking about clowns and the Old Buddha all along, but they hadn’t mentioned Huangfu Huazhang directly. But now he mentioned Huangfu Huazhang’s name to her directly...
Shi Nian stared at James, "Say what you have to say, and please say it nicely. Don’t push her!"
James stared at her, chuckling with a murmur: "So righteous, and so brave. Even though you’re unarmed, completely powerless, yet you’re doing this. Is that bastard attracted to you because of this?"
He shrugged, "You know, those who walk in the darkness all the time, even if they claim they don’t need the light, when they really see a spark, they can’t help but want to grab it tightly."
Shi Nian didn’t turn to the topic he wanted, only focused on the topic of Rosa, "Today you invited Rosa here to reminisce. The reminiscing is done, the items we’ve seen. Please take the ship back now, we’re leaving."
James laughed, gesturing outside with an open hand, "What if I don’t? You can jump into the water from here and swim back." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Shi Nian laughed as well, "You think we’re afraid?"
Saying that, Shi Nian turned and grabbed Rosa, heading outside.
While walking earlier, she had taken the opportunity to note the location of the life-saving equipment; there were two life jackets and rings right next to the railing. She grabbed a set for Rosa, then put on the life jacket herself, holding Rosa’s hand, and directly jumped into the sea!
It’s March, the water is still bone-chilling cold, and Shi Nian didn’t know how to swim, her teeth were chattering in the water.
James was also a bit surprised, chasing to the edge of the ship, staring at the two in the water.
He folded his arms, narrowing his blue eyes, "Can’t swim, can you? You really have a death wish."
Shi Nian’s teeth knocked together, but she smiled brightly, "Although you brought us to this deserted place, it seems very cool, but judging by the time you traveled, you can tell that it’s not far from the dock. The two of us fell into the water, and someone on the shore will soon discover us. We jumped from your ship, but we can also say we were forced by you."
James’ blue eyes twinkled, "You’re threatening me?"
Shi Nian endured the shivering, coldly smiled, "James, you didn’t show up sooner or later, only after the police opened a case investigation on Huangfu, which proves you’ve been waiting for an opportunity all along. Now Huangfu stands on the opposite side of the law, and you want to use the law to achieve your goal of toppling him. So you must be careful with your words and deeds, don’t break the law, or you’ll end up like him, both becoming targets of the law. So right now, you’re standing on the deck, one step forward and you’ll fall into the water and get wet."
James laughed, his blue eyes flickering as he stared at Shi Nian, "Truly a journalist, every word hits the mark."
Shi Nian nodded, "You have less than five minutes to hesitate. Pull us up, or wait for something to happen to us, it’s all up to you."
James nodded, bent down to retrieve a long lifesaving pole, hooked their rings, and pulled the two of them back onto the ship. Then he fetched two large towels, throwing them over them separately.
Rosa, cold and frightened, couldn’t speak. Shi Nian was also cold, but she wrapped herself tightly in the towel, holding Rosa’s hand tightly, comforting her, "It’s okay now."
.
James said nothing more. Perhaps the rapid turn in events disrupted his initial plans, and he was rethinking.
He just went ahead and steered the ship back to the dock, then instructed the attendants to take them into the club to dry off.
Afterwards, he personally sent them out of the club, even gentlemanly holding open the rear car door and shielding the frame with his hand.
Rosa got in first, his eyes downcast on her, "Since I’ve come to find you, you can no longer avoid it."
Shi Nian got in next, pulling the door closed herself. He, however, kept hold of it, his blue eyes holding a hint of a smile as he gazed at her, "...Until we meet again."
The car slid onto the street, back into the bustling city, and only then did they catch their breath, as if returning to the human world from the Devil’s lair.
Throughout the ride, Rosa said nothing, and Shi Nian didn’t either.
James’ appearance not only brought back nightmares for Rosa but also made Shi Nian feel like she was plunging back into a nightmare.
Because she had always suspected that the events of those years involved not only Huangfu Huazhang and Tang Yanqing but possibly also had ties to George and James, the other two Fords.
And from the way James stared at her, it seemed to Shi Nian that James clearly wasn’t seeing her for the first time; there was mockery and amusement in his gaze, but no unfamiliarity.
Though it could be understood that during her time with Huangfu Huazhang, James, because of his attention to Huangfu Huazhang, might have seen her photos and information; but Shi Nian’s intuition told her that her entanglement with James went further than that.
That’s exactly why, having long suspected that the events of the past involved not only Huangfu Huazhang and Tang Yanqing but possibly also George and James, this other Ford, she was determined to see him with her own eyes, even though she had never met him before, only heard his name.
If they had met in the past, that connection seemed to extend further, beyond just her relationship with James through Huangfu Huazhang.
Now that Rosa had come to meet James tonight, Shi Nian knew that it might mean she was stepping into a dangerous path, but she resolutely decided it was something she had to witness firsthand.
If there had been a previous encounter, a deeper connection that she had always suspected, something beyond what she had known about Huangfu Huazhang and Tang Yanqing...
If this involves George and James, then it’s more complicated than she had imagined.
Facing what happened before and meeting James tonight, even knowing it may be intimidation, she told herself she had to come face to face.
Rosa looked at her and said, "He said I can’t hide anymore. What do you say I should do?"
Shi Nian covered her hand, patting it gently, "You’ve been avoiding it for so many years, even deceiving yourself at times. But the fact is, in the end, you can’t escape it, and you can’t forget it. So it’s better to face it bravely."
"This has nothing to do with James, it’s not because of his threats, but because... you need to give yourself closure. You need to face it officially."
"I will listen to you," Rosa nodded slightly.
In the past, she cared about appearances, especially in front of Xiang Yuan. But now... all those enforced strengths and beautiful facades have already been exposed; since he no longer matters to her, there’s nothing left she should be afraid to disclose.
