MTLNOVEL Chapter 9: 9:Manstein
The golden hall was filled with fire, with flames roaring from the fireplace, their tongues climbing up the Christmas tree, joyfully licking the ceiling of the hall. Beautiful music filled the air, and people danced in the ballroom, accompanied by the flames. Men kissed women in a drunken stupor, and the dance steps became more and more intense, as though they were dancing straight into hell.
"Run, run faster, don't look back," said the girl, blood smeared across her face.
The little boy sat on the ground, looking around with confusion, his eyes reflecting the towering flames.
The girl sat in the center of the hall, clutching her stomach, blood continuously gushing out. The little boy crawled over to try and press on her wound, but she pushed him away, making him fall to the ground, her face showing anger as she said, "Didn't you hear me? I told you to go!"
The little boy was frightened. He had always obeyed the girl's words and was most afraid when she got angry.
Seeing the boy on the ground, terrified but unmoving, the girl's expression softened. "Come here."
Without hesitation, the boy crawled over. The girl gently stroked his face, her blood leaving a warm, sticky trace on his cheek. She spoke softly, "I'm going to die, everyone here is going to die, but you're different. You can escape from here. I won't blame you for leaving me. You're here by accident anyway, so go, don't wait. You've always listened to me, haven't you? Whatever I tell you to do, you do it. If I told you to die, you would do that too. But right now, I want you to leave. If you wait any longer, you won't be able to leave."
The burning Christmas tree collapsed, crushing a few of the dancing couples beneath it. The golden hall remained filled with song and dance, no one showing any fear, as if only the girl and the boy were the only ones who were sane.
The little boy shook his head, refusing to leave.
"Didn't you promise to do three things for me?" the girl suddenly said, looking at him. "It's time to fulfill that promise. I want you to turn around and leave me, run far away, and never come back."
The boy hesitated, but still didn't move. He gripped her bloodstained hand, trembling all over.
"Didn't I say? After tonight, you'll be a man. A man always keeps his promises. Promise me, okay?" The girl smiled as she gently lifted his bangs.
The little boy stared at her for a long time before nodding.
"Good, my brave boy." The girl pulled him close, kissed his forehead, and then pushed him away with all her strength. The boy stumbled, falling to the ground before getting back up and rushing towards the golden hall's door without looking back.
"Run! Run faster! Don't look back, run all the way to the garden where the flowers bloom in spring!" The girl yelled as she watched his silhouette vanish through the flames. The little boy ran so fast, as if the wind had grown under his feet, and nothing could stop him. Finally, he dashed out of the flames and disappeared through the hall's doors.
The girl sat in the pool of blood, watching the direction he vanished for a long time, until she was certain he wouldn't return. Only then did she slightly relax the clenched fist, and the tension in her body completely loosened, slumping to the ground.
"Sure enough, he really ran fast," the girl murmured with a relieved smile as she spoke the last words.
Above her head, the burning beams of the house collapsed, and the flames consumed everything.
Lin Nian opened his eyes. The persistent sound of the alarm clock rang in his ears. The clock on the bedside table showed it was 7:00 AM. The room was dim.
Outside the window, the first light of dawn began to break. The sound of street cleaners sweeping the streets came through the window clearly.
He had another nightmare.
At 8:30 AM, outside the Regal Hotel, Lin Nian and Lin Xian stood side by side, hesitating as they watched the servers inside moving back and forth.
The Regal Hotel was one of the top-tier hotels in this coastal city, catering to banquets, weddings, and corporate events. It was said that the best way to judge whether a couple had money and influence was to see if they could book a few banquet tables in the Regal Hotel. If they had the means, the number of hotel floors they booked would be the true measure of their wealth.
Lin Nian had never been to a hotel like this. In his mind, hotels and inns were similar, with only a liquid crystal TV and air conditioning setting them apart. But according to his classmates who had stayed in five-star hotels, there was a big difference, with even the hotel's disposable toothbrushes being branded "Colgate."
In the end, Lin Xian was the one to take the first step, mainly because they had stood outside the door for too long, and people might start to think they were shady characters scoping out the place. This area of the CBD was frequented by wealthy and influential people, so petty thefts were not uncommon, and people who passed by were already eyeing them suspiciously.
Once inside the Regal Hotel, they sat in the lounge area to wait. Lin Xian had taken time off specially to accompany Lin Nian, and he took advantage of the opportunity to scroll through his phone. As with most young people these days, he couldn't stay still without his phone. With extra data available, he decided to quietly lurk in their class group chat on QQ.
The group chat was filled with discussions about the dinner gathering that night. Some people were complaining about the lack of authentic liquor at the hotpot restaurant and suggested bringing their own beer and liquor. Others mentioned they had been feeling a bit too "fire-y" lately and needed someone to bring a box of watermelon frost to cool down.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lin Nian and Miss Lin Xian?" A polite waiter approached them from the direction of the elevator.
"Yes," Lin Nian put down his phone and stood up, and Lin Xian, who hadn't slept well the night before, also woke up and stood.
"Professor Manstein is already waiting for you in the VIP restaurant on the ninth floor. If you're ready, please follow me." The waiter confirmed their identities and explained.
Lin Nian and Lin Xian exchanged glances, surprised by how considerate the admissions office from the American school was, even thinking of breakfast. However, they had already had a simple breakfast of soy milk and fried dough sticks, which was cheap and filling for only ten yuan.
Following the waiter, they took the VIP elevator to the ninth floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, an elderly man wearing vintage single-lens glasses stood at the door, smiling as he greeted them. "Lin Nian, I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"You must be Professor Manstein, right? Your Chinese is as good as Mandy's," Lin Nian noticed the elderly man's shiny bald head and couldn't help but feel a bit more stern towards him.
In short, the first impression wasn't bad.
"Gerhard Rudolf Manstein, you can just call me Professor Manstein. I assume Mandy has given you a brief introduction to our school. Chinese is a required course at our school, and considering your native language, you can be exempt from foreign language courses and receive full credits." Professor Manstein extended his hand for a handshake with Lin Nian, then shook hands with Lin Xian as well, "This must be Lin Nian's sister. It's a pleasure to have you accompany him."
"It's our honor to meet with your school," Lin Xian, though young, was already quite adept at socializing and expressed appropriate respect and politeness while shaking hands with Professor Manstein.
"Have you had breakfast yet? Would you like to join me?" Professor Manstein led them to a corner of the VIP restaurant, where a girl with golden hair and a beautiful face was already seated. It was Mandy, who had met Lin Nian earlier. She smiled politely upon seeing them.