Solflare: The Painter's Secret-Chapter 172: Stolen Moment I
Blossoming flowers spun in the air at the front of the giant black iron gate carrying the Qing’s name.
Dust welled up as the tires of the black BMW slowly came to a halt. The sun’s rays shone on its top as the vehicle stood there as if waiting for permission.
As the gate opened, the engine hummed back to life, then slowly drove forward.
Inside, men in slightly dirty clothes stood at the entrance to Qing’s farmland, arms folded on their chests, watching the vehicle pass.
A small boy with long, untrimmed hair walked over to the man in the blue short-sleeve shirt, glancing nervously at both the approaching car and his father, then called out. "Dad."
"Son." The man crouched to his son’s level, brushing rice from his lips. "Are you done eating?"
"Yes." A smile tore across the boy’s face as he answered. "I want to eat that kind of food every day. It’s really good."
The boy lifted the tip of his shirt, then brushed it on his face, clearing any traces he felt lingered at the side of his lips.
"Come on." The man gestured at his colleagues as he straightened. "We’d better get to work before Boss sees us."
The little boy stared at his father with a confused expression, then pinched his father on the hip. "Will he cast us also out as he did to Aunty?"
The man turned to the boy, smiled, then nodded.
Dust settled as the BMW took the last space among the cars.
Leon inhaled deeply, staring at the pavement leading to the main mansion of the Qing’s. "I’ve got to let her know about my feelings for her."
He inhaled once, then pushed the door open. A sweet fragrance in the air slammed into his face the moment he closed the door behind him and straightened.
Tiny sparks lingered wherever he placed his steps.
Climbing the small stairs was like climbing a mountain with rocks on his back. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he placed a final step at the front of the large brown door.
"I’ve got to do this." He took in a deep inhale, closed his eyes for a brief moment, and clenched his fist.
While Leon stood at the entrance, silently praying for courage, Darian stood on the other side of the door, watching him through the one-way glass.
’What does he want here?’ he thought as he slowly folded his arms across his chest, his jaw tightening.
"Here I come," Leon whispered, then slammed his slightly clenched fist on the door three consecutive times.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He pressed his left arm behind his back and placed his right at his side as he waited, feeling the vibration of his knocks through the door.
A soft creak echoed as the door swung inward, revealing the long, colorful, empty hallway.
Leon swallowed and exhaled before stepping through with his right leg.
As soon as he entered fully, the door closed on its own.
Sweat traced lines down his cheeks, stopping at his chin as movement stirred behind him.
Darian watched the shaking Leon with the corner of his eye, then slowly walked to the front of him. "We’ve met again, Leon Storm."
Though Darian mentioned the name softly, it rang loudly in Leon’s ears.
"Darian," Leon uttered in a voice that carried the state his body was in. "Thank you."
He bent down slightly, showing his respect.
The greeting and thanks left Darian deeply confused.
’Thanking me? This guy isn’t serious,’ he thought, unknowingly calming his clenched jaw.
When Leon tried to step past him, Darian blocked his path with an outstretched arm, firmly preventing him. "Not this time, Leon."
Leon threw a confused stare at Darian, then lowered his gaze to Darian’s boots. In his head, he silently wondered, ’Why?’ He stepped back politely, making space between them.
"Okay, maybe another time," Leon uttered, then nodded in a bowing gesture and turned toward the door.
Right at that moment, a loud voice came from a distance, sending chills down Leon’s spine. "Stop right there."
Darian swung his head quickly, nearly breaking his own neck, then froze.
The voice bounced again, "How can you visit the Qing’s land and leave without meeting the entire family, Storm?"
Recognizing Hu Qing’s voice, Leon’s heart jumped. He turned, forced a smile on his sweat-filled face, then bowed.
Hu Qing closed the distance, winked at Darian as he walked past him in a secretive manner, then wrapped his arm around Leon’s shoulder.
"Come with me. Ignore my jealous son," Hu Qing teased, then led Leon to the hall.
An eerie smile tore across Darian’s lips as he watched his father and Leon exit from his sight. He brushed both palms across his face, laughing. "This old man really knows how to play his cards."
Darian glanced at the sky through the door, then went to the hall.
Inside, four of the Qing were there. Elara, the first lady of the house, sat on an eagle-feathered couch, legs crossed.
Liana, the last pride of the family and the second-youngest, sat beside her mother, reading.
Ewan, the one right after Darian, sat by Zoe’s side, tickling her.
All of them paused what they were doing and focused on Leon after Hu Qing had nudged him forward.
’Oh, why do I feel like I’m going to explode?’ Thoughts reeled in Leon’s head as he watched them. He started from Elara and ended on Zoe.
Elara gestured at Leon, who neared her in a flash, then bowed to her. "Welcome back to our land, son of Storm."
They all received him with love, and in a flash, all the frustration, the doubt, and the uneasiness vanished before he could even recall them.
But during those two hours he spent there, Hu Qing kept diverting his attention whenever he tried to communicate privately with Zoe.
With every failed attempt, Zoe slowly lowered her eyes to the floor, then turned slowly.
Just as Leon and Zoe sat closer, sharing a quiet gaze while the others busied themselves, Liana called out to Leon, pointing excitedly to the newly fixed window frame.
When Leon finally got his moment to speak to Zoe and was about to share what was on his mind, the Baek family arrived.
They entered with lots of gifts that Leon had never even seen or heard of before, all in the name of showing their love for the very lady he had come for.
