104: Chapter 103: The Battle Nation’s Love 104: Chapter 103: The Battle Nation’s Love After making up his mind and preparing the list, Gao Yang planned to use a computer to send the list to Uriyangko’s email.
However, the thought of needing Yelena’s computer made him feel somewhat of a headache.
Although he could call Uriyangko and read the list out loud, Uriyangko was always running from one battlefield to another in Libya, and Gao Yang’s list was detailed, including sizes for clothes and boots.
If there were any mistakes, it would be troublesome since these were items meant for the battlefield.
Gao Yang thought it was better to be meticulous.
With no other choice, Gao Yang steeled himself and went to look for Yelena.
Yelena usually spent her days in the piano room.
Carrying the list, Gao Yang approached the door of the piano room.
For some reason, the piano room, which normally resonated with the sound of a piano at this time, was eerily silent.
Even though Gao Yang found it strange, he didn’t think much of it and gently knocked on the door.
“I’m not in a good mood, can you please let me have some peace, Mom?”
After Gao Yang unconsciously uttered an “Oh” and turned to leave, hurried footsteps came from inside the piano room, and the door immediately opened.
Just as Gao Yang quickened his pace, wanting to leave quickly, he heard Yelena say softly from behind, “Stop.”
Gao Yang halted in his tracks, turned around, and waved awkwardly at Yelena before saying, “Hey, I didn’t mean to disturb you, but I…”
“Come in.”
Seeing Yelena standing at the door of the piano room with a woeful expression, Gao Yang felt it would be better not to enter and mumbled, “I just wanted to borrow your computer, the thing is…”
“Come in.”
Seeing Yelena’s unwelcoming face and her look that seemed to say she would cry if he didn’t enter, Gao Yang eventually bowed his head and went into the piano room.
As he passed by Yelena, Gao Yang caught the unique scent of a young woman’s body, and for some reason, the fragrance made him feel panicked inside.
Once Gao Yang had entered, Yelena closed the door behind him, turned the lock as well, and then said in a low voice to the jittery Gao Yang, “You’ve never been in this room before.
Rabbit and Li Jinfang have both been here to listen to me play, but you’ve never come.”
Gao Yang wiped his forehead, where no sweat existed, and said softly, “I don’t know much about music…”
“Can you say anything else besides ‘that thing’?”
Gao Yang tactfully closed his mouth, after which Yelena sighed softly and said, “You’ve never heard my playing, and I want you to listen.
Now sit down, listen to my performance, please don’t refuse.”
Gao Yang obediently sat down in front of the piano, but as he did, he felt something wasn’t right — he was sitting on the long bench at the piano, so where would Yelena, who was supposed to play, sit?
Just as Gao Yang was about to stand up to make room, Yelena pressed down on his shoulder, signaling him not to move.
Instead of sitting beside him as Gao Yang had imagined, she turned around and picked up a violin from the stand.
As Yelena placed the violin under her chin, Gao Yang, greatly surprised, exclaimed, “Huh, you can play the violin?
I thought your main focus was piano.
Ah, sorry, you can start now.”
No sooner had he spoken Gao Yang wished he could slap himself.
Indeed, Yelena sighed, returned the violin to the stand, gave a self-deprecatory smile, and said softly, “It seems I really don’t have much presence in your heart.
Everyone knows I mainly play the violin.
Only you think I focus on piano.
Well, it looks like you prefer the piano, so I’ll play the piano then.”
Seeing the mournful look in Yelena’s eyes, Gao Yang decided he could not let this go on.
Some things were better cleared up sooner rather than later.
But before he could express himself, Yelena said softly, “I just want to play a piece for you.
Can’t you grant me this simple request?
Sit still, don’t move, don’t talk, please.”
Yelena sat close beside Gao Yang, placed her delicate fingers on the keys, and abruptly pressed down.
At first listen, the piano music sounded quite cheerful, but with Gao Yang’s limited knowledge of music, he quickly recognized it as Beethoven’s Adagio from the third movement, which, beneath its seemingly joyful lightness, harbored endless sorrow.
Yelena played with a calm face, but the performance was actually quite chaotic.
Gao Yang saw tears falling from Yelena’s face, and he could only listen in silence, seemingly immersed in the beautiful music, but only Heaven knew the turmoil inside him at that moment.
After the initial chaos, Yelena couldn’t regain her composure.
After playing for a while, she suddenly pressed the keys heavily, even furiously, transitioning from the sorrowful third movement abruptly into another piece by Beethoven, the Fate.
Music reflects the heart, and as Yelena began playing Fate, the piano no longer conveyed a sense of sorrow or gloom but instead revealed an indomitable defiance.
Gao Yang was utterly shaken, filled with an ever-growing sense of admiration.
Finally, after completing Fate, Yelena leaned on the piano and began to sob silently.
Gao Yang reached out, intending to pat her back a few times, but ultimately his hand never landed; he only sighed softly.
Yelena soon sat up straight again.
She wiped the tears from her face, not looking at Gao Yang, but instead staring ahead and said, “I heard from my father that your girlfriend will be coming to South Africa soon.”
The inevitable had finally come.
Gao Yang said somberly, “Yes.”
Yelena nodded, “At first, I thought you were lying to me.
Later, I realized that you might be telling the truth, especially after hearing from my dad that your girlfriend would soon be coming.
I thought maybe after your girlfriend arrives in South Africa, I could try to kill her.
But I know that would drive you mad, so it can only be a crazy thought of mine, and I can’t really kill your girlfriend.
Then, I planned to try to give up.
Just before I played the piano, I even wanted to wish you and your girlfriend well.
But now I’ve changed my mind.
Giving up is not my style.
Whether you accept me or not, I will compete with your girlfriend to the end, regardless if I will win, or if I have to keep fighting for the rest of my life.
In any case, I will not give up!”
Gao Yang would be lying if he said he wasn’t moved.
He was close to tears now, melted by a girl confessing her feelings for him so directly.
But still, Gao Yang decided to reject her.
Some things had to be said sooner or later, and saying them earlier was definitely better than later.
“I’m sorry, Yelena, I know you’re very upset, and I don’t know what to say, but I still have to say it, we really can’t be possible.”
“Why?”
Gao Yang struggled to say, “You’re only sixteen, and I’m already twenty-six.”
Yelena smiled faintly, “That’s not a problem, it never was.”
“Well, I admit, age isn’t really a big problem, but your dad is my best friend, he’s a brother who has been through life and death with me, I can’t possibly date my brother’s daughter, in the eyes of Huaxia people, that’s just not something a person does.”
Yelena remained calm, “You are an adult, and so am I, at least according to Russian law, sixteen is already an adult, so my dad’s attitude is not a problem.
Besides, I think he would respect my choice and would bless us.
As for the views of Huaxia people, I don’t care, I’m Russian.”
Gao Yang gave a bitter smile, “Why does it have to be me?
We’ve only known each other for a short while, right?
I don’t understand, there are many good men in the world, and you can certainly choose the best one for you.”
Yelena finally turned her face, her tearful eyes fixed on Gao Yang right before her, and slowly said, “You ask me why?
Alright, I’ll tell you why.
When my mother and I were in a desperate situation, when I had to drop out of school and work to support myself and my mom, when no one was willing to help me and only wanted to take advantage of me, you appeared, with a lot of money, do you know?
At that time, you were like an angel in my eyes.”
Gao Yang gave a wry smile, “That was your father’s money.”
Yelena shook her head, “Money is important, but what’s more important is that when I was facing death, you stood up again, like a prince on a white horse in fairy tales, with your knights you saved my mother and me.
I believe no girl could let go of an angel and a prince, at least I can’t.”
Gao Yang spread his hands, “You see, this is the problem, you’re just grateful to me, not in love with me.
It’s silly to offer yourself in gratitude, alright, I will enjoy your gratitude for me, but that’s not a reason why you have to be my girlfriend—well, talking about marriage is too early—but it’s not the reason why you have to become my girlfriend.”
“I love you!
I LOVE YOU!
Я тебя люблю!”
After saying I love you in Chinese, English, and Russian, Yelena smiled faintly and whispered, “I’ve said it, although it’s abrupt, I hope I didn’t scare you, but now you understand, I’m not just grateful to you, I love you!
I’m sure of it.
Lee Jinfang was right, I really need a sense of security.
In fact, in many ways, you are even more important to me than my father.
When I was very little he left me, and by the time I saw him again, I had received everything I wanted, all given by you, including the safety and the love that I sought.
This is why I have to be your girlfriend, and of course, if you’re willing to marry me, I would be happy to marry you.”
Gao Yang was silent for a long time, he was almost ready to surrender, but in the end, he sighed deeply and said, “Alright, I really didn’t want to say this, but I still have to, you’re destined to be a musician, you have a bright future ahead.
Me?
I’m a murderer in Huaxia, I can never return, I have to live in the shadows for the rest of my life.
Besides, I’m a mercenary, I don’t even know when I might be killed.
If I were your dad, I would never let my daughter be with a mercenary.”
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
“Do you like me?”
Gao Yang hesitated for a long time before finally nodding his head and saying, “Actually, yes, I do like you, um, a little…”
“Then that’s settled, problem solved!
I don’t care who you are or what you do for a living.
If you’re alive and willing to marry me, I’ll marry you.
If you die, I might stay single forever and think of you, putting fresh flowers in front of your gravestone on your death anniversary.
Or I might find someone else I like and forget about you, although the likelihood of that is practically zero.
But whatever the outcome, you’d be dead and wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, right?
So why worry about the future?”
Looking at the astonished Gao Yang, Yelena smiled gently and said, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore.
Anyway, I’ve decided to snatch you from your girlfriend, and it’s my business, nothing you can do about it.
Don’t worry, though; I won’t use underhanded tactics to ruin things with Catherine.
It’s a war between women, and I’ll win fair and square.”
Gao Yang fell into silence once more.
His mind was a mess, considering whether he should just agree to Yelena’s proposition.
But then he thought of Glolov and Natalia, and the soon-to-arrive Catherine, and he was even more torn.
The room fell quiet for a moment until Gao Yang suddenly heard Natalia’s voice outside the door, shouting, “Daughter, I support you!
You will definitely win!”
While Gao Yang was still shocked, he heard Li Jinfang’s voice as well.
“Girl, Catherine isn’t really Brother Yang’s girlfriend.
He just wants to woo her.
Persevere to the end and you’ll win!
Girl, this is as far as I can help you; the rest is up to you.”
Gao Yang stood up in a fluster, only to hear Cui Bo shouting from outside, “Brother Yang, just give in!
I’m getting anxious for you, man.
Do you think the Old Russian isn’t aware of this?
Bah, he knows better than anyone.
If he hadn’t let the secret slip, how would Xiao Maozi have known about Catherine coming?
Now the Old Russian is hiding out; can’t you see what he’s implying?
You’re really forcing me to spell it out, making it so awkward for the Old Russian.”
Yelena also stood up, giving Gao Yang a victorious V sign, her face beaming with a smile as she said, “It seems everyone is on my side, but that’s okay, I don’t want to force anything on you, so no need to worry.”
After speaking, Yelena took on a commanding presence, cupping Gao Yang’s face in her hands, bringing her alluring lips close, and giving him a fierce wet kiss that nearly left him breathless.
When Yelena’s lips left Gao Yang’s, she placed her palm over his mouth and softly said, “Don’t say anything, at least not right now.”
After releasing Gao Yang, Yelena gracefully walked to the door, turning back to throw him a kiss before opening it.
Seeing the three people eavesdropping outside, Yelena confidently made a victory sign, then took Natalia’s hand and went to her room, whispering in Russian, leaving behind Cui Bo looking up to her in admiration along with Li Jinfang and Gao Yang standing in the music room, staring at each other.
Finally, Cui Bo let out a sigh, breaking the silence and shouting, “Now I understand what you two meant.
Battle nation is really a fighting nation, love is as intense as war.
Fighting for a man with such spirit, I’m impressed, truly.
But why can’t I ever meet a girl like that?”