"Take care."
This was the last thing Ou Yunchen and Su Ruiyi heard before boarding the plane. From then on, they were fugitives, a pair of desperate lovers on the run.
But this escape would not be smooth sailing.
Thirteen hours later, they arrived in Country Y, the birthplace of the Tang Empire and where all the adopted sons had grown up.
They firmly believed that the most dangerous place was the safest place.
And more importantly, Country Y was not their final destination on their escape, but they needed to make their first stop there.
Have you seen "Roman Holiday"? Remember the famous Mouth of Truth? Yes, Ou Yunchen took Su Ruiyi to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Su Ruiyi: "Will it really eat people?"
Ou Yunchen: "Put your hand in. If you're lying, its mouth will close, and your hand will be broken inside."
Su Ruiyi: "Is that true?"
Ou Yunchen: "Try it."
Su Ruiyi carefully put her hand into the Mouth of Truth, and then Ou Yunchen began to ask questions.
Ou Yunchen: "Are you scared?"
Su Ruiyi: "Yes."
Ou Yunchen: "Do you regret it?"
Su Ruiyi: "No."
Ou Yunchen: "See, you succeeded. You told the truth."
Su Ruiyi, panting, quickly retracted her hand, but she insisted that Ou Yunchen try it too.
Ou Yunchen: "Alright, you ask."
Su Ruiyi: "Did you really grow up here?"
Ou Yunchen: "Yes, all adopted sons did."
Su Ruiyi: "Will you abandon me?"
Ou Yunchen looked at Su Ruiyi and then smiled.
Su Ruiyi: "Be serious, answer quickly!"
Ou Yunchen: "No."
Su Ruiyi seemed to be waiting for the reaction of the Mouth of Truth, but thankfully, Ou Yunchen was fine. Only then did Su Ruiyi relax.
Su Ruiyi: "Wait, there's one more question."
Ou Yunchen: "Ask whatever you want."
Su Ruiyi: "Do you love me?"
Ou Yunchen: "I do, ah!!! Help!!!"
Su Ruiyi: "No!!! Let him go!!!"
When Ou Yunchen withdrew his hand from the Mouth of Truth, hiding it in his sleeve, Su Ruiyi screamed in fright, just like in the movies. She was terrified, truly believing that thing could eat people...
But when Ou Yunchen pulled his hand out with a smile, Su Ruiyi punched him hard.
Su Ruiyi: "You scared me, you scoundrel!!!"
Ou Yunchen laughed heartily.
The priest: "It seems he was lying, my dear girl."
Ou Yunchen: "Father."
The priest embraced Ou Yunchen warmly, as if holding his own child. They hadn't seen each other for so, so long...
The priest: "God bless you for returning safely."
Ou Yunchen: "I've gotten into trouble..."
The priest: "I know. You would eventually run back here because of trouble."
Ou Yunchen: "Aurora?"
Ou Yunchen looked behind the priest. A robust old woman stood there, covering her mouth, looking at Ou Yunchen excitedly.
Ou Yunchen: "Oh, no..."
The priest: "Yes, yes. When I heard you were coming back, I told her immediately."
Aurora had been an ordinary kitchen helper at the adopted sons' training camp. In that harsh camp, only the young Aurora treated these unfortunate children like her own family.
Thus, Aurora was like a mother to them in a way. After they were punished, she would secretly apply medicine and bring them food.
Aurora: "Child, my child..."
The priest: "It's not time to cry. He's here for refuge."
Aurora: "It's good you're back."
The priest: "Ever since you left the adopted sons' training camp, Aurora has come here to pray for you every day."
Ou Yunchen: "Don't cry. Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Su Ruiyi."
Aurora: "Oh, girl, you're terribly mistaken. You can't just leave with an adopted son. They are all bad boys. Your parents would be sad."
Ou Yunchen: "She's stuck with me."
Aurora: "Look at him getting smug. You know, if you truly win their hearts, they'll give their lives for you. You'll have much to be sad about."
The priest: "Aurora, say something cheerful. This young lady is sincere. She passed the test of the Mouth of Truth."
Aurora: "Alright, alright. Even Audrey Hepburn believed it."
***
Aurora lived on a farm near the adopted sons' training camp. When Ou Yunchen brought Su Ruiyi to stay at Aurora's home, Su Ruiyi was incredibly excited about everything.
Ou Yunchen: "I'm sorry to inconvenience you."
Su Ruiyi: "I like it here, really."
Ou Yunchen: "There's no butler here, no servants to command, not even daily clean clothes."
At that moment, Aurora entered with a stack of freshly washed clothes and bedding.
Aurora: "See, I kept these. They're all from when you were little."
Ou Yunchen: "They're still here."
Aurora: "Girl, change your clothes. I have some clothes from when I was young too."
Ou Yunchen: "Those would need altering. They could fit two or three of her."
Su Ruiyi chuckled behind her lips, and Aurora's face flushed. While scolding the rascal, she patted his backside as she did when he was a child.
Suddenly, a loud rumbling sound came from outside the house.
Ou Yunchen quickly leaned by the window to look out.
Ou Yunchen: "Is that Sam?"
Aurora: "I have to go down to greet him. That crazy old man always insists on useless etiquette."
Ou Yunchen pulled Su Ruiyi and they quickly rushed downstairs. Sam was Aurora's husband. They both worked at the adopted sons' training camp as farmers.
It could even be said that the adopted sons grew up eating the vegetables Sam grew.
And that tractor, emitting black smoke and making loud noises, was the mode of transportation the adopted sons loved most when they were children.
Before they could even reach the door, the wooden door was thrown open with a bang. The entire building seemed to tremble.
Sam's voice was booming, as if he wouldn't be heard unless he shouted loudly.
Sam: "Which rascal is back? Come down and let me see! If it's not one I like, I'll beat his butt black and blue!"
The same words again. Sam loved to use this to scare the poor children, but Sam and Aurora, who had no children of their own, doted on them.
Ou Yunchen: "It's the one you hate the most."
Sam: "Aha! I knew it!"
Sam stomped his feet dramatically, but like Aurora, he opened his arms and hugged Ou Yunchen tightly.
Sam: "I never dreamed you would come back."
Aurora patted Su Ruiyi's hand and led her to the kitchen, leaving Sam and Ou Yunchen to catch up.
Aurora: "What should I call you?"
Su Ruiyi: "Yiyi. Everyone calls me that."
Aurora: "Alright, Yiyi. Oh, you haven't done any work?"
Aurora looked at Su Ruiyi's hands, clean, slender, and beautifully maintained.
Su Ruiyi: "Yes... But I can learn. Please teach me."
Aurora: "Come on. I used to have beautiful hands too. But making food that men praise is real skill."
Su Ruiyi stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner with Aurora, occasionally looking up at the men in the living room.
Su Ruiyi: "I've never seen him laugh so happily."
Aurora glanced over, but perhaps she was used to it.
Aurora: "They must be talking about Ou Yunchen's childhood."
Su Ruiyi: "What was Ou Yunchen like as a child?"
Aurora: "Him? I don't remember much. I only remember he and his best friend were a pair."
Su Ruiyi: "A pair?"
Aurora: "XO. Those two boys were the naughtiest of the adopted sons, but they were so alike that it was hard to tell them apart."
Su Ruiyi: "They looked alike?"
Aurora: "Not really. Their behavior, even their way of speaking was sometimes the same. So if one of them got into trouble, they would both be punished, because the instructors couldn't tell who had done the bad deed."
Su Ruiyi: "How interesting."
Aurora: "But they had a tough time, often training until they were covered in injuries. They weren't allowed to get sick, nor cry, and certainly not complain..."
As Aurora spoke, she paused to say a prayer, because those painful memories were too difficult for anyone to recall.
Su Ruiyi: "Are they all orphans?"
Aurora: "I don't know. Old Tang brought children from all over the world. Heaven knows how he did it."
Su Ruiyi: "Were there any who escaped?"
Aurora: "Of course, but none were successful."
Su Ruiyi also began to feel sorry for Ou Yunchen's childhood...
Aurora: "How long will you stay here?"
Su Ruiyi: "I don't know."
Aurora: "You can stay as long as you want. I actually hope you'll stay here forever."
Su Ruiyi: "I'll do whatever he says."
Aurora smiled, and Su Ruiyi's face also showed happiness at the thought of Ou Yunchen being by her side. This was the mark of a woman deeply in love, finding sweetness even in the bitterest days.
Aurora prepared an authentic Italian dinner. The old farmhouse had not been this lively in a long time.
Before eating, everyone prayed. Su Ruiyi stole glances at Ou Yunchen. She had never seen him pray before meals. Perhaps only here would he be like a true believer, thanking God for his blessings.
Aurora: "This old madman is finally willing to open this bottle of wine."
Ou Yunchen looked at the red wine, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. The vintage was indeed quite old.
Sam: "Tang gave this to me."
Aurora: "Yes, this little bottle of wine was exchanged for ten years of your diligent farming for him."
Sam: "It's priceless."
Aurora: "Then why are you willing to drink it?"
Sam: "Am I supposed to wait until I die for you to sneak and drink it?"
Aurora seemed a little annoyed, but Ou Yunchen and Su Ruiyi burst into laughter at their banter.
This old couple always bickered, which was also a form of love, a choice to stay together no matter how much they argued.
During dinner, Aurora kept telling Ou Yunchen to cut more sausage for Su Ruiyi and constantly poured thick soup into Su Ruiyi's bowl.
Su Ruiyi found it hard to refuse and, feeling stuffed, kept burping. She forced herself to finish everything.
Aurora: "This appetite won't do."
Sam: "Girls these days watch their figures. How can you eat more than the pigs in my sty!"
Aurora: "That's because I do farm work, and I have to take care of ungrateful pigs!"
Sam grunted with his nose, as if mocking Aurora, while Ou Yunchen held Su Ruiyi's hand under the table.
Ou Yunchen: "Want to go out for a walk?"
Su Ruiyi nodded. They quietly left the dining room and went outside.
Su Ruiyi: "They're so funny."
Ou Yunchen: "They used to argue a lot at the adopted sons' training camp. I haven't heard them quarrel in years, and I actually miss it."
Su Ruiyi leaned her head on Ou Yunchen's shoulder, hand in hand, sitting on a haystack.
Su Ruiyi: "When we get old, will we live like them?"
Ou Yunchen gazed at the stars in the sky, but the stars held more worries than his heart.
He didn't know how long this brief peace would last, or when their escape would finally end. How could he dare to casually promise Su Ruiyi a decent happy life?
This wasn't even considered living. From now on, every day would be a prayer to God to survive tomorrow...
Gradually, Su Ruiyi quieted down. When Ou Yunchen turned his head to look, he realized she had fallen asleep leaning against him without him noticing.
Ou Yunchen smiled and picked her up, carrying her back to the room.
Aurora: "She fell asleep?"
Ou Yunchen nodded.
Aurora: "Poor girl."
When Ou Yunchen and Aurora returned to the living room, Sam had already prepared what Ou Yunchen needed.
Sam: "What are your plans now?"
Ou Yunchen: "The Onassis family will come after me. I can't escape the fate of an adopted son. I'll be on the run my whole life."
Aurora's eyes welled up with tears. She was worried about Ou Yunchen's safety.
Sam: "You can stay here with peace of mind. We won't reveal your whereabouts."
Ou Yunchen: "I'm afraid of implicating you."
Sam: "Hey! Aurora and I are at an age where we're ready to die anytime. We've agreed that if one of us goes first, the other will just bury the deceased anywhere on the farm."
Aurora: "Child, being alive to see you return is already God's blessing. It must be that God heard my prayers. Let us help you."
Ou Yunchen: "Thank you."
Sam: "I'm more worried about the restart of the Umbrella Project. Will they train new adopted sons? This time, not to serve the Tang Empire, but to train an army infected with a virus?"
Ou Yunchen tried hard to recall the meeting at the club yesterday. He had indeed heard Mo Qingyun talking about needing more investment to complete the final experiment.
Perhaps such a possibility existed. The Onassis family had always wished to rule the world with biological weapons since Old Tang's era...
Then, if Ou Yunchen was a successful experiment, what reason did Old Tang have to halt the project urgently?
Aurora: "No matter what they plan to restart, it has nothing to do with us. I just want everyone to stay away from the Tang Empire."
Sam: "I just remembered, perhaps we need a few handy weapons. If someone breaks in, we can at least resist for a while."
Aurora: "Your rusty old shotgun is like you, it can't shoot a single bullet."
Sam: "I'm talking about weapons from the training camp."
Aurora: "Weren't they all moved away?"
Ou Yunchen: "The training camp is still there?"
Sam: "It's abandoned. There's nothing left inside now."
Aurora: "Then where are the weapons?"
Sam: "There's still dynamite!"
Ou Yunchen suddenly remembered that quite a bit of dynamite was hidden in the cave behind the training camp. He wasn't sure if it had been cleared out. When they were children, they often snuck there to steal some to make firecrackers.
Sam slowly walked to the bookshelf, rummaged through it for a while, and then found a key.
Aurora: "You still have one?"
Sam: "Fuel is so expensive, I had to think about bringing some home, didn't I?"
Aurora: "You're something else, you old madman!"