Chapter 38
Like a shadow clinging to the back silhouette
Tien Nu sings another song to satisfy the fans. She chooses a more exciting song. Diva dances gracefully like a fairy descending earth. The whole audience cheers and sings along with the fairy. JK's family is enthusiastic from beginning to end, and all stand up and applaud for the excellent performance.
Girl bands are the happiest, they immediately dance with a spring to the tune, loyal fans want to dance and sing with their idols. The female manager shakes her head to indicate that they should not play stupid games. The carefree people remember that they are no longer fans. Idol status thwarts childish intentions. The vulture uses countless smelly words to hold a feast of pecking at the carcass:
"The princess steals the fairy's spotlight!"
"The chirpy princess sings with the fairy - is it accidental or intentional?"
If they don't listen to the management, the vision definitely becomes a reality. The girl band is sad, recalling the time when their hearts beat faster and they sang duets with their idols. Now they have to look up from afar and dare not be their true selves anymore.
The fairy finishes singing and dancing, bows to the audience, walks down the big hall, and gives the stage to the younger generation. The princess is frustrated that she can't do whatever she wants, but still has to laugh and listen to the MC's introduction:
- Thank you Diva for bringing us all kinds of feelings! Yes, dear audience, if the fairy is the idol of idols, then Crystal Princess is today's teenage idol. The fairy's singing voice is deep and touching, and the Crystal Princess's melody is youthful and pure. The quiet lets the lively shine. Contemplating and then cherishing life is the most meaningful congratulations to the nation's family and a musical gift to all of us. Well, welcome to the Crystal Princess girl band that dominates the youth music charts with this song:
Like a shadow clinging to the back silhouette
The audience applauds, welcoming the girl band on stage. Teenage girls smile until their eyes narrow, waving at their idols. Young people excitedly shout the idols' names, cheer, jump for joy, but stare at the forbidden area beneath the sexy skirts and tops.
The beautiful, fresh, tender bodies are also ogled by old men, worthy of being fathers and grandfathers, as if they want to devour every centimeter. These old buffaloes, craving tender grass, dare not lick the edges of their mouths, their tongues rummage and swim in saliva-flooded mouths in saliva-flooded mouths. The old goats swallow the burning desire in their throats, their lustful eyes fixed on the place that tempts men to commit crimes.
Under the madly rotating and flashing five-color light trusses, countless eyes are lost in mental confusion and infatuation with that mysterious place. The "audience" no longer sees the girl band; their minds are filled with provocative images of six naked fairies.
The perverts itch in their lower bodies; some, afraid of losing control of their lust, take turns stepping outside to breathe. Another group heads to the toilet, masturbating hysterically while imagining sex with tender silk girls the same age as their offspring.
The girl band continues to perform enthusiastically, tossing their soft, cloud-like hair passionately, shaking their hands, stomping their feet, and dancing to hip-hop while showcasing their rap skills:
You are the back silhouette, I am the shadow
The shadow is the tail of the back silhouette
I am your tail
I will follow you wherever you go
Because I like you
Hold on — never let go
Like a shadow clinging to a back silhouette
Like a back silhouette and a shadow
Never far away
Because I love you
I am the shadow, you are the back silhouette
The shadow withstands the beast
Threatening assault
The back silhouette is willing because of the shadow
Sacrifice its life to protect
Give the shadow peace
The shadow is emotional before the back silhouette
The love between the back silhouette and the shadow is fervent and infatuated
Love in its sublimation
Fervent and infatuated love
Never to be forgotten in a lifetime
The cute and playful dance stimulates the excitement of the audience. Young people clap loudly in the big hall. The old goat herd only likes watching the girls. The old perverts enjoy watching the gliding legs gracefully showing off their figures like angels.
They are unhappy with the love song of the stink bug, but still join the crowd in admiring the girl band, who changes the rhythm — no longer stirring the stage or shaking the big hall. The hot, lively music gradually quiets down, replaced by sad lyrics:
Irony rules fate
Placement arrangements
Love stories are like dreams
The back silhouette is the hero
Saves people in distress
Lives and dies together
Love is born of gratitude and righteousness
Unforgettable for a lifetime
True affection, true love
A divided heart
This side is affection
That side is love
Adversity brings tragedy
Lament blames the Silk Old Man
Fate and love are wrongly tied
Resentment grows toward the Matchmaker Goddess
She ties the red thread randomly
Old Woman and Old Man go nuts
Intentional or accidental
Pushed into the maze
There is no escape
Darkness surrounds
The back silhouette and shadow are split
Love breaks
Each person stands alone
Pain torments
Bitter tears choke
Eyes cry blood
Obsession awakens
Dazed and bewildered
Back to reality
I don't see the back silhouette
Only myself
The lonely shadow
Mocking myself
Long-awaited
A beautiful love affair
Burning longing
Unrealized
I only dream
I wish for happiness
A lifetime together
Fate teases
Dream turns into nightmare
I am the shadow, you are the back silhouette
The back silhouette walks ahead, the shadow follows behind
The shadow always follows the back silhouette
The back silhouette cannot see the shadow
Like a dream, like a dream
A perfect dream
Turns into a nightmare
I still long
I dream of you at night
I hope you confess
Passionate love
A simple dream
Just an illusion
No matter the situation
Dreamy, dreaming
Reality is cruel
I can't listen yet
You speak to me
I am the shadow and you are the back silhouette
I am your tail
Like a shadow clinging to the back silhouette
Like the back silhouette and the shadow
By my side for life
JK always watches his loved ones, observing their every move in the prelude. He happily contemplates his offspring laughing softly. The interest in the cute lyrics slowly extinguishes in front of "shadow and the back silhouette"; the characters in the song lurk in the minds of those who have feelings.
The mind becomes confused again, the feelings grow infatuated again. The gently lyrical lyrics remind everyone of the gentle and warm words of "someone"; every sentence and every word echoes the past obsession with sin. Once again, the girls lower their heads in shame, their minds confused and emotions infatuated.
From the moment enemies have become family, JK has understood the heart-wrenching pain of his offspring, but as a father, he has not been able to feel the confiding of his relatives. Now, secret confiding has dimly loomed as if JK has been haunted, and that evil shadow has been the greatest sin in human life. JK has not wanted to accept that the mask of joy has been broken by the facts; he has repaired every piece of the broken pieces with the affectionate smile he has given to his offspring.
The phantom does not let go; it stretches the shocked expression madly. JK wants to control his emotions, but he is not strong enough to handle it thoroughly by himself. His upset forces him to summon the "partner". This time, he still has to listen to the sarcastic "partner":
"Oh, you accept seeking help from a phantom without shape? Exemplary father and grandfather?!"
JK remains silent and motionless, allowing his "partner" to do whatever he wants. His only friend smirks:
"Only ghosts can catch ghosts!"
The "partner" stops laughing, and the "old guy" turns his gentle gaze toward his dearest person. The bad mood is immediately locked in iron rationality. The "partner" proudly laughs to himself:
"You can't be being a model father and grandfather! Stop fantasizing, stop deceiving yourself, and be true to your human self!"
JK doesn't listen to the nonsense, and the old guy coldly pushes the phantom without shape into the darkness. His partner isn't angry and praises JK for his decisiveness:
"You're so cold and cruel to yourself, I'm not too tired!"
JK ignores everything. The old guy expresses his sympathy for the lovelorn song, gently clapping his hands instead of using words to praise the girl band. Crystal Princess bows to everyone and walks off the stage in turn to loud cheers.
Everyone congratulates the nation family at the same time, and the entire JK family is flooded with beautiful words expressing admiration. Father and children — grandfather and granddaughter — all shake hands with everyone kindly, thanking the "sincere" heart.
A bunch of vultures wait for the social to end; they immediately swarm in to start the interview. JK refuses to answer questions about Hanna and other off-topic things:
"Sorry, everyone has a private life. Respecting others is respecting yourself!"
The vultures are taught a lesson. They laugh it off and ask about JK's granddaughter's academic and sports achievements. The old guy proudly shows off his talented offspring to the world. The reporters turn to some easier topics to talk about. JK nods with satisfaction and then answers one by one.
One of the guests sees JK happy, and it seems that the media tycoon is in a good mood, so he enthusiastically asks about Hoang Kim's situation and shows particular concern for Luu Ly's health.
JK doesn't dare glance at Ngoc and her two daughters. The cold mood of the descendants extinguishes the smiles at the corners of their mouths. They are angry about the cursed reunion ceremony, but the mother and daughter still endure the humiliation and put on a calm mask.
The worldly people touch the pain of the descendants. JK suppresses his mad blood, silently curses the uncharming person who still thinks herself exquisite, and adjusts his slow voice to reply. Everyone is eager to see Liuli, so they use the excuse of wanting to see the angel:
"I hear that the little girl is very petite, pretty, and cute!"
"Can you let the world admire the little angel again?"
JK hesitates, fearing to hurt his children and grandchildren, and fearing he must witness the resentment and pain of his dearest person being torn apart by life. JK doesn't add salt to the wound, so he finds a clever excuse to refuse.
Mother and daughter stay silent about this decision. The victims always firmly believe in their hearts that the perpetrator is not sincere. He does his best just to glad-hand and alleviate his guilt.
For the first time, his heart is listening to emotions. JK smiles kindly, feeling his soul at ease. JK is enjoying the rare joy when suddenly Halo Illusia rings with a video call signal from Luu Ly's Halo number. A few days ago, the little girl wanted a Halo so that she could contact her grandfather and chat. Now JK blames himself for following his granddaughter's wishes.
The father and grandfather try to show sincerity. The devil accepts and listens to the call of his heart... but... fate still makes fun of him. JK tries to hold back the anger that is about to tear open the scar at the corner of tearful eyes.
The whole world happily pins excitement on the photo of Luu Ly on the Halo screen. Everyone's eyes are on every move of the nation family. JK swallows his hatred and silently curses the tricks of nature that force the grandfather to push his offspring to worldly people to be eaten. The old guy receives calls. The whole world eagerly welcomes the little angel, countless people ask JK to connect the signal to the screen hanging on the stage.
- We want to contemplate your granddaughter...
- Please let the world admire... the little angel...
Everyone's words make the hall lively. The angel's mother and sister no longer clearly understand what those crazy and frantic people are saying. The girls feel depressed that fate forces them to only hear JK's gentle laughter.
Anger burns red eye sockets, JK swallows back the painful tears, commiserates for the angel, feeling ashamed in front of his descendants. He gently closes his eyes, trying to calm down, and laughs softly at the person he holds dearest:
- Are you still coughing?
The simple question immediately eliminates all intentions of disturbance. Those who covet fame and fortune do not dare to suck fame, vultures do not even have the courage to cough a word. The little angel understands that her maternal grandfather does not want her to talk too much and lose strength. The little girl smiles brightly:
"I'm still very tired, but today is a happy day, I want to see the whole family smile!"
The mother and daughter lower their heads in sorrow. To strangers, they want to hide their tears. But in Hero's eyes, the sister and niece seem to be avoiding the truth that those insiders are unwilling to admit. The sharp-eyed person still vaguely has not realised what the truth is. JK – the great father – the exemplary father and grandfather figure in the world... is... revealing the truest feelings of a person who has always been a hypocrite.
The father is inattentive to how his children and grandchildren react or feel about the affection that the grandfather has for his granddaughter... is... real... or... fake as always. The media tycoon does not even care that the owls, crows, and animals disguised as humans are expressing sadness, sympathy, pity, and admiration to the point of worship for the nation family's affection.
The god of fame pays no attention to the people who express "human nature" deeply. The melancholy people and the people of morality sing the immortal refrain: feel the same for the pitiful fate, oh, praise JK's granddaughter – each one is petite and cute like a princess. Nhu Y wows, praises all the words:
- Oh, angels are real! Exceed max cute, baby!
JK contemplates his granddaughter silently. This time it is Hero's turn to avoid it and turn to his sister and niece. The son does not want to see his father hand over his affection to the granddaughter. The man who gives birth to offspring is afraid that the broken-winged angel will cause him to never see again the little girl who brings relief to his own soul... is... smiling brightly and waving to the dearest person as she is now.
Hero drinks a glass of the highest concentration of wine. He wants to burn off the bitter feeling in his throat and switches to observe Thanh Hang answering questions from all directions with a light smile. The world thinks that the forced smile is out of commiseration for the granddaughter. The grandmother is in so much pain that her heart and liver tighten, but she is forced to be happy to maintain the spirit of her offspring.
Under Hero's probing gaze, Thanh Hang is dealing with a dilemma that pushes her into confusion. She speaks to JK normally, her words are natural, and her voice is choked as if she is suppressed by resentment. The woman faces JK indifferently, always looking directly at him, but cold and nonchalant. The strange attitude also conceals hate — a not slight contempt that should not exist in the heart of the old love.
JK is not interested in the person he was once obsessed with. The old man just asks about her daily life and Hoang Kim's condition. After learning that Hoang Kim has not woken up yet, the old guy comforts her with a few words and immediately turns to laugh and play with Luu Ly. The little girl laughs crisply and suddenly frowns as she looks at her mother and sister, who are crying with deep red eyes:
- Mother and sister are crying again, today is a happy day, stop crying! - The little girl raises her eyebrows and finds something unusual - Hey, are you cold, mother and sister? Why are you all shivering like this?
The guests and reporters are all extremely sad; some sigh, some wipe their tears and sympathize. Nhu Y is sobbing, crying until her nose turns red, letting the tears fall naturally on her sad face.
Hero still observes what is happening, the curious man silently looking for answers to the puzzling things. He ignores JK and his father's old lover and turns to the first suspicious object. The skeptical guy focuses on watching Anh Dao put her hand on Ngoc's shoulder, gently patting the back of the Lan sisters. The adopted younger sister doesn't say anything; Ngoc and her daughter nod to her.
Hero glances at their way of thanking, he smiles slightly, raises his glasses and observes the mother and daughter chatting happily with Luu Ly. The younger brother no longer feels the bad feelings controlling his family's mind. He slightly raises his lips and watches the reporters and TV stations filming, photographing every smallest detail, every frame and beautiful image glittering in the global media.
The doctor comes to re-examine Luu Ly. JK closes the video call. Crow and owl are secretly happy about the trophies that are more precious than gold. The news hunters still mention Sam with regret:
"It's fun, but what a shame Sam didn't come!"
"Yeah, it would be perfect if he were here!"
JK immediately explains:
- He is busy with personal matters...
The screams of the fans outside echo in the big hall. Everyone frowns on behalf of JK, but the frown disappears as soon as they hear a familiar voice:
- Who says I wouldn't come!?
All turn to the main entrance. Guests clap to welcome Sam and his father. Cameras and video cameras compete to greet familiar faces, continuous flashes flash dazzlingly to capture delicious prey. Sam and his father appear in casual clothes. Huge wears military camouflage pants, a sleeveless leather jacket over a blue T-shirt.
Sam is still wearing the outfit that has become his personal brand, with the only difference being the color change—from yellow, red, and black to red, green, and yellow. He wears blue fingerless gloves and a red baseball cap.
JK pauses in front of the person who wants to break his face. The old guy's bright face goes out like a light in a power outage. After a few seconds, JK realizes that a new character has appeared in the family drama. The old guy looks at Sam from head to toe with round eyes and flat eyes. It is unbelievable that the young buffalo acts better than a movie star.
Sam happily hugs his sister and niece. The actors perform classic acting skills, from the eyes to the smile, with gentle and mellow emotions that melt the audience with the simple happiness of family affection.
The mother and her two daughter are more radiant than when they welcome Anh Dao. After an hour of living in the darkness of hell, the light comes to warm the cold soul. The mother and her two daughters pat their relatives on the back three times. Sam smiles sadly at the wise reminder not to act rashly; he calms them in the same way:
- Sorry, I'm late!
He doesn't congratulate but smirks at JK. The provocation disappears so quickly that no one notices except those in the know. JK secretly curses the young buffalo guy who dares to make fun of him.
It's crazy to the extreme when Huge and Ngoc and her two daughters shake hands. The big-bodied guy smiles kindly and amiably, which is exactly the standard father image the old guy has always longed for.
JK longs for the devil to be an exemplary father, deeply melancholy as he admits the illusory dream. The father of the young buffalo guy shows an expression that only exists in dreams to JK. The great father bitterly plays the role of the person who gives birth, but the feelings of the offspring are occupied by the rude father. The four-limbs-developed guy teases the biological father by hugging Ngoc's mother and daughters with his warm arms.
JK is so angry that his blood boils, and the scars on his eye sockets shake as if they want to tear his pupils apart. The old guy curses wildly in the heads of those who dare to provoke and ridicule him, while on the surface he again lets his only "partner" happily receive the guests:
- Oh, so precious, it is an honor for our family to have you and your son come!
The hypocritical face makes the eyes thorny, but the father and Sam still have to laugh at the classic welcome. This situation becomes humorous and makes everyone happy. JK takes the initiative to shake Huge's hand, and the two fathers exchange a few social words before JK turns to Sam.
One old and one young face each other. The old is always the sworn enemy of the young, and the young is a dog-bloody lunatic in the eyes of the old. The young wants to smash the old face where the relatives are tortured, and the old wants to immediately drive away the father and son of the young buffalo guy.
Both sides remain motionless, the hostile eye vortex goes directly into the enemy. The hostility happens in an instant, and the old and the young half-smile, hold hands and slightly yank, then immediately loosen, as if not letting go in time would spread infectious diseases.
Hero is chatting with a friend who has come from afar, and the skeptical man raises his glasses again. Real friend knows that habit is hard to break, he touches his chin and says aimlessly:
- It seems that something is... wrong, wrong?
Hero takes a sip of tea, sits cross-legged and watches the big family reunion, and asks indifferently:
- What's wrong, my friend?
Real friend shrugs:
- I don't know, outsiders can't understand!
Hero smiles and says half-jokingly and half-truthfully:
- It seems that I have to give up the habit everyone knows what it is, so as not to be misunderstood.
Real friend laughs, secretly irradiating his best friend's charming and beautiful older sister:
- Just pretend that I didn't say anything just now so as not to dent the relationship between brothers and friends!
Hero takes a piece of fragrant gato cake and slowly tastes the sweetness of family affection:
- Heh heh, am I such a narrow-minded person?
Real friend secretly slides his eyes up and down, illuminating hot measurements:
- Sometimes this is a good thing! This is life!
Hero raises his mouth and smiles to tease the guy friend who craves girls:
- Tsk, be polite, my friend! I'm not forcing you to face me when we're chatting, but at least don't look east, look west, right?
Real friend switches to irradiating two teenage nieces:
- Heh heh, you don't allow me to look east and west, so I switch to north and south.
Hero's face suddenly turns dark:
- Don't joke with me, you've gone too far!
Real friend shrinks back in fear:
- I'm very scared!
A pair of muddy friends chatter and laugh at each other repeatedly. Real friend is obsessed with watching the sister with a hot and fertile body:
- Admit that my friend's older sister is really beautiful, I wish I were you!
Hero hits real friend from behind:
- Hey, what kind of uneducated joke is this?
Real friend laughs until his body vibrates:
- Oh, I wish I had a sister to talk to, a beautiful sister like Ngoc is double happy, you are perverted and think people are sick freak!
Hero laughs dryly:
- Chatting while scanning from head to toe, calling others uneducated — that's instant sensitivity and guilty conscience!
Real friend still makes fun:
- From now on, I must call you the male man god of owl!
Two people playing a juggling game smile and talk, staring at the person they "care about", but everyone's mood is different. Real friend is still silently basking in the young mother's goods, and he also secretly glances at the two beautiful, tender, fresh daughters.
Hero stops joking with the lecherous guy. He continues to watch the drama until the good show is over. The handsome guy regains his image as a man god and comes to the family. Everyone talks about it, and the vultures jump in and asks all kinds of off-topic questions:
"Mr. Huge, does the doctor say when Hoang Kim will wake up?"
"Hanna Izumi is Hoang Kim's girlfriend, right?"
"Does she visit Hoang Kim often?"
"Mr. Huge, have you met Hanna? What kind of person is she?"
"Sir, how do you feel about the reunion ceremony?"
Father and Sam smack their lips. The father says he doesn't know when Hoang Kim will regain consciousness. He hands the delicate matter to the tiger-and-panther son guy to solve. To deal with these clinging leeches, a dog-blood guy is needed. The son glares at his father, and the guests giggle because the old man pretends to ignore it and doesn't see anything. Sam puts his hands in his pockets:
- When will you guy newspapers come out of the tent?
The whole group of vultures freezes with blank faces, and the sound of laughter echoes throughout the hall. Many people who know Sam's dirty character still secretly despise the young buffalo guy. Sam sneers at all of them and continues sarcastically:
- Oh, I forget, the vulture must leave the nest and bend out of the cave to be a standard lesson, right?
JK hates Sam, but he has to suppress the chuckle in his throat. The media tycoon is tired of his disciples. Suddenly, there is a stone tablet bulletproof, so he doesn't say anything, watching Sam slap the owl crow until his face swells, squeezing and breaking the beak of the vulture:
- What's wrong, are you all mute? Or eating corpses until your beak floods your throat, choking you motherfucker?
He walks up to the nearest reporter. The group backs away in startle. Sam shows his teeth and smiles:
- Look, I just want to be intimate. I don't eat meat. What are you afraid of? Did you pee or poop your pants?
The guests are drinking water and immediately spurt it out. Ngoc and her two daughters hide their smiles at the teasing gesture, and all their distress vents according to Sam's sarcastic tone:
- Hey, let me tell you this. - Sam puts his arm around the reporter's shoulders. The reporter shivers, listening as Sam says threateningly - Next time, lah, remember to avoid this guy, lah, this guy doesn't have time to talk about irrelevant things, lah.
In the first "lah" sentence, the dirty guy is stretching out his words. In the next lah sentence, the tiger-panther guy is speaking with a hoarse voice like a roaring demon. The vultures are afraid and sweating. They don't dare even open their teeth, let alone open the video camera or take a picture. Those who are greedy for fame and like to get media attention, but are annoyed by the vultures' disturbance, now enjoy watching a bunch of animals that eat human flesh and don't vomit bones being feather-plucked and slaughtered.
- Oh, right. - Sam slaps his forehead, suddenly remembering something important - Today is the reunion ceremony of the media tycoon. "Grandsons and great-grandsons" dare to offend? - He picks his nose and flicks it at the vulture's face - Aren't you guy afraid that the newsroom will be closed, huh?
The vulture stays silent and low, facing work. Huge scratches his nose, satisfied that his son doesn't disappoint him. The father and son have nothing to say and don't want to smell the stench in the unclean place, so they say goodbye to the family.
The mother and her two daughters smile and thank their relatives. The gentle smile puts down the psychological burden. The father and Sam feel relieved, letting the angel stay with the devil. As soon as the two come out, they are surrounded by fans, and people in the crowd take selfies and suddenly hear cheers:
- Oh, the fashion chairman's family comes to greet the national family!