A Mercenary's War Chapter 104: Warrior Race's Love

Chapter 104: Warrior Race’s Love

Translated by: kevin1782

Edited by: Isalee

After making up his mind and finished his list, Gao Yang wanted to use the computer to send it to Ulyanko's inbox. However, he felt a headache creep up when he thought about having to approach Elena to use the computer.

Although he could call Ulyanko and read the list, Ulyanko was rushing across the battlefields in Libya. Gao Yang's list was also complicated and it had many items. Also, if a mistake was made on the clothes and boots' numbers and stuff like that, it would be very troublesome. Those things were going to be used on the battlefield. Gao Yang thought that it was better to be conscientious about the whole process.

With no other choice, Gao Yang still bit the bullet and found Elena.

Elena stayed in the piano room during the day most of the time. Gao Yang took the list and walked before the piano room. He didn't know why, but today was quiet, unlike the usual pianissimo and fortissimo that emanated back and forth. Gao Yang felt puzzled, but he didn't think much of it. He still gently knocked on the door.

"I'm not in a good mood, please let me have some tranquility, Mother."

After saying "Oh" unconsciously and about to turn away, hurried footsteps came from the piano room. The door opened and just as Gao Yang quickened his steps to get out of the area, he heard Elena say softly, "Stand right there.”

Gao Yang stopped and turned around to wave gently to Elena. After he waved, he said, "Hey, uh, I didn't want to bother you, but I..."

“Come in.”

Seeing Elena's plaintive expression as she spoke by the piano room door, he felt that it would be safer to not go in. He immediately said awkwardly, “Uh, I just wanted to borrow your computer, uh, uhm…”

“Come in.”

Seeing her unfriendly and and I-would-cry-if-you-don’t-comply facial expression, Gao Yang still went into the piano room with his head lowered.

When he was passing by Elena, Gao Yang could smell the body fragrance from this maiden. He did not know why, but it caused his heart to flutter with anxiety.

When Gao Yang entered the piano room, Elena closed the door with her back facing the door and even locked it along the way. She then told Gao Yang, who was really uneasy, “You've never entered this room before. Hare and Jin both came to this room before to hear me play, but you never did.”

Gao Yang wiped the nonexistent perspiration on his forehead and said softly, “Uh, I'm not very familiar with music, uh, uh…”

“Apart from saying that, do you know what else to say?”

Gao Yang wisely shut his mouth and Elena sighed again, “You've never listened my performance, so I want you to listen. Now, sit down and hear me play. Don't refuse, I beg of you.”

Gao Yang obediently sat down before the piano, but after sitting he felt that something was not right. If he sat on the bench before the piano, then where would Elena sit if she was going to play the piano?

Just as Gao Yang was about to get up and make space, Elena pressed on his shoulders and gestured him to not move. She turned around and took a small violin from the stand at the side. She did not sit beside him like he had imagined.

Gao Yang exclaimed in astonishment when Elena mounted the violin on her neck, “Eh? You also know how to play the violin? I thought your main forte lies in the piano. Ah, sorry, you may begin.”

Gao Yang really wanted to slap himself twice in the mouth right after he said that. Unsurprisingly, Elena sighed and put the violin back onto the stand again. She bitterly chuckled to herself and said softly, “Seems like I don't really exist in your heart, anybody would know that my main instrument is violin. Okay, since you like piano more, then I'll just play the piano.”

Looking at the anguished expression on her face, Gao Yang decided that he could no longer wait. Some words were best clear while the iron was still piping hot. But before he could express anything, Elena whispered, “I only want to play one song for you and you can't even fulfill my request? Sit down properly, don't move, don't say anything, please.”

Elena snuggled beside Gao Yang and placed her delicate fingers onto the piano keys. She suddenly pressed down with ferocity.

The sound from the piano seemingly very cheerful at first. But with Gao Yang's current dearth of musical awareness, he very soon realized that it was the “Pathetique Sonata Third Movement”[2], endless melancholy hid behind the seemingly joyful and nimble tempo.

Elena played piano calmly, but the way she played was very messy. Gao Yang saw tear droplets falling from Elena's face, but he could only listen quietly, seemingly immersed in the wonderful music. But only God knew how chaotic his inner mind was right now.

After messiness at the beginning, Elena was unable to adjust back. After playing for a while, Elena suddenly heavily and violently slammed down on the keyboard. The song shifted abruptly from the sad third movement to something also from Beethoven: Fate Symphony[3].

With music to express her inner feelings, when Elena started playing 'Fate', there was no longer melancholy or despondence from the piano. What could be heard was an unrelenting resolution instead;  Gao Yang listened to it with only astonishment. Other than that, there were also heartthrobs that only grew in intensity.

After playing 'Fate', Elena plopped herself on the piano and began to weep silently. Gao Yang extended his hand and wanted to pat her a few times on her back, but his hand still did not land at the end. He just sighed lightly.

Soon, Elena sat up straight again. After wiping the tears on her face, she did not look at Gao Yang. She just looked ahead and said, “I heard my father say already. Your girlfriend will very soon come to South Africa."

What should come still came. He said solemnly, "Yes."

Elena nodded and said, "At first, I thought you were lying to me. Later I realized that what you said might be true, especially when my father said that your girlfriend is coming really soon. I was thinking maybe I could try to finish her after she came to South Africa. But I know that you would be mad with grief, so this is only a crazy idea. Can't really kill your girlfriend. I was thinking about giving up before playing the piano and offering my blessings to you and your girl. But I've changed my mind now: giving up proactively is not my style. Whether you accept or not, I will fight till the end with your girlfriend. Doesn't matter if I become the victor or if I have to fight for the rest of my life. In a nutshell, I will never give up!"

To say that Gao Yang was not touched would be a lie. He was on the verge of tears. He was confessed to by a girl just like that in front of him — even if his heart was made of stone it still had to melt. But Gao Yang still decided to reject her; some words had to be said sooner or later. It was definitely better to say them earlier.

"Sorry, Elena. I know you are very sad. I don't know what to say, but I still have to say that it's really unlikely that there’ll be anything between us.

"Why?"

Gao Yang said with much difficulty, "You are only sixteen. I am twenty-six years old already.”

Elena smiled a little and said, "This isn't a problem. It never is."

"Well, I admit that age is not really a big problem, but your father is my best friend. He is a brother that went through life and death with me. I can't woo my brother's daughter. In the Chinese culture, it is not befitting for a man to do this."

Elena still looked calmly, "You're an adolescent. I am also one. At least, according to the Russian law, sixteen is already of legal age. Therefore, my father's attitude is not the problem, and I think that he will respect my choice and give us our blessings. As for the Chinese cultural concept, I am not included. I am a Russian."

Gao Yang smiled bitterly, "Why must it be me? In fact, we just met each other, right? I don't understand, there are many fine gentlemen in this world, and you could have chosen the best one for you."

Elena finally turned her face around and stared at Gao Yang who was right in front of her with tearful eyes. She slowly said, “Why do you ask me for the reasons? Well, I'll tell you: when my life with mother became desperate, I could only drop out of school and make a living on my own to earn money to feed me and my mother. When no one was willing to help me and they just wanted to get into bed with me, you appeared. You came with a lot of money. Did you know that? At that time, you were just an angel in my eyes."

Gao Yang smiled bitterly, "That's your father's money."

Elena shook her head and said, “Money is very important, but more importantly, when I was facing death, you stood out again. You are like Prince Charming in the fairy tales, you rescued me and my mom with your knights. I think that not a single girl would be willing to relinquish an angel or a prince. At least I can't."

Gao Yang spread his hands helplessly and said, "You see, that's the problem. You're just thanking me. That's not love. It's really silly to sacrifice your mind and body to repay the kindness. Sure, I will enjoy the gratitude you're offering me here, but you don't have to marry me. Well, it's a little too early to talk about marrying me. It's not a must-have reason for you to be my girlfriend."

“我爱你(wo ai ni)! I LOVE YOU! Ятебялюблю![1]"

After saying 'I love you' in Chinese, English and Russian, Elena smiled a little and whispered, “I said it! Though it was very abrupt, I hope I didn’t scare you. But now you understand, I’m not just very grateful, I love you! I am very sure of this, Jin really got me. I need a sense of security. In fact, you are in many places in my mind even more important than my dad. When I was very young, my father left me. When I saw him again, I got everything I wanted from you, including the security I need and the love I'm looking for. That's why I insist on becoming your girlfriend. Of course, if you're willing to marry me, I'd be very happy to do so."

Gao Yang stayed silent for a long time. He almost surrendered, but he eventually sighed after a long time. "Well, I don't really want to say it, but I still have to. You are destined to become a musician. Your future is endlessly bright, but what about me? I'm a murderer in China and I can never go back. I can only live in the shadows all my life like Skidrow. Also, I'm a mercenary. I don't even know when I will be killed. If I were your father, I would never let my daughter date a mercenary."

"Do you hate me?"

"No."

"Do you like me?"

Gao Yang hesitated for a long time. At last he nodded his head and said, “In fact, yes. Uh, a little...”

"Then that's good already. The problem is solved. I don't care who you are. I don't care about what you do too. If you don't die and are willing to marry me, I will marry you. If you die, I may stay single my whole life while thinking about you. I’ll put a fresh flower in front of your gravestone on your anniversary, or I may find someone I like and forget about you. Although this possibility definitely equals zero, no matter what the outcome is, you're dead anyway. Of course everything is up to me. You can't control me from there, right? So why should you worry about the future?"

Looking at Gao Yang's stunned expression, Elena smiled and said, "Well, let’s not discuss this issue anymore. Anyway, I decided to win you over from your girlfriend. This is my business. You cannot stop me. Rest assured, I will not sabotage you and Kathleen through despicable means. This is a war between women, and I will win fair and square."

Gao Yang once again fell into silence. His brain was in a mess. He had been wondering if he should just agree to Elena straightaway. But thinking of Grolev and Natalia, as well as Kathleen who was about to come to South Africa, it caused him to become more conflicted and he felt like he  was stuck in a great dilemma.

The piano room seemed to be very quiet for a moment. Right at this very moment, Gao Yang suddenly heard Natalia shouting outside the door, "My daughter, I support you! You will emerge victorious for sure!"

Gao Yang was stupefied, but he heard Jin's voice also.

"Little sister, Kathleen isn't Bro Yang's sister at all. He just wanted to woo her. Last until the end and win! Little sister, I can only help you until here as your brother. Everything else depends on you now."

Standing up panically, he heard Tribo also yelling outside the door, "Bro Yang, you should just submit! I'm anxious for you even, my brother. You think Old Ruski doesn't know this? My foot! He knows better than anyone else, if he didn’t tell on you, how would little Ruski know that Kathleen is coming? Now that Old Ruski had gone out to hide, don't you know what he means by that? Must I make it crystal clear? How awkward would Old Ruski be then?"

Elena also stood up, and after making a V-sign towards Gao Yang, she said with a large grin, "Seems that everyone is on my side, but fortunately, I don't want to force you to do anything, so you still have nothing to worry about."

After saying all that, Elena was domineering and lordly as ever. She held Gao Yang's face in both hands, pushed her tempting lips forward, and gave Gao Yang a wet kiss that almost suffocated him. 

After Elena's lips left Gao Yang, she stretched out her hand and covered Gao Yang's mouth. She said softly, "Say nothing, at least for now."

When Elena let go of her hand, she walked up to the door. She turned back to Gao Yang to blow a kiss before opening the door.

Seeing the three people outside the room listening at each corner, Elena made a triumphant and victorious gesture. She then pulled Natalia and whispered to her mother in Russian all the way to her bedroom. Tribo's inspired and reverent expression and Jin hinting at Gao Yang with his eyes were the only things left near the room.

Finally, after sighing, Tribo broke the silence and said loudly, “Now I understand what you two meant. The warrior race is indeed the warrior race. Their love is just as rigorous as war. It's so cool even when they are pursuing their man. Admiration from head-to-toe and inside out man. But why can't I meet such a girl?"

Translator’s note:

Ятебялюблю means “I love you” in Russian… seems like the author lives in Harbin or something, 我爱你 is the Mandarin version of ‘I love you’. Self explanatory.Sonata: https://youtu.be/vfIxEmFscoM Fate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rghJEWAUqoE 

Chapter end