Watchmen - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Watchmen Chapter 18

The sound of the rain hitting the window intensified . The rain gradually got heavier, as if something was influencing it .

A dark cloud covered the sky, and a gale was starting . At this time in the evening, the sky had darkened .

In Gu Shi Tong's office, the light was dim, but neither of them had any intention of turning on the light .

After a moment of silence, it was Jiu Jie who broke the silence .

"I know why you don't call Uncle Gu your 'dad' .  It's because you hate him, right? You blamed him for your mother's death, for watching her die, right"

Gu Shi Chen anxiously bit her lip, staying silent . But her eyes were as sharp as a sword though .

Jiu Jie continued to speak, "This is your trauma that you've always kept in your heart . You want to forget it, but instead, it's been thrown to a corner of your memories, while you pray that time would make it disappear . Reality is not so kind though .

Gu Shi Tong snorted coldly . "What do you know? The situation was completely different from what you saw . That little girl was definitely not me, nor is the man Old Gu . "

"I know," Jiu Jie said, "What happened in reality may not be what happened in Dreamland just now . The brain has a processing mechanism, so the appearance of things in dreamland is disguised . No matter what though, your Father once watched your Mother die, isn't that right?"
Gu Shi Chen's silence was telling .

"Also," Jiu Jie continued, "You also kept hating your Father because of that incident . Even though you wanted to forget it and get along with your Father, every time you two meet, you'll inevitably think of your deceased Mother . The pain in your heart has made you incapable of this revenge-filled Father-Daughter relationship . This problem has made you be in lots of pain…"

"Enough!" Gu Shi Chen said firmly . "Stop talking! I don't want to listen!"

Gu Shi Chen's pretty face was distorted in anger, her hair in disarray, and her face as white as paper .

Jiu Jie couldn't bear it, so he slowed his speech and said gently, "Actually, this case has a lot of holes . If I was an outsider who heard this, I would also feel that something was weird . Maybe there's motive, or Uncle Gu was unable to say it out loud due to some secret trouble?"

"Motive? Secret trouble? What kind of trouble would make a husband watch his own wife die?" Gu Shi Chen questioned .
"I don't know, but this part is what I need to clarify . " Jiu Jie said .

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"Clarify? How are you going to clarify it?"

"It'll be through dreamland of course . " Jiu Jie said, "Dreamland is the door to your thoughts . Through it, you can find out things you haven't thought about before . "

"Hey, please don't misunderstand me . Don't forget my identity . Even if you have successfully entered my unconscious just now, do you think I would let the same situation happen twice?"

"Since it had already happened once, why won't it happen a second time?" Jiu Jie retorted .

"Because our talk today will end here . Please excuse yourself . "

Gu Shi Chen finished speaking, obviously trying to get rid of her guest .

Jiu Jie remained unmoving on the sofa though . He knowingly asked, "So, you're chasing me out then?"

Gu Shi Chen had already walked to the door . She turned around and said, "You can take it that way . I already said our talk will end here . You can leave . "

"If I just leave like this, aren't you afraid that Zhen Dou Bi would cause trouble for me?"

"I underestimated you before . If Zhen Dou Bi really tries to cause trouble for you, it's still uncertain who would be causing trouble for whom . "

"Then, what about our bet?"

"Just count it as a tie . No one has to lose, which is good" Gu Shi Chen said .

Jiu Jie took his time standing up, it was obvious he was trying to delay leaving .

He slowly walked to the door, and said to Gu Shi Chen, "You really don't want to continue investigating? Maybe you'll find out what you've never seen before . "

"I refuse," Gu Shi Chen said bluntly . "Even though you're stronger than the people Old Gu have brought before,  you can only amount to this . Our talk is over . There won't be another chance for such a long talk again in the future . "
"You're really obstinate . " Jiu Jie shook his head and said .
"That's enough . I still have an appointment with a patient at night . I'm not sending you . "

After saying that, she went to open the door .

"The seven pm appointment, right? I advise you to cancel that, just like you did with the three pm appointment . "

"Why?"

“Because what we're talking about isn't over . " Jiu Jie said firmly .

“The stubborn one is you . I'll say this for the last time, our talk is over . " Saying so, Gu Shi Chen opened the door, and stepped to the side while waving him forward with a 'please' gesture .

Jiu Jie stood there, unmoving . He looked past the door and said to Gu Shi Chen, "I feel like you need to come out the door with me and see . "

“I've seen the lobby on the first floor countless times . There's nothing to see . "
"Are you sure?"

Finished speaking, Jiu Jie moved his body, giving up his position at the door .

Gu Shi Chen was very curious . She tilted her head to look outside and suffered a shock .

The original lobby on the first floor had vanished . There was only an awe inspiring white light outside . The light was shining fiercely, but it didn't blind the eyes, which let people feel a sense of warmth .

Gu Shi Chen turned around and realized that the rain had stopped . The room was pitch-black like ink, as if someone had pulled a thick layer of dark secrets over the room . She almost couldn't feel any bit of light .  

She quickly felt against the wall, using her memory to guide her to the light switch so she can turn on the light . The light switches all malfunctioned . No matter what she did, the lights would not turn on . 　

A sense of dread was starting to rise within her in the pitch-blackness . Her heart felt like an invisible hand was slowly tightening around it .

At this time, a calm voice was heard . "Miss Gu, the room is too dark . It's better if you come over to my side . "

It was Jiu Jie . He stood just outside the door . The overflowing white light was the only source of light in the dark room .

Gu Shi Chen wanted to go over, but she didn't know why, her heart was resisting .

Jiu Jie looked around, but he could not see anything in the darkness . He held out a hand into the dark, while gently saying, "There's only darkness there . The door has light outside . Come over here and grab my hand, i'll bring you out of this place . "



Everywhere around Gu Shi Chen was darkness . Indescribable dread and despair stretched her mental state taut . Faced with only a feeble source of light and a man with his hand held out, she couldn't resist .

In the face of dread, the man who seemed friendly became her only way out . The resistance in her heart was gone . She involuntarily shifted her feet, and slowly got closer to the light .

That strand of light in the darkness was like a lighthouse in a boundless ocean, like it was directing lost ships back on course .

Gu Shi Chen leaned on the wall, carefully getting closer . Every step brought her a bit closer, and the light seemed to flourish a bit more .  

In the end, she managed to reach the door . She slowly held up her hand, and grasped Jiu Jie's tightly .

Jiu Jie stood at the door . Because of the bright light, he couldn't completely see what was happening in the darkness . At that time, he suddenly felt a soft texture in his outstretched hand . A soft hand lightly grasped his, just like at the time on the foggy road .

“You're back . " Jiu Jie said .

From the darkness, Gu Shi Chen did not reply, but Jiu Jie could feel that her hand was trembling slightly .

“Let's go . I'll bring you out . "

Jiu Jie said this and dragged Gu Shi Chen, wanting to go past the door .

“Wait," Gu Shi Chen said . Her voice was clear and cold, just like the monsoon (cold rain?) season .

“What is it?" Jiu Jie asked .

“We're still in a dream, right?"

Jiu Jie nodded his head and said, "That's right, we're still in the dream . Do you still remember the last scene in your dream?"



“I remember . You pushed me into the pond . " Gu Shi Chen said .

“That's right . You fell into the pond . You thought you woke up, but you just went past a layer of dreamland . "

“I don't want to continue . Let me wake up, please . " Gu Shi Chen quietly implored .

Jiu Jie was thrown for a loop . He almost couldn't believe his ears . From his impression, Gu Shi Chen had always been a proud and spoiled girl who was aware of her femininity . Brimming with talent, and full of confidence, the image of a pitiful young lady was completely opposite to her .  

Today though, she had put down her pride and pleaded with him, making Jiu Jie feel a sense of surrealism .

Everyone had different faces for different situations . Very little people would be able to see past the mask to the person underneath .

Faced with the soft voice of a beauty, Jiu Jie felt moved, but he hardened his heart and shook his head, while saying, "No, I will let you wake up, but not now . At the most, we need to go past this door . "

“Why?"

“Because this door is a boundary . One side is light, the other is darkness . One side rebirth, and one side annihilation . When we conclude this situation, do you wish to be left in a nightmare or a sweet dream? Would you want to wake up in darkness or be relieved in the light?"

Gu Shi Chen was silent . She seemed like she made up her mind, and slowly moved her body until she stood shoulder to shoulder with Jiu Jie at the door . The light outside of the door shone on her pretty face, making Gu Shi Chen's cool and elegant look rise a few points .

“Jiu Jie, you're a very interesting person . At times, you speak as if you are unsophisticated, but others times, like a poet . "

Jiu Jie laughed bitterly . "I do know an amusing B poet . Ever since I met him, I cannot think of poets in any positive manner . That's enough, let's not speak anymore nonsense, let's go . "

Gu Shi Chen lightly nodded .

After that, the two of them held hands, and walked through the door into the whiteness .