After Crossing Over to the Republic of China, I've Become a Heartthrob Chapter 43D

Jacob

---

I was lying on the hospital bed, looking at the snow-white ceiling, when I turned my head and saw someone lying on the next bed.

It was none other than Jacob.

It turned out that everything I experienced was not a dream, not a fantasy.

The plot of the story is very cliche.

On my first day of school as an English teacher, I was hit by a car in front of my alma mater, A City Foreign Language School, due to a thunderstorm.

The person who hit me was none other than Jacob.

The original Jacob has gone to the Republic of China, and the current Jacob is the Jacob I know from the Republic of China.

The Jacob here is the British Ambassador for China, a member of the Duke of York's family, and a quarter Chinese.

He was particularly excited about coming to the modern world with me.

Every night he would energetically drag me to pubs, escape rooms, script killings, midnight discos, band events and concerts of all kinds.

I said, "Dear Ambassador Jacob, can you consider my profession a little bit? I am an honourable teacher, I have to go to school every morning to teach and lead the morning reading, and I have to give lessons to the students, so if I follow you around all night every night, I'm going to die a sudden death."

Jacob said, "Why don't you quit?"

I said, "Why don't you quit? My dad will break my legs."

Jacob said solemnly, "Your English is good, why don't you come to the embassy and work as an interpreter?"

I refused: "Isn't it still a nine-to-five job? There's no summer or winter holidays."

"That's right, so why don't you quit your job, I'll make you my knight, and we'll go to England."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Why can't you ever trust me?" Jacob's blue eyes rippled: "My father was a direct descendant of the Duke of York in the House of Windsor, and I inherited the title of nobility."

"Is a title of nobility still relevant in 2023?" 

"Of course, I inherited a castle and some estates."

"Is the castle in such a state of disrepair that it costs $999,999,999 a year to maintain? Are the manor houses just wasteland next to the castle?"

"You just don't believe me!" Jacob was aggravated: "When will you have your summer holiday? I'll show you then, and you'll know."

"There's a final exam before the summer holidays. Will you help me with my homework, papers and lessons?" I thought it would be a waste not to take advantage of a ready-made native English speaker: "You'll help me with my morning reading tomorrow."

Jacob: ? No, thanks.

"In exchange, I'll go to the pub with you tonight."

"Deal!"

While at the pub, I discovered that Jacob, although he seemed very unpredictable, was extremely talented as a musician, songwriter, and screenwriter.

His impromptu improvisation with the resident band won him a standing ovation.

Like a golden peacock, he attracted the attention of a room full of people who were interested in him or admiring him.

Under the spotlight, he approached me and said, "What I am on stage is what others see in me, but what I am off stage is the real me. Xiao Yao Yao, true freedom is to be free without complaint, and true love is to be devoted to one person."

I teased him, "I didn't realise your Chinese was so good, you've become a philosopher."

Jacob handed me a bottle of wine: "It's you who taught me this."

Later, I went to England with him.

I saw the castles and manor houses that he always talked about.

Although the castle is not as colourful and magnificent as Disney's animation, it is by no means the dilapidated cultural relic site in my imagination.

It is a gothic style historical building, standing in a small town, not far from the sea, surrounded by lush forests. Not far away was his estate, there is a world-famous winery in the best part of the world for grapes.

When Jacob took me to the town, the locals greeted him warmly, and every time they saw me, they would kindly gossip: "Mr. Viscount, is this your friend from the East?"

Jacob would always say, "Yes, but we are more than friends."

Then they all smiled a deep smile: "Great, the town welcomes you."

At night, with the sea breeze blowing and the deep sky.

Suddenly, I had the illusion of being isolated from the world, and suddenly I realised what Jacob had once told me, that feeling of total freedom.

Here, I had no identity, no responsibility, no obligation, nothing I had to do.

I could spend my time with complete impunity, and I felt that life was so pure and beautiful. 

I used to think that Jacob was out of his depth, ridiculous and incomprehensible.

Instead, I now felt that I had been so restricted and bound by so many things that I had lost sight of my true self.

I said to Jacob, "I feel like I've experienced your state of mind."

Jacob asked, "What kind of state of mind?"

"Unchained."

"That's what I've taught you, but, I must say, what you've taught me is more important."

"What have I taught you?"

"Principles of the heart." 

Total freedom doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, doing something while not doing anything is true freedom.

Indulgence without principle will only slide into the endless abyss of desire, and will inevitably be swallowed up in the end.

The stars were shining brightly, and we were facing each other in tranquillity.

Jacob suddenly asked me, "What kind of love do you like best?"

"Honest, hot, unreserved."

"What kind of sex do you like best?"

I had just taken a sip of ice water and almost sprayed him in the face: "Excuse me?"

Jacob switched to English: "I mean, what kind of sex would you prefer?" 

"It's an inappropriate topic, Sir Jacob."

"Would you like the feeling of open air?"

"No, thanks." I politely declined, put down my glass of water, and was about to walk back.

Jacob said to me, "It's fun, want to try it?"

"No."

"It's quiet here. There's no one else."

"It's not about being quiet!"

"Please, just this once." Jacob looked at me pitifully, "I promise you'll enjoy it, and, if you agree, I'll help you with morning reading when we get back."

I was tempted.

It did seem kinda exciting?

———

To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears,

But we by a love so much refined,

That our selves know not what it is,

Inter-assured of the mind,

Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

And makes me end where I begun.

(A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, John Donne)

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: July 15, 2023