"There's a snake in the water. It's been here for who knows how long, perhaps since the time of the Native Americans. Who knows, I don't, my parents didn't, and even my grandfather..."
"Enough with your nonsense, it's just a snake?" Jason shook his head. "How do you know about this snake? Has anyone seen it?"
"Yes, someone has. A local Native American saw it. But he was so terrified when he came back. He just said... there was a snake. God knows what kind. But we never dare to disturb this lake. We would even throw our enemies into the lake." Elizabeth's voice grew lower and lower. "At least that's what I think. Since it is that terrifying, let the people I hate be scared. It's the best revenge on them."
"So, you killed Briel?" Jason didn't show any signs of dissatisfaction. Truth be told, Briel's life or death was of no concern to him. Since Briel had killed Lisa, even if Elizabeth had not acted, Jason would have. He practiced the virtue of pure Yang's wine, wealth, and resentment, which naturally required quick revenge.
"Yes, I threw him in." Elizabeth pursed her lips and then said, "He deserved to die, so I killed him. That's what happened."
Jason nodded, said nothing, drank a few sips of tea, and casually picked up a book next to him. Elizabeth didn't dare to move. She couldn't guess Jason's thoughts. He was far too terrifying. So, she sat stiffly, picked up the teacup, and sipped it bit by bit.
Time seemed to pass quickly, and she was beginning to get impatient and wanted to leave. Yet, she didn't dare to do so easily for fear of angering this Chinese man, who seemed disagreeable but exerted tremendous pressure on her.
Suddenly, the ringing of a music bell sounded, and Elizabeth immediately took her phone out of her pocket. Seeing no expression on Jason's face, she carefully pressed the answer button.
"Hey, it's me, Lisa!" A soft voice came from the other side.
"Lisa? Okay, I'm listening." Elizabeth said, seeing Jason still engrossed in the book. It was a book in Chinese. She didn't understand Chinese and had no idea what it was about.
"Elizabeth, what should I do now?" Lisa, on the other end, had no idea her good friend was with Jason. She just wanted to vent to her, completely oblivious to Elizabeth's caution while watching Jason's face. "I told my dad. I told Joseph about my situation."
"What did you say? Lisa, I don't quite get it..." Elizabeth was a bit confused. Lisa's words seemed nonsensical.
Lisa seemed to be adjusting her emotions. After a few seconds, she slowly said: "I told Joseph about the person I like... No, listen, it's not that bastard Briel. How could I possibly like him? He was just a shield, that's all... Right, I wouldn't let him touch me, never!"
Elizabeth was taken aback. Lisa had never told her anything like this, but with Jason by her side, she couldn't show too much interest. She could only ask, "So... who is the person you like?"
"Huan, the person I like is Huan. You know him, Jason. I've liked him since I was six years old. God, for the past decade, I've tried to avoid showing him my feelings. I wanted to wait until I was older to tell him, but... as you know, I had to tell him now."
"Oh my God!" Elizabeth couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice and took a glance at Jason sitting next to her. He was still calmly reading his book.
"Yeah, I am surprised too. Why would I feel this way? But… it's so strange. I fell in love with a man, a friend of my father's. I barely know anything about him... I've been telling myself that I hate him, that I shouldn't like him, but things aren't that simple..."
Lisa rambled on, making Elizabeth nervous. She glanced at Jason, his lack of reaction was baffling. Perhaps he didn't hear her talking to Lisa, or discussing something?
But... this was strange. How could Lisa possibly like a man like this? He was peculiar with weird quirks. She certainly wouldn't be interested in a man like that. Moreover, her parents had told her that he's been young forever, never aging... for all these years.
"Listen, Lisa, I don't know what to say about this. Let's talk about it when we have more time. I know you're excited now and want to talk, but... now is not a good time. Maybe later when I'm free!" After saying that, Elizabeth carefully looked at Jason.
After a few more words, Elizabeth hung up the phone, sat silently again, but every now and then, her eyes would involuntarily glance at Jason.
"You can leave... I never asked you to sit here. You are free. Don't think too much. We are not enemies, but... for now, we are not friends either." Jason looked at Elizabeth's uneasy state, put down his book, sighed and said, "Tell Lisa, not everything necessarily has a result. Let her give up!"
Elizabeth was stunned. Suddenly, she wondered if Jason had heard her entire conversation. She was relieved that she hadn't spoken ill of him. But his words also annoyed her. What did he mean by 'I am free'? Wasn't she careful because of the pressure he put on her?
She quickly got up, left without daring to glance back at Jason. Not until she had stepped out, gotten into her car, and driven far away from the cabin, did she curse, "Shit, that damn bastard, one day..." But she couldn't finish her harsh words and closed her mouth bitterly. After a while, she took out her phone.
The call connected, and Lisa's voice came through, "Hey, Elizabeth, where are you?" "Meet me outside your house. We're going somewhere. God, I need to vent!" Elizabeth couldn't help but complain, "Wait for me, I'll be there in ten minutes." Without another word, she ended the call and sped off, soon disappearing down the highway.
The journey was bathed in bright sunshine, but Elizabeth's mood was anything but sunny.
She pulled up outside Joseph's house, where Lisa was already waiting. Seeing the car pull up, Lisa made her way over, opened the door, and climbed into the passenger seat. "Start the car. I'm going crazy, I need to talk to you. I don't know what to do about all this..."
Before she could finish, the car lurched forward, startling Lisa. She looked at Elizabeth and asked, "Why are you so upset?"
"You'll find out soon enough. God, I can't believe we're both stressing about the same guy," Elizabeth replied, speeding down the highway.
Lisa was taken aback by this revelation. "Wait, did I hear you right? We're both upset over the same guy? Oh my God, don't tell me you're saying you've fallen for Jason too?"
"Shut up, Lisa. How could I possibly fall for that weirdo? It's fine if you like him, but not everyone shares your... peculiar taste. I don't like guys with weird tempers. Now, can you let me drive in peace?" Elizabeth huffed, ending the conversation.
Lisa fell silent, but she had a million questions and thoughts racing through her mind.
As the car sped along the highway, sprawling grasslands and forests could be seen in the background. Suddenly, at the top of a hill, Elizabeth jerked the steering wheel, and the car veered off the highway, speeding through a grassy area, the sudden acceleration sending clumps of grass flying into the air.
"Stop, damn it, we're going to drive off the edge!" Lisa cried out in terror. Ahead was a steep cliff, and a plunge from there would land them in a lake below, a fall they wouldn't survive.
The powerful sports car stirred up the dirt, charging towards the cliff like a wild beast, but miraculously came to a halt at the very edge. Lisa lurched forward, then back, finally managing to steady herself. She turned to Elizabeth, glaring at her, "Are you trying to kill me? Or yourself? I get it now. You said we're both stressed about the same guy. You must have fallen for him too. Are you trying to kill me over him?"
"Shut up, Lisa, I would never... No, I would never hurt you. But I can't help it. Yes, our stress comes from the same guy, but it's not the same emotion. Honestly, the guy you're in love with brings me nothing but fear and pressure... and that's about it."
Having said this, Elizabeth got out of the car, climbed onto the roof, and spread her arms, standing against the wind.
Lisa followed suit, getting out of the car and climbing onto the roof. However, she didn't spread her arms; she just looked into the distance. She didn't ask any more questions, trusting that Elizabeth would explain everything.
That damned man, what the hell was going on?