Chapter 19 The White Dress

Boom!

The rumbling Harley motorcycle sped across Coney Island, heading towards the Brooklyn area to the north.

Lin Xian faced the night wind, clad in a black "gangster suit," a felt fedora on his head, sunglasses on his face, the long hem of his trench coat dancing wildly on both sides of the motorcycle.

This scene...

Was just like *The Terminator*, just like a Hollywood blockbuster.

After being bullied by so many "Terminators" so many times, Lin Xian had finally gotten his wish, becoming a "Terminator" himself.

Behind him...

Petite CC sat on the back seat, her hands braced on Lin Xian's shoulders, watching the scenery retreat rapidly around them.

Her slightly curly dark brown hair blew behind her head, revealing her full, fair forehead, and the fluffy ponytail tied together with a rubber band swayed left and right in the airflow, bouncing magically like a spring.

She never imagined...

That she would really go to Manhattan.

That the greatest dream of her life would be realized so quickly.

And all this gift of fate came from the mysterious and magical Dragon Country man in front of her.

She withdrew her gaze from the night.

Looking ahead.

Staring at that broad and sturdy back.

Her palm resting on his right shoulder slid down, touching Lin Xian's back through the delicate wool fabric.

Although the cold wave had arrived, although the night wind was icy, at this moment, her palm seemed to feel the warmth emanating from Lin Xian's body... seeping into her heart.

She lowered her head.

Wedged between the two of them was a small silver suitcase filled with US dollars.

The suitcase wasn't big, only about the size of two books.

But it was packed with money, bundles upon bundles of green hundred-dollar bills.

Hundreds of thousands of US dollars...

CC couldn't even imagine what such a huge sum of money meant.

She raised her head again.

"Huh?"

She blinked her eyes, leaned forward, and shouted in Lin Xian's ear:

"Lin Xian! I think you're going the wrong way!"

The motorcycle was very fast, and the engine was very loud, so she had to shout loudly for Lin Xian to hear:

"It doesn't seem like this is the way to Manhattan. We should go left."

Lin Xian turned his head and shouted loudly:

"Before going to Manhattan, shouldn't we prepare properly? After all, it's the realization of the greatest dream of your life, so there should be some sense of ritual, not just casually."

He smiled slightly:

"Didn't you tell me at the pier outside the church that people in Manhattan wouldn't wear clothes like ours, that the men are all in suits and the women are all glamorous?"

"So before we go to Manhattan this time, we have to dress up properly. After all, we're rich now, and our temperament has to keep up."

"My level of attire should be enough now. Although I don't know the brand of these clothes and hat, it should be considered a luxury brand style, and I like it very much."

"But you're still wearing the same old wanderer's outfit. I want to buy you a set of clothes first, and then drive glamorously across the Brooklyn Bridge and into Manhattan."

"Didn't you always want a light, lacy, fluffy and beautiful white dress? We're going to the commercial street in the rich area now, to—"

"[Buy you the most beautiful white dress in Brooklyn!]"

...

CC listened to Lin Xian's words, holding her breath.

"You, you even remember such small things."

She said in a low voice, incredulously:

"How... how do you remember every word I say so clearly..."

"Huh?"

Amidst the roar of the engine and the howling of the night wind, Lin Xian turned his head and shouted:

"What did you say just now? It's too windy, I can't hear you!"

CC shook her head:

"No, I didn't say anything."

She closed her eyes.

She wrapped her cotton coat around herself, hugged Lin Xian's waist, and pressed her face against Lin Xian's back, blocking the cold wind:

"I just said... it's too cold, is it going to snow?"

...

Entering the commercial area, Lin Xian slowed down and looked around at the roadside shops.

But...

"Why are they all closed?"

Lin Xian looked at the roadside shops, almost all of them with their lights off and doors closed, not understanding:

"At this time, it shouldn't be so early to close, right? Isn't the evening the golden time to sell things?"

"Brooklyn is very chaotic."

CC leaned out from behind. After slowing down, she no longer needed to hug Lin Xian to support her body:

"Even in the rich area, robberies happen from time to time, so these shops close very early."

Lin Xian drove the motorcycle down a few streets.

All the large and small clothing stores were closed, and he couldn't find a single one open.

This was a bit awkward.

Although he could break the glass of the shop windows, go in for self-service shopping, and simply throw more money to compensate the owner.

But it was hard to say whether this would cause unnecessary trouble.

Because of his reverse forced evasion, he was indeed invincible and immortal.

But if he really attracted the police, or "enthusiastic people" used their hands and feet to subdue him, and then hand him over to the police... things would still be difficult.

A foreign country wasn't a dream, it was better to avoid trouble.

In addition...

CC was a very simple and kind girl.

She even stopped him from stealing a newspaper from the little black kid, such a girl with a sense of justice and morality...

Could she accept that the white dress she wore was stolen?

Lin Xian shook his head.

Regardless of whether CC could accept it or not.

From his own point of view, he also wanted to buy CC a white dress in a dignified, upright, and legitimate way.

So that she wouldn't have any psychological burden,

So that this white dress wouldn't be contaminated in any way,

So that she could become a truly glamorous little princess.

"Found it!"

Seeing a shop in the distance with lights on in the window, with several white dresses on display, Lin Xian was relieved:

"That shop in front hasn't closed yet, let's go take a look."

CC nodded.

She also saw the glass window of the shop from afar.

Although she couldn't see it very clearly, the plastic models inside were indeed wearing glittering, fluffy, and beautiful white dresses:

"How beautiful."

She exclaimed sincerely:

"What gorgeous dresses."

Lin Xian twisted the accelerator, and the motorcycle accelerated towards the light in the distance.

Soon.

The Harley motorcycle stopped in front of the clothing store.

Lin Xian turned his head, looked at the window, and then looked up at the storefront, and was immediately dumbfounded:

"A wed, wedding dress? This is a wedding dress shop!"

He was a little puzzled just now...

Why would this clothing store specifically put white dresses in the window? Putting one was fine, but putting all white dresses was a bit illogical.

He didn't expect...

That this was actually a wedding dress shop!

Of course, there were all white dresses in a wedding dress shop... no, white wedding dresses.

"This..."

Lin Xian scratched his head:

"This is a bit awkward. Strictly speaking, are wedding dresses considered white dresses?"

"What do you think, CC? Do you think this white... huh? Where's the person?"

He wanted to turn around and ask CC's opinion.

If CC didn't think so, he would accelerate and leave, and look for other clothing stores.

But he didn't expect it!

Turning his head, CC was gone!

"CC?"

He turned his head again.

Only then did he realize... that petite and ragged figure had already jumped off the back seat of the motorcycle impatiently, and was now sticking to the window glass, admiring the wedding dresses inside with rapt attention.

"Heh."

Lin Xian couldn't help but smile.

Alright.

No need to ask, the answer was clear.

It seemed that in CC's eyes, there wasn't much difference between wedding dresses and white dresses in essence, or... she preferred the exaggerated and glittering styles of wedding dresses even more.

White, fluffy, lacy, shiny.

The shape of the wedding dress satisfied all of CC's fantasies about gorgeous white dresses.

He reached out and twisted the motorcycle key to the left.

Stalling the engine and parking.

Then he walked behind CC:

"Do you like it?"

"Yes!"

CC was dazzled and concise.

"Then let's go inside and choose."

Saying that, Lin Xian walked towards the main door next to him.

But suddenly—

Pa.

A light switch sounded.

The lights inside the shop and in the windows all went out. A male and female staff member pushed open the door and walked out, preparing to lock it.

The female clerk saw Lin Xian in black at the door, stunned slightly, and then bowed and said:

"I'm sorry sir, our business hours are over for today, please come again tomorrow."

Lin Xian smiled slightly:

"We're in a hurry, let's work overtime."

"Overtime is impossible!"

The man behind the female clerk snorted coldly:

"The union finally won us the right to protect our working hours, how could we actively work overtime to destroy it?"

"Please come again tomorrow, overtime is impossible, not even for a second!"

Lin Xian took out a stack of hundred-dollar bills from his trench coat pocket, divided it into two stacks, and patted them into the hands of the two clerks:

"Perhaps... tonight can be an exception?"

Pa!

The male waiter used world-class agility, turned around and slapped on all the light switches with a snap!

The entire store, including the windows, was instantly brightly lit.

He opened the door wide,

Bowed 90 degrees,

Reached out inside,

His voice loud:

"Welcome, distinguished sir! Please come inside! Please be patient in choosing and trying them on! Until you are satisfied!"

The female clerk also belatedly realized what was happening.

Her eyes widened and she bowed along:

"Wel! Welcome!"

Lin Xian walked to the window and took CC's hand:

"Let's go, let's try them on slowly inside. There must be more styles inside, choose the one you like best."

...

Clothes make the man.

Taking off the wanderer's outfit, with the enthusiastic and excited cooperation of the female clerk, CC changed into one white wedding dress after another.

The female clerk praised every one of them:

"Oh, miss, your figure is so good, every one of them fits so well, you are simply a natural clothes hanger."

Lin Xian sat in the VIP chair, watching CC change clothes one by one.

The male clerk stood behind Lin Xian, pouring tea and water, and the words of praise never stopped:

"This lady is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen! Without exception!"

"Sir, you are also the most handsome, coolest, and most gentlemanly man I have ever seen!"

"Are you two getting married? Or... are you going to take pictures? You two look so good and have such great figures, you really look like models!"

Lin Xian took the teacup.

Smiling without saying a word.

Although he threw away thousands of dollars in tips, the emotional value was indeed full. CC's cheeks were blushing slightly from the praise she had never heard in her life, and she was a little embarrassed.

"Is it pretty?"

She blinked her expectant eyes and looked up at Lin Xian.

She didn't really care what the two clerks said, she wanted to know how Lin Xian would evaluate her.

"It's pretty good."

Lin Xian nodded and said:

"However, we can also try more exquisite styles."

Not knowing if it was because of the 1952 era factor, Lin Xian always felt that these wedding dress styles were a bit old-fashioned. If he was really asked if he was satisfied, he was actually a little dissatisfied, and hoped to be more exquisite.

[Danger!][Danger!]

The words "danger" suddenly appeared on the heads of the male and female clerks; their expressions were tense, as if they were facing a formidable enemy. They clearly heard that this young gangster boss was not very satisfied!

"Si, sir! Don't worry, we have a lot of wedding dress styles in our shop. These are just some popular styles... That's right, you see, we are still too inexperienced. This lady has such an outstanding figure and appearance, how can she try popular styles? I'll arrange it right away!"

The female clerk also nodded like a chicken pecking at rice:

"It's my fault, it's my fault, I forgot to put makeup on the lady! Although the lady is naturally beautiful, when matching a wedding dress, there still needs to be some makeup and headdress matching."

"Miss, please come with me, I'll cleanse your face and put on some makeup."

After a while of tossing.

When CC shyly walked out of the fitting room again, she had already changed into the most exquisite white wedding dress, her hair was styled, and her already fair and pretty face was even more radiant under the decoration of cosmetics, like an elf who had strayed into the mortal world.

"Is it... is it pretty?"

CC, who was wearing makeup for the first time in her life, was very unconfident, and cautiously asked Lin Xian.

Lin Xian silently looked at the girl in front of him.

That was Chu Anqing, who used to wear a sky-blue evening dress and danced the waltz with him at the Donghai Chamber of Commerce New Year's Eve banquet...

The same style, the same cuteness, just missing the confidence and composure that belonged to the little princess of Donghai.

"It's pretty."

Lin Xian said truthfully:

"Very beautiful."

CC instantly beamed with joy, her eyes smiling into two crescent moons, and the small dimples on the corners of her mouth were looming:

"Then this is it! I also like this set very much!"

The male and female clerks both breathed a sigh of relief:

"Sir, we'll pack this wedding dress right away."

"No, there's no need to pack it."

Lin Xian stood up from the VIP chair.

He picked up the black top hat on the coffee table next to him and put it on his head:

"Just wear it like this, CC, let's go."

Boom!

The violently roaring Harley motorcycle sped across Brooklyn Avenue, exceeding 100 miles per hour.

In front was Lin Xian in black; behind him, hugging him and sticking to his back, was CC in a long-tailed white wedding dress.

The fluttering white skirt danced and jumped in the night, like the tail of a comet, carrying hope and dreams, heading towards the dream city, the center of the world, New York Manhattan.

It was clearly night, but CC felt that Manhattan in front of her was as bright as daylight, with radiant light.

She raised her head from Lin Xian's back.

Looking at the Brooklyn Bridge in front of her, overlooking Manhattan, which was close at hand.

Close.

So close.

On the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge was Manhattan with its towering buildings.

This wall.

This chasm separating Brooklyn and Manhattan.

She was finally going to cross it!

The Brooklyn Bridge...

It really was just a bridge!

"CC! Are you ready!"

Lin Xian gripped the accelerator and smiled back:

"Brooklyn Bridge, we're going to rush up! After crossing the bridge... is Manhattan!"

"Yeah!"

CC pursed her lips.

Thousands of emotions涌出 in her heart, but all were speechless, turning into crystals in her eyes and dissipating in the last sea breeze of Brooklyn.

She straightened her body.

Clenching her teeth.

Her palms supported Lin Xian's shoulders.

She stood up directly from the back seat of the motorcycle!

She looked at the approaching lights and neon lights in front of her.

Recalling the beauty of the orphanage,

Recalling the wandering on the streets of Brooklyn,

Recalling the overlooking view from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade,

Recalling the bedding in the hotel,

Recalling the aroma when she took her first bite of the hot dog,

Recalling the highest point of the Ferris wheel, overlooking this city that seemed impossible to leave in her life—

"Charge!!"

CC shouted at the empty bridge and the sea:

"Brooklyn!!!"

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!

Lin Xian twisted the motorcycle accelerator to the end.

The roaring Harley motorcycle soared into the sky at the junction of the Brooklyn Bridge!

After a brief flight, it crashed on the steel bridge deck and rushed towards the center of the world with irresistible force.

This century-old steel bridge, with tens of thousands of huge steel cables suspended above the water, could no longer stop the dreams of this 19-year-old girl!

The antenna on top of the Empire State Building was like a beacon, welcoming the arrival of the King of Brooklyn!

Drip...

Drip...

Drip...

The motorcycle drove to the middle of the bridge at extreme speed.

Lin Xian felt water droplets falling on his neck.

They were warm water droplets.

Sliding down his collar, across his chest.

He slowed down.

Looking back.

He found CC, who was standing behind him holding his shoulders... her face was covered in tears, her makeup was ruined.

Even though she was biting her lip.

But her eyes, reflecting the bright night view of Manhattan, were already full of tears.

"I... I'm fine."

CC wiped her eyes:

"I'm not crying."

She shook her head:

"I'm really not crying."

She took a deep breath and showed Lin Xian a sincere and happy smile:

"These are tears of joy!"

CC lowered her head:

"Lin Xian, I believe you now, you really have magic."

Lin Xian operated the motorcycle and smiled slightly:

"Driving a motorcycle doesn't seem to require any magic. The Brooklyn Bridge has been here for 100 years, and I didn't conjure it up."

CC lowered her body and sat down on the back seat of the motorcycle.

Then she hugged Lin Xian's waist again, her face that had just been covered in tears pressed against Lin Xian's broad back and the black wool coat, warm and comfortable:

"But for me, this is magic, the most beautiful and incredible thing in the world."

She closed her eyes and said softly:

"[Meeting you... is the luckiest thing in my life.]"