Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1234: One Thousand Two Hundred Seventeen: You've Been Deceived

Chapter 1234: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Seventeen: You’ve Been Deceived

Eileen was driving, Rafael was sitting in the front passenger seat, while Gao Yang and Yelena sat in the back.

For some reason, the atmosphere in the car felt odd. Rafael was sitting very upright — he should have been chatting and laughing with Eileen — but somehow, he wouldn’t even dare to glance in her direction.

Yelena, on the other hand, was enthusiastically speaking to Eileen about something. Gao Yang, sitting right next to Yelena, was unusually silent.

After chatting with Yelena for a while, Eileen suddenly laughed and said, “Skunk, Boss, what’s wrong with you two? Why are you so quiet?”

Judging by appearances alone, Gao Yang and Rafael should have been the ones sitting in the backseat.

Rafael shrugged slightly, stammered a couple of noises, and then spread his hands, saying, “This car is nice. Did you recently buy it?”

“Buddy, it’s obvious this is an old car. It’s my mom’s car.”

“Oh, oh, I see. Well, it’s a nice car.”

Rafael stammered again and then fell silent, not daring to even glance at Eileen.

Gao Yang still didn’t know what to say, so he decided to say nothing at all, peacefully gazing out at the scenery instead.

Originally, they had been inseparable comrades, comrades who faced life and death together — but now, this good buddy had suddenly turned into a beauty. The contrast was simply too jarring. Neither Gao Yang nor Rafael could fully accept it.

The crux of the issue wasn’t whether Eileen was a beauty or not; it was the fact that she had reverted to being a woman that made it so difficult to digest.

Gao Yang didn’t know what to say, but Eileen wasn’t planning to let him off the hook. Seeing him remain silent, she chuckled and said, “Boss, you still haven’t commented on my new look. How’s my hair? I’m planning to grow it out, like this style.”

Yelena had golden hair, and Eileen’s wig was also golden, but there was a difference between them: Yelena’s hair was deep gold in color, whereas Eileen’s was lighter, almost pale white gold.

Rafael stole a quick glance at Eileen and muttered under his breath, “It’s too eye-catching; you’d become a sniper’s target. You should replace it with a darker wig.”

Eileen rolled her eyes at Rafael and said, “This *is* my real hair. I meant growing it out, not wearing a wig! Idiot!”

Rafael let out a breath of relief and then laughed, “When you talk like this, I feel much more comfortable. Please, don’t be so refined, okay?”

Surprisingly, Eileen didn’t scold Rafael. Instead, she turned her head, glanced at Gao Yang, and smiled. “Boss, what do you think? Do you think my current look would shock them?”

Gao Yang responded instinctively, “Um, it looks great. This look is really good.”

Eileen didn’t say anything further and made a turn before parking the car outside a two-story building on the street.

“We’re here. Everyone, get out. Welcome to my home.”

After getting out of the car, Gao Yang suddenly smacked his forehead and muttered, “Damn it! Forgot to buy a gift!”

Eileen’s transformation had been so overwhelming that both Gao Yang and Rafael had forgotten to bring gifts.

Eileen chuckled, opened the trunk, and pointed to it. “What a coincidence! Jansen sent me two boxes of alcohol. I picked them up yesterday but was about to go out, so I left them in the car. I’d intended to use them to treat you, but now they’ll serve as gifts instead.”

The Germans are famous for their beer, but the alcohol Eileen had in the car was whiskey. Using hard liquor as a gift seemed somewhat inappropriate, but they couldn’t be bothered about propriety in the moment. Gao Yang and Rafael each grabbed a bottle, and Eileen shut the trunk and rang the doorbell.

The door quickly opened, and a middle-aged woman who resembled Eileen opened it. Upon seeing Gao Yang and the others, she smiled and spoke in German, “Do come in. Welcome.”

Eileen’s mother looked strikingly youthful, appearing to be around forty years old. She was well-maintained, stylishly dressed, carrying an elegant aura of sophistication.

After entering the house, Eileen’s mother smiled warmly and said, “Dear, aren’t you going to introduce your friends to me?”

Eileen stood beside her mother, smiling as she said, “Mom, these are my friends. This is Gao Yang, and that’s Yelena, Gao’s girlfriend. And this is Rafael.”

Gao Yang handed over the whiskey and spoke in German, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Alberg.”

Yes, by now Gao Yang could also speak German — well, basic conversational German. Actually, whatever languages Satan’s members spoke, he could more or less speak too.

In terms of languages, Gao Yang was considered gifted. Whether he could be called a prodigy was debatable, as European languages were essentially equivalent to Huaxia dialects in comparison. If fluency in multiple dialects classified someone as a linguistic genius, then perhaps he qualified.

German was relatively more challenging to learn. However, after mastering one language, learning another alongside Eileen was manageable for basic conversation. Reading complex texts, however, was a struggle.

Rafael couldn’t speak German. During their time in prison, he had spent his free hours watching films. As such, when greeting Eileen’s mother, he opted for English instead.

Using English, Eileen’s mother immediately switched to it as well, and her English was impeccable.

Gao Yang and the others initially seemed a bit reserved, but after exchanging greetings with Eileen’s mother, she smiled and said, “Eileen, why don’t you entertain your friends for a while? I need to return to the kitchen to finish preparing lunch. Make yourselves at home; please don’t be shy.”

Eileen led Gao Yang and the others to the living room, and only after her mother left did the atmosphere finally liven up a little.

The living room wasn’t very large, and one wall was adorned with a multitude of photos. Many depicted Eileen as a child, and there were also family portraits of Eileen with her parents.

Naturally, Gao Yang and the others’ attention was drawn to Eileen’s father. Her father was always in uniform, and his expression remained stern — even when smiling, he exuded an air of authority.

The photos cataloged her father’s military career, showcasing his rank evolution from major to major general. Gao Yang soon noticed a detail: there were no recent photos on the wall. The latest family portrait showed Eileen at around seventeen or eighteen years old, and her father’s highest rank at that time was major general. Now, however, he had reached the rank of lieutenant general.

“Eileen, will your father be coming home?”

Rafael’s question was something Gao Yang was also curious about. Eileen shook her head and replied quietly, “No, he won’t come home. He mainly works in Berlin now, while my mom has a job in Dortmund. That’s why my mom and I have lived here in Dortmund all this time. Nowadays, it’s mostly just my mom at home. She only goes to Berlin on weekends or whenever she has the time.”

Rafael noticeably let out a breath of relief. If he had to dine with a lieutenant general — someone who was a significant figure in Germany and even NATO — the thought was undoubtedly a bit intimidating.

The mood remained somewhat tense. Eileen’s transformation left Gao Yang and Rafael struggling to interact with her as they usually would, which naturally led to some awkwardness.

After a while, Eileen stood up and said to the group, “Wait here for a moment. I’m going to check on my mom in the kitchen and give her a hand.”

Once Eileen left, Rafael visibly relaxed, letting out a long breath. Then, he leaned toward Gao Yang and whispered, “Boss, why has Eileen suddenly started behaving like this? Makeup is one thing, but now she’s even cooking?”

Gao Yang shook his head, signaling that he wasn’t the right person to answer such a question. However, Yelena leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Do you think Eileen likes women? It doesn’t seem that way to me.”

Gao Yang immediately replied with righteous indignation, “How can you judge something like that just by appearances?”

Yelena pondered for a moment, then shook her head again and quietly said, “Maybe, but my gut tells me Eileen doesn’t quite fit the image of someone who likes women. You’ve definitely been misled by her former appearance. You’ve been deceived.”

Gao Yang could only remain silent, nodding lightly in response.

About ten minutes later, Eileen returned and smiled at the three of them. “Alright, it’s time for lunch. It’s just a simple family meal; I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

They moved to the dining room, where Eileen’s mom had already set the dishes on the table. After some polite exchanges, the five of them took their seats around the long dining table.

Eileen’s mom sat at one end, with Gao Yang and Yelena occupying one side and Eileen and Rafael sitting opposite them.

Germans might be the second-biggest pork lovers in the world after the Huaxia people. Eileen’s mom had prepared a braised pork knuckle as the main course, along with a roasted chicken, several varieties of sausages, and some vegetable and fruit salads. Though it was a simple home-cooked meal, the flavor was excellent.

Gao Yang particularly enjoyed pork knuckle, and it had been ages since he’d last eaten it. Eileen’s mom had remarkable culinary skills; the fatty meat wasn’t greasy, and the lean meat wasn’t dry — the taste was delightful. However, the Western practice of individual servings made Gao Yang feel a little disconnected. Eating the knuckle without the proper method felt like it lost some of its essence.

Eileen’s mom seemed to have formed a misunderstanding. She clearly took an interest in Rafael.

Gao Yang had brought his girlfriend along, so he couldn’t possibly be seen as Eileen’s romantic partner. Rafael, however, had come alone, which left room for speculation. Furthermore, Rafael and Eileen were notably close, so their interactions naturally didn’t appear distant.

Rafael was seated further away from the pork knuckle, so Eileen naturally helped him by placing a piece on his plate. Between comrades, such an act was entirely normal, but Eileen’s mom interpreted it differently.

It was Eileen’s first time bringing friends home, and since they seemed so close, it was hard not to misinterpret the situation.

Eileen’s mom looked at Rafael in much the same way Natalia looked at Gao Yang, and finally, she couldn’t hold back anymore. Smiling warmly, she asked, “Rafael, are you Italian?”

Rafael looked up at Eileen’s mom and replied in a deep voice, “Yes, a Sicilian.”

Eileen’s mom was about to say something, but at that moment, the doorbell rang. She immediately stood up with a smile and said, “Please keep eating; I’ll go get the door.” (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian.com to cast recommendation votes or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)