Chapter 220 The Priest and Meeting Charlotte Again
Su Xiaoqiang has complicated feelings towards Lu Mingfei.

She definitely liked him, there was no doubt about that. However, due to her relationship with her good friend Liu Miaomiao, she had kept her distance from Lu Mingfei after he and Liu Miaomiao confirmed their relationship.

The confession in the rain was a complete accident. It was all because of Lu Mingfei's trick and sneak attack! He suddenly came back to cover her with a coat to protect her from the rain... That's why she couldn't suppress her inner feelings.

After she made that confession, she went straight to Portugal to hide. She wanted to relax during her stay in Portugal. But for some reason, Lu Mingfei followed her here again. When she asked him why he came to Portugal, he just gave an excuse.

Su Xiaoqiang was furious. He didn't want to have too much involvement with Lu Mingfei, but his cousins ​​seemed to have misunderstood something and tried to create space for the two of them to be alone. They made them sit together during meals and asked Su Xiaoqiang to be Lu Mingfei's tour guide.

Although Su Xiaoqiang shook his head desperately and said in his heart that no, no, he didn't want to go out with this guy, his body was very honest.

She didn't even know why, but whenever Lu Mingfei stood beside her, she would feel an inexplicable sense of comfort and joy, as well as a sense of security. This feeling was inescapable and could not be escaped. In her memory, the last time she experienced this reassuring feeling seemed to be a long, long time ago.

Especially when two people walked side by side and their arms accidentally touched each other, Su Xiaoqiang's heart would flutter and he would be eager to do something.

I obviously don't want to have too much involvement with this guy...

Su Xiaoqiang bit her red lips and suddenly felt that she was so nervous in reality, just like a little girl walking home from school with the boy she had a crush on. There was no trace of the aura of a little goddess.

Crossing the cobblestone road of Via della Tagus, the Church of Santa Maria de Mavila, built in the Middle Ages, suddenly appears before your eyes.

The Church of Santa María de Mavila consists of three blue brick naves. The towering bell tower and dome are clearly influenced by the expansion of Romanesque architectural style in the early 12th century, while the tower next to it is in Mudejar style.

The reason why there are so many architectural styles mixed in the same church is that this church was once damaged and destroyed in the war. Only the bell tower part was originally built, and the other halls were rebuilt by later generations on the basis of the original site.

The sunlight shines on the blue brick church, making its surface look like it is flowing with an ancient color between yellow and gray.

Lu Mingfei had been to many places like churches. There was a church built inside Kassel College for Christians to worship. Every time someone left, pigeons would fly out of the church. However, this was the first time Lu Mingfei had seen such a magnificent church.

Su Xiaoqiang walked forward and nodded to the pastor who was standing in front of the door holding a Bible in his hand. The pastor responded with a smile. After the two talked for a few words in Portuguese, the pastor turned around and led the two into the church.

The door opened and closed, and the sound of footsteps echoed in the church. Exquisite marble columns supported the intricately patterned dome, and the windows on both sides were colorful mosaic glass windows. The priest walked in front and led them through the front hall where holy water was poured.

"Father Bernardo is receiving guests in the reception room. You can come with me to the catechism room and wait for a while."

The pastor seemed to realize that Lu Mingfei didn't understand Portuguese, so he changed his tone and spoke in English.

"No need to be so troublesome, we can just sit in the middle hall for a while." Su Xiaoqiang smiled. It can be seen that even she would inevitably seem a little restrained in such a place where gods are worshipped.

"Okay." The priest nodded. "The nave is closer to the reception room, so you can stay in the nave for a while. I'll go and inform Father Bernardo of your presence."

The nave is actually the most common place of worship in movies and TV shows, with benches lined up at both ends. As expected of the huge size of this church, there are quite a lot of people in the nave.

The two found a seat side by side in the nave and sat down. However, not long after they sat down, the priest who had left in a hurry came back in a hurry and said that the priest had finished meeting with the guests and asked Lu Mingfei and the others to follow him.

After passing through the central hall, the two soon arrived at the reception room. At this moment, an old man walked out of the reception room.

Seeing Su Xiaoqiang, the old man immediately smiled and said something. After all, he had learned some Portuguese daily expressions, so Lu Mingfei understood what the old man said. He said "Long time no see".

This must be Father Bernardo...

Lu Mingfei looked at the old man quietly. He was wearing a white robe with a silver cross printed on his chest. His hair and beard were already gray. Judging from his appearance alone, the priest seemed to be over 80 years old.

However, in contrast to the priest's aging appearance, his face was rosy and energetic, with a faint softness in his deep wrinkles, as if he never lacked vitality. His bright and satisfied smile seemed to have a warm light blooming that could heal a person's body and mind.

Just by looking at his appearance, Lu Mingfei felt that Father Bernardo must have a high status in the local area. In a Japanese RPG game, this priest would be an important NPC who specializes in teaching the protagonist advanced magic or giving the protagonist top-quality equipment.

However, these NPCs that seem to be so awesome in the background story usually get killed by the plot...

Su Xiaoqiang bowed his head and greeted the priest, and Lu Mingfei immediately bowed his head as well. But just as he looked up, he saw a man walking out of the reception room door behind the priest.

Although her cheeks still had some baby fat and her eyebrows and eyes were a little immature, the movement of leaning on the cane was filled with a dignified and majestic temperament. It was just that this mixture of immaturity and maturity gave rise to a contrasting cuteness.

Even Su Xiaoqiang couldn't help but take a few more glances at this cute doll-like girl, especially her chubby face that made people want to rub it, which made Su Xiaoqiang suddenly feel like a Barbie doll was given life.

Of course, if a otaku like Finkel were to describe it, it might be "the life-size figure of the cute lolita has been resurrected."

Lu Mingfei was also attracted by this "Lolita figure" girl, and she obviously noticed the gaze from Lu Mingfei. When she looked at Lu Mingfei from a distance, her emerald eyes suddenly froze.

This life-size Lolita is, of course, the mysterious mixed-race girl Charlotte whom Lu Mingfei met on the plane. Lu Mingfei never expected that he would run into Charlotte again, and it had only been a few days since they broke up on the train.

Could it be that Charlotte was the guest that Father Bernardo had received before?
However, after seeing Charlotte, he immediately remembered that he and Charlotte seemed to have broken up in Santarém.

But isn't this just a coincidence? Is Santarém really that small?

Lu Mingfei blinked, and Charlotte also blinked in a daze. The two seemed to be silently asking each other through the air: "Why are you here?"

Su Xiaoqiang was not a fool. After seeing Lu Mingfei and Charlotte blinking like crazy, he immediately figured out what was going on. He suddenly felt depressed and poked Lu Mingfei with his elbow: "Do you know her?"

After being poked by the little goddess, Lu Mingfei immediately came back to his senses, and Charlotte also immediately retracted her gaze.

Looking at the curious and puzzled little goddess beside him, Lu Mingfei didn't know whether he should answer that he knew her or that he didn't. After thinking for a while, he nodded and whispered in her ear, "I guess I know her." As for the process of getting to know her, it was of course more complicated. Since the little goddess didn't ask in detail, Lu Mingfei didn't take the initiative to say it.

The little angel puffed her lips, thinking in her heart that if she knew him, she knew him, and if she didn't know him, she didn't know him. What kind of answer was that? However, in front of the beautiful girl and the priest, she couldn't say this directly. After hesitating for a while, she thought that she would question this guy after returning.

He flirts with women everywhere. I don't know where he gets such good luck with women...!
"Thank you for your help, Father Bernardo." Charlotte spun lightly and bowed to Father Bernardo. "It seems that you have guests to receive. Then I will leave now and will not bother you any more."

Lu Mingfei understood this sentence because Charlotte said it in English and Lu Mingfei knew that Charlotte didn't speak Portuguese either.

"It's nothing, Miss Gottingen. You're always welcome in the parish." Father Bernardo nodded and said with a smile.

Miss Gottingen?
When Lu Mingfei heard this name, he suddenly had a strange feeling. He felt as if he had heard this surname somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where.

It feels like you clearly feel that you remember something very important, but you just can't remember it no matter how hard you rack your brains. And as long as you can't remember it, you will be anxious and scratch your head all the time.

Of course Lu Mingfei remembered that Charlotte's full name was Charlotte Gottingen, which was the name he saw on Charlotte's passport. After the attack on the train and the crisis was resolved, the group of people who followed the train to do the cleaning work, the young lady who led it, seemed to call Charlotte Miss Gottingen.

But Lu Mingfei was vaguely certain that the first time he knew this surname was definitely not on Charlotte's passport.

But before he could remember, Charlotte had already walked past Lu Mingfei with her cane, taking light and precise steps, leaving only a faint fragrance in her ears. The tapping sound of the cane and Charlotte's footsteps formed a rhythmic rhythm that was so stable that it was boring.

Lu Mingfei looked at Charlotte's departing back and couldn't help but wonder in his heart. He didn't know where such a young and lovely girl learned such a mature and steady feeling.

Su Xiaoqiang watched Lu Mingfei staring at Charlotte's back as she left, and the depressed feeling in his heart became even more sour. He thought to himself that he must write down Lu Mingfei's seven sins in a small notebook when he returns, and then report them to his good friend Liu Miaomiao!

It was not until Charlotte's figure passed through the nave and disappeared into the front hall that Father Bernardo nodded to Su Xiaoqiang, glanced at Lu Mingfei, and said in English, just like he had just talked to Charlotte, "Come with me to the reception room."

As he spoke, he led Lu Mingfei and the others into the reception room nearby.

The priest closed the door outside. Father Bernardo sat at the longest end of the table. Lu Mingfei followed Su Xiaoqiang and sat down a little closer to the priest.

"You should be Chinese, right? What is your name?" the priest asked Lu Mingfei.

"Lu, Ming, Fei." Lu Mingfei spelled it out in English.

"Mr. Lu, nice to meet you."

The priest smiled, then turned around and said to Su Xiaoqiang:

"Ms. Rosella, are you here to see me for the anniversary of your mother, Miss Gronia's death?"

"Yes."

Su Xiaoqiang nodded. He was not surprised that the priest knew the reason why he came here.

The Valentine family and Father Bernardo seemed to have a close relationship. The funeral of her mother, Gronia, was presided over by Father Bernardo in front of her. After that, every year on the anniversary of her death, her uncle Luis would invite Father Bernardo to host the funeral. She would also meet this respected priest every year.

However, compared with the previous two years, this priest, whose age was unknown, was visibly getting older, and time had left deeper and deeper marks on his face.

Although Father Bernardo's eyes were still as clear and bright as ever.

"Thank you for taking the trouble to come here. I have of course kept this important date in mind. I have already sent someone to prepare everything needed for the ceremony."

Bernardo smiled and said, "Although I will still preside over your mother's memorial ceremony this year, next year, these matters may be handled by my apprentice Eric - ah, you should have seen him, right? He is the pastor who brought you in just now."

Su Xiaoqiang quickly shook his head, "No, Father Bernardo, you are still in good health."

"You don't have to comfort me, Miss Rosella. I know my body well. Lately, I've been feeling more and more that I'm getting older."

Father Bernardo sighed, "You don't have to worry about this kind of thing. I've actually lived long enough. In fact, I'm your grandfather. I witnessed the birth of your mother, Miss Gronia, and baptized her with holy water myself. Then I witnessed your birth, and later I saw Miss Gronia buried with my own eyes. Time flies. To be honest, I don't even know how many funerals I've presided over."

It seemed that once death was touched upon, the topic would immediately become heavy. Even Lu Mingfei, who was good at talking nonsense, didn't know what to say to break the silence that almost froze the air.

Father Bernardo paused for a moment, then his drooping eyes immediately opened up again, and a smile returned to his face: "Look, I'm sorry to bring up this topic again. Come to think of it, did you come to Santarem just to remind me of this?"

"Yes." Su Xiaoqiang nodded respectfully.

"Then I have received it." Bernardo said, "The St. Martin Festival is coming soon. The streets are getting more and more lively, and more and more people are coming to the church to worship. It's a rare trip, so why not take your boyfriend for a walk in Santarém?"

"Boyfriend?"

Su Xiaoqiang was stunned for a moment. After realizing what Father Bernardo had just said, a blush immediately appeared on her pretty face. After being silent for a long time, she suddenly waved her hand.

“No, no, no, no, that’s not it.” Su Xiaoqiang bit his lip, forced a smile and waved his hand, “You misunderstood, he and I are not…”

Father Bernardo was startled. “Oh, did I make a mistake?”

……

(End of this chapter)