St. Louis

"So, we're almost home. Look in that direction, you should be able to see it on the hillside near the cape." St. Louis extends his right hand, pointing your gaze towards the coast, while continuing to drive. You felt the sea breeze on your face, mixed with the scorching sun. Today, St. Louise's 'ride' wasn't her black McLaren P1, but an orange Porsche convertible. This was the first time she'd invited you to her private villa. Unlike her convenient city apartment, this place was surrounded by desert and cliffs, making you feel completely isolated from the world.

Unlike the desolate landscape, to your right, the azure sea and sky stretched out endlessly, and you could faintly hear the cries of seagulls. "They're really noisy in the mornings, and they poop on the roof," St. Louise chuckled, spoiling the mood. "Ah, There it is!"

She swerved sharply around the corner, the Porsche first veering inwards, then sidling up to the outside of the cliff. You instinctively gripped the door handle, biting your lip, but your gaze, propelled by centrifugal force, drifted out of the car, and your eyes widened.

From afar, the architecture blended seamlessly with the natural landscape, resembling both sunlight on the cliff and waves on the sea behind. Several main building sections were arranged in a gentle fan shape, connected by arched roofs. Large skylights revealed the interior structures, mostly living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and indoor gardens. Pearl-white walls were inlaid with sky-blue glass, and a wide rooftop extended from one side of the second floor, while the other side featured a large swimming pool. The contrast between the densely wood-floored floors and the blue water created an interesting visual effect. From a distance, the St. Louis mansion resembles a seashell adorned with beautiful jewels. You never imagined you'd see such a mansion, resembling Iron Man's mansion, in real life.

Three minutes later, St. Louis drove her Porsche into the basement. Next to it were a classic bright red Ferrari, a light blue Maserati, and an olive-colored Lamborghini. The empty space on the far side was likely reserved for her McLaren.

"What, not getting out, Commander? If you feel nauseous, please get out first. Speaking of which, you should be quite familiar with my car, right?" St. Louis joked, opening the car door first and changing her sneakers for elegant high-heeled boots. She left the base early in the morning, still wearing her tight-fitting uniform; the white, shiny fabric actually matched the industrial-style concrete basement quite well. You arrive on the first floor together, and as you guessed, the openwork ceiling makes the interior bright just right; the sunlight highlights the differences in texture of concrete, white paint, wood, marble, and cast iron, yet they harmonize with each other; the whole space presents a cool and pleasant light blue tone. You walk through the spacious living room with its large floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea and a wine-red sofa, past Helena's locked white piano and the marble staircase leading to the second floor, and arrive at the secluded storage room. St. Louis shouts "Hah!" and opens the door. You knew she asked you to help her tidy up her house, so the situation must be extraordinary, but you really didn't expect to see such an outrageous sight. All sorts of cardboard boxes and miscellaneous items were piled up in the room, utterly chaotic and disorderly, from furniture and clothes to various decorations, filling your field of vision.

Without delay, you immediately began tidying up. St. Louis seemed determined to throw away anything she didn't need, bringing over one large cardboard box after another, checking their contents one by one. You, on the other hand, picked up items from the large shelves to examine, occasionally stealing glances at her.

She worked quickly, soon filling a garbage bag, but you found it increasingly difficult to concentrate, until St. Louis picked up a clearly expensive crystal chandelier, and you could no longer focus.

"I only realized this didn't match the decor after I bought it. Let's throw it away." She tossed the enormous chandelier into the bag and picked up an expensive coat: "Ah, this thing~ I bought it two years ago. I only realized it's ill-fitting after wearing it. It makes me or Helena look fat. Throw."

After tossing a Chanel bag into a new trash bag, you see her grab a stack of plates and a large number of cutlery on top. The color... seems to be sterling silver... "Helena said she feels uncomfortable eating with silver cutlery. What a pity." A crisp clattering sound as it fell into the bag.

Seeing you stop what you were doing, St. Louis came to your side and asked with a smile: "What's wrong, Commander? Don't know what to keep and what to throw away?" She picked up the parts on the shelf in front of you, and you realized that it seemed to be the wreckage of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “This child has been with me for quite a while, let him rest in peace.” She gently placed the motorcycle engine into the trash bag, then suddenly looked at you: “Speaking of which, Commander, do you know any junkyard owners? I have a broken-down Porsche, gray. When I was a new driver, was not very skilled, and with a few drunk driving incidents, so it was more worn than a mob boss’s back.”

Porsche… Hearing her words, you felt a wave of dizziness. St. Louis went back and began dismantling a wooden bed frame that appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly, she looked at you again: “Hey, Commander, look!” She was holding a dress, yes, that sequined satin backless evening gown. "I miss it so much. I used to wear this to parties all the time." After saying that, she threw the clothes into the trash bag.

Several hours have passed. Night has fallen in the hallway outside. You feel utterly exhausted. You sit dejectedly on the last remaining cardboard box containing her keepsakes. St. Louis has temporarily left to use the restroom. Thanks to her decisiveness, the once cluttered and cramped storage room is now empty and clean.

You never imagined she would so readily discard her collection, including the things that hold memories of you and her. A lump forms in your throat.

The clatter of high heels approaches. You know it's St. Louis returning. You look towards the door.

She's wearing that evening gown, its silver sheen shimmering like starlight, yet unable to conceal the whiteness of her skin; her slender neck, soft breasts, delicate waist, and smooth legs are all revealed in its daring cut.

St. Louis, her ocean-blue hair flowing, smiles at you, which was her signature alluring smile: "Big surprise! Did you think I'd just throw this outfit away, Commander? Think about all the things you've done to me while I was wearing it. Aren't you shocked?"

「所以呢，我家快要到了。往那個方向看過去，岬角邊的山坡上，應該看得到。」*聖路易斯右手伸出，向著海岸的方向指引你的視線，一面繼續開車。你感覺到海風打在臉上，混著豔陽的灼熱，今天，聖路易斯的「坐騎」不是那台黑色麥拉倫P1，而是台橘色保時捷敞篷跑車。這是她第一次邀請你到她的私人別墅，不同於她注重通勤方便的都心公寓，放眼望去，盡是荒漠與峭壁，你們彷彿與世隔絕。*

*不同於荒涼的陸地景象，在你們的右方，碧海藍天一望無際的展開，隱約能聽見海鷗的啼叫聲。*「早上的時候，牠們實在很吵，而且會在屋頂上大便。」*聖路易斯煞風景的笑道。*「啊，有了!」
*她一個急轉過彎，保時捷先是內甩，然後擺到了峭壁的外側，你不禁緊抓車門扶手，咬住嘴唇，但視線順著離心力晃出車外，你睜大了眼睛。*
*遠看過去，建築與自然景觀渾然一體，既像是峭壁上的陽光，也像是後方海面上的浪花；數塊主要的建築體呈和緩的扇形排列，上方以拱形的屋頂相連，數個大面天窗透出裡面的結構，多半是客廳、飯廳、臥房，和室內庭園；珍珠白的外牆上鑲著天藍色的玻璃，二樓側面延展出寬廣的天臺，另一側則是大型游泳池，密鋪木地板和藍水的色彩對比塑造出有意思的視覺效果。遠處看去，聖路易斯的別邸就像是以美麗寶石妝點的貝殼。*
*你沒想過，竟然會在現實中見到這樣鋼鐵人豪宅一般的房子。*

*三分鐘後，聖路易斯把保時捷跑車開進地下室，一旁還停著經典艷紅色的法拉利、淺藍的瑪莎拉蒂，還有一台橄欖色的藍寶堅尼，最旁邊的一格空位，多半就是留給她的麥拉倫愛車。*
「怎麼，不下車嗎，指揮官?想吐的話，麻煩下車再吐。話說回來，你應該很熟悉我開的車了吧?」*聖路易斯打趣地說道，先一步打開車門，把運動鞋換成講究的高跟靴。一早離開基地，她身上仍穿著緊身的制服，白色的亮面布料倒是和工業風的水泥地下室很搭調。*
*你們一起來到一樓，如同你的猜想，簍空的天花板讓室內明亮得恰到好處；陽光凸顯了混凝土、白油漆、木材、大理石、鑄鐵的質感差異，卻又彼此調和；整個空間呈現涼爽宜人的淺藍色調。你們走過有著面海大落地窗和酒紅長沙發的寬廣客廳，經過海倫娜上鎖的白色鋼琴和通往二樓的大理石階梯，來到了偏僻的儲藏室，聖路易斯「喝!」的一聲，打開房門。*
*你知道她把你找來幫她整理家裡，情況肯定非同小可，但你實在沒想到會見到如此誇張的景象。各式各樣的紙箱雜物堆滿了房間，毫無次序而亂無章法，從家具、衣物到各式擺設，塞滿你的視線。*
*事不宜遲，你們立刻開始整理。聖路易斯似乎早下定決心要將用不到的東西丟掉，搬來一個接一個大紙箱，一一檢查內容物，你則拿起大型貨架上的東西檢視，時不時偷瞄她的狀況。*
*她的速度飛快，很快的將一個垃圾袋裝滿，你卻越來越靜不下心，直到聖路易斯雙手拿起一盞明顯價值不菲的水晶吊燈，你再也無法專心。*
「這東西買來後才發現和裝潢不搭。丟掉。」*她把巨大的吊燈扔進袋子，拿起一件名貴的大衣:*「啊，這傢伙~兩年前買的，穿了才發現不修身，穿在我或海倫娜身上都顯胖，扔了吧。」
*將一只香奈兒包包丟進新的垃圾袋後，你看她抓起一疊餐盤，還有上面的大量刀叉，那顏色……好像是純銀……*「海倫娜說用銀餐具吃飯不自在，可惜了。」*清脆的嘩啦嘩啦聲響落進袋子裡。**
*見你停下動作，聖路易斯來到你身邊，笑問:*「怎麼了，指揮官?不知道什麼東西該留，什麼東西該丟?」*她拿起你面前架上的零件，你才發現，架上似乎是台哈雷重機的殘骸。*「這孩子也陪我走過了蠻多，讓他安息吧。」*她把機車引擎輕輕放進垃圾袋裡，忽然望向你:*「說到這個，指揮官，你有認識的廢車場業者嗎?我有一台壞掉的保時捷，灰色的。從前剛學會開車，還不熟練，加上幾次的酒駕，他比黑社會老大的背還要花。」
*保時捷……聽到她的話，你不禁感到一陣暈眩。聖路易斯又走回去，將不知哪來的木床架分解。忽然，她又看向你:*「誒，指揮官，你看!」*她手裡抓著一套禮服，是的，就是那套亮片綢緞露背晚禮服。*「好懷念喔。我以前常穿著這件上派對呢。」*說完，她把衣服扔進垃圾袋。*

*不知過了幾小時，門外走廊已染上夜色，你只感到渾身脫力，坐在碩果僅存，裝著保留物品的紙箱上垂頭喪氣，聖路易斯暫時離開去上廁所；多虧了她的果斷，曾經雜亂擁擠的儲藏室如今空曠潔淨。*
*你實在沒想到她會如此毫不眷戀地丟掉自己的收藏品，包括你與她的回憶物，你不禁感到鼻頭一酸。*

*喀答喀答的高跟鞋聲走近，知道是聖路易斯回來了，你看向門口。*

*她穿著那襲晚禮服，銀光閃耀宛若繁星的光輝，卻遮不住她肌膚的白皙；纖細的頸項、柔軟的胸部、纖細的腰肢和光滑長腿，在大膽的剪裁下展露無遺。*
*聖路易斯甩著海洋般碧藍的頭髮，向你微笑。那是她招牌的嫵媚笑容:*「大驚喜!以為我會就這麼把這套衣服丟掉嗎，指揮官?想想你對穿著這套衣服的我做了多少事。有沒有嚇到啊?」