Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Fu Zhengyuan had fetched Sweetheart back the night before, claiming that it was to help Mu Tongrui

have an undisturbed pregnancy.

It sounded like he was supporting Mu Tongrui. However, Fu Zhengyuan still hasn't warmed up to her

completely.

Mu Tongrui was confident nonetheless that they would build a good rapport eventually.

After breakfast, Mu Tongrui walked Fu Lingye out to the front yard as usual.

Fu Lingye reminded her, “Don't skimp on lunch. If you don't feel like cooking, I can get you a maid to

make you food this week.”

“Yes, sir! I'll make sure my lunch is lavish. Now go to work.”

Fu Lingye warned, “Mm. I will check it tonight.”

Mu Tongrui's face turned pink as she pushed him toward the car. Fu Lingye lowered his head, then

pointed at his cheek. Bashful, Mu Tongrui gave him a hasty peck.

“Could you come back a bit earlier today?” Mu Tongrui asked.

Fu Lingye raised an eyebrow as he cheekily asked, “Why, you got a surprise for me?”

“Err. You'll see tonight.”

Fu Lingye had revealed that he didn't care for westerns holidays. He must have forgotten that today

was Christmas, which also happened to be his birthday.

It's all right. I will help him remember.

Fu Lingye was enchanted by Mu Tongrui's secretive mannerisms. Holding her by her hips, he pulled

her in for a passionate kiss.

They breathed into one another, fully tasting and relishing each other's tastes.

Melting in his embrace, Mu Tongrui struggled to stand straight after he had loosened his grip. When he

took off, she repeated, “Remember to come home early!”

With a smirk, Fu Lingye nodded then got into his car.

Mu Tongrui watched him off then went back into the house.

The traffic was heavy today but it had not affected Fu Lingye's in any way.

He heard the voice of a joyful female DJ on the radio.

“Oh, how time flies. Here we are on Christmas day again. The streets are filled with Santa and merry

celebratory decorations. This is such a magical and romantic holiday! May your day be blessed by the

Christmas magic! Alrighty, now let's hear from our first caller...”

Fu Lingye smiled thinking about the surprise birthday gift his new wife had prepared for him.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Fu Lingye didn't check the caller before picking up on his Bluetooth earplug, “Hello, may I know who

this is?”

“It's me.”

Qiao Sang?

Fu Lingye lowered his brows slightly, “Qiao Sang?”

“Fu Lingye. I need to tell you about something important. If you feel responsible at all for what had

happened before, meet me at Zhou Mountain.”

Fu Lingye's brows were even lower now, “Why there?”

“Didn't you three share your most treasured memories there?”

Fu Lingye's eyes turned darker as his pupils contracted, “This is not Qiao Sang... Who are you?”

“You'll find out when you're here.”

Qiao Sang took out a photo from her pocket after the call ended.

Qi Yanli and Fu Lingye posed on both sides of Qiao Sang. They wrapped their arms around each other

despite being of the opposite sex. That was how close they were. The background was the sunrise at

Zhou Mountain. They had waited up there together for Zhou Mountain's most famous view.

She had discovered this picture in her sister's room one time when she went home.

The date written on the photo happened to be a month before Qiao Sang's death.

She ran her finger on Qiao Sang's face in the picture as she mumbled, “Sis. Am I doing the right

thing?”

Either or, Fu Lingye has to die today. He won't be able to escape it.

To her dismay, Qiao Sang didn't feel the thrill she had expected.

Alone in a phone booth, Qiao Sang vacantly stared at the festive decorations outside, which were

meant to deliver cheery happiness. Strangely, she felt the opposite.

Fu Lingye had to go through Bohai Bridge en route to Zhou Mountain. If everything went according to

plan, Fu Lingye's car would fall into the sea in no time.

CEO office, Ya Hua.

There was a clear plastic bag with a phone inside. Qi Yanli inspected it suspiciously. Then he ordered

Li Da, “Get me the call history on this phone.”

Li Da took the phone from QI Yanli, “No problem.”

“Also, get me a new phone.”

Li Da stopped for a second, “Ah... Would it be for you, or?”

“Get something a woman would like-” Seeing how this phone was white, Qi Yanli added, “Pick a white

one.”

“Surely.” Li Da exited the room right after.

Qi Yanli called Blue County Villa's landline, only no one was there to pick up the call.

Is Sang out?

When Li Da came back with a new phone, Qi Yanli gave another instruction, “Have a team search for

Sang.”

“What...”

Why are we doing that all of a sudden?

Qi Yanli had a bad omen, which made him feel like his stomach was in knots. Oddly, he couldn't put his

finger on why he felt uneasy. Perhaps it was the fact that he and Qiao Sang felt distant after ten years,

and that she was out and about without a phone.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

Li Da broke out in a cold sweat when he read the grim look on Qi Yanli's face, “Not at all... I was just

wondering if you had a specific area in mind?”

“Around the villa. If you can't find her nearby then search the whole city.”

“Will do!”

Though he would carry out the mission meticulously, Li Da disagreed with it.

This is too over-the-top. Ms. Qiao probably only went for a walk. Do we really need a whole team to

hunt her down? Come on!

Half an hour later, one of Li Da's men found Qiao Sang in front of a bridal boutique downtown.

When Qi Yanli rushed to the store, he saw Qiao Sang sitting leisurely on a bench nearby, awaiting him.

He immediately shot over and gave her a big hug.

“Sang.”

The hug was so tight that Qiao Sang almost lost her breath.

“Qi Yanli?”

Qiao Sang failed to understand why he was behaving so anxiously.

Could it be that... he knows I 'took care' of Fu Lingye?

Then, she heard, “I'm was so scared that you left me again! Please. Don't leave me, and don't ever

make me worry sick again.”

“I was just taking a stroll. Don't worry.” Qiao Sang soothed him.

Qi Yanli puffed a sharp sigh of relief before he stared right into her eyes, “I know I overreacted. I'm still

stuck in my PTSD, and I need to learn to crawl out of it. Please understand me.”

Qiao Sang stared back. She squinted her eyes as they grew moist.

Qi Yanli noticed that she was underdressed for the cold weather and took his black scarf off to put on

her, “It's cold outside. Why did you leave the house wearing so little?”

Silent tears rolled down Qiao Sang's cheeks.

“What's wrong? Is someone mean to you? Tell me. I won't let them get away.”

Qiao Luo choked up, “Qi Yanli, please don't be so good to me.”

What if one day you find out I'm not your Sang?

What if one day you see that I'm the polar opposite of Qiao Sang?

I'm cruel and merciless... I'm Qiao Luo...

Qiao Luo couldn't figure out the strong emotion she felt when she was with Qi Yanli. It was a completely

new yet heart-warming feeling.

Either she was moved by Qi Yanli's love for Qiao Sang, or that Qiao Luo was falling for him.

The worst possibility of it all was that she losing her sense of self as she lived as Qiao Sang.

Wiping the tears away for her, Qi Yanli eased her mind, “Why won't you let me pamper you? I want to

spoil you with all the best things in the world. You deserve them, so please don't feel overborne by my

gestures. You don't have to own anything or be anyone for me. Just be YOU and stay with me. I'll take

care of the rest, whatever you want.”

No woman couldn't resist that confession of devotion and affection.

Qiao Luo was no exception.

Qi Yanli pacified Qiao Luo by shifting the subject, “Now, can you tell me why you came out alone?

What you were musing on, sitting here?”

“I-”

Qiao Luo darted her eyes as she looked for an appropriate excuse. Spotting a Santa Claus pass by

with flyers, she fibbed, “-I wanted to soak up the Christmas spirit.”

That was the perfect excuse.

Qi Yanli laughed quietly, “That's true. You girls are drawn to holidays like these.”

Qi Yanli acknowledged the bridal boutique nearby, “Li Da said you were looking at wedding dresses

when he found you. Which one do you have your eyes on?”

“Oh... No, I was just aimlessly browsing.”

Qi Yanli sensed her nervousness and teased, “Or you were thinking about our wedding.”

“No... really... I was just looking around.”

“Heh. Covering up like this doesn't help. If you are eager for a wedding, just say so.”

Qiao Luo awkwardly kept her silence.

Qi Yanli grabbed her hand then took her to the boutique.

Luo Qiao was dumbstruck, “What are you doing?”

“Buying you a dress.”

In the boutique, they were presented with an array of high-cost gowns. Qi Yanli asked from behind

Qiao Luo, “Which one stood out to you?”

Not feeling like trying any of them on, she answered, “None of them.”

To her surprise, Qi Yanli's face fell as he turned to the salesperson, “Mrs. Qi is not impressed. What

does that say about the quality of your dresses?”

The whole staff felt cold sweat on their backs.

The manager pulled a smile as she offered, “Mrs. Qi, why don't you look around more? If you still can't

find anything you like, we can custom-make a dress for you.

The offer overwhelmed Qiao Luo, “It's all right... how about this one?”

Qiao Luo pointed at a simple, sleek yet elegant dress, “Do you like it?”

Qi Yanli warmly smiled as his eyes twinkled, “I like whatever you like.”

Coy, Qiao Luo could feel her face burn.

The manager urged, “Would you like to try it on?”

Qi Yanli was keen about it, “Go.”

Qiao Luo followed the manager into a fitting room.