Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Mu Tongrui stared at the pieces of cake on the floor, her eyes dull and lifeless.

Since she had not given any reaction, Xiang Nanqian proceeded to throw away all the dishes she had

prepared earlier.

“Mu Tongrui! I'm telling you! Fu Lingye will not be eating these dishes anymore! You are such a jinx!

Lingye has had his fair share of mishaps ever since you entered the Fu family!”

Mu Tongrui just sat there quietly.

“Why won't you say anything? Should I take your silence as tacit consent?” Xiang Nanqian stared at

her and asked.

The commotion caused in the living room had attracted Old Master Fu's attention.

“What is the cause of this commotion?”

“Dad...” Xiang Nanqian said, startled.

“Sweetheart and Han are in their room drawing. Is it your intention to grab their attention with all this

commotion going on? I've been really upset these few days; can't you guys at least try to get along?”

Xiang Nanqian was too prideful to admit defeat. She bit her lip and said, “Dad, I'm sorry, I just...I just

think that Lingye had died in vain.”

“Nanqian, I know that you don't favor Tongrui, but she is still Lingye's wife. Both of you are on the same

boat. What will people say if both of you don't stand in solidarity?”

Xiang Nanqian bowed her head and kept quiet.

Old Master Fu told Aunt Lan to clean up the mess and to send Mu Tongrui upstairs to get some rest.

Mu Tongrui has calmed down as compared to two days ago. In fact, people are finding it weird to see

Mu Tongrui so calm tonight.

“Old Master, Young Mistress Tongrui doesn't look too good. She refuses to cry or even talk. She will

only end up hurt if she keeps everything to herself like that.” Aunt Lan told Fu Zhengyuan worriedly

after tending to Mu Tongrui.

Old Master Fu frowned and decided to call Xu Kun after giving it some thought.

“Mr. Xu, can you please check out Young Mistress Tongrui's close friends and ask her best friend over

to accompany her?”

After half an hour, Xu Kun arrived with Lu Jiahe.

Lu Jiahe stepped into Mu Tongrui's room after learning about the recent events. She found Mu Tongrui

leaning against the bed, stroking a man's coat.

“Tongrui?”

Lu Jiahe ran over and gave her a hug.

Mu Tongrui smiled weakly and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Tongrui, you can hug me and cry your heart out if you want to. Don't keep it all to yourself. What will

become of your baby if you become depressed? Fu Lingye wouldn't want to see you like that if he was

still around,” Lu Jiahe said sadly.

“You're right. If Lingye were here, he would have stood up for me whenever Xiang Nanqian bullies me.”

“Did someone bully you?”

Mu Tongrui shook her head and said, “Lingye would appear at the most crucial moment to protect me

whenever someone bullied me in the past. But why did he not appear tonight when Xiang Nanqian

threw away the cake I had baked for him and the dishes I had cooked for him? Jiahe, did Lingye really

leave me behind?”

“Tongrui...”

Lu Jiahe felt that something was off with Mu Tongrui, but couldn't figure out how she should comfort

her.

“Jiahe, do you think spirits exist?”

Mu Tongrui leaned against the bed, her face pale and gray. She glanced soullessly out the window.

“Tongrui, I will be staying here tonight with you. Old Master Fu said I can stay over these few days to

accompany you. I still remember how we used to sleep on the same bed when we were in high school.

So many years have passed since then...”Lu Jiahe held her hand and said.

Lu Jiahe was trying to change the subject and divert her attention, but before she could finish, Mu

Tongrui cut her off by asking, “Jiahe, do you think Lingye will be cold lying there all alone on the

seabed?”

“Tongrui...Let's not think about Lingye tonight, okay?”

“No way. He must be so cold all alone in the deep sea. Jiahe, I want to go to Bohai Bridge and see

him.”

With that, Mu Tongrui got up. Lu Jiahe held her down and said, “Tongrui! Fu Lingye is dead. He cannot

see you nor hear you. Why would you want to go to Bohai Bridge?”

“I... I just want to go to Bohai Bridge to accompany him. Don't worry, I won't commit suicide for the sake

of my unborn baby.”

Lu Jiahe hugged Mu Tongrui tightly and said, “Tongrui, please, please cry your heart out. You will feel

better after that. Can you please not act like that?”

Mu Tongrui pressed her chin on Lu Jiahe's shoulders and said, “I thought Lingye will come back after I

finish baking the cake and cooking the dishes. He promised me he would come home early...”

“Tongrui, the most important thing right now is to protect your unborn baby. It is bad for the baby if you

continue to be upset like that. Moreover, you have low progesterone levels. What if...”

“What if the baby's gone? Then I wouldn't have so many concerns anymore,” Mu Tongrui said coldly.

Lu Jiahe was surprised and shocked by her idea.

Humans would lose their survival instincts when faced with distressing situations. It wasn't that Mu

Tongrui was weak, it’s just that she was too sad to even concern herself with anything at all.

She could still live a good life without Fu Lingye. But as of now, her heart felt like it was being wrapped

in an airtight plastic bag, making it really hard for her to breathe. She wasn't sure how long it would

take for her to overcome this grief.

“Tongrui, you cannot commit suicide for love. You still have Sweetheart. Sweetheart already lost her

father. What would she do if she were to lose her mother too?

Mu Tongrui was on the verge of tears. She slightly smiled and said, “I have never thought of committing

suicide. I am not that weak, Jiahe. I'm just so sad and tired. Dad said he will conduct a funeral for

Lingye soon, but I have a feeling that Lingye is still alive.”

“Sleep if you're tired. Let's not think about it anymore, okay?”

Lu Jiahe wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she finally managed to coax Mu Tongrui to sleep.

...

The next morning.

“Old Master, a girl with the surname Shen is waiting outside. She said she has some news regarding

the young master...”

“Let her in,” Old Master Fu got up and said.

“Yes sir.”

Old Master Fu was sizing up Shen Wanyue in the study room.

“So, what does Ms. Shen wants to tell me?”

“Old Master Fu, please let me introduce myself. My name is Shen Wanyue, I am Mu Tongrui's

stepsister. Mu Tongrui's father, Mu Guangqing, is my mother's ex-husband.”

Fu Zhengyuan frowned and smiled coldly. He said, “Ms. Shen, if you are trying to claim kinship, then

you are picking the wrong time. Have you not seen what is happening to the Fu Family? Do you think I

am in the mood to consider you as my family?”

“Old Master Fu, please don't misunderstand my intentions. I didn't come here today to claim kinship

with you. I just want to tell you that the killer who killed your son might just be right under your nose,”

Shen Wanyue smiled and said.

“What do you mean?” Fu Zhengyuan said coldly.

“Doesn't Old Master Fu know that my stepfather, Mu Guangqing, had business dealings with Fu

Corporation?”

“Ms. Shen, I don't have the time to beat around the bush. Can you please get straight to the point?” Fu

Zhengyuan frowned and said.

“Years ago, my stepfather declared bankruptcy because of Fu Corporation. Mu Tongrui got together

with Fu Lingye to avenge her father. She even told Qi Yanli to join hands with her to tackle Fu Lingye.

To think that Fu Lingye would be at ease with such a woman by his side. Mu Tongrui is the most

probable person to have caused Fu Lingye's accident. Old Master Fu, have you ever not doubted Mu

Tongrui?”

Fu Zhengyuan was shocked, he said, “Do you know the consequences of lying to me?”

“I would be very dumb to lie to you. You can always check Mu Guangqing's suicide case. That year, Fu

Lingye was so cold and merciless. My stepfather was forced to commit suicide by jumping off a

building. Mu Tongrui schemed to get her revenge after learning what had happened. I really don't

understand why Fu Lingye would still let Mu Tongrui be by his side after knowing that she has ill

intentions towards him.” Shen Wanyue said.

Fu Zhengyuan stayed silent for a while and said, “Ms. Shen, if you have nothing else to tell me, you

may leave now.”

Shen Wanyue didn't expect Old Master Fu to treat her like that. She said, “Old Master Fu, do you not

believe me?”

“Whether I believe or not has nothing to do with Ms. Shen.”

Shen Wanyue gritted her teeth and walked out of the study room. She met Mu Tongrui on her way out.

“Shen Wanyue, why are you here?”

“Mu Tongrui, you have a really strong mentality. How could you possibly still stay at Fu's house after

killing Fu Lingye? Congratulations on avenging your father,” Shen Wanyue folded her arms and said.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Mu Tongrui frowned.

“Wouldn't you know best whether I am talking nonsense or not? Aren't you the one who schemed for

Fu Lingye's accident? You wanted to kill Fu Lingye to avenge your father, am I right?”

“You are spewing nonsense!”

Shen Wanyue clasped her wrist as Mu Tongrui tried to slap her, “Mu Tongrui, you've always been this

way. You acted pure and naïve since young. But in reality, you are the most calculative person I know.

Did you kill Fu Lingye? Just admit it!”

“I didn't! Shen Wanyue, you came here on purpose today to sow seeds of discord among us!” Mu

Tongrui clenched her fists and said.

Xiang Nanqian stormed out of her room angrily and said, “Mu Tongrui! How could you? Fu Lingye was

so nice to you. How could you cause him an accident?”

“Ms. Xiang, this Mu Tongrui here is not an easy person to deal with. You should warn Old Master Fu to

be more wary of her since she is living with you all.”

“Mu Tongrui! Return Fu Lingye to me!”

Xiang Nanqian slapped Mu Tongrui fiercely. Mu Tongrui was caught off guard and stumbled into a

railing.

Old Master Fu walked out of his study and saw the dangerous scene unfolding in front of him, “What

are you guys doing?”

When Lu Jiahe walked out of her room, she saw Mu Tongrui looking pale as death. Her head was

bleeding and she was clutching her abdomen tightly.

She ran over and took Mu Tongrui into her arms, “Tongrui, how are you feeling?”

Mu Tongrui frowned, “My stomach is hurting...Jiahe...please send me to the hospital...”

Lu Jiahe was shocked, “Okay, I will send you to the hospital immediately! Don't you worry!”

“Why are you all still standing there?” Old Master Fu shouted. Come and help!