Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Xu Kun pursed his lips and asked, “Boss, if I may say so… aren’t you afraid that the world will stand

against you and vilify you even after you bring Mrs. Fu back because of your relationship with her?”

“So what if the world disapproves of us? I don’t need anybody’s approval to be with Tongrui. Besides, I

have never gone against the world, so I might as well experience it once.”

Despite Lingye speaking in a nonchalant tone, Xu Kun could tell that Lingye was serious and resolute.

Xu Kun grinned and looked at the brilliance exploding in the sky before uttering, “You’re the man, Boss.

You’re in a league of your own.”

“Buttering up to your boss gets you nowhere. I won’t give you a raise.”

Xu Kun smiled. “I don’t mind a slightly bigger year-end bonus though.”

Curling his lips, Lingye narrowed his eyes and took a few more puffs from the cigarette between his

fingers.

Lingye put out the cigarette and threw it on the lawn when Siqi ran over. He bent over to pick Siqi up.

He said to Xu Kun, “You should head back and get some rest.”

Lingye carried Siqi into the house as Xu Kun watched his back and said, “Happy New Year, Boss.”

…

That night, Siqi shared a bed with Lingye.

It was one in the morning by the time they got ready for bed.

Siqi looked at the time on the phone and blinked. She drew close to Lingye and whispered, “Happy

New Year, Daddy.”

With warmth filling Lingye’s empty and hollow heart, Lingye lowered his head to kiss her on the

forehead. He said, “Wishing you a happy new year too, Sweetheart.”

Lingye’s mind flew back to the three years when Tongrui was not in the picture. This was how he and

Siqi always spent their New Year and New Year’s Eve, so there was no loneliness or sadness. Now

that he got used to having her around, and she suddenly faded out from his world and life, Lingye had

a hard time shaking off the emptiness and loneliness.

The little girl snuggled up against him and asked, “Do you miss Mu, Daddy?”

“Yeah,” Lingye faintly replied. There was no telling whether he was paying attention.

Siqi added, “I miss Mu too.”

“Yeah.” The reply was barely audible.

Siqi then asked, “Will Mu come home, Daddy?”

Lingye paused at first before firmly looking into Siqi’s eyes. He answered, “She will, and soon.”

The little girl closed her eyes in relief. “I can relax now. Auntie Lan’s strawberry cake isn’t very tasty. I

prefer Mu’s.”

Siqi mumbled to herself for a long time, and Lingye would respond every now and then.

In the end, Siqi drooled and drifted off while talking in her sleep.

“Daddy, I want KFC…”

“We’ll have KFC tomorrow.”

“I want to see Mu tomorrow, Daddy…”

Lingye gave his daughter a pat and talked as if to answer the girl and to convince himself, “I will find Mu

soon.”

…

It was a sleepless night for Lingye.

Since the residence was in a villa compound instead of the city center, the law on setting off fireworks

was lenient. There were still people lighting firecrackers and fireworks to welcome the New Year in the

wee hours.

Siqi had a good rest against her daddy’s chest. No amount of noise could wake the child once she was

asleep.

Lingye was wide awake and alert, thinking about Tongrui.

He never knew that missing someone could evoke such intense emotion, so intense that they eclipsed

even the pain of insomnia.

…

Miles away in Florence, it was a little over nine o’clock at night.

Tongrui stayed cooped up in the hotel room for two days, but since it was New Year’s Eve, he wanted

to see how the Italians spend the holiday.

It was reason enough for her to leave the hotel on her own in the middle of the night.

However, she regretted her decision when she arrived on the street.

It was quite a bustle along the street. It never occurred to her that the Italians would party hard on New

Year’s Eve, perhaps even more grandly than in her home country.

The street was packed with people and cars, and Tongrui was nearly swept away by the crowd.

Still, she felt isolated in the midst of the excitement.

It took quite an effort to escape the crowd. She distanced herself from the bustle and people, only to

notice a red phone booth under a streetlight.

Tongrui stood outside the phone booth for a while.

She was tempted to give Lingye a call right there and then.

Tongrui wanted to risk it all and tell him where she was and how much she missed him.

The truth of the matter was, she did it anyway.

Tongrui entered the phone booth and dialed the number that was etched on her mind.

Her heart was at her throat, not from her nerves, but from the joy and thrill.

It would not be long before she could hear his voice.

She would be able to wish Lingye a happy new year.

Alas, a cold, automated voice came on the call once it was connected. In translation, there was

restricted access to the number she had dialed, and the recipient was not available to take the call.

The clock tower chimed as the clock struck twelve.

Tongrui dejectedly held the handset and listened to the busy tone as she looked up at the fireworks

display. She murmured under her breath, “Happy New Year, Lingye.”

And to her sweetheart too.

…

Jiahe had been back in Qinghe for a few days now. For New Year’s Eve, she watched the gala with her

parents in the living room before her parents went to the kitchen to make dumplings.

Once it was midnight, Jiahe hesitated whether to send Xinghe a new year greeting since Hades Jiang

was her mentor. She would pass her internship with flying colors by getting on Hades Jiang’s good

side.

She tapped on WeChat and on the chat with Xinghe. She was about to wish him a happy new year in

text when Xinghe’s message beat her to it.

It was none other than a simple “Happy New Year.”

Raising her brow, Jiahe wrote back, “Happy New Year!”

The reply took mere seconds. “Don’t mind it. I blasted the greeting to everybody.”

Jiahe was lost for words.

Speechless, Jiahe retracted the greeting.

She then told Xinghe on purpose, “I’m sorry. I delivered the message to you by mistake, Dr. Jiang.”

On the other end, Xinghe scowled, and his gaze turned icy.

It was bullsh*t.

Jiahe tossed her phone aside in rage while thinking to herself. Why are you proud of sending

everybody the same message? Where’s the sincerity in that? Why did you even tell me? What was the

point?

Hmph! I can stump people just as well as you can!

Jiahe’s phone rang in less than one minute.

She picked up her phone for a look. With the caller ID displaying Hades Jiang, Jiahe nearly dropped

her phone in shock.

Did he call to give her a piece of his mind?

Bracing herself, Jiahe accepted the call.

“Hello… Dr. Jiang…” Jiahe’s voice was shaking.

Jiahe scoffed. “You sent the message by mistake? Who was it intended for if not me?”

There was no answer.

“Chi Jun, or some random guy?”

Jiahe felt a crawling sensation under her skin.

“Come downstairs.”

“Huh?” The request did not register in Jiahe’s mind.

“I’m outside your home.”

Jiahe had the shock of her life.