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.”

little girl closed her eyes in relief. “I can relax now. Auntie Lan’s strawberry cake

herself for a long time, and Lingye would respond every now and

drifted off while

“Daddy, I want KFC…”

“We’ll have KFC tomorrow.”

want to see Mu tomorrow,

gave his daughter a pat and talked as if to answer

…

was a sleepless

instead of the city center, the law on setting off fireworks was lenient. There were still people

good rest against her daddy’s chest. No amount of

and alert, thinking about

that missing someone could evoke such intense emotion, so intense that they eclipsed even

…

it was a little over nine o’clock

the hotel room for two days, but since it

reason enough for her to leave the hotel on

decision when she arrived on the

Italians would party hard on New

was packed with people and cars, and Tongrui was nearly swept

she felt isolated in the

She distanced herself from the bustle and people, only to notice a red phone

phone booth for

to give Lingye a

him where she was and how much she

matter was, she did

dialed the number that

throat, not from her nerves, but from

before she could hear

able to wish Lingye 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

chimed as

busy tone as she looked up at the fireworks

to her

…

watched the gala

greeting since Hades Jiang was her mentor. She would pass her internship with flying