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.”

can relax now. Auntie Lan’s strawberry cake isn’t

time, and Lingye would respond every now

Siqi drooled and drifted off while

“Daddy, I want KFC…”

“We’ll have KFC tomorrow.”

want to see Mu tomorrow,

answer

…

a sleepless night

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

daddy’s chest. No amount of noise could wake the child once she was

was wide awake and

never knew that missing someone could evoke such intense emotion,

…

away in Florence, it was a little over nine

since it was New Year’s Eve, he wanted

her to leave the hotel on her own in

decision when

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

and cars, and

felt isolated in the

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

outside the phone booth for

was tempted to give Lingye a call right there and

him where she was and how much she

matter was, she did

and dialed the number

was at her throat, not from her nerves,

be long before she

would be able to wish Lingye

it was connected. In translation, there was restricted

tower chimed as

tone as she looked up at the fireworks display. She

to her sweetheart

…

now. For New Year’s Eve, she watched the gala with her parents in the living room before

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