You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 25 Part 3

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 25 Part 3

Xu Huaisong stepped aside and gestured as he introduced her: “Ruan Yu.” Then he said to Ruan Yu: “My colleague in the US. Lu Shenglan, Ms. Lu.”

“How are you?”

“How are you?”

The two women nodded at each other as a greeting. A strange feeling flashed in Ruan Yu’s mind.

By business etiquette, the sequence of Xu Huaisong’s introduction seemed to have reversed the closeness of their relationships to him?

Xu Huaisong, however, didn’t seem to notice it. He asked Lu Shenglan like there was nothing unusual about the situation: “What’s up?”

Lu Shenglan lifted a medicine paper bag in her hand and shook it: “I heard from the front desk that you had asked for some fever-reducing medicine.”

Xu Huaisong didn’t take it nor did he refuse it. He turned to ask: “Do you want to take some medicine back with you?”

“There’s no need. Thanks.” Ruan Yu shook her hand.

Xu Huaisong nodded at Lu Shenglan.

Lu Shenglan smiled: “Then you two go ahead. I’ll be back in my room working.”

Xu Huaisong nodded again. He closed the door and walked towards the elevator while explaining to Ruan Yu about those papers in her hand: “It’s necessary for you to move. I contacted Liu Mao last night and asked him to recommend some apartments for rent. Here are two that we’ve picked so far.”

Ruan Yu was a little surprised and thanked him after a short pause. Xu Huaisong continued: “They aren’t too far from here. If you are not tired, we can go take a look now.”

She certainly needed to move as soon as possible. She was feeling fine right now and also didn’t want to disappoint the two lawyers who had picked apartments for her in the middle of the night. She agreed to go check them out now.

The standard set by Xu Huasiong was quite stringent. He had already done all the research and now Ruan Yu only needed to choose amongst the two apartments he had selected.

The first one was located in an eleven-story high building. The facilities and the surroundings were all quite well. The cost-effectiveness of the apartment was especially high in this location in Hang City. The only thing that was a concern was that the male landlord seemed very inhospitable, as if they owed him a black card.

Ruan Yu wasn’t too concerned about the landlord’s attitude. But after politely touring around the apartment briefly, Xu Huaisong told her to leave.

After they were downstairs, Ruan Yu asked curiously: “I think the apartment is pretty good. Isn’t it a good thing that the landlord isn’t too overly enthusiastic?”

Xu Huaisong raised his eyebrows: “Didn’t you see that it was because I was there?” He opened his cell phone to show Ruan Yu: “The landlord didn’t act this way last night.”

Ruan Yu got closer to see the chat history. She found out that Xu Huaisong was dealing with the landlord the whole time as if he were her-- --a “single female”. At that time, the landlord was very passionate to the point of even sending out an emoji.

Ruan Yu kept nodding her head, as if to say “you’re right.” The next second, a new message from the landlord popped up on Xu Huaisong’s cell phone: [Miss, my apartment is specifically renting to single females. I’m afraid that a young couple like you would do something out-of-line. Didn’t you tell me last night that you fit the requirement?]

It looked like that it was only the landlord’s excuse to turn her down.

Xu Huaisong silently sneered and typed: [Sorry about that, I just stopped being single early this morning.]

Landlord: [Then come back when you’re single again. I’ll save the place for you.]

Xu Huaisong: [Thanks, in the next life.]

Ruan Yu: “......”

Why was Xu Huaisong acting so strangely from last night up till now?

He spoke a lot more all of sudden and had become unusually nice to her.

Ruan Yu kept silent for a while, then raised her head to look at him sincerely: “Mr. Xu, may I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Are…...are you being……” She paused, it seemed too hard to speak the words: “I mean, is there any possibility that you……”

Something flashed in Xu Huaisong’s eyes and his heart began thumping heavily.

He had made up his mind last night to start to learn how to be more straightforward and he would be forced to confess today?

Just as his thumping heart was at the brink of exploding, Ruan Yu closed her eyes and continued in desperation: “......have been possessed[1]?” 

Xu Huaisong: “......”

[1]: When she says “possessed” what she’s saying in Chinese is 魂穿 (hún chuān) which literally translates to “soul pass through.” More specifically it’s the term commonly used in a genre of popular Chinese novels where the character’s soul is sent into the body of someone from the past. (the concept is somewhat similar to isekai/transmigration). Essentially, a person in the past has their body possessed by someone from the future.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 25 Part 2

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 25 Part 2

Ruan Yu finished the custard bun and tried to break the silence: “What is the cat called?”

Xu Huaisong was leaning against the cabinet feeding the cat. He turned his head and said: “Tiffany.”

So he was raising the cat as a girlfriend?

Seeing Ruan Yu at a loss for words, he explained: “I’m not the one who gave her the name.”

Ruan Yu suddenly remembered the question she still didn’t have an answer to.

She thought about it, then asked: “You took the cat back to China, wouldn’t the cat owner be lonely?”

Xu Huaisong glanced over at her. The aloofness in his eyes gradually turned into a smile, he said: “He still has Judy, Amy, and Nalani.”

“So many……” Ruan Yu gave a wry smile then continued to eat another custard bun. After a while, she heard Xu Huaisong’s cell phone ring.

Xu Huaisong answered the phone, he answered in English.

Ruan Yu’s ability to understand English had seriously reduced over the years. Even though she pricked her ears trying to listen to the conversation, she could only understand a few individual words.

Xu Huaisong noticed her confusion. After hanging up the call, he explained: “There’s a leak back home.”

“What to do about it then?”

“It’s alright. There’s someone at home to take care of it.”

Ruan Yu quietly drank some water.

Her guess turned out to be true. It turned out that Xu Huaisong wasn’t single and she even had that immoral dream……

Ruan Yu began to quicken the pace at which she ate breakfast. After gulping all the food down, she stood up and said: “Mr. Xu, thanks for the breakfast. I’ve been troubling you all night, I’ll get going now.”

Xu Huaisong put down the cat: “Wait for me for five minutes. I’ll take you home after I take care of the problem back home.”

“There’s no need, there’s no need.” Ruan Yu shook her hand. “I don’t have a fever anymore. I can just get a ride.” She turned to go into the bedroom to get her bag after saying so. It felt like she was fleeing the scene.

Xu Huaisong didn’t stop her. He opened the computer and made a video call.

When Ruan Yu came out of the bedroom, she happened to see a black man’s face appear on Xu Huaisong’s computer screen and the person enthusiastically said: “Hey! Hanson![1]”

It was a young man with very white teeth.

Xu Huaisong turned to give Ruan Yu a glance, then took his time to turn to face the camera and slowly said: “Where is the water leaking from?”

This time around, Ruan Yu understood what he was saying. He was asking where the water was leaking from.

So, when he said there was “someone at home”, that someone was?

Xu Huaisong turned his head back again: “My roommate.”

Ruan Yu: “Hehe, oh……”

Xu Huaisong didn’t say much in the video chat before he hung up. Then he picked up a stack of papers on the table and said: “Let’s go.”

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Ruan Yu followed him and asked: “It’s dangerous to drive while you’re tired.”

Xu Huaisong thought that she was truly a model citizen who had a strong sense of abiding traffic rules.

“I’ve rested.” Xu Huaisong handed over the stack of paper to her: “You take a look. If there’s anyone you’re interested in, we can go check it out on the way back.”

Ruan Yu was confused: “Look at what?”

“Apartments.”

 

Then he opened the door.

Ruan Yu looked up and saw a tall woman standing outside the door with her hand up in the air.

Ruan Yu was taken aback.

The other woman also seemed surprised, but quickly regained her composure. She put down her hand and smiled at Xu Huaisong while saying: “What a coincidence, I was just about to knock on the door.”

Almost instantly, Ruan Yu recognized the voice.

This woman standing at the door, wearing a neat and clean-cut business suit, was the woman who had been talking to Xu Huaisong in that deleted voice message.

The woman turned to look at Ruan Yu after speaking to Xu Huaisong.

[1]: Italicized dialogue indicates that someone is speaking English. Unfortunately for us translators, we can’t write it in Chinese here and have it make any sense.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 25 Part 1

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 25 Part 1

Ruan Yu woke up with a start.

She faintly remembered that she had a dream. In said dream, she was in a sea of fire and there was a crack underneath her feet. The other side of the crack was a vast expanse of white, of ice and snow. Xu Huaisong stood on the other side and reached over with his hand to caress her face as he asked: “Could you like me again one more time?”

Something made a bang sound in her brain, she threw off her blanket in a hurry.

What kind of a weird dream was that. Was she, she, she…...being possessed!

Ruan Yu sat motionlessly on the bed for a long while. Finally she was able to connect her fragmented memories together. She realized that she had moved from the couch to the bed and it was day break now.

Then the problem was how she got here.

She looked around and didn’t see any one around. She changed her clothes, then quietly got off the bed. There was no sight of her slippers. She had no choice but to walk barefoot on the carpet to the door. She gingerly opened the door ajar to take a look.

Suddenly, she heard a “meow.”

She looked down and saw Xu Huaisong’s orange cat snuggle down at the door. The cat was eagerly looking up at her.

It looked like the cat was hungry.

Ruan Yu forgot why she opened the door in the first place. She instinctively squatted down to stroke the cat. But her hand stopped mid-air: “My fever has just gone down, I better not touch you.” Then she remembered something: “Oh, do you understand Chinese? I mean that I’m sick, emmmmm, where is your……[1]”

She hadn’t used English for many years and couldn’t remember how to say “master” in English. Finally, she doubtfully said: “......Your daddy?”

“I’m here.” Suddenly she saw a pair of shoes.

Ruan Yu paused, then slowly stood up. She saw Xu Huaisong standing in front of her carrying a cup of water in one hand and a plate in the other hand. He looked a little frustrated.

It seemed to Ruan Yu that he was trying his best to control himself from saying “are you still  burning with fever.”

Xu Huaisong noticed her bare feet, put the water and breakfast on the coffee table, then went to the side of the couch to fetch Ruan Yu’s slippers.

Ruan Yu suddenly couldn’t breathe smoothly.

Without asking, she knew how she got into the bed.

The slippers were right next to the couch, what other possibilities were there?

Xu Huaisong bent over to put the slippers next to her feet, then he walked away to pick up the ear thermometer while saying: “Come eat breakfast.”

Ruan Yu put on the slippers and said: “Mr. Xu, sorry to trouble you last night. Thank you for moving me to the bedroom.”

Xu Huaisong thought that she was a true writer, using the precise word of “moving” to eliminate any romantic connotation in the action.

Xu Huaisong certainly wouldn’t argue that he had been “carrying” her in his arms. He placed the ear thermometer next to Ruan Yu’s ear and saw “37.0” displayed on it. He turned around to write it down on a piece of notepaper.

Ruan Yu was surprised and looked closer. There were rows of numbers on the paper: 3:00 -- -- 38.2; 3:30 -- -- 37.8; 4:00 -- -- 37.5; 4:30 -- -- 37.3……

Ruan Yu stammered to say: “What…… what’s this?”

She didn’t mean to sound like she was asking something she already knew the answer to. She was simply so shocked that words just came out of her mouth.

“A research report on the effectiveness of fever-reducing medicine.” Xu Huaisong fixed his eyes on Ruan Yu’s surprised look and added a twist: “Would you believe it?”

She certainly would not.

Ruan Yu swallowed and avoided his eyes. She smoothed out her bangs and sat down on the couch. She lowered her head to pick up a custard bun from the plate and stuffed it into her mouth in order to calm herself down.

She felt the atmosphere in the room was a bit odd, like that absurd dream she just had.

In the silence of the room, the cat came over meowing all the while and tried to grab the breakfast from Ruan Yu’s hand.

Ruan Yu was about to break a piece of the bun off for the cat. But Xu Huaisong squatted down to pick the cat up: “Your breakfast isn’t here.” Then he carried the cat over to the kitchenette area.

[1]: Italicized dialogue indicates that someone is speaking English. Unfortunately for us translators, we can’t write it in Chinese here and have it make any sense.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 24 Part 3

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 24 Part 3

Xu Huaisong propped Ruan Yu up on the couch to get her to drink the medicine. But she unexpectedly fell against his chest.

Her burning cheek pasted to his chest with only his shirt separating them. Xu Huaisong felt that he too was suddenly burning up.

His heart was thumping so loud that he was afraid it might wake her up.

He took a deep breath. With one hand holding the measuring cup with medicine in it and the other hand loosely holding her up, he called her name to her face for the first time in his life: “Ruan Yu.”

She seemed to have heard it and frowned, but still didn’t open her eyes.

Xu Huaisong put the medicine next to her lips and said: “Drink the medicine.”

Ruan Yu was still somewhat responsive. She drank the medicine after hearing him.

Xu Huaisong put down the measuring cup and was about to put her back on the couch. But he hesitated as if he was clinging to something. Finally, he lowered his head and put his chin on the top of her head to say: “I want to carry you back to the bedroom, would that be ok?”

Ruan Yu was fast asleep and certainly didn’t give him any answer.

Xu Huaisong’s Adam’s apple rolled up and down. He reached over with one arm to go under Ruan Yu’s calves and placed the other on her back so he could lift and carry her.

He very slowly walked the short distance from the living room to the bedroom.

His rational mind told him that to take advantage of her situation now wasn’t what a gentleman should do. Yet there was another voice in his head telling him not to be a gentleman.

He didn’t come back to himself until he noticed that Ruan Yu had curled into a ball in his arms. She seemed to be cold. He quickened his steps to put her back in bed and pulled the blanket over her.

He looked down to see his wrinkled shirt-- -- the place where she had rested her face. Suddenly, he felt an acute sense of loss.

Xu Huaisong went to get the cooling patch to put it on Ruan Yu’s forehead, then he sat down next to the bed.

All the emotions he had tried to suppress tonight burst out without warning.

He believed that he was able to imagine how Li Shican used to express his fondness of Ruan Yu.

Li Shican was like a charging striker in a soccer game. He wouldn’t twist and turn nor circle around. He would only strike straight at the goal and never got tired even if he never scored.

But he was different.

He would be the one who stood off the field, watching from a distance. He would think about how the player should dribble at one moment or perform a more concerted defense at another moment. He would simulate what was the best way to break through.

But in the end, after so many years later, he was still standing at the same spot.

He didn’t have the confidence to shoot or express his feelings easily, because he only gave himself one chance.

If she turned him down, he didn’t believe that he would have the courage to try a second time.

In reality, he wasn’t as strong as he looked to be. The reason why he moved every step so cautiously was due to his cowardice.

Perhaps Ruan Yu’s readers all looked forward to learning the reason why the male character missed the graduation trip. They probably imagined that there was some heart-rending misunderstanding or hardship that he couldn’t mention to anybody.

But in reality, there wasn’t any special reason why he missed the trip.

During the second semester of his first year in high school, his parents were getting a divorce and fighting over the custody of the children. In the end they agreed to split the kids, one went with father and the other with the mother.

His dad had decided to live in the US after the divorce. His sister, behind their parents’ back, told him while crying that she didn’t want to go to the US with their father.

So he had no choice but to go with his father.

He knew then that he would leave the country after high school, therefore it was impossible for him to say to Ruan Yu: “Though I’ll be going to live in the US after graduation, could you still be my girlfriend?”

At the time, he didn’t have the ability to decide how he was going to live his life. So he couldn’t persuade himself to influence a girl’s future simply because he liked her.

He gave up going to the graduation trip on his own.

He didn’t like to say goodbye, didn’t want to make a whole ceremony out of their last meeting, and didn’t want, after tasting a little sweetness, to have to live with bitterness in those endless days without her.

“If you can’t give me all, then don’t give me anything at all.”-- --This is the lyric of one of A-Mei’s songs and Xu Huaisong was exactly that kind of person.

During the three years of high school, the only time Xu Huaisong lost his self-control was on the day he turned 18 while at the school fireworks celebration for the New Year.

Xu Huaisong quietly watched Ruan Yu, now curled up in bed, and couldn’t help from reaching over with his hand to touch her cheek.

But his hand was too cold, Ruan Yu was resistant to the cold even in her sleep. She turned her face sideways to avoid it.

Xu Huaisong’s hand froze in mid-air.

After a long while, a murmur, like a sigh, could be heard in the quiet room: “Could you…...like me again one more time.”

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 24 Part 2

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 24 Part 2

Unable to fall asleep, Ruan Yu took out her cell phone. She avoided checking Weibo but opened WeChat instead. She checked the new WeChat posts and happened to see the chat box with Xu Huaisong.

The cursor was blinking, she typed: [Mr. Xu, forgot to thank you. I was lucky to have you around today.]

Xu Huaisong: [It’s alright.]

Soft Jade: [Then I’ll be going to sleep now. If you need anything in the middle of the night, you can wake me up.]

Xu Huaisong: [Good night.]

Ruan Yu was surprised. Xu Huaisong would say goodnight to others?

To be courteous, she replied: [Good night.]

The next second, Xu Huaisong: [Go sleep.]

Ruan Yu wondered to herself why Xu Huaisong suddenly was acting like those gentle and considerate male characters she had created in her novels? 

What had gone wrong with this aloof person?

After pondering for a while, her head felt more and more heavy and she finally fell asleep. When she woke up again, it felt hard to breathe and she couldn’t move her body.

The bedroom was still pitch dark. She picked up her cell phone to check. It was two o’clock in the morning.

The difference in temperature between her palm and the cell phone quickly made her aware that she was running a fever.

The melodrama from the night on top of the all the pressure of the past month had finally broken her down.

She could barely talk and simply felt very thirsty.

She got off the bed and dragged herself to search for water in the living room. She saw a bottle of water but was afraid that drinking cold water would make her feel even worse. She turned around to look for the kettle.

But the kettle was nowhere to be found. She felt a little dizzy and couldn’t locate the kettle anywhere.

She remembered that Xu Huaisong had mentioned that he wouldn’t be sleeping tonight and took out the cell phone to type: [Mr. Xu, where have you put the kettle?]

Xu Huaisong: [It should be on the second shelf of the cabinet. Is it not?]

Ruan Yu squatted down to check. She took out the kettle and the moment she filled it up with water and plugged it in, the doorbell rang. At the same time she received a message: [It’s me. Open the door.]

Ruan Yu dragged herself over to open the door and said in a hoarse voice: “I’ve found it. Sorry to trouble you.”

Xu Huaisong however could tell that she didn’t look well. Subconsciously, he reached over to touch her forehead. Then he frowned, walked in, and closed the door after him: “Why didn’t you say you’re having a fever?”

Ruan Yu felt like her throat was smoking and couldn’t really speak. She squeezed out some words: “Not a big deal.”

Xu Huaisong told her to sit on the couch. Then he turned to rummage in his suitcase. He took out an ear thermometer and pushed it into her ear. The reading came out as “38.5”. His eyebrows were knitted even tighter: “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Ruan Yu shook her head: “It’s too much trouble to go to emergency……”

All she wanted now was to drink some water and go back to sleep.

Xu Huaisong sighed and turned to make a phone call. It was a call to the front desk to ask them to send up something.

While Xu Huaisong was on the phone, Ruan Yu stood up to pour water for herself but Xu Huaisong reached over with his arm to stop her: “Sit back down.”

She went back and collapsed onto the couch. She didn’t have any energy to fuss with him. Xu Huaisong brought over a glass of warm water to Ruan Yu’s mouth and she lowered her head to drink it without delay.

After drinking the full glass, she heard Xu Huaisong ask: “Want more?”

Ruan Yu shook her head and huddled up into a ball on the couch.

Xu Huaisong went to the bedroom to fetch a blanket. Then he went to the door for the fever reducer medicine and cooling patch that were being delivered. By the time he went to the couch, Ruan Yu had already fallen asleep.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 24 Part 1

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 24 Part 1

Ruan Yu mechanically followed whatever Xu Huaisong directed her to do as if she was in a trance.

By the time they were carrying her stuff to Xu Huaisong’s hotel room and he unlocked the door with a swipe of his room card, Ruan Yu finally came to grips of the night’s chaos and asked, shocked: “Why don’t I stay with Mingying?”

Xu Huaisong looked at her, his facial expression seemed to ask “You’re asking me. Who should I ask?”

Just as she finally remembered Shen Mingying, Ruan Yu received a call from her.

She picked up the call and heard Shen Mingying ask: “How’s she?”

“She’s alright now.”

“Have you gone home yet?”

“I might not be safe at home so I didn’t go back.”

“Then where are you now? Come to my place, I’ll tell my boyfriend to leave.”

“Ur……” Ruan Yu hesitated. She watched Xu Huaisong pull the bag in her hand away and carry it inside the room. She had no choice but to follow him inside first.

The room door was closed behind her. Shen Mingying acutely picked up the sound of a door closing: “You’ve checked into a hotel?”

“En.” To be exact, she wasn’t the one who checked into the hotel.

Ruan Yu debated in her mind, then moved the phone away from her. She looked at Xu Huaisong who was picking up the kettle: “Maybe I should just go to Mingying’s place?”

Xu Huaisong gave her a glance: “I’ve already driven for a whole night.”

The hidden message was that he was too tired to want to drive again.

He went to boil water after saying so. At the same time, Shen Mingying’s voice burst from the cell phone: “My goodness, a man. Ruan Yu, you’re really something!”

“......”

Ruan Yu hurriedly covered her cell phone and said in a small voice: “It’s not what you think.”

“No, I wish it’s like what I think. Is he the one you had a blind date with? Didn’t you go out for dinner with him earlier?”

Ruan Yu was afraid that if she said “it’s Xu Huaisong” now, Shen Mingying would go crazy and expose her right in front of Xu Huaisong. She could only say: “I’ll explain to you tomorrow.” Then she hung up the phone immediately.

It quieted down inside the room. Ruan Yu stood glued to the spot and carefully looked around.

It was a deluxe suite with a living room and a bedroom. The east side of the living room had an enclosed balcony and a kitchenette. There was even a piano on the balcony. It was basically a small apartment.

It was probably where Xu Huaisong usually stayed when he was back in the country.

Ruan Yu walked over to the kitchenette and said: “I’ll just go downstairs to get a standard room……”

Xu Huaisong squatted down to open the refrigerator and replied: “I’ll go.”

Ruan Yu touched her nose and embarrassingly answered: “Oh. Then, I’ll pay for it.”

Xu Huaisong looked up and gave her a glance, but didn’t respond. He asked instead: “Do you want something to eat? There’s only instant food.”

Ruan Yu then realized that she hadn’t had dinner yet. However, she didn’t have much of an appetite, probably because she’d been hungry for too long. She said: “Anything will do.”

Xu Huaisong took out a box of instant rice and curry and heated it up for her. Then he picked up his laptop and a cat basket.

Ruan Yu noticed the cat basket and looked inside of it. She discovered that there was a small orange cat sleeping inside. Ruan Yu lowered her voice and whispered: “You brought the cat with you.”

Xu Huaisong nodded. He walked over to the door before turning his head to tell Ruan Yu: “The bedding and toiletries are all new. I won’t be sleeping tonight, call me if you need anything.”

Ruan Yu remembered that he had just flown back yesterday and was probably still jet lagged.

Ruan Yu: “En.” After Xu Huaisong left, Ruan Yu ate a few bites before she was too tired to eat anymore. She took a shower and went to bed. But once in bed, she couldn’t fall asleep despite being exhausted.

Actually, she always had little trouble falling asleep in a strange bed.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 23 Part 4

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 23 Part 4

Li Shican spoke first: “It’s alright, just a small case. My team will resolve this matter. You go home, get some rest. Don’t look at Weibo for the next few days.”

Ruan Yu nodded. After Li Shican left, she leaned back into the chair, feeling exhausted both mentally and physically.

Xu Huaisong didn’t say anything. He drove the car out of the garage towards Ruan Yu’s apartment. When they arrived, they saw a BMW park there.

Ruan Yu pulled open the car door and just got out of the car when she heard Xu Huaisong say “wait a minute.”

Ruan Yu stopped as Xu Huaisong released his seatbelt and got out of the car. At the same time, a man walked out of the BMW as well.

The man walked a few steps in front of Ruan Yu and said: “Is this Ms. Ruan?” He then pointed at the person sitting at the back seat of the BMW: “Ms. Cen’s father would like to have a talk with you.”

Xu Huaisong circled around in front of Ruan Yu: “He can talk to me.”

The man looked confused: “And you are?”

“I’m her lawyer.”

The driver turned his head to take a look and saw Cen Rongshen nod his head and walk out of the back seat. He walked slowly with a cane until he was in front of both of them. In the darkness, his sharp eyes were as compelling as the eyes of an eagle.

Ruan Yu subconsciously made a small step to hide behind Xu Huaisong.

The next moment, the confrontation that they had expected didn’t happen. This middle aged man solemnly bowed to both of them, a 90 degree bow. Then he straightened up and said: “Ms. Ruan, I’m very sorry to cause so much trouble for you. I apologize to you on behalf of Sisi. I also apologize to you as Sisi’s father. It’s because I have neglected to discipline her and care for her that created all these problems today.”

It was totally not what Ruan Yu had expected and for the moment, she didn’t know what to say.

Xu Huaisong stepped one step aside, no longer blocking Ruan Yu.

Cen Rongshen nodded to him as if to show his appreciation. Then he continued: “I just got the diagnosis report today which confirms that Sisi has a serious mental disease. That’s why she sometimes has obsessive and aggressive behavior, it’s not just aimed at you. Of course, I’m not saying this to you in the hope of gaining your sympathy and understanding. She had done something wrong, there’s no excuse for it. You have the right to demand accountability and the Cen family has the obligation to compensate you. I’m just thinking you deserve an explanation.”

Ruan Yu blinked and was silent for a moment before nodding her head: “Thank you.”

Cen Rongshen gave her a smile. He was probably someone who didn't smile much usually. When he squeezed the corner of his mouth, the smile looked rather awkward.

He said: “I already knew about the compensation agreement from the court judgement. In addition, I would like to pay you a sum for any emotional damage. Or, is there anything else you need to be compensated for?” 

Ruan Yu shook her head: “I only wish the after effects of this incident can be minimized as much as possible. My and Li Shican’s lives can go back to where they were as soon as possible.”

“That’s for sure, even without you demanding it.” Cen Rongsheng was now smiling much more naturally: “Shican is a stubborn kid…… Rest assure, I’ll work with him to clarify the whole thing. When it’s necessary, I’m willing to make my daughter’s illness public.” 

Cen Rongshen took a look at Xu Huaisong after making himself clear. It looked like he was asking for Xu Huaisong's opinion as Ruan Yu’s attorney.

Xu Huaisong gently smiled and said: “I have no issue with the compensation. But may I ask Mr. Cen, how did you find this place tonight?”

Cen Rongshen paused then shook his head to indicate that he had forgotten something: “I’m getting old, kept forgetting things. I’ve forgotten the most important thing. The reason why I’m here tonight is also to remind Ms. Ruan that I’ve found your address in Sisi’s notebook. I’m not clear whether she has done any other extreme actions or not. In the next couple of days I’ll check all her outside contacts to make sure. To be on the safe side, I hope you don’t stay here for the time being. I’ll be responsible for all the expenses incurred.”

Ruan Yu looked up at the pitch black window of 302 of the apartment building. She tried to stay calm and said: “Alright.”

Cen Rongshen said goodbye to both of them and turned around to get into his car.

Ruan Yu hadn’t fully recovered from the information she had just heard from Mr. Cen, but heard Xu Huaisong say: “Let’s go. Get some clothes upstairs.”

“Hum?”

“You’re staying at my place tonight.”

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 23 Part 3

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 23 Part 3

Ruan Yu blinked a couple times, then pulled her hand out of Xu Huaisong’s and turned to walk away.

Xu Huaisong chased after her and pulled her back: “What are you going to do?”

“I can’t let him destroy his career.”

To her, “Wenxiang” was simply a pen name. Even if she couldn’t use the pen name anymore, she would still be Ruan Yu.

But Li Shican is Li Shican.

Xu Huaisong took a deep breath and held her wrist tight: “He’s an adult. He should be and is capable of being responsible for his own actions and decisions.”

Neither of them would budge for two minutes. They could faintly hear Li Shican had started answering the reporters’ questions.

Ruan Yu sighed.

Xu Huaisong released his hand and looked down: “Sorry.”

Ruan Yu didn’t get the underlying meaning of his “sorry.” She looked at her reddish wrist and said: “It’s alright.”

They went to his car to wait for further information.

Less than a half hour later, she received a WeChat message from Li Shican: [She’s out of danger. The reporters were asked to leave by the hospital as well. Where are you? I’ll come look for you.]

Ruan Yu took a look at Xu Huaisong: “He wants to come look for me.”

Xu Huaisong: “En. Tell him my car license number. Let his assistant drive his car out first, then let him take the emergency exit to go down to the underground garage.”

Ruan Yu understood this was to let people think Li Shican had already left the hospital.

Xu Huaisong turned his car around to drive to the underground garage. Li Shican came by himself, he had also changed his clothes. He got in the back seat of Xu Huaisong’s car.

The moment the car door was closed, the atmosphere inside the car became more brooding.

Ruan Yu turned her head back but didn’t know what to say at the moment.

It was Li Shican who opened his mouth first: “They got her back. Why do you look like that? You think a person who really wants to kill herself would do it on stream?”

Ruan Yu certainly knew it but: “What about you?”

“She’s plotted for a long time, just to destroy you and me one after another. I won’t be able to stay out of it anyway. So why not just play along with it and let the truth out. Then I can manage public opinion ahead of her.”

Ruan Yu frowned and wanted to say something more. But Li Shican turned to look at Xu Huaisong instead: “Is this Mr. Xu?”

“En.”

“So you aren’t the one who first exposed Cen Sisi online?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head: “No.” Then his eyes met with Li Shican’s in the rear view mirror.

When the two pairs of eyes met, both of them understood how the whole incident developed up to this point.

In the beginning, Li Shican only did the rebuttal column on Weibo and some public opinion damage control. He didn’t expose the fact that Cen Sisi was actually “Weixiang’s” xuemei.

When he saw Xu Huaisong in the video chat with Ruan Yu, he figured that he must have some unusual connection to her. Then he heard Ruan Yu address him as her lawyer which made him think the exposure was the work of this lawyer.

Later on when Ruan Yu questioned him, Li Shican realized that she didn’t know about it. Because he didn’t want to give Xu Huaisong any credit, Li Shican didn’t tell her about his suspicion.

As for Xu Huaisong, that was also the day he had found Li Shican look quite familiar in the video chat. Later on he remembered that this was the “idol” whom Xu Huaishi always talked about. After checking Lu Shican’s background, Xu Huaisong naturally assumed that all those posts online had been arranged by Li Shican.

Due to the same reason of not wanting to give Li Shican the credit, Xu Huaisong didn’t discuss in detail the series of events online with Ruan Yu either.

In the end, they both found that it was Cen Sisi who had exposed herself in the first place. She wanted to create the image of a “victim” so she could stir up a storm on the day when the court decision was issued.

Xu Huaisong and Li Shican looked at each other in frustration. Then both of them lowered their heads at the same to pinch in between their eyebrows.

Ruan Yu, kept in the dark, was confused. But obviously neither of the two men planned to explain.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

Announcement - Post You're Beautiful When You Smile Plans

 Hello everyone!

Just in case people missed this message on the last chapter.

We've finally finished You're Beautiful When You Smile. We hope you enjoyed this 4+ year project, it even got turned into a drama!

We will still continue to translate You're My Belated Happiness and each part will be released every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 pm Pacific Standard Time. Otherwise, we plan to take a break from picking up a new translation for the month of November to relax. We'll come back next month (December 2021) with a new story (if we find something that looks promising).

Best regards,

DHH Translation Team

You're Beautiful When You Smile - Chapter 191 Part 5 FINAL

Hello everyone!

This is the last chapter to You're Beautiful When You Smile. We hope you enjoyed this over 4 year project, it even got turned into a drama!

We will still continue to translate You're My Belated Happiness and each part will be released every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 pm Pacific Standard Time. But we plan to take a break from picking up a new translation for the month of November to relax. We'll come back next month (December 2021) with a new story. 

Best regards,

DHH Translation Team

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 23 Part 2

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 23 Part 2

Not knowing what Shen Mingying was calling about, in order not to expose any secret in front of Liu Mao, Ruan Yu didn’t answer the phone until she was outside of the restaurant: “Mingying.”

Right after she said that, she saw Xu Huaisong’s car park in front of the restaurant.

Yet she didn’t have time to pay much attention to it because Shen Mingying sounded quite anxious on the phone: “Go check Weibo, hurry!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Cen Sisi is streaming suicide. Someone said it’s all because of you!”

Ruan Yu’s knees buckled from the shock and slipped down the steps. Her elbow was supported by a pair of hands just in time.

Xu Huaisong was standing right in front of her: “What’s going on?”

Ruan Yu looked up in a daze and murmured: “Cen Sisi committed suitcide……”

On the day she posted the judgement of the case, Cen Sisi committed suitcide.

Ruan Yu clicked open Weibo with her trembling hand and discovered that the stream had been blocked already. She called Cen Sisi’s cell phone and no one answered.

“Who can contact her family, think carefully.” Xu Huaisong’s voice was still quite calm.

There was someone.

Ruan Yu dialed Li Shican’s number.

The phone call immediately picked up. Li Shican’s voice wasn’t steady either. He said while panting: “I already knew and have contacted her father. If it goes well, she should be sent to City First Hospital.”

Ruan Yu didn’t know what exactly happened and asked: “How did she……”

“She cut her wrist and took some pills. Don’t you worry, it may not be that serious.”

It sounded like Li Shican was in a rush as well. After hanging up the phone, Ruan Yu looked at the steps under her feet, her mind wandered off and didn’t recover for quite a while.

The volume on her cell phone wasn’t very low and Xu Huaisong had heard what Li Shican had said. He was quiet for a while before saying: “Let’s go.”

Ruan Yu raised her head: “Go where?”

“City First Hospital. It’s better to know the result right away rather than standing here waiting for it?”

Ruan Yu followed Xu Huaisong to get in his car.

City First Hospital looked quite business as usual. There wasn’t any sign of commotion over receiving an emergency suicide patient.

Yet Ruan Yu’s feet felt as heavy as lead once she smelled the strong disinfectant scent.

Xu Huaisong told her to wait at the side. He went up to check with the information desk, but didn’t get an answer. Then they heard a commotion coming from the front door of the hospital.

Xu Huaisong and Ruan Yu turned their heads and found a group of reporters with cameras and microphones surrounding a man with a face mask while noisily asking questions all at the same time.

Ruan Yu recognized the man that was being mobbed to be Li Shican.

Li Shican also noticed her standing in the brighter area of the lobby. He quickly took out his phone.

Five seconds later, Ruan Yu’s cell phone vibrated. She received a message from him: [Don’t stay here, go.]

Xu Huaisong glanced at the message and frowned. The moment all the reporters swarmed into the lobby, he grabbed Ruan Yu and walked towards the back door of the hospital.

Ruan Yu was stumbling along as her brain was racing.

Something flashed in her brain and she suddenly understood something. She stopped when they were near the parking lot: “Li Shican is planning to divert public opinion?”

No matter whether Cen Sisi could be saved or not, Ruan Yu in the eyes of the public would turn from the victim to the perpetrator.

Therefore, Li Shican planned to disclose the past history between him and Cen Sisi so the public would blame him instead.

The attraction from a famous star would be much bigger than from a normal internet writer like her.

Xu Huaisong didn’t say anything, as if he also agreed with her speculation. 

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You're Beautiful When You Smile - Chapter 191 Part 4

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re Beautiful When You Smile

Chapter 191 Part 4

As ZGDX was fighting Baron, G4’s bot duo and mid began pushing turrets in order to catch up in economy. They took down the inner turrets at bot and mid respectively…… After they destroyed those turrets, they returned to base immediately to upgrade their items in preparation from the coming tough fights against ZGDX-- --

23 minutes into the game, ZGDX, with Baron buff, destroyed three of G4’s outer turrets. The gap between the two teams widened to 6000 gold……

As the game moved along, it was obvious that the pressure was getting to G4’s players more and more.

Their mid was out of sync with his teammates and was late to the team fight.

Their AD made a stupid mistake by going deep into the enemy side of the map, near their inner turret, without having any wards nearby to spot the enemy early.

Their jungler tried his best to keep the momentum going all by himself but because they had lost all of their outer turrets, he couldn’t place any wards……

Ten minutes into G4’s slow death, even G4’s own players didn’t believe they could turn the game around. They had relied on their confidence and relaxed attitude in their previous matches and played tricks whenever possible to beat enemies who only knew how to stick to their routines-- --

But this time, it wasn’t smooth sailing.

37 minutes into the game, ZGDX took Baron again and fought all the way from top lane  into G4’s base. G4’s Gragas moved forward and blew Gnar into his own team, right onto G4’s AD-- --

Amidst the commentators’ pained shouting, the audience could also see Old Cat, on stage, excitedly roaring as his face turned red: “Nice! Good job! Thanks daddy Gragas! ! ! ! !”

G4’s Sivir, though at full health, was unable to move. She cast her ultimate in an attempt to get away but Kalista and Annie unleashed their abilities, knocking her up in the air, and used their ultimates. Syndra followed up with Q, E, and R to kill Sivir. At the same time, Kindred’s ultimate came down to protect them and Annie was able to come back safely to heal AD-- --

All ZGDX players survived!

G4 was missing their AD and Orianna was again out of sync with her teammates. Rumble, though trying to counter attack, wasn’t able to do much against ZGDX. It seemed that his fate was sealed……

“Ahhhhhhh.” Little Fatty shouted: “Ahhhhhh, kill him, kill him! Don’t let Rumble go back to the fountain! ! !”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t. They can’t get up, can’t get up. What can they do with only the support.” Old K called out: “Nexus turret is down, nexus turret is down. We can win, we can win. GG! ! !”

Old Cat: “Kill him. I became small. The other side’s AD will respawn in 20 seconds!”

Lu Sicheng: “Hit the turret. Concentrate on that, hit the turret-- --”

Tong Yao: “......It looks like it’s finished.”

It’s finished.

It’s finished!

It’s finished, ahhhhhhh! ! !

They took down two nexus turrets. When the cursor was on the other side’s blue base, Tong Yao watched the long health bar gradually diminish little by little……

Her blood started to boil inside her body again and her eye sockets started to feel sore. She knew what all this meant……

At the moment when G4’s AD respawned and about to come out the fountain, the last drop of health of G4’s Nexus was cleared by Tong Yao with a basic attack. The game screen froze and the most beautiful picture of a Nexus exploding appeared-- --

“We won. The championship.”

Tong Yao’s eyes blurred.

She blinked and a single tear fell onto the collar of her uniform.

The world surrounding her seemed to become quiet all of sudden. Tong Yao pulled down the headphones and stood up. She could hear Little Fatty roar like an animal, Old K laugh happily, and Old Cat murmur “championship skin, ahhh, I want Rumble”......

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.