You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 60 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 60 Part 3

It was already dark after Xu Huaisong and Ruan Yu took Jiang Yi home. They then found a restaurant to eat dinner. Afterwards, Xu Huaisong planned to drive back to Hang City but Ruan Yu suggested: “Let’s go visit your mother?”

Xu Huaisong knew what Ruan Yu meant between the lines. He should let Tao Rong know about the new development of the old case.

Xu Huaisong cast his eyes down: “Wait a couple of days. I haven’t figured out how to tell her.”

Too many years had passed. Once the truth revealed itself, as one of the people who was entangled in it, he didn’t know at the moment how to untie the encased knot.

It was relatively easy to explain the truth. But what about the aftermath? Could a family which had been split for ten years be patched up again? And how would it be patched up?

Xu Huaisong was digesting the turn of events himself right now and wasn’t in a position to talk to Tao Rong yet.

Ruan Yu pondered a bit: “It’s fine not to let her know now. But it’s dark, let’s not drive back.”

Xu Huaisong turned his head to look at her: “Then, a hotel?”

She shook her head and put her arms around his: “Let’s just go stay at your home. Your grandma invited us last time.”

Xu Huaisong laughed: “I’ve seen people trick their girlfriends into going home with them, but I’ve never seen someone who gets tricked by his girlfriend to go to his own home.”

Ruan Yu gave him a glance: “Then, will you be tricked?”

“I will.”

Xu Huaisong called his home, then Ruan Yu dragged him to go shopping. After the shopping spree, he carried big and small bags back home with her.

Tao Rong and his grandma happily let them into the living room.

Since it was the weekend, Xu Huaishi was also at home doing homework. Seeing all the packages, she ran to the living room and pointed at all the bags: “Is there anything for me?”

Xu Huaisong said: “Yes.” He picked up a set of 48 practice tests to give her.

Xu Huaishi: “......”

Ruan Yu whispered in her ear: “This has nothing to do with me. It’s your brother who wanted to buy them for you.”

Xu Huaishi said with a pursed mouth: “Jiejie, even you can’t control him.”

“There’s nothing to be controlled.” Xu Huaisong pushed her towards the study: “Go do your homework.”

“Doesn’t a high school senior have any human rights?” Xu Huaishi talked back but shrunk her neck before her brother gave her a cold stare: “Alright, alright, no human rights, no human rights!” Then she rushed back to the study. Before she closed the door, she mouthed to Ruan Yu– –don’t marry him, don’t marry him!

Ruan Yu laughed and waved at her, telling her not to worry.

Tao Rong and Grandma led them to sit on the couch. This time both sides had time to prepare for the meeting and the atmosphere was cordial.

When Tao Rong asked why they were both at Su City, Xu Huaisong was about to say “taking care of business” when Ruan Yu replied: “Huaisong just flew back from the US today. Since the airport is closer to here, we came over.”

Grandma: “Hrm, it’s so tiring flying back and forth. Does Huaisong have any plans?”

Xu Huaisong was silent for a moment before answering truthfully: “I do. After taking care of the rest of my work in the US, I basically don’t need to go there anymore.”

Something flashed in Tao Rong’s eyes.

Grandma laughed and referred to Ruan Yu in a more intimate way: “I’ve told your mother that you care about Yuyu so much that you must have plans. It’s good that you have plans, it’s good……”

Tao Rong was quiet for a while before asking: “Then what about your father?”

Xu Huaisong paused before replying: “At his current situation, it’s impossible to leave him in the US all by himself for any long period of time.”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 60 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 60 Part 2

Ruan Yu understood how frightened Jiang Yi must be when the whole world was saying “you’re guilty.”

She had gone through that kind of despair when she couldn’t give any convincing explanation to defend herself.

Ruan Yu sighed and watched the sun gradually setting in the west. After about an hour, Xu Huaisong walked out of the station by himself.

When he opened the car door, Ruan Yu’s heart abruptly tugged. She turned her body sideways to check his facial expression first.

He had a relieved expression on his face. Ruan Yu couldn’t wait to ask: “There’s still no conclusion?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head. He sat in the car but didn’t start the car, instead he sighed deeply while leaning against the back of the seat: “There should be a conclusion, though we have to wait for the trail. But it’s pretty much certain now.”

“Was it really……Wei Jin?”

“The police have investigated Wei Jin’s cash flows in recent years because of his possible involvement in drugs. They have discovered a suspicious account. Wei Jin has been wiring money into this account for ten years, big sums of money. The money transfers through many hands and eventually reaches a real estate tycoon in Hong Kong.”

“This real estate tycoon was once a medical examiner in Su City.”

Ruan Yu’s throat tightened; she had guessed what had happened back then.

Xu Huaisong swallowed with some difficulty: “The police found out that Wei Jin had asked this medical examiner to tamper with the victim’s body, causing the autopsy to determine that the time of death to be much earlier than the actual time. Because of this, Jiang Yi’s alibi couldn’t hold out and Wei Jin could provide a reasonable alibi.”

“In reality, when Jiang Yi and the victim were having sex in the men’s restroom, Wei Jin happened to be in the stall at the corner.”

Xu Huaisong didn’t continue, probably not wanting to give Ruan Yu too many details.

But Ruan Yu could pretty much figure out what had happened in the restroom.

Jiang Yi and all his friends were just having a wild party that evening. Wei Jin must have had much to drink as well. He happened to overhear Jiang Yi and the victim in the restroom. After Jiang Yi left the restroom in a hurry, he must have been so aroused that he wanted to do the same with the victim. 

Wei Jin probably accidentally killed the girl during a physical scuffle.

Facing the choices of turning himself in or using a fake alibi to get away, Wei Jin chose the latter. From then on, under his glamorous appearance, he had a twisted soul, taking drugs and raping women.

“Why didn’t Wei Jin try to silence this medical examiner for all those years?”

“One is that there's a risk trying to silence him. The other is that the medical examiner must be a smart person. He must have preserved some evidence so Wei Jin wouldn’t dare trying to kill him. If he accidentally dies, that evidence will be given to the police.”

Ruan Yu closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Jiang Yi walking out of the police station by himself, he was staggering. After walking out of the glass door, he crumpled onto the step outside.

Then, he started wailing.

A thirtyish man, like a child, howling with an open mouth. He cried so hard that he was out of breath, making a strange squealing sound.

Ten years later, on this day against a bleeding red sunset glow, Jiang Yi uttered cries of anguish. He wanted to use a voice which could be heard by the whole world to shout again: “I didn’t kill anyone! I didn’t kill anyone……”

He cried and shouted, laughing as he cried. But his laugh was very gloomy, very desperate.

Ruan Yu watched through the car window how passersby looked at Jiang Yi in surprise and confusion. The way they looked at him was like they were seeing a horrible mad man.

Xu Huaisong opened the car door.

He walked over and squatted down in front of Jiang Yi, gently patted his back and said: “It’s all over. It’s alright now.”

Jiang Yi stopped shouting and used his hands which were covered with calluses to cover his face.

Tears streamed down between his fingers. Xu Huaisong gently smiled at him: “Let me take you home, alright?”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 60 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 60 Part 1

After hanging up the phone, Ruan Yu sat on the couch lost in thought.

It wasn’t because of the news she had just heard. It was rather because Fang Zhen said that Xu Huaisong had mentioned the old case to him in private.

Xu Huaisong wasn’t someone who would easily jump to conclusions. When they first found that group picture, Xu Huaisong was quite objective and rational. Even after Wei Jin was arrested for drug-related charges, he still didn’t accuse Wei Jin of anything for which he didn’t have any proof of. After he flew to the US, he never mentioned anything about it when video chatting with Ruan Yu.

But being a normal human being, he couldn’t remain emotionally impartial about Wei Jin’s case.

He was deeply concerned about it and had asked the police to watch how Wei Jin’s case progressed.

It was a matter which only Xu Huaisong could take care of. There was little that Ruan Yu could do to help him with it. The only thing she could do was to buy a high speed train ticket to go to Su City. She would give him the information the first moment he got off the plane and let him know that she would meet him at Su City.

The airport was much closer to Su City than Hang City.

It was late afternoon when Ruan Yu arrived at the train station of Su City. A few minutes later, Xu Huaisong also arrived at the station.

Xu Huaisong’s own car was in the mechanic’s shop and he had rented a car.

Ruan Yu got in the car and Xu Huaisong welcomed her by patting her head.

He leaned over to help Ruan Yu fasten the seatbelt and lightly pinched her nose to say: “I’ll be back in Hang City in a few hours after taking care of things over here. You don’t need to come all this way here.”

“I’m afraid that you won’t be able to finish tonight and have to spend the night here.”

They were apart for ten days and relied on video calls to keep in touch. Ruan Yu didn’t want to wait for an extra few hours more before seeing him.

Xu Huaisong laughed: “You know what my American colleagues called you?”

They had been video chatting much more frequently than the previous time when they were apart. Several of Xu Huaisong's American colleagues became familiar with her.  

Ruan Yu touched her nose: “What?”

Xu Huaisong started the car and turned the steering wheel to drive away from the train station. His lips curved upwards and said: “The clingy cat.”

Ruan Yu was speechless: “It was you who insisted on keeping video calls on while you go to sleep. Did you explain?”

“I did.”

“How did you clarify it?”

“I said, I probably couldn’t be counted as a person either.”

“......”

They had some small talk on their way to the police station, perhaps because they were excited to see each other again. However, it was more due to the fact that they were both anxious about what might come next and wanted to avoid the topic.

They were both uneasy about what they might learn at the police station, so they spoke of inconsequential things to ease the nervousness they both were experiencing at the moment.

Yet the deliberately created light-heartedness went out of the window when they saw Jiang Yi in front of the police station.

When Xu Huaisong was parking the car, Jiang Yi was following two policemen walking towards the station. It looked like he had been asked to come to the station for questioning.

Xu Huaisong frowned and parked the car. He then released the seat belt and was about to say something when he heard Ruan Yu saying: “Go, I’ll wait for you in the car.”

Xu Huaisong had some connection to the case but Ruan Yu was a total outsider. She felt she wasn’t in the position to go in.

She waited in the car and couldn’t get the image of Jiang Yi walking into the station off her head.

Jiang Yi was still wearing that same old, yellowing t-shirt with a stooping back. When he looked up at the police badge hanging on the doorway, both of his legs were trembling and he almost tripped while going up the steps.

Ruan Yu could even imagine that there must be fears filled in his eyes.

It wasn’t from a guilty conscience but from genuine fear.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 59 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 59 Part 3

Xu Huaisong continued to brush over her teeth a second time.

With the toothbrush in her mouth, Ruan Yu mumbled with a mouth full of foam: “Are you raising a daughter?”

Xu Huaisong lowered his head and laughed: “Don’t let your father hear this. It sounds like I’ve abducted his daughter.”

Ruan Yu rinsed her mouth clean and tilted her head to look at him: “Haven’t you?”

Ruan Yu’s question seemed to have reminded Xu Huaisong something. He put down the water cup and said: “At least I’m not abducting you to the US.”

Hearing it, Ruan Yu was a little taken aback and the smile on her face faded.

Xu Huaisong sighed and reached over with his hand to touch her face: “Do you know why I haven’t become a US citizen?”

She shook her head and frowned with confusion.

Come to think about it, he had been in the US for eight years and was quite accomplished. He should have met the requirements for applying for citizenship long ago.

“It’s because my father never mentioned this before he became sick. In the beginning, I thought he might have had other plans. But after he got sick and I went through some of his documents, I discovered that he had investments in China all along. Though we put down our roots in the US, he didn’t seem to have any plans on giving up his Chinese citizenship at all and didn’t plan to cut off all ties with what we have here. So I didn’t make any move on my own.”

“I have a mother and sister who have always hoped I would come back someday. I also have a father who doesn’t want to part with things here. But it’s you who offered me an opportunity to make a choice. I can be a lawyer in the US and in China as well. Eight years look like a long time, but in comparison to the decades ahead, it doesn’t seem to be a big deal, does it?”

Ruan Yu didn't know how true his words were.

But, just as she expected, he wasn’t going to bring her with him to the US.

Xu Huaisong smiled: “I’m truly happy that you’re willing to consider moving to the US for me. But just considering it is enough.”

Ruan Yu cast her eyes down and nodded. After a while, she asked: “Then, how about your father?”

“When his health is more stable, I’ll consult the doctors in the US to see when he would be able to ride on an airplane and whether he would be able to adjust to a new life in a new environment.”

Ruan Yu nodded: “Then, when are we going to the US this time?”

Xu Huaisong reached over to scrape Ruan Yu’s nose with his finger: “Just like what I said yesterday, I’ll go back by myself. The lawyer exam is coming up pretty soon, I won’t be gone for long this time. It’ll be too tiring for you to go with me and have to deal with jet lag.”

Ruan Yu disagreed and tried to persuade him to take her. She poked at his waist and hinted: “Are you willing to part with me……”

Xu Huaisong was a little stunned, then he realized what she was implying. He lowered his head and said: “Aren’t you going to have your period tomorrow? I’ll be gone just this week or so.”

“......”

Ruan Yu recalled Xu Huaishi’s advice: See how shrewd and calculating my brother is? For this kind of person, dating him is alright but absolutely don’t marry him!

Ruan Yu pushed him: “Go, go, go!”

Xu Huaisong took the flight that night to the US and would be back in less than half a month.

Ruan Yu’s screenplay project had been put on hold after the arrest of the investor. She was idle at home waiting for Xu Huaisong to come back. Then, she received a phone call from Fang Zhen.

It was from Fang Zhen’s personal number. Ruan Yu figured it shouldn’t be about anything official.

Ruan Yu picked up the phone and heard Fang Zhen ask: “Ms. Ruan, may I ask whether you can get in touch with Lawyer Xu? I can’t get hold of him neither with his US number nor the number here.”

Ruan Yu was surprised: “He’s on the plane now. You can get in touch with him with his number in an hour.” She frowned and guessed what might have happened: “Why are you looking for  him? Is there some news about Wei Jin’s case?”

Fang Zhen: “En. Lawyer Xu had mentioned to me privately before about a case his father handled about ten years ago.”

Ruan Yu’s heart suddenly started to beat faster: “Any progress with that case?”

“There’s a major discovery and it has been handed over to the Su City police already.”

“What discovery?”

“It’s not convenient for me to disclose it. If Lawyer Xu is concerned about it, he may contact the Su City police. I’m calling to let him know about this.”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 59 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 59 Part 2

Last night, their first time together didn’t last very long but because of their nervousness beforehand, they were both drenched in sweat afterwards. After the deed was finished, Xu Huaisong wanted to carry Ruan Yu to the bathroom but she had refused.

She thought about the purpose of that mirror in the love hotel and wouldn’t go with him.

Xu Huaisong had no choice but to bring water in a basin over to help Ruan Yu wipe herself clean.

In the darkness of the room, the wiping motion ignited the fire between them again. This time, the two of them chose not to resist and went with their passion for a second round.

The second round was much more passionate than the first round.

When they were finished, Ruan Yu was exhausted. When Xu Huaisong tried again to carry her to the bathroom, she was like a dead fish without the energy to struggle against it and by that point no longer cared enough to be embarrassed.

Now, Ruan Yu laid on bed recalling what happened last night, she blushed again while snickering.

As the corners of Ruan Yu’s lips curved upwards, the door to the bathroom suddenly opened.

Ruan Yu instantly wiped the smile from her face and subconsciously shut her eyes, pretending to still be sleeping.

Xu Huaisong had a silent smile on his face. He knelt down next to the bed and slowly got closer to peck on Ruan Yu’s lips: “It’s almost ten already.”

Ruan Yu forgot that she was pretending to be asleep. She opened her eyes abruptly and asked in surprise: “Is it that late?” Then she realized that she was supposed to take care of Xu Huaisong’s three meals. She climbed up: “Then, have you had your breakfast yet?”

Xu Huaisong didn’t have his eyeglasses on and there were still beads of water on his eyelashes. He looked very innocent and shook his head understandingly: “I don’t have the heart to eat.”

“......”

Normally when a man talks dirty, it isn’t scary at all because one could immediately give the man a sharp look to scare him back.

But in Xu Huaisong’s case, one had to digest the dirty talk coming out of his mouth before grasping it and by that time, the best timing for a response had already passed.

He took Ruan Yu’s lack of response as acceptance of his dirty talk and started to bring up the next topic. He said with a laugh: “Get up. I’ve already made breakfast.”

Ruan Yu touched her nose and flipped over the cover to get out of the bed. Once her feet touched the floor, she felt soreness all over her legs.

Noticing that Ruan Yu had paused, Xu Huaisong stopped her: “I’ll bring over the washbasin. You can wash up in bed?”

Ruan Yu hesitated: “I’m just……” She had just gone through two rounds of intimacy last night, not having given birth to a child.

“The fitness examination back in college was even worse. The next day everyone in the dorm was groaning and moaning when they got off the bed.” Ruan Yu mumbled to indicate that it wasn’t a big deal and turned to go into the bathroom.

Xu Huaisong flatly said: “Oh.” After a little while, he followed her to the bathroom: “Then, you mean I’m not as good as your college fitness exam?”

Ruan Yu paused in the middle of squeezing out the toothpaste.

Were the two…… comparable?

Ruan Yu avoided giving a direct answer: “It was the leapfrog which hurt too much.”

Xu Huaisong took the toothbrush in Ruan Yu’s hand and helped her squeeze some toothpaste on the brush. He also filled up water in the cup and handed it over to her. Then, after a short silence, he said: “There’s a way to do it like a leapfrog.”

Ruan Yu wondered whether there was a switch on him that had been turned on last night. Now it seemed like he couldn’t stop from talking about sex.

Ruan Yu stopped the motion of the toothbrush in her mouth and slowly looked up at him. The bluish white foam flowed out of the corner of her mouth.

Xu Huaisong looked at Ruan Yu in the mirror and smiled. He used one arm to circle around her from her back and used the other hand to take her toothbrush while saying: “Open your mouth.”

Ruan Yu blinked and slightly opened her mouth. Xu Huaisong then started to brush her teeth for her.

The brush gently brushed over every one of her teeth, then, a cup of water was brought up to her mouth.

Ruan Yu sneaked a peek at Xu Huaisong in the mirror.

He was very focused, looking down at her. There was tenderness in his eyes. Seeing that Ruan Yu wasn’t moving, he urged her in a soft voice: “Rinse.”

Ruan Yu could feel a kind of intimacy between them which she had never experienced before.

She began to believe what she had heard before: a keen observer could tell just by one look whether a man and a woman already had an “intimate relationship”.

Ruan Yu lowered her head to sip some water from the cup in his hand, rinsed her mouth, then spat the water back out.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 59 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 59 Part 1

Xu Huaisong lifted his hands and when his kiss landed on Ruan Yu’s lips, his burning palms also landed on her back.

Ruan Yu shivered from the sensation.

Xu Huaisong moved his hands up and down on her with closed eyes.

Ruan Yu was somewhat startled by the sudden movement and wondered to herself if all men probably instinctively knew how to do this thing?

She moved her hands to hold his head.

Xu Huaisong paused and breathlessly asked: “......Where’s your bubble gum?”

“In the third drawer of the TV cabinet……”

Xu Huaisong turned to get out of the bed.

The bed sheet was already gathered in the corner. The disheveled Ruan Yu buried her face in the pillow. Her heart was restless.

She longed for what was going to happen but was nervous about it.

She buried her face even deeper into the pillow and refused to look up when she heard the rustling sound next to the bed.

Then she heard a husky voice from above her head: “There’s no turning back. It’s too late to regret it.”

Ruan Yu jumped: “Wait, wait a moment……”

Xu Huaisong took a deep breath and continued to coax her patiently and gently.

Ruan Yu felt like a lone boat drifting on the ocean. Surrounded by ferocious waves, there was no way for her to escape.

Ruan Yu was as tense as a cooked shrimp: “You, how would you know how……”

Xu Huaisong climbed up and used his nose tip to touch hers: “Because I’ve drilled it many times in my head.”

He touched her sweaty forehead and asked: “Is it ok now?”

Ruan Yu bit her lips and didn’t say anything. Xu Huaisong realized that she had given her consent in silence.

When it finally happened, both of them groaned at the same time.

Xu Huaisong paused and asked her: “Does it hurt?”

Ruan Yu shook her head: “It’s, it’s alright……but I……”

Xu Huaisong patiently asked her: “But what?”

“But I feel like crying……”

Xu Huaisong kissed her forehead: “Silly.”

But Ruan Yu really started crying, tears began to well up in her eyes.

Ruan Yu said while sniffling: “Xu Huaisong, I……”

“I love you.” He interrupted her: “I should be the one who says it first.”

Ruan Yu tightly embraced his back and nodded, then nodded again: “I love you too, probably even more so than you’ve imagined.”

Xu Huaisong’s heart trembled and he continued moving.

Ruan Yu felt that it was a very, very long night. It was so long that she could even see to the end of her whole life.

When Ruan Yu woke up the next morning, she wasn’t in Xu Huaisong’s arms like in those dramas.

She was woken up by the noise of running water.

She opened her eyes and discovered that there was no one next to her but the sheet was still warm.

Xu Huaisong was washing up in the bathroom, probably having just gotten up not too long ago.

In a daze, Ruan Yu blinked her eyes and saw the daylight shine through the gap between the curtains. She slowly woke up and the events of last night also became clearer and clearer in her head.

She and Xu Huaisong had finally taken that step.

From 16 to 18 years old, they held hands once. From May to September when she was 26 years old, they took that step.

It was quite fast yet slow at the same time.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 58 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 58 Part 2

Xu Huaisong at 18 years old wouldn’t say “I like you” to her because he couldn’t decide his own future. At 26 years old, he wouldn’t say “I love you” to her because he couldn’t be sure about the future of their relationship.

He wouldn’t do so even though his love for her was already strong enough for him to turn the steering wheel at that critical moment.

Ruan Yu felt a lump in her throat but tried to hold back her tears while staring at the ceiling light.

How could Xu Huaisong be so foolish.

She couldn’t even get angry at his foolishness.

Xu Huaisong was about to lie down but saw Ruan Yu’s expression as if she had been deeply moved by something while staring at the ceiling. He paused: “What’s up there?”

Ruan Yu sniffled her nose and almost cried: “The lamp is so beautiful……”

“......”

Xu Huaisong was silent for a moment: “Should I turn it on for you?”

Ruan Yu shook her head: “It’s still quite beautiful when it’s dark……”

He blinked: “Then you keep sitting there and look at it for a while longer?”

She nodded.

Xu Huaisong lied down on the bed.

Ruan Yu held onto her knees and continued watching the ceiling light to calm herself. Yet, the emotion surging inside of her was getting stronger and stronger.

Xu Huaisong was very quiet when he was sad.

Xu Huaisong was also very quiet when he was in love.

This man wasn’t iridescent fireworks nor an earth-shattering thunderbolt. He was the ever-flowing stream, flowing through rocks and ditches, which sent the most wonderful love to her along the way little by little.

It flowed in a trickle yet it could flow to eternity.

Ruan Yu pulled on the cover and slowly laid herself down. She turned sideways to face him and said: “Xu Huaisong, will you be tired of me one day and leave me?”

Xu Huaisong, who was lying flat, immediately frowned when he heard her and turned his head over to say: “I won’t.” He asked: “What are you thinking……”

“I won’t leave you either.” She interrupted him: “I really won’t.”

His knitted brows relaxed. Ruan Yu got closer to him: “Therefore, there isn’t any uncertain future between us.”

“En.” He sighed with a smile: “No need to comfort me. I know I’ve misunderstood you before.”

Ruan Yu shook her head to indicate that she wasn’t trying to comfort him. She stammered: “What I meant is that since that’s the case, why couldn’t we…… be together now?”

Xu Huaisong was surprised: “We’ve already been together for two……”

“I mean.” She hurriedly interrupted him but hesitated to say what she wanted to say: “I mean……”

Xu Huaisong figured out what Ruan Yu meant from her ashamed expression and slowly blinked his eyes.

Something flashed in his eyes as if a star had fallen into the bottom of his eyes.

He was silent for a long moment before opening his mouth to confirm it: “You serious about it?”

Ruan Yu was afraid that if she showed any hesitation, he would continue to draw back. She forcefully nodded: “It has nothing to do with the fact you saved my life or whether you felt bad or not. It’s me who wants…...”

She wanted to hand herself to him.

After speaking her mind, she cast her eyes down to look at her own nose tips and dared not to look at him again.

Xu Huaisong didn’t move for a while while looking at her.

Just as Ruan Yu had made up her mind to take the initiative, Xu Huaisong slightly pinched her chin and confirmed for the last time: “Then I won’t hold back……”

Ruan Yu slowly closed her eyes and nodded.

……

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 58 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 58 Part 1

Ruan Yu sat on the carpet with both hands over her face.

Xu Huaisong stared at the two boxes, slowly pushed up his glasses, then turned his head to find Ruan Yu peeking through her fingers. Noticing that Xu Huaisong was looking her way, Ruan Yu quickly gathered her fingers.

Xu Huaisong turned his eyes back to the two boxes.

Ruan Yu buried her face between her knees.

It looked like she was waiting for help to save her from the embarrassment.

After a while, Xu Huaisong put up a “calm” front and moved closer to Ruan Yu. He squatted down beside her and said: “How old are you still eating bubble gum?”

“......”

Ruan Yu looked up, stunned.

“Hrm?” She subconsciously questioned.

So he didn’t recognize those boxes? Was it because of the cultural differences between China and the US?

Xu Huaisong acted naturally and turned his head to rummage through the other snacks in the shopping bag. He picked up one after another: “Jelly, shrimp crackers, gummies, how old are you?”

Xu Huaisong looked like he genuinely thought that Ruan Yu was embarrassed that all the snacks had been discovered. Ruan Yu’s blushing face gradually returned to a normal color: “I……I can’t?”

Xu Huaisong smiled and gave her a glance: “Whatever pleases you.” He reached over the two boxes, preparing to put them back into the bag.

Ruan Yu nimbly grabbed the two boxes into her arms: “These are mine. The rest, I can share with you……”

He touched her head: “I won’t fight with you.” Then he reached over to pull her up: “Get up.”

Ruan Yu used one hand to cradle the boxes and got up from the ground with help from Xu Huaisong. Then she watched him walk towards the bedroom and said: “I’ll read a bit then go to sleep.”

Ruan Yu nodded and tidied up the living room. She put the boxes into the drawer. When she walked into the bedroom, she saw Xu Huaisong leaning against the headboard of the bed and had a book in hand checking the questions he had missed. He looked very focused and didn’t seem to be bothered by the accident earlier at all.

He really didn’t recognize the boxes of condoms.

Ruan Yu didn’t know whether she should be crying or laughing. Ruan Yu walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She looked into the mirror and didn’t know how to describe how she felt now.

Was she glad or sad?

It took her ten minutes to brush her teeth, until her teeth were sore. She adjusted herself and opened the bathroom door to go out in a faux happy mood. She climbed onto the bed: “Today’s exhausting. Don’t read anymore, let’s sleep!”

Xu Huaisong answered “oh” and closed his notebook.

Ruan Yu looked at him with a smile. Her eyes glanced over the cover of the book in his hand and the smile froze on her lips.

Wasn’t….. his book upside down?

Xu Huaisong put the book down on the nightstand and shut the ceiling light, but left the light next to the door on to keep the hallway lit.

The bedroom became dark. Ruan Yu blinked her eyes and recalled the words she had seen on the book cover. She was sure that her eyes didn’t fail her.

Therefore, he had looked at an upside down book for ten minutes and didn’t even realize it?

Then, what was he thinking of?

“......”

Ruan Yu flipped open the cover and slowly sat down on the bed under it. She looked at the ceiling.

He recognized the condoms.

How could he not recognize the condoms?

He recognized them but pretended not to so as not to embarrass her.

He recognized them but pretended not because the so-called “wolf without his utensils” was only an excuse.

He would rather take cold showers and read upside down books than cross that line before he thought it was alright to do so.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 57 Part 4

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 57 Part 4

That day at Global Filming, Li Shican watched quietly in the lobby to make sure Ruan Yu got in Xu Huaisong’s car. Later on he sent a WeChat message over to Ruan Yu and right at that juncture, Ruan Yu happened to ask Xu Huaisong whether she was being too selfish.

What she meant by selfish was that she had taken his love for granted without paying back equally.

But Xu Huaisong had mistakenly thought Ruan Yu meant that she had frequently accepted Li Shican’s help without paying him back anything.

He thought mistakenly that what Ruan Yu was struggling with was whether she should respond to Li Shican’s caring attention.

“......” After she had thought it through, Ruan Yu was speechless and felt like a fool.

Certainly though, Xu Huaisong was a much bigger fool than she.

Ruan Yu asked in amazement: “When I was at the store and wouldn’t let you come over, you wouldn’t think……”

Was he thinking that she wouldn’t let him go over to the store because it had something to do with Li Shican as well?

Xu Huaisong didn’t respond. It looked like he had admitted it in silence.

Ruan Yu didn't know whether she should laugh or get angry: “Xu Huaisong, you really are driving me mad!”

Xu Huaisong was stunned and blinked his eyes.

Ruan Yu turned to take her cell phone and opened the chat box with Lu Shenglan: “Come, take a good look at this to see what exactly was on my mind.”

Xu Huaisong read through the chats between Ruan Yu and Lu Shenglan then frowned: “What did she say to you?”

Ruan Yu had been hesitating about how to bring up this matter to Xu Huaisong. But now she didn’t have any hesitation and told him what they talked about in detail.

Xu Huaisong listened and pinched between his eyebrows.

Ruan Yu annoyingly asked: “What now, do you have a headache?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head: “Liver aches.”[1]

The liver hurts from being too upset.

“I’m the one who should have liver aches!” She sniffled: “You misunderstood me and sentenced me without even giving me a chance to explain…… Why can’t you speak your mind to make it clear? Do you think silence is gold?”

The more Ruan Yu spoke, the more upsetting she got. Finally, she got up from the couch and paced back and forth as if that was the only way to make her feel better.

Xu Huaisong also sat quietly to comb through his own thoughts. Then he got up to pull Ruan Yu back: “I’m wrong. I won’t keep anything bottled up from now on.”

Ruan Yu took a deep breath: “You better pray there’s still a from now on.”

 

“Don’t……” He pulled her into his arms: “I really know I’m wrong.”

Ruan Yu grinded her teeth and bit his chin.

Xu Huaisong hissed and cleared his throat: “Now, I’ll be straightforward and ask you a question?”

She gave him a glance: “Shoot.”

“Since it has nothing to do with Li Shican, then what had you been doing in the store? You said you were going to buy some good food to eat, but you didn’t eat much.”

“......”

Ruan Yu didn’t know how to reply.

It would not be a big deal to mention what she had done in the store if it was in an intimate moment.

But under the circumstances of now, would she still want to tell him what she had bought?

No, she wouldn’t want to.

She was still upset.

She shook her head: “For this matter, you can just bottle it up in your mind.”

Xu Huaisong frustratedly laughed: “You were just telling me to speak my mind clearly. Now I asked and you wouldn’t tell me.”

“I won’t tell you. So what?”

There was nothing Xu Huaisong could do about it. He adjusted his breathing and glanced over at the big bag of snacks which Ruan Yu had brought back from the store.

His glance made Ruan Yu nervous.

Xu Huaisong keenly noticed Ruan Yu’s uneasiness. He blinked his eyes and said: “Did you buy something?”

Ruan Yu cursed in her mind but shook her head: “No, it’s nothing……”

Xu Huaisong released her and went to check out the bag.

Ruan Yu hurriedly followed him, trying to pull him: “Huh, what are you doing? Don’t look into the bag, it’s my personal property!”

Xu Huaisong couldn’t hold back his curiosity and forgot all about how to be a gentleman. He picked up the bag.

Ruan Yu fought with him to get the bag back.

The two of them pushed and shoved and rolled around on the carpet. Finally, the bag broke in half and two colorful boxes fell out.

“......” He’d discovered a secret.

“......” A secret was discovered.

[1]: 肝疼 (gān téng), literally means 'liver aches'. This is commonly used in China, probably online, to mean that one's angry or upset. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that anger hurts one's liver.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 57 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 57 Part 3

Ruan Yu stood in front of the store shelf and tittered: “Hehe. Well, um……”

Looking at Ruan Yu’s expression, the woman understood and pointed at the shelf with all sorts of colorful boxes: “Oh……need any help?”

Ruan Yu swallowed and the look in her eyes already told the woman she had the “need.”

“Look.” The woman picked up a box from the shelf: “This is good for the first time. Easy to use.”

“Why is this easy to use?”

The woman said straightforwardly with a serious look: “Because it’s larger.”

“......”

“Oh, don’t need the larger one? Then use this.” She picked up another box: “Not easy to cause pain.”

Ruan Yu humbly asked for advice again: “Why is this not easy to cause pain?”

“Because it’s lubricated.”

Ruan Yu had the two boxes in hand and frowned. She hesitantly asked in a careful manner with a smile: “Hehe, then is there something which is both larger and lubricated?”

When Ruan Yu arrived at home, she saw Xu Huaisong was eating instant noodles.

Ruan Yu paused, then said: “I bought boxed dinners. Why are you eating noodles now?”

He looked up at the big shopping bag in her hand and said: “I’m hungry.”

Ruan Yu: “Hum. Then, if you’re still hungry, you can eat some boxed dinner.” She moved her own boxed dinner next to him and sat down to eat with him. While she was eating, she would glance over at his pants.

Xu Huaisong noticed it and stopped eating his noodles. But when he looked over at her, she was concentrating on eating the braised meatballs. 

He then turned back to eat his noodles.

Ruan Yu, on the other hand, lost her appetite from nervousness. She closed the box lid after only eating a few bites.

Xu Huaisong took a glance at the full box of food but didn’t say anything.

Ruan Yu threw away the box and cleaned up. She said after a while: “I’ll go take a shower.”

Xu Huaisong replied “en.”

Ruan Yu walked into the bathroom. As she was taking a shower, she kept breathing deeply. When she came out, she saw Xu Huaisong sitting on the couch looking blankly into the air with both of his hands clenched together. It looked like he was pondering something and a little down.

Ruan Yu confusedly walked over: “What are you thinking of? Still bothered by what happened this afternoon?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head and said: “I’ll go to the US by myself tomorrow.”

Ruan Yu was surprised. It was understandable that he needed to go to the US since he still had work there. But why go without her?

Xu Huaisong continued to say: “It was because of Wei Jin that I decided to take you with me. Now he’s in custody and you don’t have to go through the trouble with me anymore.”

“But I didn’t decide to go with you because of Wei Jin.” Ruan Yu frowned and sat down next to him: “I just don’t want to be separated from you.”

Xu Huaisong looked over and there was a look of struggle in his eyes: “You don’t have to feel like you owe me, if you have a better choice originally.”

Ruan Yu was confused and noticed there was something wrong with him.

Indeed, Xu Huaisong seemed to be bothered by something long before this morning. But because Ruan Yu was occupied by her own thoughts, she didn’t have much of a reaction towards his attitude.

Now she was in a good mood but discovered that he was still down. Additionally, his mood didn’t seem to have anything to do with what happened in the afternoon.

She went to touch the back of his hand: “What’s wrong with you? Has anything happened lately?”

Xu Huaisong took a breath in: “It’s you who has something on your mind.”

Ruan Yu was taken aback and nodded: “Hum, yeah……”

Xu Huaisong gently moved her hand away from his: “That day you were going to say something to me but was interrupted by me. Now you can tell me.”

Xu Huaisong was talking about the night she came back from the meeting at Global Filming.

Before Ruan Yu started talking, she had already faintly sensed something from his move of distancing himself from her.

Then, she figured that he purposely interrupted her that night.

She asked: “You purposely said that night that you were going to go sleep early and had to go to Su City the next day, you just didn’t want to hear what I was trying to say to you?”

“Hrm.” Xu Huaisong casted down his eyes: “I didn’t have any business in Su City that day. After I went out that morning, I went for a walk along the Qiantang River.”

“......”

“Why?” Ruan Yu was dumbfounded. After the question, she tried to make sense of this whole thing in her mind.

Xu Huaisong deliberately avoided having the talk with her because he mistakenly thought she was going to tell him some bad news. Therefore, after he came back from Qiantang River that day, he hastily asked her whether she wanted to go to the US with him.

In reality, Wei Jin was just his excuse. He was afraid that she was going to leave him, therefore in a hurry to take her away.

But why would he mistakenly think she was going to leave him?

Before Ruan Yu got the answer from Xu Huaisong, she had already realized everything.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 57 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 57 Part 2

Then Ruan Yu told him: “Hrm, actually I’ve been thinking of asking why you have the time to blame yourself but don’t have the time to kiss me?”

The emotion Xu Huaisong had tried to suppress for the whole afternoon finally burst out from her question. He lowered his head to kiss her.

Ruan Yu was unprepared for his sudden move and stepped back a step. She pointed at the window behind them and said with a muffled voice: “Have, haven’t pulled the curtain……”

Xu Huaisong didn’t turn to close the troublesome blinds. He picked her up and took her into her room.

The room was dark. Ruan Yu reached over to turn on the lights but Xu Huaisong stopped her. Instead, he cupped her face and continued with the kiss.

Ruan Yu responded to his kiss and her hands around his waist moved all the way upwards until they circled around his neck.

Encouraged, Xu Huaisong deepened the kiss.

It seemed that Xu Huaisong was used to releasing his emotion in the darkness. But the darkness made Ruan Yu recall the frightening episode in the afternoon and the comment from that male voice “it was pure luck that he managed to avoid it.”

She also realized her wish to find a sense of security in intimacy.

It seemed that no matter how tightly they were close to each other, it still wasn’t enough for her to hold on to him, the man she almost lost this afternoon.

She became unsatisfied with a simple kiss and came closer and closer to his body.

Xu Huaisong in the meantime backed away a step.

Ruan Yu didn’t understand why and continued to move closer.

He backed away again.

She moved closer again.

Then there was a thud.

They fell onto the bed, with Ruan Yu’s body on top of Xu Huaisong’s.

It was the soft bed underneath Xu Huaisong.

What Ruan Yu felt was something as hard as metal.

“......” She’d discovered a secret.

“......” A secret was discovered.

The two of them looked at each other in the darkness while panting, but didn’t say anything to each other.

Yet some of the “changes” became larger and larger with the two of them pasted together. It stunned Ruan Yu and she was too nervous to gasp for breath.

She felt like there was a bumping heart on her tummy……

In the dead silence, Xu Huaisong held her shoulder and moved her away from him. While Ruan Yu was being moved, she accidentally grazed him because of her posture and Xu Huaisong hissed in a low voice.

He lightly coughed: “You go eat noodles. I’ll go take a shower.”

Ruan Yu grabbed his hand: “Err. Taking……taking a shower really works?”

“It works……” He had his back to her. “......”

Xu Huaisong turned to go into the bathroom, as if he was fleeing. Twenty minutes later, he came out of the bathroom but Ruan Yu wasn’t there.

She wasn’t in the living room nor the bedroom. Her cell phone was gone as well.

Xu Huaisong called her: “Where are you?”

Ruan Yu’s laughter came from the other end: “Instant noodles aren’t that appetizing. I’ve come out to buy something better to eat……”

“Just tell me if you want to eat something else. Why did you go out by yourself this late at night?” He went to the door while talking, getting ready to put on shoes: “Where are you? I’m going over.”

“There’s no need!” Ruan Yu interrupted him hastily: “I’ll be back soon. Just wait for me at home!”

Ruan Yu wasn’t good at lying. He could usually see through her whenever there was something on her mind.

Just like a few days ago, he could tell there was something wrong with Ruan Yu after her meeting at Global Filming.

Xu Huaisong stopped putting his shoes on. He cast his eyes down and the tone of his voice became a little indifferent: “En. Then, be careful.”

Ruan Yu patted her chest after hanging up the phone and breathed out a long breath. Then a voice came from behind and caught her off guard: “Young lady, why are you acting like a thief while buying the condoms?”

Ruan Yu jittered and turned to see a woman with heavy makeup look at her dubiously.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 57 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 57 Part 1

All of Xu Huaisong’s talk about careful calculations was a lie and “having the room to spare and hit Wei Jin to make him stop” was also a lie.

The instant the accident happened, his abrupt turn or his collision with Wei Jin’s rear bumper had absolutely nothing to do with Xu Huaisong’s original intention of going after Wei Jin.

In a life and death moment, his instinct was to protect Ruan Yu.

Anything else, he didn’t have the time to think about.

Ruan Yu used the back of her hand to wipe her tears, but found that more and more tears flowed out of her eyes, growing hotter and hotter.

But the man who caused her to cry like this was still pouring the seasoning packets into the instant noodles as if nothing had happened.

Ruan Yu put down her cell phone and walked into the kitchen.

Amidst the hissing of the boiling water, Xu Huaisong noticed the footsteps behind him. He was about to turn and ask what was wrong but he was tightly embraced from behind.

He paused in the middle of his pouring motion and noticed some of the seasoning had spilled out of the bowl. He looked down at her hands circling around his waist.

Ruan Yu didn’t say anything while sobbing lightly. He could feel wetness on his shirt and it was spreading.

Without Ruan Yu saying anything, he could already know why she was crying.

Xu Huaisong cast down his eyes and gently moved her hands away. Then he turned to face her.

His expression didn’t relax at all with all her tears. On the contrary, he looked quite tense.

He closed his eyes, as if was unwilling to face her tears. He spoke with a tone that made it sound like he was pleading:  “Could you stop crying, alright?”

Ruan Yu was taken aback a little and sniffled.

Xu Huaisong sighed.

He didn’t want to see her cry.

He hadn’t gotten over the feeling of terror since the moment the airbags deployed. He looked like he was taking care of the aftermath of the collision quite unperturbed and making the instant noodles quite leisurely. In reality, there were billowing waves churning inside of him.

It was him who had brought her into danger in the first place. It should be him who owed her an apology. But now, she was the one who was looking at him as if to say “she could depend on him on everything from now on.”

The looks in her eyes made him speechless.

Xu Huaisong closed his eyes while tightly gathering his eyebrows.

Ruan Yu looked up and gradually she began to understand how he was feeling through the emotions he was showing on his face – – –guilty, remorseful, and ashamed.

She was suddenly enlightened.

When he finally gathered himself and opened his eyes to say something, Ruan Yu spoke first while smiling: “Wow, Xu Huaisong, you’re really asking too much.”

Xu Huaisong was a little surprised.

Ruan Yu looked up into his eyes: “The bridge is more than 40 meters above the water. If Wei Jin jumped down from the bridge, he might not have survived. Plus, he had the hostage with him and the police might have shot him dead while rescuing the hostage. You couldn’t let him die, therefore, when the police cars couldn’t catch up to get closer to his car, you rushed to chase after him without giving it much thought. I understand you……”

Ruan Yu suddenly shifted the direction of the conversation and humphed in a low voice: “-- –At a moment like this, you’ll still have me say such words to comfort you?”

Xu Huaisong was surprised again. He was usually a person with a quick response. But now he was slow to grasp the twists and turns of Ruan Yu’s words. He kept silent for a moment before saying: “It’s no use to comfort me.”

Ruan Yu wiped away her tears and raised her chin to say: “Right, there’s no use comforting you. Let’s switch to a different scenario, if you didn’t chase after Wei Jin and he died, then the one who would feel guilty would be me. No matter how you comfort me, I would still be thinking – –If it weren’t for me, how could you miss the perfect moment to stop his car?”

She laughed as she was talking: “In our life, there are bound to be moments we are caught off guard. At those moments, a best choice is non-existent. Since no matter how you chose, there would be disadvantages. But now the reality is that Wei Jin has been arrested, you’re fine, and I’m fine. I can comfort you and don’t have to feel guilty. With a result like this, I’m the biggest winner!”

Something flashed in Xu Huaisong’s eyes. He reached over to touch her face.

He felt blessed to be understood by this brave lady.

He caressed her face gently. The reason why he only touched her lightly was because he had tons of love for her but didn’t know how to show it.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 56 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 56 Part 3

Ruan Yu sobbed for a while longer, until her tears gradually dried up. She watched policemen spread out into two groups, one group to check on Wei Jin and the other came to check in on their condition.

The BMW seemed to have some problem and the airbags had only deployed halfway. Wei Jin was carried out of the car. It looked like he had passed out.

On their side, they were doing fine except for Ruan Yu’s legs feeling like jelly. Xu Huaisong held her in his arms as he answered the police’s questions.

The area around them was a mess.

Ruan Yu leaned against Xu Huaisong and colors gradually returned to her face under beams of the three o’clock sun. But she was still a little dazed. She looked blankly at the arrival of two ambulances. One went to fetch Wei Jin who was strapped to the gurney and carried onto the ambulance and the other one drove a little further to pick up the hostage and the truck driver.

After a while, the traffic police and the insurance agent also arrived to take care of the collision scene and to assess the damage.

Xu Huaisong was busy responding to all of them but he didn’t let go of Ruan Yu even for a moment. After the tow truck came to take his car away, he could finally look down and asked Ruan Yu: “Are you doing better now?”

Before Ruan Yu could answer, a policeman they didn’t know came up and shook hands with Xu Huaisong: “Comrade, thank you very much for what you did to contribute to the arrest of the suspect. We just found a yacht under the bridge and we suspect that it’s manned by an accomplice of the suspect. If you didn’t hit his bumper in time to cut off the possibility of him escaping to the sea, it would have been a much more complicated pursuit.”

Xu Huaisong shook his hand and said flatly: “You’re welcome.”

The policeman took a look at Ruan Yu who was obviously shaken up and apologetically said: “Please ride in our police car back. Let’s go to the hospital first to have a check up.”

The two of them went to the hospital to do a complete check up. They waited for the reports to come out to make sure they were both fine. They also heard that Wei Jin had woken up. Since he had a minor concussion, the police couldn’t interrogate him at the moment but he was being closely guarded.

The flight to the US had already taken off a few hours ago. They couldn’t go to the US for now.

Xu Huaisong got a taxi to take Ruan Yu home. When they were back home and closed the door, he finally felt like breathing a sigh of relief but his cell phone started ringing.

It was a call from Tao Rong. Once the call connected, she hurriedly asked: “Huaisong, Mom saw the news about what happened on that bridge! Was that you? Are you two alright?”

Xu Huaisong kept answering her questions. Tao Rong on the other end seemed terrified and kept repeating “then that’s good, that’s good.”

Before Xu Huaisong finished talking with his mother, Ruan Yu’s cell phone also started ringing. It was also a call from her family.

They each tried to comfort their families. After ending their respective calls, Ruan Yu dubiously asked: “What’s going on, it’s even on the news now?”

“Don’t know.” Xu Huaisong glanced at the kitchen: “What can we eat?”

“Let’s do instant noodles. I’ll go do it.”

She was about to walk away to the kitchen when Xu Huaisong stopped her: “Let me do it. You get some rest.”

Ruan Yu sat down on the couch and took out her cell phone to check the news on Weibo.

The first thing she saw was a hot topic video– –Real Hollywood scenes on the bay bridge, 20 km long hot pursuit, thumbs up for the hero!

TV news channels would obviously lean more towards the police side and that’s what Weibo would promote.

Ruan Yu first gave a thumbs up for the hero, then began to play the video.

The video was from surveillance footage, showing the section where Xu Huaisong had chased after the BMW this afternoon. In the background, there was a male voice commenting about every move Xu Huaisong made until the last moment when they collided.

The voice said: “As the safety hammer’s about to hit them, the driver of the Cayenne turned abruptly to protect the person on the passenger side. That’s a pretty risky move. It was pure luck that he managed to avoid it……”

The hand she was using to hold the cell phone suddenly froze.

The male voice continued: “Nevertheless, the driver quickly reacted after the sudden turn and bumped into the rear bumper of the car in front to prevent his own car from turning over……”

Ruan Yu sat on the couch dumbfounded and no longer heard what the commentator was saying.

She looked up with teary eyes at the man who was opening the packages of instant noodles in the kitchen.

This man, who had made up a lot of lies before, had once again fooled her.

Ruan Yu realized now that under the circumstances at the time, how could he have known with certainty that he would avoid being hit by the hammer?

He didn’t know it.

He didn’t know it at all.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 56 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 56 Part 2

Since the police car was closing up from behind, Xu Huaisong didn’t risk bumping into Wei Jin’s rear bumper but instead followed closely behind.

One minute later, the police caught up with them and turned on the turn signal.

Ruan Yu took a look in the rear view mirror: “Is it preparing to hit the car from both sides?”

Xu Huaisong was about to nod but something flashed right in front of his eyes. He saw a safety hammer being thrown out of the skyroof of the BMW.

The direction of the flying safety hammer was right at the windshield in front of Ruan Yu.

Ruan Yu was so frightened that she even forgot to scream. Her eyes widened while her brain went blank.

The next moment, the safety hammer changed direction, missing the windshield.

Their car suddenly bolted out in a skew angle and bumped into Wei Jin’s rear bumper with a loud bang.

The airbags deployed. Both cars stopped moving after the collision.

Ruan Yu looked up amidst the white smoke. For a short moment, the world was still and she couldn’t hear anything.

Soon, the stillness was broken by the sirens of the police cars and the question from Xu Huaisong.

He quickly released his seat belt and leaned over to look at her: “Are you hurt?”

Ruan Yu was in a daze: “No……” After a short while, she began to sense what had happened and hurriedly touched his shoulder: “You, anything wrong with you?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head and opened the door to get out of the car. He walked over to Ruan Yu’s side and opened the door to help her get out.

Ruan Yu’s legs felt like jelly and she could only stand with help from Xu Huaisong. Then, she belatedly remembered what had just happened and asked: “Where’s that safety hammer? It just……”

She stopped halfway through her sentence and stood dumbfounded.

Earlier, Wei Jin probably went crazy from the pressure of being tailed so closely and threw a safety hammer from the sunroof trying to force Xu Huaisong to stop his car.

Both cars were driving at high speeds and the safety hammer very likely would have gone through the windshield, harming her.

Facing imminent peril, Xu Huaisong abruptly turned the steering wheel, changing the car’s direction.

Then, where did the safety hammer eventually hit?

Seeing that Xu Huaisong was alright, Ruan Yu then took a look at his Cayenne.

There was a notable dent on the A pillar of the car. The dent had been obviously caused by the safety hammer when it hit the car.

The location of the dent was very close to the part of the windshield right in front of Xu Huaisong. If the car wasn’t going fast enough or the direction of the car was slightly different, the safety hammer might have gone through the windshield and hit him.

The safety hammer was originally flying towards her.

Ruan Yu had difficulty breathing the moment she figured out the sequence of the events.

Compared to the nervousness she experienced earlier, she was more frightened now after thinking about what might have happened.

With any small miss, she might have lost him.

It became difficult to support herself and the bottom of her throat felt like it was on fire.

Xu Huaisong held her up securely: “What’s wrong, where does it hurt?”

Cold sweat dripped down Ruan Yu’s back. She held tightly to Xu Huaisong’s waist and looked up with tears on her face: “Xu Huaisong, you tried to kill yourself……”

Xu Huaisong glanced at the dent on the Cayenne and looked back, using his thumb to wipe tears away from Ruan Yu’s face. He said with a laugh: “Who said so? I calculated the correct angle to turn the wheel.”

Ruan Yu wiped her tears while still sobbing. She cried out: “Where do you have the magic power to calculate the correct angle!”

Xu Huaisong smiled frustratedly: “I really did calculate it. If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew the hammer wouldn’t hit me, how could I have the room to spare and hit Wei Jin to make him stop?”

Stunned, Ruan Yu thought what he said seemed to make some sense.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 56 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 56 Part 1

The red needle of the speedometer shot past the 140 mark.

Ruan Yu felt like her heart had jumped to her throat and her chest tightened.

The police car on the other side of the median had caught up with them and was now parallel with Xu Huaisong’s car. The police rolled down the window to shout at them.

Ruan Yu opened the window on her side and saw Officer Fang Zhen at the back seat of the police car with a gun in hand.

Through the noise of the blustering wind, she could hear Officer Fang’s voice: “Lawyer Xu, the police have already set up a checkpoint up ahead to stop him. The suspect is very likely driving under the influence right now. We recommend that you don’t drive near him!”

Xu Huaisong kept accelerating and didn’t have time to answer Officer Fang.

Ruan Yu glanced at Xu Huaisong and hung on to the window to reply to Office Fang: “Officer Fang, the checkpoint in front may not catch him in time! We just found out that there seems to be a female hostage in the suspect’s car. He may use the hostage together with a life jacket and rope to jump into the sea to get away!”

Fang Zhen immediately went to his walkie-talkie: “Move the checkpoint forward! There may be a boat under the bridge ready to pick him up. Make preparations to continue the pursuit over the sea!”

The BMW in front grew smaller and smaller. Xu Huaisong slammed on the accelerator. The speedometer quicked went up to the 180 mark, closing in to the 200 mark.

The police car couldn’t accelerate as fast and fell behind Xu Huaisong’s car. Officer Fang called out from behind: “Be careful, do only what you can.”

The car engine began to roar. The sound made Ruan Yu’s scalp tingling.

Xu Huaisong kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead. As their car grew closer to Wei Jin’s, he saw an orange colored truck appear right in front of Wei Jin’s car.

The truck must have driven onto the bridge right before they closed the bridge.

The truck and Wei Jin’s car were about to collide. Wei Jin made a violent move to switch lanes. One of the wheels on his car almost left the pavement for a second.

The truck wasn’t as agile as the BMW. The truck driver panicked and stepped on the brake while turning the steering wheel. The truck lost control and twisted sideways.

Ruan Yu suppressed her scream at the bottom of her throat.

Xu Huaisong still looked straight ahead and slowly turned the steering wheel without making a sound. He drove onto the emergency lane to avoid colliding with the truck.

The truck broke through the median and continued to skid forward. It finally stopped in the middle of the road, blocking all lanes of the opposite direction.

Fang Zhen’s police car made an emergency brake.

Ruan Yu looked behind their car and was relieved to see that the truck’s front had stuck into the guardrail and didn’t plunge into the sea.

When she looked back to the front, their car was quite near Wei Jin’s BMW.

Xu Huaisong adjusted the direction of their car and aimed at the rear bumper of Wei Jin’s car. As he was just about to bump into it, they saw the sunroof of the BMW suddenly open and the female hostage was pushed halfway out of it.

If Xu Huaisong bumped into the BMW now, the hostage might fly out of the sunroof and die from the fall.

Xu Huaisong had no choice but to give up on the idea and continued to tail Wei Jin’s car.

Thirty seconds later, two police cars rushed towards them.

Wei Jin suddenly braked and the hostage was thrown out of the sunroof and flew directly at one of the coming police cars.

Ruan Yu subconsciously closed her eyes and heard the shriek of a car braking.

It was one of the police cars which had stopped to save the hostage.

The other police car quickly moved sideways to stop Wei Jin’s car.

Xu Huaisong gradually slowed down, intending to block Wei Jin from backing away.

However, Wei Jin drove like a mad man. He didn’t stop, but swung the car into the emergency lane and sideswiped the guardrail to get away once again.

Xu Huaisong accelerated again with tightly knitted eyebrows. The police car also made an U-turn on the spot to continue the pursuit.

Ruan Yu noticed how dry her throat felt and nervously looked to the left side.

Noticing Ruan Yu’s gaze, Xu Huaisong said while keeping his eyes fixed to the front: “His car sideswiped the guardrail. It won’t last long.”

Ruan Yu nodded. When she looked back at the BMW again, the car indeed seemed to be having some trouble now. The car had slowed down quite a bit and the driver seemed to have lost control of the car as it was swinging from side to side.

It looked like the situation was under control now.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 55 Part 4

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 55 Part 4

Xu Huaisong asked Ruan Yu: “How many cars have been behind us after we got on the bridge?”

Ruan Yu had been wondering about the traffic conditions behind them all along and said: “Just two or three cars?” Her own answer baffled her: “Thinking about it now, there hasn’t been any cars from the opposite side either?”

Xu Huaisong’s eyebrows tightened even more.

Ruan Yu blinked her eyes in bewilderment, then realized: “Could it be possible that after we got on the bridge, the bridge was closed on both ends?”

Traffic conditions on the bridge were so out of ordinary that there was no other explanation than road closures.

But why was the bridge closed for no reason?

Judging from the serious look on Xu Huaisong’s and the bizarre behavior of the BMW behind them, Ruan Yu suddenly seemed to realize something. She tightly gripped her seat belt.

She kept checking the car behind them. After a while, Wei Jin’s car abruptly sped up, catching up to their car.

“What is he trying to do?” Ruan Yu could hardly control her trembling lips.

Xu Huaisong rolled up the window and pulled down Ruan Yu’s hand which was clutching the seat belt and held it in his hand. He said: “I’m here. Don’t worry, nothing’s going to happen.”

Ruan Yu replied in a small voice: “En.” Ruan Yu watched the BMW drive up parallel to their car and fixed her eyes to the front, afraid to look sideways.

Xu Huaisong kept the steering wheel steady and turned to take a look to the right side. His eyes met with Wei Jin’s.

After the exchange of looks, the BMW began to slow down and fell behind them again.

It seemed that Wei Jin had sped up to check who was in the car.

Xu Huaisong kept driving at a steady speed and said: “There’s a woman on the passenger side in his car and her facial expression doesn’t look right.”

Ruan Yu nervously asked: “Could it be a hostage?”

“It’s possible.”

They probably had run into a real police drug busting operation.

Ruan Yu’s heartbeat fastened. She took a look at the choppy sea under the bridge.

The bridge was sealed from both ends. There were only a few cars remaining on the six lanes on the bridge, making the bridge like an isolated island.

Ruan Yu swallowed. The next moment, she saw a police car with sirens on rush from the opposite side at a high speed. At the same time, she watched in the rear view mirror the BMW quickly switch to reverse and began backing up rapidly.

With one hand on the steering wheel, Wei Jin was using his other hand to put on a piece of  orange colored clothes.

Ruan Yu understood what he was doing in a flash.

The bridge had been closed at both ends and Wei Jin was putting on a life jacket to get ready to jump into the sea!

The police car on the other side was getting near. The BMW made a one hundred eighty degrees turn and started to drive against the traffic.

Xu Huaisong took a look at the mirror and suddenly said: “Sit tight.” Then he also made a U-turn to drive against traffic and sped to catch up to the BMW.

Ruan Yu clutched to the handle at the side.

She understood why he would do such a thing.

Wei Jin was willing to take the risk of jumping into the sea in order to avoid being caught. Perhaps he would get away successfully or perhaps he would drown in the sea.

But Xu Huaisong couldn’t let him take the risk.

This operation would be the only breakthrough for the ten year old case.

The Xu family, Jiang family, and Wang family were all waiting for this day, they had been waiting for ten years.

Wei Jin couldn’t die.

He had to be punished by the law and tell the truth to everyone.

Xu Huaisong took a glance at the police car at the other side of the median. Being closer to Wei Jin’s car, he stepped on the accelerator and sped towards Wei Jin.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 55 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 55 Part 3

Xu Huaisong was quiet for a moment before saying: “I have to go to the US in a few days. I worry about you staying here since Wei Jin’s still around. Do you want to go with me? You can apply for an expedited passport and I have ways to get the visa quickly.”

It was the same matter that Ruan Yu intended to talk to him about yesterday. Since Xu Huaisong brought it up on his own, Ruan Yu replied without any hesitation: “Sure!” After a short pause, she turned around to say: “I have my passport already. You just make sure I get the visa.”

Xu Huaisong truly knew some good connections in the US as Ruan Yu got her visa not by going through the back door but at the speed of an airplane.

Everything happened too quickly for Ruan Yu. When she was on her way to the airport with her luggage a few days later, she still hadn’t gotten over the thought that she was on her way to the US. But she was in a much better mood by now.

What was there to be hesitant about? It wasn’t too late to give serious consideration about her future starting now, Ruan Yu thought to herself. It would be better, than mulling over the unknown, to walk through the path he had gone before and experience the life he had. Then, maybe everything would be clear to her.

It was still quite warm in September in Hang City. Ruan Yu was sitting on the passenger side in Xu Huaisong’s car with the air conditioning on. While they were waiting for the traffic light, Ruan Yu opened the car window and reached out to feel the wind outside: “Is the temperature in San Francisco very different from here?”

Xu Huaisong had told her to pack several sweaters and windbreaker jackets in her luggage.

“It will be a bit chilly in the morning and at night.” Xu Huaisong gave her a glance: “Car’s moving now. Pull your hand back in.”

Ruan Yu: “Oh.” She looked forward and found a long line of cars packed in front of them. The car was moving slowly. She looked down at her cell phone to check the time.

“We’ll make it. The traffic will be better after we get over this section.” Noticing that Ruan Yu seemed to be enjoying the natural wind more, Xu Huaisong turned off the air conditioning and followed the traffic. Half an hour later, the traffic began to lessen around them. Especially when they drove onto the bay bridge, there were only a few cars in front of them but hardly any cars behind.

Ruan Yu took a look at the back and asked: “Why is the bridge so empty on a weekend?” Before Xu Huaisong could answer, she thought about something: “Wait, how long have you had your license? Can you drive on the freeway yet?”

Xu Huaisong looked at her: “Haven’t you had your license for seven years?”

Hrm, new drivers during the probation period could drive on the freeway only when accompanied by experienced drivers.

Ruan Yu glanced at him: “This is probably the real reason you brought me along!”

Xu Huaisong smiled and didn’t say anything.

After driving for a dozen kilometers, the wind from the sea became uncomfortable on the face since the car was driving much faster now. Ruan Yu brought the window up so that it was almost closed.

There was no car behind them. But there was a slow moving black BMW in front of them.

The BMW was moving at the lowest speed limit. It was quite annoying following the car in front.

Xu Huaisong checked the time and switched on the turn signal to go past it. When both cars were in parallel, Ruan Yu subconsciously turned her head to look at the driver of the BMW.

She shivered.

Xu Huaisong had moved ahead of the car and noticed Ruan Yu’s unusual reaction. He asked: “What’s wrong?”

“The person in that car looks like Wei Jin……”

She couldn’t be sure since they passed each other within the span of a few seconds. Yet, the person’s look did alarm her.

Xu Huaisong didn’t have much reaction to it: “Didn’t Li Shican say a few days ago that he’s going out of the country? Maybe he’s heading towards the airport as well.”

Ruan Yu nodded and took a look at the car in the rear view mirror.

However, she found the BMW was driving erratically, sometimes fast, sometimes slow and swaying from side to side. From time to time, the car would drive onto the next lane then barely correct it back as if the driver was drunk.

Ruan Yu was about to ask what was going on when she saw Xu Huaisong’s frown as he took a look at the car in the rear view mirror.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 55 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 55 Part 2 

Shen Mingying mistakenly thought Ruan Yu had already made the decision to go to the US with Xu Huaisong and she went ballistic: [When you’re passionately in love, even sacrifice can feel sweet. But can you guarantee it will be the same in the future? Let’s put aside everything else, just think about the kind of life you’ll have. Do you plan to be a bird in a cage for the rest of your life staying in a big house in a foreign country?]

[He comes back to China just to restart his career, but you will have nothing except him in that strange place. There is bound to be friction in your daily life. What would you do if you two had a fight or even your feelings towards each other changed?]

[No offense. You’ll be all by yourself in a foreign country, he may be able to protect you when others bully you, but what if he is the one who bullies you? You can’t bind yourself around one man regardless of reality!]

Shen Mingying was her best friend and certainly would be considered from her angle.

Shen Mingying’s harsh yet well-intended words came abrupt and intense. Ruan Yu hadn’t figured out how to reply to her while Shen Mingying’s messages kept rolling in. Without Ruan Yu noticing it, Xu Huaisong had already come out of the bathroom, drying his wet hair with a towel. He looked at Ruan Yu but didn’t say a word.

Ruan Yu was disturbed by Shen Mingying’s words. When she noticed Xu Huaisong, she was still in a daze and tried to strike a conversation with him: “You’ve done showering?”

Xu Huaisong only answered: “Hm.”

Ruan Yu put down her cell phone and got up to get the blow dryer: “Sit down, I’ll blow your hair dry today.”

Xu Huaisong took a look at her cell phone which kept vibrating on the couch and popping up with new messages. He sat down on a chair.

The noise from the blow dryer masked the sound of the incoming messages.

After drying his hair, Ruan Yu sat down next to him and said: “Huaisong, I have something I want to talk to you……”

“Go shower and rest first.” Xu Huaisong interrupted her: “I have to go to Su City early tomorrow morning for business.”

Ruan Yu didn’t go to the law office with him today and didn’t know how the case was moving along. She was a little taken aback but nodded: “Then we’ll talk after you come back.”

Xu Huaisong seemed really tired and went straight to bed.

Ruan Yu was planning to ask him whether she could go with him the next morning. But when she woke up, he had already left.

A note was left on the nightstand next to the bed: “Breakfast is in the fridge.”

Ruan Yu felt that there was something awkward between them. She didn’t know whether it was because she had a load on her mind or Xu Huaisong had his own problems.

Unable to figure it out, she sent a message to ask him when he would be back. She got an answer from him: [Evening.] She went to the market to buy food for dinner. On her way back, she got a call from Xu Huaisong.

Xu Huaisong: “You aren’t at home?”

“Hrm?” Ruan Yu was surprised: “I’m on my way back from the market. I’m about to go in the elevator now. What’s wrong?”

There was no need for an answer. Ruan Yu soon knew the answer. Xu Huaisong, who should be in Su City, was already back at home. It looked like that he had just arrived.

Ruan Yu was stunned: “Why are you suddenly back?”

“I decided not to go just now.”

Ruan Yu smiled and shook the shopping bags in her hand: “That’s good then. I’ll cook lunch instead.”

Ruan Yu was about to turn to go into the kitchen. Xu Huaisong suddenly came up near her and took the bags and put them on the floor. Then, he embraced her from behind.

It took Ruan Yu by surprise and her heart somehow trembled a little.

Xu Huaisong tightened his arms and buried his chin on her shoulder without making a sound.

Confused, Ruan Yu tilted her head to ask: “What’s going on?”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 55 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 55 Part 1

Ruan Yu applied for the passport right after the unpleasant episode last time caused by Xu Huaisong’s misunderstanding about Li Shican.

She had just received the passport yesterday. She was planning to discuss it with Xu Huaisong after today’s meeting at Global Filming when she was certain when the next meeting would take place.

The reason for her to apply for the passport was quite straightforward.

During the days when they were apart, though both of them tried very hard to make accommodations for the time zone differences and the long distance, problems caused by miscommunication still arose. Since she basically could do her work remotely and she had enough money to pay for it, she figured that she could accompany him to the US on his next trip over and come back with him when he’s done with his work.

All she thought about was flying with him back and forth. At the time she was applying for the passport, she totally didn’t consider moving to the US to live.

She knew all along that Xu Huaisong probably had come back to China because of her. He also confirmed it a few days ago when they were still at Su City. However, he seemed quite casual about making this decision from the beginning and subconsciously she also believed that he was just “returning to one’s roots” to make his family happy, therefore she never took it as seriously as Lu Shenglan.

Emotionally, Ruan Yu didn’t like Lu Shenglan’s attitude. But being more sensible, Lu Shenglan’s words at least enlightened her on one thing. – – In the relationship, she had put in far less than Xu Huaisong. In addition, she gradually enjoyed more and more of his caring nature, to be on the receiving end, and had slowly taken it for granted.

Ruan Yu was a person who always looked ahead. She wasn’t particularly distressed over the missing eight years between him and her. Yet everything has two sides. She had gotten over the past but she couldn’t overlook what he might have struggled with in the past.

Ruan Yu was annoyed with herself and took a look at Xu Huaisong who was driving.

He indeed wouldn’t mention those things on his own, but she could have tried to ask him.

Why didn’t she ask?

Xu Huaisong was looking straight ahead: “You got told off at the meeting?”

Ruan Yu shook her head. After a moment of silence, she said: “I’m just thinking, am I……”

“Hum?”

She lowered her head and twisted the hem of her skirt: “Really selfish……”

Xu Huaisong frowned and was about to follow up on the topic. He stopped when he heard the noise of her cell phone vibrating.

Ruan Yu took a look at him and opened her cell phone to find a message from Li Shican: [Forgot to tell you, it looks like Mr. Wei is planning to go abroad soon. You can have peace of mind in the coming days.]

Xu Huaisong glanced over at the chat box and noticed who was sending the message.

Ruan Yu looked up to explain: “He’s telling me that Mr. Wei will be out of the country in the near future.”

Xu Huaisong said: “En.” It seemed that he wanted to continue the previous conversation but gave up on it and asked instead: “What do you want to eat?”

They went home after dinner and Xu Huaisong went to take a shower first.

Ruan Yu huddled on the couch in the living room. Xu Huaisong was in the bathroom for quite a long time. Ruan Yu sent a message to Shen Mingying to briefly mention what she had learned today, though she didn’t go into details about Xu Huaisong’s personal life.

Mingying: [You are not telling me now that you plan to go to the US with him and live there?]

Ruan Yu certainly wouldn’t have made any decision so hastily since it involved the future of her life and her own family. She paused for a moment and was about to reply that she was only considering it. Halfway through typing her answer, Shen Mingying sent over a series of questions: [How long have you two been dating? You’ve been barely dating for two months and half of that time you two are apart. Are you sure you aren’t just being hot-headed? What does he think about this?]

Ruan Yu overlooked the first two questions and only replied: [He’s taking a shower. I haven’t talked with him about it yet.]

Ruan Yu figured that if she mentioned it to him, he probably would simply say “there’s no need” or “it’s impossible.”

Mingying: [How about your family?]

Sofe Jade: [I won’t mention it to them unless I have figured it out myself.]

What Ruan Yu meant was that she hadn’t even made a decision yet, there was no need to bother her parents for it. But Shen Mingying misunderstood her words and thought Ruan Yu meant that she would “act first and report afterwards.”

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