You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 30 Part 4

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 30 Part 4

Ruan Yu thought that at this moment it wasn’t clear what her relationship to Xu Huaisong exactly was. In addition, in terms of dating, how could it be determined and declared by the female side?

She ran her hand through her bangs and turned her head while smiling. She was thinking of using a vague explanation to deflect the question. But when she glanced over the doorway of the banquet hall, she suddenly saw a familiar person.

Ruan Yu’s smile immediately froze.

Zhou Jun was surprised and looked over as well: “Hey, isn’t that Xu Huaisong! Why didn’t you two come together?”

Zhou Jun’s voice wasn’t low and caught Xu Huaisong’s attention.

He looked over and met Ruan Yu’s startled eyes. He frowned a little as if he was very confused, then came forward to ask: “Why are you here?”

Didn’t he know why she was here?

Ruan Yu slowly looked up at him: “I’m here for the birthday party of my high school teacher. How come you’re here too?”

Xu Huaisong slightly squinted his eyes: “So am I.”

Zhou Jun stood in confusion beside them and interjected: “What’s going on here? Don’t tell me that you two didn’t know you were from the same school all along?”

Neither of them spoke.

Zhou Jun stroked the back of his head and gestured with an amazed look on his face: “Come, let me introduce you two to each other. Year 10, classroom 10, Xu Huaisong, classroom 9, Ruan Yu.”

Ruan Yu suppressed the little volcano about to explode in her mind while carrying a smile and said: “That’s too much of a coincidence……!” Then she took a look at Xu Huaisong who was also showing a surprised look on his face. Ruan Yu made a final confirmation: “Ah, don't you have a meeting today?”

Xu Huaisong explained in a leisurely manner: “There’s a sudden change of plan, so now I’m here.”

It was the exact excuse Ruan Yu had anticipated.

Ruan Yu was almost fooled by his perfect acting skills. All the interactions she had with Xu Huaisong in the past were now playing in her head one after the other.

The way Xu Huaisong deliberately asked her “how do you know I’m from Su City”; Xu Huaisong “happened” to be at the cafeteria at the First High School, Liu Mao “happened” to give a ride for her mother to go back to Hang City, then Xu Huaisong “happened” to pick her up in the pouring rain like a hero; Xu Huaisong pretending to be sickish in the hospital room and forced her to read her erotic dream in her novel……

The aloof male idol whom she had a crush on for so many years turned out to be such a two-faced, calculating person?

Why hadn’t she discovered this for so many years?

Ruan Yu felt like she was going to cry.

All the tears which hadn’t streamed out of her eyes must have been the water that got into her brain[1] during those times when she leaned against the railings outside of her classroom and peeked at him like an obsessed fangirl.

She thought she had fallen for the graceful and upright Rui Hanazawa, but in the end, he was the childish Doumyoji Tsukasa down in his core!

In her silence, Xu Huaisong faintly blinked and asked in his usual calm manner: “What’s wrong?”

Ruan Yu took a breath in and looked down at her own shoes.

“What’s wrong”? She wanted to use the stiletto heels of her seven-centimeter-tall high heels and step through the shiny shoes on his feet!

[1]: This is a Chinese expression: 脑子进水 (nǎozi jìn shuǐ) which translates literally to “water in the brain” that roughly means that a person was “out of their mind” when they did or thought something.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 30 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 30 Part 3

Ruan Yu figured that Liu Mao wouldn’t post the schedules on purpose since he didn’t even know the existence of Mr. He. The only possibility then was that Xu Huaisong had suggested he do so– –as Xu Huaisong was the only other person who knew about it.

Then how could Xu Huaisong also know that she was also being invited to the birthday party?-- –In other words, Xu Huaisong very likely already knew that she was also Mr. He’s student from the same high school.

But if he knew about it, why didn’t he say so directly to her and instead use such a roundabout way to entice her to go to the party? 

He seemed to know very clearly that the reason why she didn't want to go was because he would probably go since she was afraid that the truth about her novel would be exposed.

Once she realized it, the answer was quite obvious.

The noise of cheering fans came from the TV. But in Ruan Yu’s present world, all the screaming and cheering seemed to be coming from the background some distance away.

She covered her mouth in amazement. After a while, she said to herself: “Have I…… been exposed a long time ago?”

On Saturday, Ruan Yu went to pick up her parents to go to Su City as planned.

In the past few days, she made many assumptions about Xu Huaisong over and over. In the end, she found all the assumptions were meaningless at this point. The place where she could find the real answer would be at the birthday party.

If he used the excuse “there was an unexpected change in my work schedule” to show up at the party, then Ruan Yu would conclude that he should have known that he was the male lead in her story a long time ago, since it wouldn’t be possible to have so many coincidences. He tricked her to go to the party because he believed that she would be too cowardly to go.

But if Xu Huaisong didn’t show up at the party, then everything would just be her own imagination.

They arrived at Su City at 11:30 am. Ruan Yu got out of the car with her parents in front of the restaurant and immediately glanced over at the nearby parking lot.

She didn’t see Xu Huaisong’s car there.

Ruan Chengru took a look at her: “You seemed absent-minded all the way here and started looking around right after getting out of the car. What are you looking at?”

Ruan Yu: “Hehe, I’m checking the surroundings so I can protect you and mom.” Then she put her arm around Qu Lan’s arm and said: “Let’s go in.”

The waiter showed them to the banquet hall for He Chong’s birthday party.

They were late to the party since they had to come all the way from Hang City. The 20 tables in the banquet hall were packed already. The food hadn’t been served yet and people were gathered in small groups chatting and reminiscing.

There were many people surrounding He Chong talking to him.

Ruan Yu quickly glanced over the whole room.

Her target wasn’t present.

She lightly breathed out in relief.

What kind of person had she thought Xu Huaisong was? In the past two days, he had sent her greetings three times a day. If he knew about the truth long ago, how could he watch her and pretend as if he was watching a monkey show?

Ruan Yu comforted herself that human nature couldn’t be that sinister and mean.

Ruan Yu followed her parents to greet Mr. He.

Ruan Chengru and Qu Lan then were taken by He Chong to meet the rest of their former colleagues. Ruan Yu suddenly heard someone calling her from behind: “Ruan Yu?”

She turned around and found her old classroom president Zhou Jun was standing not too far away. Seeing her turn around, Zhou Jun said in surprise: “Hi, it’s really you! I was thinking that I might be able to see you today!”

He walked up and said: “Long time no see. You didn’t even come to our class reunion last year. Now you come to Mr. He’s birthday party. You’re being a stranger to us!”

Ruan Yu laughed as she greeted him: “I happened to be quite busy at the time. I’ll be there next time.”

“Are you still staying in Hang City?”

“Right, I came over specifically for the party.”

“Then……” The tone in Zhou Jun’s voice seemed to suggest something interesting: “Xu Huaisong is also staying in Hang City?”

Ruan Yu paused, but nodded.

Zhou Jun immediately became excited and lowered his voice to say: “Let me pry as the representative of all the classmates of Room 9 and 10, you two are?”

Ruan Yu could only smile: “Hehe.”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 30 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 30 Part 2  

The schedule caught Ruan Yu’s attention. Mr. He’s birthday party would be at noon on Saturday. Would the schedule on the right side happen to be Xu Huaisong’s?

Ruan Yu commented under Liu Mao’s post: [Only two scheduled events in a week. Who’s this fairy lawyer?]

Zhikun Liu Mao: [Our Lawyer Xu.]

Ruan Yu put down her chopsticks and eagerly called Qu Lan back: “Mom, I’ll go on Saturday. You and dad wait for me at home. We’ll get a ride online and go together. It’s the weekend, the high speed train station will be too crowded.”

Qu Lan agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Ruan Yu happily gathered her bowl and chopsticks while humming a song. She turned on the TV to the sports channel to watch the World Cup. She was in such a good mood that she sent out a post in her friend’s circle: [Watching the World Cup with green tea, staying up all night while being healthy. (OK)]

She posted a picture of the “affection green tea” on the coffee table with the wall-mounted TV set as the background to go with the post.

Xu Huaisong immediately replied: [Where’s the white lotus?]

Ruan Yu looked at the empty meal set and replied without even blinking her eyes: [I’m too full to eat it. It’s in the fridge.]

Xu Huaisong: [Then I’ll go over to have it for breakfast.]

“......” Would she have enough time to order another set of “midsummer white lotus” from the hotel?

Ruan Yu had a hard time swallowing the green tea in her mouth. Suddenly Liu Mao interjected and replied Xu Huaisong: [Bring me with you?]

Xu Huaisong: [En. Sleep.]

He seemed to be saying: in your dreams.

Ruan Yu laughed so hard that she almost teared up. She wiped her eyes and noticed another comment underneath.

It was from Ruan Yu’s classroom president back in her high school days, Zhou Jun: [What’s going on here? (confused)]

He seemed to mean what’s going on between her and Xu Huaisong.

Ruan Yu was also confused: Was there other common friends between her and Xu Huaisong other than Liu Mao?

It could be. Back in high school when their classes were planning for the graduation trip, it was quite possible that the two classroom presidents, as the main organizers, had exchanged WeChat information.

Ruan Yu hurriedly deleted the post and quietly breathed out a sigh of relief.

Then she realized it wasn’t going to work.

Even if she deleted that post, Xu Huaisong would still be able to see the notification of Zhou Jun’s reply to her.

Indeed, at the very next second, Xu Huaisong sent another message: [You know Zhou Jun?]

Should she admit it or not, Ruan Yu hesitated.

She paced back and forth in the room, then she made a decision. Since things had developed to this point, she would tell him a partial truth and see what happened next. If Xu Huaisong kept on asking, then she would take the risk of telling the truth.

Ruan Yu replied: [We lived in the same area in Su City before. You know him too? I heard from Mr. Liu that your grandma used to live in the south suburb as well.]

Xu Huaisong: [En. Go sleep after watching the game. I was just joking just now. I have work tomorrow morning, no need to wait for me for breakfast.]

That was it?

Ruan Yu was relieved. As she was happily drinking her green tea, she suddenly sensed something unusual.

How would Xu Huaisong, a man who didn’t even want the bed sheet she had slept on to be changed, be so carefree about her male friend? Wasn't he always quite harsh on Liu Mao?

On the TV screen, one of the players scored a goal. A switch in Ruan Yu’s head seemed to click as well; she suddenly understood everything.

She checked the schedule posted by Liu Mao again.

Why would Liu Mao suddenly seemingly “accidentally” help her make the decision to go to the birthday party while she was still debating whether to go or not to go?

It was too coincidental.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 30 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 30 Part 1

Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong also walked out of the elevator after Lu Shenglan left.

Ruan Yu came to the hotel to see Lu Shenglan. Since she had already achieved her goal, she used the excuse that she was “feeling a little tired so not going up” to tell Xu Huaisong that she wanted to go home.

She didn’t really plan to go to Xu Huaisong’s room in the first place. She had a different state of mind now. Less than four hours have passed since Xu Huaisong’s ambiguous confession. If she went into his room right afterwards, she would probably be in such a state of panic that her heart might stop pumping.

Xu Huaisong didn’t push it: “Then I’ll go up to put down all this stuff.”

“You don’t even have your car here. Go up and get some rest, you don’t need to take me home.”

“What I mean is,” Xu Huaisong suddenly had a playful idea and said with a half smile: “I’ll go up to put down things then rest.”

Ruan Yu was a little surprised and faked a smile: “Hehe, then, goodbye, Mr. Xu. I’ll get a substitute driver service[1] to drive your car back to the hotel.”

The way Ruan Yu addressed him and made the arrangement instantly put distance between them. She truly knew how to get back at him. Xu Huaisong lightly coughed once and said: “I’m just joking. Wait for me in the lobby for five minutes.”

Ruan Yu wouldn’t budge: “It’s not necessary. I’ll get a ride in five minutes.”

“Then I’m not going up.” There was frustration in his eyes. “Let’s go.”

“Alright.” She seemed to feel satisfied by now: “You go feed the cat first. I’ll wait for you in the lobby.”

Xu Huaisong took a look at her, turned around to push the elevator button, then turned back to look at her again, probably to make sure that she meant what she said.

Ruan Yu knew that the occasional melodrama could spice up the relationship but overdoing it would reach a breaking point and diminish the feelings between a couple.

When the elevator arrived with a ring, Ruan Yu raised her chin towards the elevator gesturing to Xu Huaisong to go in.

Xu Huaisong glanced at her a couple of times before the doors of the elevator closed. Ruan Yu’s mouth curved up. She chuckled as she walked to the rest area in the lobby and sat down on the couch.

The splendorous lobby was brightly lit with overhead lighting. There weren't many people walking around at this hour. After a while, Ruan Yu saw two cleaning ladies walk past her pushing a cleaning cart.

One of the ladies told the other: “Room 1922 still doesn’t want his bed sheet changed. Don’t get it wrong.”

Ruan Yu was surprised.

Isn’t room 1922 Xu Huaisong’s room? Why doesn’t he want his bed sheets changed?

The two cleaning ladies had already walked away from her. She couldn’t hear them anymore.

Ruan Yu hurriedly caught up after them, pretending she was going in the same direction. Then she heard the other lady reply: “It’s been three days already……”

Ruan Yu didn’t hear what they said afterwards.

She stopped following them and something sparked in her head.

Three days ago she had slept on that bed.

After Xu Huaisong took her home, Ruan Yu was mulling over the conversation she overheard by herself.

To think that Xu Huaisong wouldn’t even change the sheet she had slept on for one night, though she wasn’t sure whether this was a thing Xu Huaisong would do, it seemed clear to her that Xu Huaisong had fallen for her for some time.

Then, when did it start? Before that night in the hotel, he didn’t show any clear sign of it.

Ruan Yu took a shower and opened the meal set, “midsummer white lotus,” as her late night snack since the plain porridge wasn’t enough to fill her up. As she was eating, she checked her friend circles.

She saw a new post from Liu Mao one minute ago: [Why are there such huge differences between two lawyers?]

There was a graph attached to the message. It was the comparison of two schedule sheets. The left one was densely packed while the right one only had two events scheduled tomorrow and Saturday. The one scheduled for Saturday was marked as an important video conference meeting from nine o’clock in the morning to one o’clock in the afternoon.

[1]: This is different from a ride sharing service (like Uber and Lyft) where you request a driver who’s using their own personal car contracted to a company to drive you somewhere. Instead, the substitute driver service has you hire a driver, like a chauffeur, to drive you somewhere with your own car. Commonly used to drive you when you’re drunk and can’t drive home.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 29 Part 4

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 29 Part 4

Lu Shenglan felt like she had been in an 8 year battle ever since she met Xu Huaisong. She had to be extremely careful at every step she made because Xu Huaisong was simply too smart.

When interacting with him, she had to remain 120% alert. Whenever her action or even just a look or tone of voice carried a hint of her intention to cross the line, Xu Huaisong would use his seemingly gentle but speak in no uncertain terms to turn her down.

She had never confessed her feelings to his face since even the slightest sign would meet total rejection. She should’ve clearly known what the result would be.

Yet she originally thought that Xu Huaisong had to get married someday. For eight years, there was no other woman around him. Before Xu Huaisong’s father suffered dementia, he liked her very much and was treating her like his “future daughter-in-law.” Therefore Lu Shenglan figured why wouldn’t there be a chance he would just choose her because she was right there, even if they would only be in a marriage of convenience ?

Lu Shenglan felt that she could wait for this final “result,” until about a month ago when Xu Huaisong suddenly made a trip back to China.

At first, she thought that something had happened to his family back in China. After some probing, she learned from Xu Huaisong’s roommate, who was also their co-worker– –After Xu Huaisong’s visit to China, he often video chatted with a woman who spoke Chinese.

Lu Shenglan comforted herself that it was probably due to a case in progress that he had to chat with the client. But not too long after his first trip, she learned that he had gone back to China again. This time, Xu Huaisong asked his assistant to prepare a sum of money for him to buy a car in China and even took his US driver’s license with him.

At that point, Lu Shenglan started to panic.

Her instincts told her that Xu Huaisong’s feeling towards that woman was absolutely not just a moment of interest. She believed it was very possible that while she was indulging in a one-sided crush towards him, he was having the same kind of feeling towards another woman.

When Xu Huaisong was planning to leave San Francisco again, Lu Shenglan used work as an excuse to fly back to China on the same flight with him.

She wanted to confirm her suspicions.

Then she met that woman.

She met her outside Xu Huaisong’s hotel room, under such a self-evident situation.

Xu Huaisong didn’t even leave her any room for her to fool herself.

Xu Huaisong immediately took a stand. He introduced the woman first and addressed her directly as “Ruan Yu.” Then he politely introduced her, referring to her as “Ms. Lu.” It was obvious who was close to him and the relationship between them.

Xu Huaisong would never have made such a low-level error in social etiquette.

He was doing it on purpose.

Lu Shenglan felt so jealous that she was going to go crazy.

It was because of what had happened that day which made her feelings, which she had suppressed for 8 years, completely boil over. That was also the reason why when she saw the message from Ruan Yu she sent the fatal “B” answer back after she was sensitive enough to figure out what was going on between Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong.

That was the first time in 8 years that she had made a stupid mistake, a stupid “B.”

It was that “B” which totally pushed her out of the picture so ungracefully.

The moment Lu Shenglan walked out of the hotel, she looked back once again.

She recalled that when she walked into the elevator, none of the floor buttons were lit. In other words, they were coming to the 15th floor to look for her.

In other words, Xu Huaisong had agreed to it; Xu Huaisong was indulging Ruan Yu and allowing her to come for her.

What was Ruan Yu coming to her for? All women who are in love should know the answer.

Lu Shenglan bitterly smiled.

She understood now that to develop an intimate relationship with a man like Xu Huaisong, there was a shortcut other than trying to be smarter than him. The shortcut was, like Ruan Yu, to let Xu Huaisong willingly become less smart because of her.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 29 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 29 Part 3

Fortunately, Xu Huaisong continued with the information Ruan Yu was hoping to hear: “He invited me to his birthday party.”

Ruan Yu pretended to just continue with the conversation: “Then will you be going?”

Xu Huaisong looked up and saw the expression in Ruan Yu’s eyes as if they were expecting that he would say “not going.”

He hesitated for a moment: “I’ll see whether there’s any conflict with my work schedule.”

Ruan Yu: “Hehe, if you’re busy, you don’t have to go!”

Xu Huaisong held back his laugh: “En.”

Ruan Yu was absent-minded as she finished her lunch. After they finished eating, she recalled her main purpose for inviting Xu Huaisong out to lunch. She said as planned: “Will your cat be hungry in the hotel since you’ve been out for so long? A four months old cat is in its growth period, it’s important to have a balanced diet. It’s not good just eating the same canned food the whole day. Do you want to bring something back for the cat to eat?”

Xu Huaisong knew whenever Ruan Yu became talkative there must be a reason behind it.

Xu Huaisong's mouth curved up.

Just as Ruan Yu thought that her actual intentions had been seen through, she heard Xu Huaisong say: “Then can you help me to pick something suitable for the cat to eat and go back with me.”

Ruan Yu was thus able to follow Xu Huaisong back to his hotel. Before they were about to go into the elevator, Ruan Yu carried out the next step in her plan: “Aiya, I’ve forgotten about Ms. Lu. Has she eaten lunch yet?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is she like you and she forgets to eat while busy with work? Should we bring something from the restaurant here for her?”

Xu Huaisong gave her a glance: “It’s you who wanted to do this.” The implication was that this had nothing to do with him at all.

Ruan Yu nodded: “That’s right.”

Xu Huaisong then turned around and went with her to the restaurant to order some food.

Ruan Yu deliberately ordered a seasonal set meal called “midsummer white lotus”[1], then also ordered a cup of tea called “affection green tea”[2]. They carried the take out food into the elevator. After checking with Xu Huaisong, Ruan Yu pushed the button for the 15th floor.

Ruan Yu was secretly building up her own self-confidence on the ride upstairs. What she wasn’t expecting was that when the elevator reached the 15th floor and the doors opened, Lu Shenglan was standing outside the elevator carrying a suitcase.

Ruan Yu’s eyes met Lu Shenglan’s. Lu Shenglan was the first one who smiled and nodded at her and Xu Huaisong as a greeting. She then dragged the suitcase into the elevator and pushed the button for the 1st floor. She turned her head and said: “I finished my work, I’m going back to the US.”

Xu Huaisong only made an “en” sound in response and didn’t say anything more.

Ruan Yu understood now.

Lu Shenglan came to China with Xu Huaisong using work as an excuse. As of now, though Xu Huaisong didn’t confront her about what she had done in the afternoon, she obviously had already sensed that Xu Huaisong had found out about it. To avoid the embarrassment of being confronted, she decided to back away and leave on her own.

If they didn’t happen to meet her in the elevator, she probably wouldn’t have even seen Xu Huaisong before she left the country.

Ruan Yu suddenly felt that it was unnecessary to give her the warning take-out meal anymore.

None of the three spoke in the elevator and all of them were breathing quietly.

When the elevator reached the first floor, Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong didn’t move.

Lu Shenglan nodded to the two of them again and carried her suitcase as she walked out of the elevator.

When she was outside the hotel, the summer breeze carried the scent of green grass blowing over. It was quite reminiscent of the time 8 years ago when she first saw Xu Huaisong at the White Dove Square on campus.

At the moment when she fell for him at first sight, she would never have imagined that things would develop like this.

[1]: 盛夏白莲 (shèngxià báilián) translates to “midsummer white lotus.” It is also evocative of ‘white lotus flower’ which is slang for a girl who looks pure and innocent but is actually a devious schemer. In less kind words, a b*tch.

[2]: 浓情绿茶 (nóng qíng lǜchá) translates to “affection green tea.” Green tea is more direct as it’s slang for “girls who pretend to be pure and innocent but in fact are manipulative and calculating.”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 29 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 29 Part 2

Ruan Yu began to look for the porridge she liked.

Rib porridge, ribs won’t do, it would look ugly when she gnawed on the rib bones.

Crab and shrimp porridge, shrimps and crabs won’t do, it would leave a bad smell in her mouth.

Shredded chicken porridge, shredded chicken won’t do, what if the chicken pieces get caught between her teeth.

Ruan Yu looked up again and said firmly: “I also want to have plain porridge.”

Xu Huaisong’s eyes blinked a couple of times: “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Considering the situation, she was willing to.

The server brought a pot of steaming plain porridge with a few side dishes that came free with the porridge.

Ruan Yu wasn’t sure whether it was her own imagination or not but somehow she felt that the server looked at her with sympathy.

As if the server could see from their order of plain porridge that in the near future, this couple would be crushed by the heavy burden of their lives and fated to make a living which could only afford plain porridge.

Ruan Yu felt that she couldn’t even be left alone while having porridge.

Half way through, Xu Huaisong received a phone call.

He didn’t try to avoid talking in front of Ruan Yu. He answered the phone: “I am. How are you, Mr. He?”

Mr. He? Wasn’t he the vice principal of First High School of Su City, the English teacher that taught both of them?

Ruan Yu pricked up her ears to listen but her phone also rang.

It was from her mother.

It was rather quiet in the restaurant at the time. If both of them talked on the phone, their voices would definitely pass on to the other phone. Raun Yu prepared to get up and walk further away to answer the phone. Xu Huaisong stopped her and gestured for her to sit there to answer the phone and he would go outside.

After Xu Huaisong left the table, still on the phone, Ruan Yu then picked up the call from her mother.

Qu Lan said: “Yuyu, your dad and I just received a phone call from Mr. He. He’s turning 50 this week and is inviting us to go to Su City for the birthday party together.”

Ruan Yu paused and immediately thought about the call Xu Huaisong had just received: “Do I have to go?”

“I figure Mr. He probably wasn’t thinking of inviting you originally, but didn’t we meet him last time when we visited the school? What about it? Are you busy with work?”

“Not exactly……”

Ruan Yu frowned and stirred the plain porridge in her bowl.

Ruan Yu knew that she would have to disclose the fact that she and Xu Huaisong were from the same high school pretty soon since she was considering being together with him. But if she exposed herself as the person who had a crush on him for so many years while he hadn’t fully confessed his feelings to her, she would get the short end of the stick in their relationship.

Qu Lan continued: “Mr. He especially invited you and you should give him the courtesy of going if you don’t have any other plans.”

Xu Huaisong happened to come back to the table after finishing the phone call. Ruan Yu looked up and met his eyes. She hurriedly changed the topic on the phone: “Mom, have you had lunch yet?”

“We already ate. I’m having a sour plum drink[1] with your dad. Have you heard what I just said?”

Xu Haisong sat down across from her.

Ruan Yu hurriedly said: “Oh, I also want to drink some……”

“What’s going on with you? Are you playing deft with your mom?”

“No, no……” Ruan Yu looked up to glance at the person across from her, then said: “Let me think about it. I’ll let you know. I’m hanging up now mom.” Then she hung up the phone.

Xu Huaisong gracefully picked up his spoon for his porridge as if he was picking up the knife and fork for steak.

He took a look at Ruan Yu: “What do you want to drink?”

Ruan Yu lightly coughed: “My mom’s sour plum drink.” Then she tried to pry: “You still keep in touch with your teachers back in this country?”

“I didn’t before. But I met this teacher last time when I was back in my old high school and we exchanged contact information.”

“The teacher still remembers you.” Ruan Yu was thinking hard trying to direct the conversation into the direction she was hoping for.

[1]: 酸梅汤 (suānméitāng) means literally “sour plum soup.” It is a popular summer drink made from plum, sugar, and some Chinese herbs cooked in water.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 29 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 29 Part 1

It was the third swing Xu Huaisong had missed. He was planning to give a detailed explanation about Lu Shenglan, but Ruan Yu had tactfully avoided the topic again and again.

The mounting frustration from missing the goal again and again returned Xu Huaisong to his old self.

By this time, if he didn’t realize that Ruan Yu was doing it on purpose, he wouldn’t be qualified to be a lawyer at all.

Ruan Yu deliberately didn’t make a fuss over the issue; she was trying to prompt him to express himself more clearly by pretending to not care that much

From Ruan Yu’s point of view, Xu Huaisong’s confession came rather suddenly therefore she felt like she had to feel him out first.

She had gotten what she wanted without asking any direct questions and Xu Huaisong had already lost his cool by explaining everything.

Though the result would be the same even if she questioned him hysterically or while whining bitterly, he actually enjoyed that she was playing with him.

Xu Huaisong took a glance at the kitchen.

He thought she was pondering how to turn him down but she surprised him over and over. Now his stomach had also calmed down with the help of the medicine and her.

Xu Huaisong held back the urge to smile and picked up the glass and drank the warm water.

Ruan Yu suddenly felt that her posturing wasn’t working anymore.

Why would Xu Huaisong drink plain water as if he was drinking Martell Limited Edition Cognac? Why would he act so at ease and not respond to her?

Ruan Yu decided to change tactics.

She quietly adjusted her tone of voice and said to him: “I haven’t had lunch yet……”

Xu Huaisong paused from drinking as she had expected and put down the glass: “Why didn’t you?”

Ruan Yu was about to answer but heard him continue: “You don’t eat lunch just because I don’t?”

Ruan Yu was surprised: “With a stomach like yours and you……” still decided to skip lunch?

Both of them grabbed their cell phones and got up ready to go.

It seemed both of them felt silly sitting there talking while both were still hungry.

They walked out of the door and Xu Huaisong suddenly asked: “Can you drive?”

Ruan Yu instinctively replied when she heard the word “drive”: “Drive what?”

Xu Huaisong glanced over at her: “What else?”

Ruan Yu almost choked: “Bicycles and cars; I know how to ride the former, as for the latter…… Though I’ve had my driver’s license for 7 years, I’ve never had the confidence to drive onto the streets.” She asked again: “Why do you ask?”

“I’m hoping you can drive my car. My stomach just had an episode this afternoon, I’m afraid of getting into trouble while I drive.”

“Then when you came over……”

“I was by myself when I drove here.”

His words were like a soft hammer hitting Ruan Yu’s heart directly. She felt dizzy.

She couldn’t say anything for quite a while and her steps felt like floating in the air. Finally she said: “Then, let’s get a ride……”

Ruan Yu picked the restaurant. Since Xu Huaisong had just had a stomach ache, she could only choose a place that served porridge.

When they ordered food, Xu Huaisong let Ruan Yu choose. Ruan Yu picked up the pen and went down the menu to see what to order.

Then she found that there wasn’t much she could choose from.

Preserved egg and lean meat porridge. Preserved eggs won’t do since it’s not good for the stomach.

Sampan porridge, seafood won’t do, it could lead to a stomach infection.

Egg and beef porridge, beef won’t do since it’s hard to digest.

Ruan Yu looked up: “Looks like you can only have plain porridge.”

“It’s fine. You just order what you like to eat.”

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