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.