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.

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 54 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 54 Part 3

When Ruan Yu went down to the lobby, she saw Li Shican sitting on an armchair playing with his cell phone. He looked up to glance at her when he noticed her walking out of the elevator.

Ruan Yu was a little taken aback seeing him there, but soon she understood why.

He probably had come down to the lobby right when the meeting adjourned to make sure she got home safely.

Though Ruan Yu felt that it was an overreaction, she looked at him back with gratitude.

Ruan Yu walked out of the lobby, got on the passenger side of Xu Huaisong’s car and fastened the seatbelt, but the car wasn’t moving.

Xu Huaisong was tilting his head, looking at the direction of the lobby.

Ruan Yu looked over and saw Li Shican glance over at their direction, then turned around to leave with his cell phone.

Ruan Yu explained: “He’s here because……”

“I know.” Xu Huaisong interrupted her.

Though there was some distance between him and Li Shican, he knew exactly Li Shican’s intentions from a glance.

Xu Huaisong said: “That’s good. With him around, it’s much safer. Your safety is the primary concern.”

Ruan Yu glanced at his facial expression and felt more at ease seeing that he was truly appreciative of Li’s gesture. She didn’t say anything more but leaned her head against the back of the seat.

Xu Huaisong turned his head and saw Ruan Yu seem a little down. He asked: “What’s wrong?”

Ruan Yu opened her mouth but stopped herself. She was quiet for a moment then shook her head: “Nothing, I’m just tired from the meeting.”

“Then, let’s not go home and make dinner. Let’s eat out tonight.”

“En.”

Xu Huaisong started the car and slowly merged into the traffic.

Ruan Yu turned her head to look outside the window. She watched the sky getting darker and darker, the tall street lights lining the road lit up one by one. It was just like at noon when Lu Shenglan had shed the light on Xu Huaisong’s world, which she had never seen before, with her plain description one sentence after another.

She said: “You probably don’t know this but at first when Huaisong chose to study law, he didn’t really understand his father from the beginning. At the time, he also felt that Uncle Xu was a disreputable person who ‘takes money to avert misfortune for people.’[1] Because of that, he initially wanted to be a different kind of lawyer from his father when he chose to study law in the US. Looking back now, it probably seemed somewhat childish and absurd.”

“The lives of Asians over there aren’t that easy. I’m alright with it because I grew up there and have a lot of friends in schools. But he doesn’t have that, he’s all by himself. When he suffers discrimination or unfair treatment, he could only speak for himself with his achievements.”

“To be fair, Americans do buy that. When he kept being the top of his classes, they became more and more accepting of him, saying that this Chinese young man is a genius. What they didn’t know is that this genius had been admitted to the hospital twice for over exhaustion.”

“Later, he graduated as the top of his class and passed the toughest bar exam in the US. As you probably have guessed, he had a lot of friction and numerous clashes with his father ever since he decided to study law. However, after he finally became an attorney, he gradually followed his father’s path step by step. He began to understand his father’s dilemma after his rough edges had finally been smoothed out.”

“Uncle Xu’s sudden stroke took everyone by surprise. The day when his father was diagnosed as having vascular dementia, Huaisong sat in the hospital in a daze for a whole night. Later, he took over all of his father’s cases, everyone of them. He didn’t say anything but I could tell that from that time on, he had truly placed his heart into them. Being a lawyer isn’t simply a job for him now, but a career.”

“You probably couldn’t imagine a person like him would take to smoking cigarettes. He picked up the habit right after Uncle Xu fell ill. In the first couple years right afterwards, the stress was tremendous on him and he had to rely on cigarettes to get by. It wasn’t until the third year that he was finally back to a more normal state and quit smoking.”

“The Xu Huaisong you’ve seen now is a person who shines in front of you after eight years of hard work through numerous hardships. He is now in a position that he could come back as he wishes but it doesn’t mean that it’s easy for him to give up everything over there.”

“No one else knows about all these things. If I don’t tell you, he probably would never mention them to you either. However, I feel it’s probably better for me to tell all these than for you to never know them. In any case, there’s no way we can become friends anyway.”

“In the end, I have to say one more thing you probably don’t like to hear. Perhaps he truly is willing to cut off what he has worked for eight years just like that, but it really isn’t something you should take for granted. If you still won’t consider moving to the US for him, then, at least, you should cherish the sacrifice he has made for you.”

Ruan Yu pressed her lips tightly and watched the traffic outside the window while gripping the passport she had in her purse. 

[1]: The translation is pretty straight forward but it’s a Chinese idiom, hence the quotes. 拿人钱财，替人消灾 (ná rén qiáncái, tì rén xiāo zāi), meaning someone who will do anything as long as there’s a person willing to pay them for it.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 54 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 54 Part 2

Three days later, Ruan Yu went to Global Filming for a script meeting.

Xu Huaisong drove her over and reminded her to keep in touch, avoid being left alone, and if she encountered Wei Jin, act naturally.

The police investigation was still underway. Ruan Yu had to pretend that she knew nothing about it. After she got out of the car, she practiced what expression to have or words to say in her mind.

However, it turned out that she didn’t have to prepare for that since Wei Jin hadn’t come down from his 19th floor office to the meeting room on the 7th floor the whole morning.

Just as she was feeling lucky, the producer’s secretary brought over milk teas for everyone in the meeting during the lunch hour.

The milk teas were from the same brand and the same flavor as the last time.

An idea popped up in Ruan Yu’s brain and a WeChat message came in to prove her suspicion.

Li Shican: [Don’t need to be nervous. I’m on the 19th floor.]

So her good luck was only a facade.

It was Li Shican who had come up with another excuse to stay on the 19th floor so she could avoid any possible contact with Wei Jin.

Ruan Yu replied: [Thanks. Sorry to trouble you again and waste your time.]

Li Shican: [No problem. I have the time. The air conditioning is nice and free here.]

Ruan Yu didn’t reply and right before she was going to look away from her cell phone, she suddenly noticed that there was a new friend request down below.

She clicked it open. It seemed that it was from a newly registered account with no profile picture. The verification content: [How are you, I’m Lu Shenglan.]

Ruan Yu was surprised.

The day before yesterday, Lu Shenglan had sent her assistant to deliver the documents to the law office and didn’t meet Xu Huaisong in person. By now, she probably had already received all the signed documents. Why would she want to connect to her through WeChat all of a sudden?

Baffled, Ruan Yu accepted.

Lu Shenglan quickly sent over a straightforward message: [How are you, Ms. Ruan, sorry to bother you. I’m going back to the US today and I would like to have some tea with you before I go, if it’s convenient for you.]

Ruan Yu did have a lunch break.

But why would she want to have tea with her now?

Her finger lingered on the screen for quite a while. She was about to back out of the chat to ask Xu Huaisong what was going on when Lu Shenglan sent another message: [I don’t have anything in mind. It’s just that I would like to tell you what Huaisong’s life in the US was like. If possible, please keep it from him for now.]

His life in the US?

Ruan Yu frowned and typed: [I’m at Global Filming and only have a one hour lunch break.]

Lu Shenglan: [Then I’ll drive over. Can you be at the front door after ten minutes?]

Soft Jade: [Sure.]

Ruan Yu got into Lu Shenglan’s car in front of Global Filming.

She was still in a clean cut business suit. When she saw Ruan Yu, she removed her sunglasses to greet her. Then she was quiet until they were in a private room of the tea house right across.

After the tea was served, Ruan Yu noticed that Lu Shenglan still seemed to be organizing what she wanted to say. Ruan Yu asked at first: “Ms. Lu, how do you know my WeChat account?”

Lu Shenglan lowered her head and grinned: “It’s from that time.”

The atmosphere in the room abruptly changed with her simple answer.

Lu Shenglan immediately raised her eyes: “I’m very sorry for what happened that day. But I’m here today not to apologize to you. What I’m about to say will probably make me feel sorry to you as well. But if I don’t tell you about it, you’ll probably never know.”

Ruan Yu frowned.

After Ruan Yu returned to Global Filming from the tea house, she was absent-minded the whole afternoon. Several times during the meeting, she was called upon by the producer but she didn’t even hear the topic of their discussion.

It wasn’t until the meeting adjourned in the evening and Xu Huaisong texted her that he was already outside the building that Ruan Yu was able to pull herself together to go downstairs.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 54 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 54 Part 1

After returning to Hang City, Xu Huaisong went to work in the law office from nine in the morning till five in the evening. He devoted his energy to Zhou Jun’s case.

Ruan Yu knew exactly why.

For a ten year old case, the police had done all they could going back and forth without finding the real suspect. There wasn’t much Xu Huaisong could do now as a lawyer for the case.

Yet after ten whole years, they had witnessed how Xu’s mother was still guilt ridden, how Xu’s father still bore infamy for his actions, how the victim’s family was still indignant, and how the acquitted suspect was still down and out.

All three families had been badly hurt by the case.

Xu Huaisong was unable to change all that, but still attempted to find a sliver of hope in a similar case.

If he could get to the bottom of Zhou Jun’s case and prevent the same tragedy from happening again, then he could prove to his mother that perhaps his father didn’t do anything wrong.

While Xu Huaisong was busy with the case, Ruan Yu was bored at home. On the days when she didn’t have to go to Global Filming, she would get up earlier in the morning and tag along with Xu Huaisong to the law firm. She would edit the script there with the excuse that she could save on her home electric bills.

Xu Huaisong didn’t point out the fact that he had to pay the office’s electricity bill.

More than half a month had passed. Since Zhou Jun maintained his innocence during interrogations and the prosecutors’ evidence wasn’t sufficient enough, the procurator’s office issued instructions for a supplementary investigation for the case.

Zhang Ling and Xu Huaisong who had been working day and night for the case finally got a break.

However, Ruan Yu suddenly realized that the day when Xu Huaisong had to fly to the US was fast approaching.

She didn’t want to have the surprise of his “sudden departure” again and asked him specifically about it.

Xu Huaisong sat in front of the computer busy with work. He drank some milk from the glass Ruan Yu had brought over to him and said: “I can stay a few more days beyond what I originally planned.”

“A court hearing date can be changed that easily?” 

Xu Huaisong shook his head: “It’s not a court hearing. The purpose of this trip is to sign some important documents which have just been produced a couple days ago. They are too important to use electronic signatures or risk mailing.”

“Then they don’t need to be signed now?”

“Still needs to be signed.”

“Then why don’t you need to fly over?”

Ruan Yu was confused. Xu Huaisong usually was very precise in answering questions. It was quite rare that he hadn’t made himself clear after a couple of exchanges.

What was going on?

Xu Huaisong was quiet for a moment before saying: “Come over.”

Ruan Yu walked over and was quickly being pulled into his arms.

After Ruan Yu had sat down squarely on his lap, Xu Huaisong began to explain: “Lu Shenglan happened to have some business to take care of in China. She said she can bring those documents over for me to sign and then bring them back to San Francisco afterwards.”

No wonder he could stay for a few more days and couldn’t make himself clear in a few words.

Ruan Yu paused before nodding.

Xu Huaisong lowered his head to look at her: “Don’t think too much into it. It’s just some documents. I don’t even have to meet her in person, I’ll have Xiao Chen pick up for me.”

“Hum……” Ruan Yu dragged the sound then paused before saying: “I’m not thinking about this. I just feel like……she can help you with your work, but I just keep having you come back and forth for my troubles.”

“It’s normal for co-workers to help each other out. Besides, I’m not coming back and forth because of you.”

“Hum?”

Xu Huaisong laughed: “I’m the one who suffers the most if I don’t see you.”

Ruan Yu didn’t say anything but the corners of her eyes upcurved with the hint of a smile. She hugged his neck and kissed his chin with a peck.

Xu Huaisong lowered his head and kissed her lips, thirty times longer than her peck.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 53 Part 3

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 53 Part 3 

The doorbell rang as Ruan Yu was speaking. Xu Huaisong came back.

Tao Rong went to open the door: “How was it, did she make trouble for you?”

Xu Huaisong shook his head: “Mom, I’m capable of handling things like that. But, you, you really didn’t have to……” He paused and sighed. Then he looked over at Ruan Yu who was sitting on the couch.

He walked over and picked up the glass in front of her to gulp down the half glass of water left in it.

Tao Rong hurriedly went into the kitchen to pour some more water and called Xu Huaishi over to help her cut some fruit.

“Mom, don’t bother.” Xu Huaisong turned to say: “My coworker is waiting downstairs. We have to go back to Hang City shortly.”

Tao Rong still brought out some fruit and apologetically said to Ruan Yu: “You’re in such a hurry. We don’t have anything prepared. Come eat some fruit.”

Ruan Yu thought to herself that they had also arrived in such a hurry, without any preparation and gifts. She thanked her with a smile while taking the plate of fruit.

Because of the incident outside the gate, the atmosphere in the living room was still quite stifling. Xu Huaisong figured that it wasn’t a good time to mention anything about himself and Ruan Yu. He sat for a while, then got up to leave. Before leaving, he told Tao Rong: “I explained everything to Ms. Wang and instructed the guard at the gate. She shouldn’t be able to come into the community from now on. If you run into the same thing again, call the police directly.”

Tao Rong was quiet for a while before asking: “Are you here for a case this time? I heard from her that you’re helping……”

Xu Huaisong paused before answering: “There’s a criminal case and I’m helping the client collecting evidence.”

Tao Rong forced out a smile and said: “Hm. You take care of yourself. Make sure you eat meals on time everyday.”

Xu Huaisong nodded and took a look at Ruan Yu: “Don’t worry. She’s watching over me.”

Tao Rong then said to Ruan Yu: “Thanks.” She then went to get a few boxes of food for her to take back.

Ruan Yu couldn’t refuse. She took the food and said that she would come visit again.

After they left, Ruan Yu said to Xu Huaisong with a frustrated face: “Why am I caught off guard every time……”

Xu Huaisong held her hand and said: “It’s alright. My mom likes you very much anyway.”

Ruan Yu was interested in the topic: “Has she mentioned it to you?”

He shook his head.

“Then how would you know?”

“Just think about it. If it wasn’t for you, would I come back from the US?”

He said it matter of factly. Ruan Yu thought about it and something flickered in her eyes.

They got in Chen Hui’s car downstairs and didn’t mention anything about Ms. Wang again. They went together to pick up Zhang Jie who had finished her work.

Zhang Ling was exhausted and sweaty. She reported to Xu Huaisong after getting into the car: “I still haven’t persuaded two friends of the victim to open up to me. But judging from their attitude, I figure that Ms. Ruan’s surmise might be correct. It should be that the family of the victim wants to convict our client without delay and has instructed her friends not to disclose any information.”

Chen Hui sighed: “Though I can relate to the feelings of the victim’s family, what if the truth gets covered up and it leads to a wrongful conviction……” Half way through, he suddenly remembered that Xu Huaisong had just experienced a not so pleasant incident and probably wasn’t in a good mood. He changed the subject right away: “Hehe, however, Ruan Jie’s really smart. Why don’t you consider changing your profession to be a police or lawyer?”

“Hrm?” Ruan Yu was caught by surprise.

Xu Huaisong laughed and hugged her a little closer: “Her? Forget about it. She has a wild imagination but is easily scared.”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 53 Part 2

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 53 Part 2

Before they reached the gate, they could already hear high-pitched outbursts: “I’m here today to catch you. Don’t be a hypocrite visiting my daughter’s grave every year! Now look at your son and that bastard, who knows what they’re up to again!”

“Ms. Wang, Huaisong isn’t in Su City. There must be some misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Old Qian at the market said your son has come back and is going to do exactly the same thing as his father to help a killer get free! I want to see who your family is going to wreck again!”

Ruan Yu couldn’t catch up to Xu Huaisong, but kept running behind him, panting the entire time. She saw from afar that a fiftyish woman was shouting at Tao Rong and Grandma Xu outside the gate. The woman was very agitated and even stepped forward to shove Tao Rong.

Tao Rong lost her balance and the shopping bags in her hands flew out. She staggered backwards, almost bumping into Grandma Xu.

Fortunately, the guard moved forward in time to prevent Grandma Xu from falling onto the ground. The guard also managed to keep the two sides separated.

Xu Huaisong arrived to let his mother and grandma stand behind him: “Ms. Wang, please watch out what you say and do.”

Wang Qin saw him then turned to demand Tao Rong: “Isn’t this your good son? And you said he wasn’t in Su City?”

Tao Rong truly didn’t know that Xu Huaisong was in Su City. She was stunned and moved forward to say: “Huaisong, go back, don’t……” Then she kept bowing and apologizing to Wang Qin: “Ms. Wang, I’m so very sorry, I……”

“Mom, what are you doing?” Xu Huaisong frowned and pulled his mother back behind him. Ruan Yu happened to arrive just then, out of breath. He gave her a look.

Ruan Yu understood what he meant. She bent over to pick up the shopping bags on the ground and pulled Tao Rong and Grandma Xu to walk inside the community: “Auntie, Grandma, let’s go home first.”

Tao Rong stopped after walking away a few steps. She looked back: “She’ll take it out on Huaisong……”

Ruan Yu looked over and saw Xu Huaisong was negotiating with Wang Qin. She patted Tao Rong’s back to comfort her: “He’ll take good care of it. Don’t you worry.”

After much persuading, Ruan Yu finally brought Tao Rong and Grandma Xu home.

Xu Huaishi looked through the peephole and opened the door with a sad face: “Mom, Grandma, you’re finally home. I’m scared to death!” She then looked at Ruan Yu: “Jiejie, why are you and my brother in Su City?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Ruan Yu closed the door and helped Grandma inside: “Grandma, are you hurt anywhere?”

Grandma shook her head and said: “No.” Then, she finally recovered from the sudden commotion and asked: “Hum, who’s this young lady?”

This was the first time Ruan Yu had met Grandma but Xu Huaisong wasn’t here. Ruan Yu felt awkward and hesitated: “Grandma, I’m……”

Tao Rong, who was absent minded on their way home, finally regained her composure and helped Ruan Yu: “Mom, this is Huaisong’s girlfriend, I told you before.”

Grandma patted the back of Ruan Yu’s hand: “This is the first time you're here and we make so much trouble for you.”

Ruan Yu: “Hehe, it’s nothing, Grandma.” She wiped sweat off her forehead where her bangs were sticking to it from all the running.

Seeing Ruan Yu was a little uneasy, Xu Huaishi helped to make her feel more comfortable: “Jiejie, sit down here. Where’s my brother?”

Ruan Yu helped Grandma to the couch while explaining: “He’s taking care of something at the gate.”

Tao Rong poured a glass of water for her from the kitchen and brought a towel for her to wipe away sweat.

Xu Huaisong didn’t come back for quite a while. The four people in the living room were all worried and the atmosphere in the living room grew somewhat grave.

After a while, Tao Rong doubtfully asked Ruan Yu: “When did you and Huaisong get here, are you two here for business?”

Ruan Yu nodded: “We came here yesterday.”

Grandma tilted her head and asked: “Then last night you stayed in a hotel, why not come and stay at home?”

Tao Rong tugged Grandma’s sleeve: “Mom, Huaisong hasn’t stayed at home for so long, he’s used to staying in a hotel.”

Ruan Yu figured that Tao Rong was probably saddened that her son wasn’t close to her anymore. She hurriedly took the blame: “It’s not that, not that. He did suggest we come here to spend the night. It’s me. I was afraid of causing trouble for you……”

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 53 Part 1

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 53 Part 1

It was close to noon when Chen Hui came to pick up Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong the next day. Since Zhang Jie wasn’t quite finished with her interviews, they decided to have lunch first.

When Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong got into the car, Chen Hui turned his head to jokingly ask: “We’re already at Su City, Song Ge doesn’t plan to go back home for a visit? Last time I took your mom home, I had dinner at your place. Your grandma's cooking was outstanding. I even got to take a piece of Dongpo pork[1] home!”

After the old house was demolished, Xu Huaisong’s grandma moved in with Tao Rong and Xu Huaishi in the city. Chen Hui thought that would be a good place to have lunch.

Xu Huaisong smiled and turned his head to look at Ruan Yu: “You better ask her whether she wants to go there.”

Ruan Yu was taken by surprise by his sudden mention of her.

The way he looked at her seemed to imply that it was because she wasn’t willing to go home with him that Chen Hui was losing his chance at having Dongpo pork again.

Ruan Yu looked back innocently. Xu Huaisong blinked: “So we’re going?”

Ruan Yu hesitated.

For her first visit to his family, she thought it should be conducted more formally. However, she wasn’t prepared at all this time. Furthermore, she was still wearing the wrinkled t-shirt which she wore to sleep last night because she didn’t bring a change of clothes.

It didn’t feel proper to shop for new clothes and gifts on the spur of the moment now. Besides, it didn’t seem right to go visit with Chen Hui tagging along either.

Ruan Yu was mulling over and frowned slightly. As she was about to open her mouth, she heard Xu Huaisong say: “Start driving. Let’s just find a place to eat.”

Ruan Yu pinched his sleeve and said in a low voice: “It’s not that I don’t want to go visit with you. I’ll have to get prepared next time……”

Xu Huaisong nodded and rubbed her hair: “I’ll nap for a while.” He then leaned back and closed his eyes.

“Isn’t it tiring to sit like this?” Ruan Yu raised her hand and pushed his head onto her shoulder: “Come.”

Xu Huaisong smiled and laid his head on her shoulder. He didn’t tell her that this was even more tiring for him because of the difference in height.

The three of them found a random restaurant along the road. After eating, they got back in the car and prepared to go pick up Zhang Jie. Xu Huaisong received a phone call.

It was from Xu Huaishi: “Ge, I just came back from cram school and saw a woman who looked somewhat familiar at the gate. She kept asking the guard which building the Xu family lives. She kept saying ‘that bastard, that bastard,’ looking especially agitated. Do you think this is……”

Xu Huaisong sat up straight immediately and asked in a serious voice: “Did she see you?”

“No. As I passed by, she was focused on the guard. She shouldn’t have seen me.”

“Where’s mom and grandma?”

“They’ve gone to the market, not home yet.”

Xu Huaisong was silent for a moment before saying: “You go back home and lock the door. Don’t open the door unless it’s mom and grandma.”

Xu Huaishi seemed to have started trotting on the other end of the phone: “Ge, don’t frighten me. Is it that family coming to make trouble for us again? Haven’t they stopped for many years, why all of a sudden……”

Xu Huaisong pinched in between his eyebrows: “I’m not sure what happened now. You go home first, I’ll be over in no time.” After hanging up the phone, he told Chen Hui to drive to his home.

Ruan Yu didn’t clearly hear what Xu Huaishi had said on the phone and asked with furrowed eyebrows: “What has happened?”

“Someone probably has informed the victim’s family that we had met Jiang Yi at the market yesterday.”

Chen Hui realized the seriousness of the situation and stepped on the gas pedal, rushing to Xu Huaisong’s home. As they were getting near to the community, they were caught in traffic on the main street. 

It was only three or four hundred meters away from the main gate of the community. Xu Huaisong opened the door and said: “I’ll just run over.”

Ruan Yu hesitated, then jumped out of the car as well. She jogged behind him.

[1]: Dongpo pork (东坡肉, dōngpōròu) is a Hangzhou dish of braised pork belly.

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

You're My Belated Happiness - Chapter 52 Part 4

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

You’re My Belated Happiness

Chapter 52 Part 4

Xu Huaisong put the folders on Zhou Jun, Wei Jin, and Jiang Yi together and clicked the cursor back and forth to compare them. He also looked over the related pictures several times.

Ruan Yu glanced over from time to time besides him. It was like watching a horror movie, though she was scared, she couldn’t stop being curious and taking a peek.

Xu Huaisong noticed how Ruan Yu moved her eyes back and forth and moved the computer away: “Don’t look. You’ll be too scared to sleep later. Go take a shower.”

Ruan Yu said “oh” and got up to walk away. After a few steps, she turned back to take out her earphones from her bag, plugged them into the cell phone, adjusted the volume, selected a song, and put the song on a loop.

Xu Huaisong looked at her: “What are you doing?”

Ruan Yu smiled: “Hehe, just listen to a song for a while.” She lightly put the earphones into his ears.

Xu Huaisong took a glance at the bathroom and sighed while smiling.

Whatever.

After the song had repeated five times, Ruan Yu came out of the bathroom.

Xu Huaisong closed the top of his laptop and hurried Ruan Yu into the bed. He then turned off the lights.

Ruan Yu lied down. The moment she lay flat, she suddenly shrieked.

Xu Huaisong staggered when he was about to touch the edge of the bed.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

Ruan Yu patted her chest and said: “I forgot there’s a mirror above. I jumped when I saw a silhouette in it……” She looked at the ceiling a few more times and it made her hair stand on end. She turned sideways to bury her face in the pillow. “What kind of anti-human design this is!”

Xu Huaisong also went under the cover: “Didn’t you say this was nice a while ago?”  As he was speaking, he pulled Ruan Yu’s head over: “The pillow here may not be that clean. Don’t smother yourself.”

Ruan Yu took a glance at the ceiling again: “But I can’t fall asleep like this. All I can think of are……” Those pictures in his computer.

“I told you not to look at them.” Xu Huaisong sighed and pulled her into his arms: “Then you can smother yourself on me, alright?”

Xu Huaisong didn’t expect that a love hotel could turn into a haunted room for them.

The whole night Ruan Yu held onto Xu Huaisong like an octopus, not treating him as a man but an exorcism charm.

Finally it was daybreak, Xu Huaisong, who had been tense for the whole night, carefully moved Ruan Yu’s arms and legs away to get off the bed.

But Ruan Yu turned back, entangling herself with him in a daze.

Xu Huaisong had no choice but to pinch her face to wake her up.

Ruan Yu frowned and rubbed her eyes. She looked quite innocent: “What are you doing……” 

She stretched her legs as she asked.

Xu Huaisong blocked her knees and said with gritted teeth: “Don’t move.”

Ruan Yu suddenly realized what was going on. She paused, then slowly moved herself away.

Xu Huaisong cleared his throat and got off the bed to go into the bathroom. After 15 minutes of the sound of running water, he came back to the bed and pulled Ruan Yu, who was covering both of her ears, out of the covers: “Have you slept enough?”

Ruan Yu blushed and said: “Yeah.”

“Then it’s my turn to sleep. You go do something else.”

Ruan Yu got out of the bed, but turned to get closer and asked: “Uh, you didn’t sleep the whole night?”

Xu Huaisong gave her a glance, but didn’t say anything.

Ruan Yu bit her lips: “Sorry……”

He reached over to rub her ear: “You owe me. Pay me back later.”

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