Translated by newbienoona
Edited by anks
T/N : shū shu叔叔 – uncle
“Mommy!” Chuxia calls out before stopping in her tracks.
What Jiang Yuan said is right. If the rice has really been cooked, any effort toward Han Qilu would be useless. He may act indifferently, but he needs to be responsible for his actions.
If Han Qilu has taken his relationship [with Mankuai] in the truest way, then she is powerless. The mere thought makes Chuxia clench both fists in anger. A thin layer of sweat covers her palms. The greasy feeling makes her feel uncomfortable.
* * *
It has been a while since she’s returned home. Mankuai sits in a public bus, and she’s surrounded by several ayi, shushu, and a few young people. Nobody recognizes her in her sunglasses.
When she returned, she took a long distance cab from A to B City. It takes two hours by car, a bit faster if it drove at top speed. Alas, the bus driver sticks to the speed limit. Once they reach the intersection, she gets off. She wanted to rent a car, but the drivers don’t want to drive such a long distance.
One of the cab drivers told her to take the bus, since no one would take her business. But if she hurries, she can catch another bus to A City.
She contemplates on whether she should take her chances. Alas, she gets into the bus.
She dislikes being around so many people, but since she has been out, she didn’t want to return and take the car out now that the traffic has gotten bad.
She’s trying not to get photographed. It’s been a while since she has returned, and her career needs to be restarted. Bad publicity would ruin her.
It is only when she arrived in A City did she call Qilu. Since she was in public, she kept the conversation short.
Mankuai hasn’t arrived yet when Han Qilu reached the bus station. He sits in the car so he doesn’t attract attention. After a while, his impatience gets the best of him. He smokes until Mankuai arrives, and he says nothing when she arrives.
It takes her ten minutes to emerge from the station. Once he sees her, he calls her phone. “Walk to the car ahead of you.”
He hangs up the phone once she sees him. As she approaches, Qilu walks to her side of the car and opens the door.
“Thank you,” she says softly. Once he gets in, she runs her fingers against her stomach and says, “There was no food in the bus. I thought I was going to starve.”
“How come you didn’t eat before coming here?” Han Qilu turns the car and heads down the road.
“I wanted to take a cab here, but I decided to take the bus at the last minute. When was I going to eat?” Annoyed, she takes the sunglasses off. “It would look bad for my image if my picture was taken while I was eating.”
Han Qilu doesn’t respond; Mankuai made her decision by herself, and no one forced her. If she decided to take that road, shouldn’t she continue down the path? She can’t complain about it now.
If it were An Chuxia, she wouldn’t care about her image, and would eat!
Why is he thinking about An Chuxia all of a sudden? He doesn’t know her, but why is he confident making an assumption that she wouldn’t care about her image?
He may not remember An Chuxia, but she still exists.
“How about going to the family restaurant, the one we ate at before?” Han Qilu tries to refocus on Mankuai and stop thinking of Chuxia.
“I can eat some spicy food. I haven’t had any recently,” Mankuai says. Then she remembers to ask him, “Since you’ve returned, have you gone back to Stein?”
“I was waiting for Chuxia to get discharged so that we could return together.” He can tell he said something wrong. “My mother ordered me.”
She didn’t like hearing he has to return to school with An Chuxia, but she is less troubled after hearing it’s Jiang Yuan’s order. Based on the airport incident, she knows he has no feelings for Chuxia, and that’s enough to make her happy.
“When is she going to be discharged from the hospital? Didn’t I tell you I’m returning to school?” She looks at her nails like she had no other time to do so.
“She has just been discharged. She and I should be able to return to school tomorrow. Are you just registering or are you attending class?”
Xiang Mankuai smiles and says, “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the country, or been in a campus. I feel like an old woman!”
In addition to that, she’d have to worry about Chuxia and Qilu being together in school, and that’s not easy to let go!
She also wants to confess to him that his family is buying her home, but she thought twice about it. The timing is off, and she should just bear the burden.
Han Qilu isn’t hungry, but he takes her to one of the higher end Han-owned restaurants.
Surrounded by violinists and soft music, he tries to look good for Mankuai. However, no one can tell how he really feels. He just watches Mankuai eat elegantly.
Suddenly, his mind drifts to an image of An Chuxia eating a mouthful of rice, not looking elegant at all, but it makes a meal more appetizing for anyone looking. In other words, she makes a meal look tasty.
Wait, why is he thinking of An Chuxia?!
Flustered, he excuses himself from the table and goes to the restroom. As soon as he gets there, he turns on the faucet and washes his face with cold water.
“Are you crazy? You’re staring at your girlfriend and you’re thinking of your ex-girlfriend?” As he remembers his conversation with Chuxia in his car, they never broke up, and yet, her proposed to Mankuai. Their relationship status isn’t finalized, but it needs to be established.
Does that mean he’s a player?! When did he turn into Xiao Mingluo?
As he thinks of him, he realizes he hasn’t met up with Xiao Mingluo since his return. He turns off the water before sending a text to Mingluo: “Brother, it’s been a week since I’ve arrived, and yet, you’ve not set up a table for us to feast.”
Xiao Mingluo is still in class when he gets Qilu’s text. He quickly replies: “Weren’t you supposed to call me first? If I were you, I wouldn’t have waited [this long]. I’ll see you at Tomorrow’s Glory at 6.”
Tomorrow’s Glory is a restaurant in one of the rare hotels owned by the Xiao family. The family, whose main business is tourism development, cosmetics, and medical treatment, has a hotel to house VIPs. On occasion, domestic tourists may get a reservation.
“Okay,” he states before pocketing his phone and returning to his seat.
“You’ve been gone for so long, I’ve finished my meal,” Mankuai says before standing up.
They were the only customers in the establishment since it’s nowhere close to five o’clock. He pays the bill before walking out.
“Are you full?” He gently looks at her. “Let’s drive near your place for now. At 6, we’re having dinner with a friend. Would you be able to eat again?”
“You should’ve said so earlier. I would’ve eaten less.” She walks forward and grabs Qilu’s arm while they walk to the parking lot. “Do you want me to die?”
“You won’t get fat if you eat again.” He reaches out and squeezes her waist. “You are so skinny, I bet you’re not even a hundred pounds. Why do you always say you’re fat?”
“All girls think they’re fat,” she says. “Boys don’t have to worry about it.”
“How can I get fat?” He asks before squeezing her face. They both tease each other until they reach the car.
Two reporters, not that far away, are taking photos and video as the couple leaves. One of them says, “You said that if we have proof and get a story written, we’d be promoted immediately? Young master Han is quite a timid story, but it can definitely garner headline interest!”
“Are you stupid? Just keep taking photos!” the savvy-looking man says. “Han’s influence in the press is rather deep. Don’t you think his people would rather see their reporters get published? Work harder!”
The tall man thinks about it. The savvy-looking man is right. “Then we should present this scoop together, right?”
Translated by newbienoona
Edited by anks
T/N : shū shu叔叔 – uncle
“Mommy!” Chuxia calls out before stopping in her tracks.
What Jiang Yuan said is right. If the rice has really been cooked, any effort toward Han Qilu would be useless. He may act indifferently, but he needs to be responsible for his actions.
If Han Qilu has taken his relationship [with Mankuai] in the truest way, then she is powerless. The mere thought makes Chuxia clench both fists in anger. A thin layer of sweat covers her palms. The greasy feeling makes her feel uncomfortable.
* * *
It has been a while since she’s returned home. Mankuai sits in a public bus, and she’s surrounded by several ayi, shushu, and a few young people. Nobody recognizes her in her sunglasses.
When she returned, she took a long distance cab from A to B City. It takes two hours by car, a bit faster if it drove at top speed. Alas, the bus driver sticks to the speed limit. Once they reach the intersection, she gets off. She wanted to rent a car, but the drivers don’t want to drive such a long distance.
One of the cab drivers told her to take the bus, since no one would take her business. But if she hurries, she can catch another bus to A City.
She contemplates on whether she should take her chances. Alas, she gets into the bus.
She dislikes being around so many people, but since she has been out, she didn’t want to return and take the car out now that the traffic has gotten bad.
She’s trying not to get photographed. It’s been a while since she has returned, and her career needs to be restarted. Bad publicity would ruin her.
It is only when she arrived in A City did she call Qilu. Since she was in public, she kept the conversation short.
Mankuai hasn’t arrived yet when Han Qilu reached the bus station. He sits in the car so he doesn’t attract attention. After a while, his impatience gets the best of him. He smokes until Mankuai arrives, and he says nothing when she arrives.
It takes her ten minutes to emerge from the station. Once he sees her, he calls her phone. “Walk to the car ahead of you.”
He hangs up the phone once she sees him. As she approaches, Qilu walks to her side of the car and opens the door.
“Thank you,” she says softly. Once he gets in, she runs her fingers against her stomach and says, “There was no food in the bus. I thought I was going to starve.”
“How come you didn’t eat before coming here?” Han Qilu turns the car and heads down the road.
“I wanted to take a cab here, but I decided to take the bus at the last minute. When was I going to eat?” Annoyed, she takes the sunglasses off. “It would look bad for my image if my picture was taken while I was eating.”
Han Qilu doesn’t respond; Mankuai made her decision by herself, and no one forced her. If she decided to take that road, shouldn’t she continue down the path? She can’t complain about it now.
If it were An Chuxia, she wouldn’t care about her image, and would eat!
Why is he thinking about An Chuxia all of a sudden? He doesn’t know her, but why is he confident making an assumption that she wouldn’t care about her image?
He may not remember An Chuxia, but she still exists.
“How about going to the family restaurant, the one we ate at before?” Han Qilu tries to refocus on Mankuai and stop thinking of Chuxia.
“I can eat some spicy food. I haven’t had any recently,” Mankuai says. Then she remembers to ask him, “Since you’ve returned, have you gone back to Stein?”
“I was waiting for Chuxia to get discharged so that we could return together.” He can tell he said something wrong. “My mother ordered me.”
She didn’t like hearing he has to return to school with An Chuxia, but she is less troubled after hearing it’s Jiang Yuan’s order. Based on the airport incident, she knows he has no feelings for Chuxia, and that’s enough to make her happy.
“When is she going to be discharged from the hospital? Didn’t I tell you I’m returning to school?” She looks at her nails like she had no other time to do so.
“She has just been discharged. She and I should be able to return to school tomorrow. Are you just registering or are you attending class?”
Xiang Mankuai smiles and says, “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the country, or been in a campus. I feel like an old woman!”
In addition to that, she’d have to worry about Chuxia and Qilu being together in school, and that’s not easy to let go!
She also wants to confess to him that his family is buying her home, but she thought twice about it. The timing is off, and she should just bear the burden.
Han Qilu isn’t hungry, but he takes her to one of the higher end Han-owned restaurants.
Surrounded by violinists and soft music, he tries to look good for Mankuai. However, no one can tell how he really feels. He just watches Mankuai eat elegantly.
Suddenly, his mind drifts to an image of An Chuxia eating a mouthful of rice, not looking elegant at all, but it makes a meal more appetizing for anyone looking. In other words, she makes a meal look tasty.
Wait, why is he thinking of An Chuxia?!
Flustered, he excuses himself from the table and goes to the restroom. As soon as he gets there, he turns on the faucet and washes his face with cold water.
“Are you crazy? You’re staring at your girlfriend and you’re thinking of your ex-girlfriend?” As he remembers his conversation with Chuxia in his car, they never broke up, and yet, her proposed to Mankuai. Their relationship status isn’t finalized, but it needs to be established.
Does that mean he’s a player?! When did he turn into Xiao Mingluo?
As he thinks of him, he realizes he hasn’t met up with Xiao Mingluo since his return. He turns off the water before sending a text to Mingluo: “Brother, it’s been a week since I’ve arrived, and yet, you’ve not set up a table for us to feast.”
Xiao Mingluo is still in class when he gets Qilu’s text. He quickly replies: “Weren’t you supposed to call me first? If I were you, I wouldn’t have waited [this long]. I’ll see you at Tomorrow’s Glory at 6.”
Tomorrow’s Glory is a restaurant in one of the rare hotels owned by the Xiao family. The family, whose main business is tourism development, cosmetics, and medical treatment, has a hotel to house VIPs. On occasion, domestic tourists may get a reservation.
“Okay,” he states before pocketing his phone and returning to his seat.
“You’ve been gone for so long, I’ve finished my meal,” Mankuai says before standing up.
They were the only customers in the establishment since it’s nowhere close to five o’clock. He pays the bill before walking out.
“Are you full?” He gently looks at her. “Let’s drive near your place for now. At 6, we’re having dinner with a friend. Would you be able to eat again?”
“You should’ve said so earlier. I would’ve eaten less.” She walks forward and grabs Qilu’s arm while they walk to the parking lot. “Do you want me to die?”
“You won’t get fat if you eat again.” He reaches out and squeezes her waist. “You are so skinny, I bet you’re not even a hundred pounds. Why do you always say you’re fat?”
“All girls think they’re fat,” she says. “Boys don’t have to worry about it.”
“How can I get fat?” He asks before squeezing her face. They both tease each other until they reach the car.
Two reporters, not that far away, are taking photos and video as the couple leaves. One of them says, “You said that if we have proof and get a story written, we’d be promoted immediately? Young master Han is quite a timid story, but it can definitely garner headline interest!”
“Are you stupid? Just keep taking photos!” the savvy-looking man says. “Han’s influence in the press is rather deep. Don’t you think his people would rather see their reporters get published? Work harder!”
The tall man thinks about it. The savvy-looking man is right. “Then we should present this scoop together, right?”
