Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

The next morning after getting out of bed, Fu Lingye made Mu Tongrui, who was lazing around to knot his tie.
Barefooted on the carpeted floor, she helped Fu Lingye knot his tie. Without her heels, Mu Tongrui only reached Fu Lingye's
collarbone. The height difference made her depend on him and highlighted her daintiness.
Fu Lingye lowered his head and stared at her. Feeling the burning gaze from above, Mu Tongrui blushed furiously. Before she
could pull back her hand when the tie was done, he grabbed it, “Don't be late tonight, okay?”
Mu Tongrui curled her lips, “Okay, I will definitely go. See you tonight.”
Mu Tongrui stood at the entrance of the villa until she could no longer see the car Fu Lingye was in.
Lingye, I'm sorry. I won't be showing up tonight.
She had already bought the tickets scheduled to leave Bei City today. She had also finally summoned the courage to tell him
about the existence of Qiao Sang.
Mu Tongrui sent a text.
.....
When Qiao Sang received the text, she opened it.
It read, “Tonight, at the top floor of Banyan Tree Hotel, Fu Lingye will be waiting for you.”
Qiao Sang frowned in confusion. She made a phone call to Mu Tongrui, “Ms. Mu, what exactly do you mean?”
“Take it at face value. Tonight, Fu Lingye will wait for you at the top floor of Banyan Tree Hotel. I am just informing you of this,
whether you turn up or not is up to you.” Once she finished speaking, she hung up.
Mu Tongrui was not a pretentious person. She had also never considered that one day she would send the man she loved to
another woman.
If Fu Lingye knew that Qiao Sang was still alive, the depression and worry he felt for years should be resolved, right?
What she was doing now was the best for all of them.
.....

After breakfast, Mu Tongrui went to the kindergarten to visit Sweetheart.
The little one was having fun with her friends on the slide. When she saw Mu Tongrui coming, she immediately came running.
“Mu'mu! Why did you come!”
“Mu'mu suddenly missed Sweetheart, so I came.”
Sweetheart had sweat rolling off her forehead, and her hair was dripping wet. Mu Tongrui took out some tissues to wipe the
sweat off the little one.
“Sweetheart, how is your relationship with your friends now?” She remembered that the first time she met Sweetheart,
Sweetheart was an outcast among the other children in the kindergarten.
The little one patted her chest with confidence, “All the other kids love Sweetheart, Sweetheart has a lot of good friends now!
Mu'mu can I get my friends to come over to play over the weekend?”
“Of course, as long as you are happy.”
However, the little one frowned. Troubled, she spoke up, “But... but daddy doesn't like noise. What if daddy gets mad at me?
Especially if it is in front of all my friends, I would lose my dignity!”
“Don't worry, daddy will not get mad at Sweetheart. I will help you clear things up.”
“Really, Mu'mu? You will help me?”
Mu Tongrui nodded in all seriousness, “Of course I will help you.”
Not far off, the other children called out to Sweetheart, “Fu Siqi! What are you doing! Come back and play with us!”
Mu Tongrui patted her small head and smiled, “Hurry along, the other children are waiting for you.”
“Mu'mu, I'll go over to play then!” The little one wrapped her arms around Mu Tongrui's neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Mu Tongrui stared at the silhouette of the happy girl with wet eyes.
.....
At 6pm, Fu Lingye got off work and called Mo Tongrui.

“I have already got off work. You can head over to Banyan Tree Hotel now, I'll reach there in about half an hour's time.”
Listening to the attractive deep voice, Mu Tongrui felt a sense of nostalgia and kept silent.
As the other end of the phone was too quiet, Fu Lingye frowned, “Rui?”
“Okay, I got it. I am already on my way there, I just wanted to hear your voice suddenly.”
Fu Lingye did not take it to heart. He teased, “Miss me?”
“Yeah, a little.”
When the man heard her answer, his lips curled.
....
At 3 pm, Mu Tongrui had already gotten on the long-distance traveler bus.
As she looked at the landscape leaving Bei City, tears swelled up in her eyes.
Her tears fell when she lowered her head to gaze at her empty ring finger.
She had left the diamond ring Fu Lingye gifted her in the villa. From the beginning, that ring never belonged to her.
Her hand gently stroked her flat belly. With reddened eyes, she said, “Baby, we are leaving daddy now. In the future... mommy
will take good care of you.”
......
Fu Lingye drove to Banyan Tree Hotel and followed the attendant to lead him to the top floor.
When he got to the top floor, he realized that there was a woman back facing him at the outdoor dining table. But he was sure
that the lady was definitely not Mu Tongrui.
Hearing his footsteps, Qiao Sang turned around. At that moment, Fu Lingye stiffened in place.
Under the orange rays, Qiao Sang gave him a gentle smile.
“Lingye, it's been a long time since we last met.”

Qiao Sang stood up and walked towards Fu Lingye until she was in front of him. Even then, Fu Lingye had not come back to his
senses.
“Did I scare you? Or...Lingye, have you forgotten who I am?”
Although Fu Lingye was a calm and composed person, he was astounded - shocked even, to meet someone who was supposed
to be dead 10 years ago 'revived' in front of him.
Fu Lingye truly did not believe that Qiao Sang was still alive. The storm was so turbulent that night, and Qiao Sang could not
swim - there is no possibility that she could have lived on. However, the face in front of him looks exactly like Qiao Sang - so
similar that he could not find any flaws. Even the smile on the woman in front of him looks exactly like Qiao Sang.
“What is going on here?” Fu Lingye frowned.
“Are we going to stand here and talk? Can we talk over dinner?”
Qiao Sang was a very gentle lady, and the lady in front of him was also very gentle. But, Fu Lingye felt that something was
amiss.
However, Fu Lingye was not the person who knew Qiao Sang the best. The person who was most familiar with Qiao Sang was
Qi Yanli.
Fu Lingye and Qiao Sang sat down across the table. On the table, the candles had been lit and the pricy wine poured - as per
his orders.
Except that it never occurred to him that the lady tonight would be Qiao Sang.
“How did you know that I would be here tonight?”
Qiao Sang was startled, then smiled, “I thought you would impatiently ask me how I made my narrow escape from death.
Instead, your greatest concern is why am I here. Ms. Mu asked me to come - she said you were waiting for me here.”
“How did you get to know Mu Tongrui?” Fu Lingye had a bad feeling about this.
Qiao Sang took in the decorations and the carefully prepared candlelight dinner. She lifted her head and looked at Fu Lingye,
“Tonight's dinner... was not for me, was it? You prepared this for Ms. Mu?”