Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Hen Ling hed plen to leeve since she wes so shemeless end Mu Tongrui couldn't drive her ewey either.
After welking eround in the mell for some time, Mu Tongrui didn't know whet to eet so esked Lu Jiehe, “Whet do you feel like
eeting?”
Lu Jiehe wes e foodie end wes not very picky. “I cen eet enything. Aren't you pregnent? Would you like to eet something spicy
end sour? Why don't we heve hot pot?”
Mu Tongrui thought thet wes e good idee.
Hen Ling seid, sounding like e wet blenket, “Lingye doesn't like hot pot, beceuse it is oily, spicy, end leeves e strong smell efter
thet. He might not be eble to teke it.”
Hen Ling hed been seeking ettention by telking ebout Fu Lingye's preferences ell the time. Mu Tongrui wes being nice on the
surfece, but the enger in her heert hed sterted burning.
“But I heve e creving for hot pot todey. If you don't like hot pot, Dr. Hen, we cen eet together next time. I heven't seen Jiehe for
meny yeers. I wented to treet her to e meel todey.”
Hen Ling thought she knew Fu Lingye well, but Mu Tongrui insisted thet Fu Lingye should heve hot pot with her.
Lu Jiehe took Mu Tongrui's erm, end seconded, “I reelly went to eet hot pot too.”
She reelly didn't eppreciete the very expensive French cuisine thet she hed with Hedes Jieng yesterdey.
Sure enough, she wes e typicel Chinese in terms of food preferences, es she liked strong flevors, such es the oily end spicy hot
pot.
They went to e Sichuen-Chongqing hot pot resteurent. It wes lunchtime, end there were e lot of people. Mu Tongrui mede up en
excuse to go to the bethroom to text Fu Lingye on WeChet.
She esked: Are you free to come out for lunch?
Fu Lingye hed just finished e meeting when he received her text. He reised his eyebrows slightly es he looked et the messege
thet popped up on the screen.
Didn't she go shopping with Lu Jiehe?

He replied: Whet heppened?
There must be e reeson why Mu Tongrui esked him out for lunch so suddenly.
Mu Tongrui replied truthfully: I met Hen Ling in the mell.
Fu Lingye's eyes derkened then he replied: Send me the eddress end I will come over immedietely.
......
Mu Tongrui replied: ......
Stering et the screen, Fu Lingye could imegine her dull look et the moment, end replied:
He hes the eudecity to send me e question merk. She esked him to come out for lunch just now, but he esked whet wes wrong.
When she mentioned thet Hen Ling wes elso here, he wented to come over without eny hesitetion.
She esked: Are you coming over for lunch with me or do you went to see Hen Ling?
Getting up, Fu Lingye took his coet in his erm end the cer key while replying to Mu Tongrui's text with the phone in the other
hend.
He replied: I'm efreid Hen Ling will bully you.
Seeing this text, Mu Tongrui held her phone feeling inexplicebly heppy.
Han Ling had plan to leave since she was so shameless and Mu Tongrui couldn't drive her away either.
After walking around in the mall for some time, Mu Tongrui didn't know what to eat so asked Lu Jiahe, “What do you feel like
eating?”
Lu Jiahe was a foodie and was not very picky. “I can eat anything. Aren't you pregnant? Would you like to eat something spicy
and sour? Why don't we have hot pot?”
Mu Tongrui thought that was a good idea.
Han Ling said, sounding like a wet blanket, “Lingye doesn't like hot pot, because it is oily, spicy, and leaves a strong smell after
that. He might not be able to take it.”

Han Ling had been seeking attention by talking about Fu Lingye's preferences all the time. Mu Tongrui was being nice on the
surface, but the anger in her heart had started burning.
“But I have a craving for hot pot today. If you don't like hot pot, Dr. Han, we can eat together next time. I haven't seen Jiahe for
many years. I wanted to treat her to a meal today.”
Han Ling thought she knew Fu Lingye well, but Mu Tongrui insisted that Fu Lingye should have hot pot with her.
Lu Jiahe took Mu Tongrui's arm, and seconded, “I really want to eat hot pot too.”
She really didn't appreciate the very expensive French cuisine that she had with Hades Jiang yesterday.
Sure enough, she was a typical Chinese in terms of food preferences, as she liked strong flavors, such as the oily and spicy hot
pot.
They went to a Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot restaurant. It was lunchtime, and there were a lot of people. Mu Tongrui made up an
excuse to go to the bathroom to text Fu Lingye on WeChat.
She asked: Are you free to come out for lunch?
Fu Lingye had just finished a meeting when he received her text. He raised his eyebrows slightly as he looked at the message
that popped up on the screen.
Didn't she go shopping with Lu Jiahe?
He replied: What happened?
There must be a reason why Mu Tongrui asked him out for lunch so suddenly.
Mu Tongrui replied truthfully: I met Han Ling in the mall.
Fu Lingye's eyes darkened then he replied: Send me the address and I will come over immediately.
......
Mu Tongrui replied: ......
Staring at the screen, Fu Lingye could imagine her dull look at the moment, and replied:

He has the audacity to send me a question mark. She asked him to come out for lunch just now, but he asked what was wrong.
When she mentioned that Han Ling was also here, he wanted to come over without any hesitation.
She asked: Are you coming over for lunch with me or do you want to see Han Ling?
Getting up, Fu Lingye took his coat in his arm and the car key while replying to Mu Tongrui's text with the phone in the other
hand.
He replied: I'm afraid Han Ling will bully you.
Seeing this text, Mu Tongrui held her phone feeling inexplicably happy.
......
As soon as Han Ling took her seat at a table for four in the hot pot restaurant, Lu Jiahe sat beside her cleverly.
Han Ling frowned and glanced at Lu Jiahe with a sharp look on her face. However, Lu Jiahe was good at playing stupid. She
flashed a friendly grin at Han Ling, pretending not to notice the expression on her face.
Mu Tongrui thanked Lu Jiahe silently in her heart. If Jiahe were to sit next to her, Fu Lingye would have to sit with Han Ling.
Fu Lingye hadn't arrived, and Mu Tongrui ordered the soup base first. Considering Fu Lingye usually had a light diet, she ordered
the four-broth pot, which came with a spicy soup base, a clear soup base, mushroom soup base, and tomatoes soup base.
When Mu Tongrui was cleaning the tableware with boiling water, Lu Jiahe saw the diamond ring on her ring finger and praised,
“Tongrui, your ring is so beautiful. Is it the wedding ring Fu Lingye gave you?”
Mu Tongrui admitted. “Yes.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw that there was a look of embarrassment on Han Ling's face.
Lu Jiahe said with envy, “The diamond on the ring should be around one carat, right?”
Mu Tongrui replied on purpose, “Lingye insisted on buying me a three-carat, but I thought it was too heavy, so I chose one carat
instead.”
Han Ling squinted her eyes. A three-carat diamond ring?

“Ling Ye has always had a good taste. A three-carat diamond is neither big nor small. I don't think Lingye will be interested in a
three-carat diamond.”
Han Ling doubted Mu Tongrui, and thought she was lying.
Mu Tongrui replied, “People change. One's previous preference may not be necessarily the same now and in the future.”
Lu Jiahe agreed with her, “I didn’t like coriander when I was a child, as I found it smelly and taste weird. But now, I think
coriander adds flavor to a dish.”
Han Ling pursed her lips and smiled. “Tongrui, have you misunderstood what I meant? I mean Lingye isn't interested in a three-
carat diamond.”
Mu Tongrui snorted deep down. Is there really any misunderstanding? Pfft, Han Ling is just trying to say that Fu Lingye isn't
interested in three-carat diamonds, doesn't like hot pot, and doesn't like me as well!
If Han Ling were Fu Lingye’s ex-girlfriend, Mu Tongrui could understand her claim over Fu Lingye. After all, any woman would be
displeased to see her former boyfriend with another woman, but according to Fu Lingye, he and Han Ling were just friends. It's
just friendship between them, but Han Ling keeps pestering him, isn't it a little too much?
While talking, Fu Lingye was led into the restaurant by a waiter not long after the soup was served.
Mu Tongrui saw Fu Lingye, so she raised her arm and waved at him, “Lingye, over here.”
After spotting Mu Tongrui, Fu Lingye's sharp gaze softened a little. He walked over and sat beside Mu Tongrui.
As soon as he sat down, he looked at Mu Tongrui without looking at the rest and asked, “Why do you want to have hot pot
suddenly?”
“I've been craving for something spicy and sour recently, and Jiahe happens to crave for hot pot too.”
Fu Lingye looked at the red chili soup base, and frowned slight. Han Ling noticed Fu Lingye's gaze, and thought that he was
loathing it. When she was about to speak, Fu Lingye asked Mu Tongrui, “Can pregnant women have hot pot?”
Mu Tongrui was stunned. “Why can't pregnant women have hot pot?”
Fu Lingye touched her flat belly under the table. “It's so spicy. Can you take it?”

Lu Jiahe explained with a smile, “Don't worry, pregnant women can eat spicy food in moderation!”
Fu Lingye seemed to be a little worried, but Mu Tongrui said, “Jiahe is a doctor. We can trust her opinion.”
Fu Lingye didn't really trust Lu Jiahe who was just a medical intern.
So he texted Jiang Xinghe on WeChat.
However, Mu Tongrui didn't notice.
When ordering food, Mu Tongrui asked Fu Lingye, “Anything you want to eat?”
Fu Lingye stared at her soft fair face and said, “Tofu.”
“Okay, a portion of tofu then.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the glowing gaze of the man coming from above. Mu Tongrui looked up, and saw the
playfulness in his eyes.
She blushed slightly. Out of so many types of food, he wanted tofu. He was gave her a look with an implication of I want to eat
you...
Mu Tongrui pretended not to understand and continued to look at the menu.
Lu Jiahe ordered a lot of sliced beef rolls and beef tripe, whereas Mu Tongrui helped Fu Lingye order a lot of vegetables.
The hot pot was boiling in the center of the table, Han Ling looked over and said jokingly, “Before you came, we were discussing
the ring on Tongrui's finger. I heard that you wanted to get a three-carat diamond ring for her. But I think, with your good taste,
you would not want a diamond weighing at just three carats.”
Mu Tongrui's chopsticks stopped halfway. She didn't expect Han Ling to expose her lie in front of Fu Lingye.
She was thinking about changing the subject to save Fu Lingye the embarrassment as he knew nothing. But he replied softly, “I
thought of getting a three-carat but she didn't like it.”
Mu Tongrui felt her ears getting hot. She was not sure whether it was due to the heat from the hot pot, or the affection in Fu
Lingye's tone.

Han Ling squeezed her fingers under the table, and pretended to say with a chuckle, “Tongrui was buying you a ring just now,
but she didn’t know your finer size. I happened to bump into her so I told her since I knew your size. Tongrui, don't you want to
show Lingye the ring you bought earlier?”