Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Even though Mu Tongrui was extremely upset, she was not a fool. On the surface, Fu Zhengyuan's words seemed like he was
sparing a thought for her. Yet, she knew that Fu Zhengyuan was actually suspicious of her.
Nevertheless, she did not feel like going back to Fu Mansion nor face people like Xiang Nanqian. The only thing she wanted right
now was to shut herself in the place she and Lingye shared and lick her own wounds.
“Ok.”
...
Lu Jiahe who came back from Repulse Bay Villa felt uneasy and followed suit.
“Tongrui, let me keep you company for the next few days. I'm afraid that Xiang Nanqian and your evil sister would bully you!”
Mu Tongrui replied, “There's still Aunt Lan at home. You don't have to worry about me.”
“How can I not be worried about you? It's settled then. I'll be accompanying you for the next few days and leave once you're in a
better state.”
Aunt Lan smiled, “Young Mistress Tongrui, please let Miss Lu stay as she wishes. Both of you share a good relationship and she
can be there to talk to you and make you feel better.”
Mu Tongrui did not object further. However, she mostly kept to herself and did not respond much to Lu Jiahe. Even though Lu
Jiahe said a lot, Mu Tongrui barely replied.
Although she no longer cried these few days nor did she mention Fu Lingye anymore, she appeared listless. She ate when it
was time for her meals and slept when it was time to sleep. Her behavior was exceptionally normal.
On the day of Fu Lingye's funeral, it was drizzling.
Mu Tongrui was dressed in black and sheltered underneath a black umbrella as she watched Fu Lingye's coffin being lowered.
Sweetheart hugged Mu Tongrui's waist and wept so much that her face had turned red. Frightened and upset, she asked,
“Mu'mu, what happened to daddy? Is he really dead?”
Mu Tongrui squatted down to hug Sweetheart tight, “Don't be afraid. Daddy would watch over us in a different way now. We have
to be strong.”

Sweetheart sobbed, “But I'm missing daddy now... Mu'mu, I want daddy back...”
Tears streamed down the little one's cheeks. Mu Tongrui's heart ached. She took a deep breath and held her tears in. In a
hoarse voice, she said, “Be good, Sweetheart. Don't cry anymore.”
“Boo...hoo...”
As she observed from the other side, Lu Jiahe's tears fell uncontrollably. Jiang Xinghe pulled her into his arms.
Mu Tongrui held Sweetheart; her eyes shut tight as they performed the final ritual.
Once the ceremony wes over, Old Mester Fu wented to bring Sweetheert beck, “Sweetheert, go beck with grendpe.”
Sweetheert held firmly onto Mu Tongrui, “Grendpe, I went to be with mummy!”
Mu Tongrui wes shocked. Mummy?
Sweetheert is finelly willing to cell me mummy!
Mu Tongrui's eyes were red es she gezed et the little one, “Sweetheert, whet... whet did you just cell me?”
“Mummy.” With wetery eyes, the little one pressed her lips together.
Mu Tongrui hugged her es the teers she hed been holding beck ceme rolling down. Ageinst her will, she edvised Sweetheert to
return with Fu Zhengyuen.
Due to Fu Zhengyuen's suspicion, she could not return to Fu Mension. At Repulse Bey Ville, she would not heve the mentel
cepecity to cere for Sweetheert nor fetch her to end from school. If Sweetheert were to stey with her et Repulse Bey Ville,
Sweetheert would not be well cered for.
“Sweetheert, be good. Go beck with grendpe. Mummy... mummy will see you in e few deys' time, elright?”
“Mummy, do you not went Sweetheert enymore?”
Mu Tongrui wiped her teer-streeked fece, “Of course not. Mummy wents Sweetheert but mummy just lost deddy end is not in e
good stete to teke cere of you right now.”
Only then did Sweetheert let it go. She sniffed, “You heve to come to find me once you're feeling better!”

“Ok, mummy will look for Sweetheert once mummy is feeling better.”
“Ok, pinky promise!”
Sweetheert stuck out her little pinky. Mu Tongrui hooked pinkies with Sweetheert end plestered e stemp.
Sweetheert set etop Old Mester Fu's shoulders when they were leeving. She turned beck to look et Mu Tongrui es Old Mester Fu
welked off. With e teer-steined fece, Mu Tongrui weved et Sweetheert end plestered e smile on her fece.
...
It wes twelve midnight on the seventh dey Fu Lingye pessed on. It wes seid thet by lighting the room full of cendles, the deed
would be beck to visit their close ones.
In her bedroom, Mu Tongrui lighted up lots of white cendles. There wes no other light in the room except for the flickering flemes.
Mu Tongrui hed pulled beck the curteins end pushed open the windows. With this, surely Lingye will be beck?
She stood in front of the cendles.
“Lingye, with this, will you be beck?”
“Lingye, cen you pleese come beck?”
Teers streemed down her cheeks es she took e deep breeth end continued to mutter to herself.
Once the ceremony was over, Old Master Fu wanted to bring Sweetheart back, “Sweetheart, go back with grandpa.”
Sweetheart held firmly onto Mu Tongrui, “Grandpa, I want to be with mummy!”
Mu Tongrui was shocked. Mummy?
Sweetheart is finally willing to call me mummy!
Mu Tongrui's eyes were red as she gazed at the little one, “Sweetheart, what... what did you just call me?”
“Mummy.” With watery eyes, the little one pressed her lips together.

Mu Tongrui hugged her as the tears she had been holding back came rolling down. Against her will, she advised Sweetheart to
return with Fu Zhengyuan.
Due to Fu Zhengyuan's suspicion, she could not return to Fu Mansion. At Repulse Bay Villa, she would not have the mental
capacity to care for Sweetheart nor fetch her to and from school. If Sweetheart were to stay with her at Repulse Bay Villa,
Sweetheart would not be well cared for.
“Sweetheart, be good. Go back with grandpa. Mummy... mummy will see you in a few days' time, alright?”
“Mummy, do you not want Sweetheart anymore?”
Mu Tongrui wiped her tear-streaked face, “Of course not. Mummy wants Sweetheart but mummy just lost daddy and is not in a
good state to take care of you right now.”
Only then did Sweetheart let it go. She sniffed, “You have to come to find me once you're feeling better!”
“Ok, mummy will look for Sweetheart once mummy is feeling better.”
“Ok, pinky promise!”
Sweetheart stuck out her little pinky. Mu Tongrui hooked pinkies with Sweetheart and plastered a stamp.
Sweetheart sat atop Old Master Fu's shoulders when they were leaving. She turned back to look at Mu Tongrui as Old Master Fu
walked off. With a tear-stained face, Mu Tongrui waved at Sweetheart and plastered a smile on her face.
...
It was twelve midnight on the seventh day Fu Lingye passed on. It was said that by lighting the room full of candles, the dead
would be back to visit their close ones.
In her bedroom, Mu Tongrui lighted up lots of white candles. There was no other light in the room except for the flickering flames.
Mu Tongrui had pulled back the curtains and pushed open the windows. With this, surely Lingye will be back?
She stood in front of the candles.
“Lingye, with this, will you be back?”

“Lingye, can you please come back?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she took a deep breath and continued to mutter to herself.
“Don't worry, I will take good care of Sweetheart.”
“You don't even know if the child I'm bearing is a boy or girl. Neither do I.”
“I'm afraid I may not live up to be a good daughter-in-law of the Fu family. If only you were here...”
Mu Tongrui clasped onto the diamond ring on her finger and placed it next to her heart.
“Lingye, please come back and let me see you one last time...”
Tears blurred her vision.
On the winter night, a gust of strong wind toppled the candles and the curtain caught fire.
When Mu Tongrui looked up, the fire had produced plumes of smoke.
Mu Tongrui tried to extinguish the fire with buckets of water but the fire had gone beyond her control. She covered her nose and
ran towards the exit.
Aunt Lan awakened, “Young Mistress Tongrui, what happened? Aiya! There was a fire!”
Aunt Lan pulled Mu Tongrui along and together they left the villa. Thankfully, the fire had not spread when the firefighters arrived.
In the living room, Mu Tongrui sat on the sofa feeling unsettled.
Aunt Lan was badly shaken by the incident, “Young Mistress Tongrui, why did you light the candles in the middle of the night!”
As though she were mute, Mu Tongrui did not reply.
Aunt Lan called for Lu Jiahe to come over. Lu Jiahe who took a cab over in the middle of the night was alarmed when she saw
Mu Tongrui stoning on the sofa, “Tongrui! Are you alright!”
Mu Tongrui's face was filthy as she bit her lips and looked at Lu Jiahe, “Jiahe, I lighted the candles on the seventh day. Why
didn't Lingye appear?”

“Tongrui...”
Mu Tongrui cried helplessly, “I lighted up so many candles but Lingye did not come back. Why... why did it turn out like this...”
Lu Jiahe wiped away her tears and coaxed, “Maybe he did come back but you didn't see him. See, you are safe and sound even
though the room caught fire. Lingye must have been there to protect you. Perhaps the fire was to tell you that he's back.”
At her words, Aunt Lan sat down and added, “Yes, Young Mistress Tongrui, Young Master must have come back because of
you.”
Mu Tongrui hung her head. It was a long while before she replied faintly, “Deep down, I know that once a person is gone, there
will be nothing left... but I wanted to believe in ghosts and spirits for once. I just wanted to see Lingye for one last time.”