Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

“Tongrui, please. I’m asking for you as a favor. I’m begging you. Please don’t initiate contact with

Lingye. You know better than anyone that he won’t let go of you. It doesn’t matter whether you are

related by blood or at the risk of compromising your true identity. Can you imagine the hurt and damage

if he insists on being with you?”

With her eyes welling up, Tongrui sniffled and gave a heavy nod. “I know, Dad. I… I won’t contact

Lingye.”

Mu Rongrui pulled the phone out of her pocket and handed it to Zhengyuan, proving to the old man that

she was cutting contact with everybody in North City.

Zhengyuan took the phone and replied, “Take care of yourself in Florence. It's important to be vigilant

and mindful of your safety when you're traveling in a foreign country alone, especially as a girl. You

have a choice whether you want to look for a job. Call Zhao if you need more money. Zhao’s contact

number is in the paper bag.”

Standing behind Zhengyuan, Zhao replied, “Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any problems,

Mrs. Fu.”

An announcement came on the loudspeaker in the airport departure hall.

“Attention passengers, the flight LH656343 to Florence is now boarding at the gate. Please have your

boarding pass and passport ready.”

Tongrui clutched onto the paper bag in hand and bit her lip. “I… I should get going.”

“Go on.”

Zhengyuan stood there, hunching over his cane as Tongrui turned around and let the tears stream

down her face.

The last time she went away was three years ago.

Her father had passed at the time, and Shen Qiu and her daughter kicked her out of the house and left

her with nothing. Tongrui left North City with a heavy heart, but without looking back. The only thing on

her mind was to leave the place of sadness as soon as possible. It had crossed her mind to never

come back.

This time around, she felt a mixture of reluctance and emotional attachment.

She raised her arm to wipe her tears before stopping in her tracks and turning around to tell

Zhengyuan, “I leave Siqi in your care, Dad.”

“Don’t worry. I will take good care of Siqi and raise her well.”

Tears ran down her cheeks.

Clenching against the diamond ring on her ring finger, Tongrui could not shake off the heaviness and

pain in her chest. She looked ahead and dashed into the terminal.

Zhengyuan stared at Tongrui’s receding figure and sighed to himself.

Zhao asked with concern, “Mr. Fu, what do you plan to say when your son asks?”

“I will tell him what needs to be told. He’s no fool. He should know the consequences of his persistence

to be with Tongrui.”

…

On the plane, Tongrui leaned against the window while clinging to the paper bag. She had been crying

for a long time until the exhaustion took her to dreamland. It was a long sleep.

The sky was dark outside by the time she woke up, and there was a light humming in her ears.

Tongrui looked at the time. It was eight o’clock at night.

Lingye should be home and realized she was missing by now.

He must be anxiously looking everywhere for her…

Tongrui’s eyes welled up at the thought of him…

Suddenly, a clean handkerchief came into sight from her right.

Dumbstruck, Tongrui looked over to her right.

The handkerchief came from a handsome gentleman of Asian descent.

“Take this.”

The man with the handkerchief had a pleasant voice, but no man, however perfect, could beat her

Lingye.

Tongrui took the handkerchief. “Thank you.”

Without another word, the man opened his laptop and typed agilely on the keyboard.

Tongrui dried her tears and opened the paper bag.

The paper bag contained a lot of important documents. She read the name on her passport and identity

document. She was no longer known as Tongrui. She was now Mu Weiwei.

It was her new name and a new start to life.

She had left home before, but Lingye had always been able to track her down in no time and bring her

back. Determined to keep her hidden, Zhengyuan made sure to cover all his bases.

Tongrui should not look forward to Lingye finding her or allowing him to do so. Nevertheless, she could

not help but wish Lingye could somehow find his way to her.

Tears dripped onto her passport.

Picking up on the rustling sobs, her seat neighbor cocked his head to look at her.

Tongrui thought she had disturbed him, so she sniffled and apologized, “Did I bother you?”

The man shut his laptop and replied, “No. Is this your first time going abroad? You look scared and

sad.”

Tongrui shook her head. “I just miss my family. That’s all.”

…

It was eight o’clock at night in North City.

A conversation was going on in the study of the Fu Manor.

“Mr. Fu, I heard… your son has caused quite a stir in North City upside down in the middle of the night,

and everybody will know that Mrs. Fu is missing… If word gets out…”

Zhengyuan was unfazed. “Let him be. He did lose his wife, so he’s going to act out for a while.”

“Mr. Fu, I’m conflicted as to whether to bring something up to you.”

“You might as well finish what you have to say. Speak.”

Zhao answered, “Do you plan on keeping Mrs. Fu in Florence? She is your son’s wife and Siqi’s

mother… Separation is not a solution.”

“I don’t want Tongrui to go, but I have no other choice. Zhao Xian threatened to expose the secret to

the media if I didn’t send Tongrui away. Can you imagine the consequences once the truth is out?”

…

A group of unapproachable men arrived at the airport late in the night, earning looks from passengers

and travelers.

Standing in the middle of the terminal, Lingye keenly looked around without leaving any stones

unturned.

Xu Kun brought his crew to search around the place several times. “Boss, there’s no record of Mrs. Fu

on the passenger manifest. Maybe she didn’t board any flights out.”

“Impossible. Her passport is not at home.”

“But there’s no immigration record of her leaving the city.”

Lingye’s gaze fell on the back of a girl that looked a lot like Tongrui. He took quick paces over.

“Rui!”

The girl turned around and looked at him skeptically. Soon, the girl’s boyfriend approached and shook

Lingye’s arm off the girl’s shoulder.

“What are you doing, weirdo!”

Lingye stood there in a daze.

The boy held his girlfriend and got his finger up Lingye’s nose before exclaiming, “Are you blind or

something? Do you have a problem?”

Picking up on the commotion, Xu Kun drew close and warned the boy, “Watch your mouth!”

Lingye kneaded his temple to ease his headache. He then walked off without a word, and Xu Kun

quickly caught up to him.

“Take it easy, Boss. I trust we will soon find Mrs. Fu.”

Lingye looked sour. “I’m heading back to the Fu Manor. Stay here and continue the search.”

Rui’s phone was with his dad. In other words, Dad planned for Rui to leave North City.

Zhengyuan had no right to take Tongrui away from him.