CH 89

Translator: Cheese

Song Yuan finally figured out why Rong Heng had gone crazy tonight…

While hanging with her friends, the time passed extremely quickly.

If it were in the past, she would have long indulged herself and forgotten everything on her mind, but when she was in the hot spring, she suddenly thought of her son manning the fort at home, so she got out of the pool and said to her friends who were taking selfies, “I’m getting a bit hot, so I’ll go wash up first.”

The hot spring pool was built on the second floor balcony in the villa, and her room was also on the second floor. She even had her own bathroom. After taking a shower and sitting on the big bed, she made sure her friends weren’t coming in before giving Rong Ting a video call. She quickly connected, and Rong Ting’s bun face appeared on the screen. He was lying on the bed in his little yellow chick pajamas. The children’s face cream hadn’t been evenly applied; there was still a spot left on his nose.

“Empress Mother, I have just washed up and gotten in bed and was getting ready to watch some TV before going to sleep.”

“Sorry, I just wanted to video call you.” Song Yuan paused, then asked, “Where’s your Emperor Father?”

“Emperor Father said he had something to do and went out. I checked the time, and he has already been out for over two hours.”

“Then you should stay in the room without going anywhere. He must have something very important to do, I guess. He’ll be back when he’s finished with his work. The security measures of the hotel he’s staying in are good, but if someone knocks on the door and you can’t reach the peephole, just ask who it is. And if the person outside doesn’t answer, don’t open the door.”

But Song Yuan was still very reassured about Rong Ting. He was very clever and had high vigilance. Moreover, the hotel Rong Heng was lodging in was the best hotel in the city and had surveillance everywhere, so even if Rong Ting was alone in the hotel room right now, she wasn’t too nervous.

Rong Ting asked hesitantly, “Empress Mother, has Emperor Father called you?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“Emperor Father reminded me to call you today. I was afraid I would interrupt you while you were playing with your friends, so I did not call, but Emperor Father seemed a bit unhappy. I think he misses you.”

Song Yuan gave two dry laughs at those words. “How would you know that? Maybe he’s looking for me for something.”

“I asked Emperor Father if he misses you, and he did not deny it.” Rong Ting sighed. “Emperor Father misses you but doesn’t call you. It’s too…”

Too what? For a moment, he couldn’t think of the right words.

But the current Emperor Father gave him a very unfamiliar feeling. If not for that face and that expression, he almost wouldn’t recognize him.

For a monarch, isn’t it the most unacceptable to be indecisive and timid1?

As for Song Yuan, it was extremely embarrassing to be discussing with her son whether his father missed her or not. Rong Ting was mature for his age, but he may not necessarily understand the rights and wrongs between her and Rong Heng. Fortunately, he wouldn’t beg her to make up with Rong Heng. Otherwise, she’d feel a lot of pressure.

At around nine, Rong Heng arrived at the villa community where Song Yuan was staying. He sat blankly in the car for an hour.

The driver in the driver’s seat couldn’t make out what the boss was thinking. The driver was found by Sun Qiming, who stuffed him with five thousand yuan and asked him to listen to Rong Heng’s instructions.

The one with money was the boss, and the driver didn’t dare to urge him to hurry up. Even if he was bored sitting here like this, he didn’t dare to take out his phone to play games.

He really didn’t understand the world of the rich. He came all this way on the highway, from one city to another, but when he reached his destination, this boss didn’t get out of the car and just sat in the back… what was he thinking?

Rong Heng was not as calm and collected as he looked on the surface. On the contrary, from past to present, he had doubted many people, and doubted many things, but he had never once doubted Song Yuan’s feelings for him.

He was indeed afraid that her heart would change, that she would fall for someone else. But if he avoided a possibility just because he was afraid, wouldn’t he be a fool? He had to live in reality2. Even if she likes someone else, he had to be the first to know.

The driver was already feeling sleepy; the time displayed on the dashboard read 10:20. Just when he thought that he would be sitting here like this all night, the boss in the back seat finally opened the door and climbed out of the car.

Rong Heng took out his phone from his coat pocket and dialed Song Yuan’s number.

Song Yuan was currently binge-watching dramas with her friends in the villa. When she was immersed in the plot, her phone rang. She took it out and was a bit surprised to find that it was Rong Heng calling.

“Hello?” She got up and headed to the dining room as she answered the phone.

Rong Heng was standing not far from the villa. The temperature at night was low, and the villa community was different from the apartment complex in the city; it was empty, and the winds were bitingly cold. But he seemed to not feel the chill, his tone extremely calm. “I’m right outside the villa where you’re staying.”

Song Yuan was stunned. “Huh? You’re outside??”

Rong Heng gave an affirmative hum. “I came to find you for something.”

When he finished speaking, he hung up the phone.

Since their reunion, it was the first time he had expressed his emotions in front of her.

Song Yuan was even more confused hearing the dial tone on the other end. If she heard right, he should be saying that he was outside the villa waiting for her? And by his tone of voice, it sounded like something big had happened! She was still puzzled after pondering over it many times, but she still returned to the room and put on her down jacket. While her friends weren’t paying attention, she quietly snuck out of the villa. If the inside of the villa was as warm as spring, then the outside was bone chillingly cold. Shivering, she walked out of the villa’s small flower garden. She looked around and spotted Rong Heng ten meters away. He really came here?

Song Yuan was now afraid of life’s “surprises.” Based on her understanding of Rong Heng, if it weren’t for something incredibly important, he wouldn’t have rushed all the way here at this time.

In an instant, her heart leapt to her throat, and she trotted over to him, hands in pockets. Seeing his dark expression, she asked cautiously, “Did something happen?”

Rong Heng stared at her, not missing the slightest change in expression.

He had always known her well and could guess eighty to ninety percent of her thoughts.

Her blush on her face and her bright eyes revealed her good mood for today.

“Just say it.”

Seeing that he didn’t speak, Song Yuan was a bit anxious.

Just what on earth happened?

Rong Heng wished he could pretend that everything was fine, pretend that he didn’t know or see anything. It was clearly not the best policy to rush over and interrogate her like this. If she admitted that she liked someone, what did he plan to do? If she said she didn’t like anyone, then how could the photo be explained?

He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air rush into his body3.

“I just want to ask you a question. I hope you can answer me truthfully.”

Song Yuan had a look of puzzlement. “Ask what?”

“Do you love someone else?” Rong Heng asked through gritted teeth.

It was impossible for him to choose to be a fool4! Even if he loved her, he should not be blinded by his feelings and become a fool!

Song Yuan was stunned when she heard his question. He rushed all night just to ask her this???

“Are you crazy?” Song Yuan was speechless. Other than saying this, she didn’t know how to respond to him.

Rong Heng’s eyes were deep. “Do you?”

Song Yuan: “…”

Just as Song Yuan was extremely helpless, Tang Shi happened to run outside to pick up the takeout. They all wanted to eat something while watching dramas–it’d be best if it was fried chicken. But because this place was too out of the way, and the villa community was too big, plus the fact that it was night now, the takeout delivery boy couldn’t find their house. Tang Shi had no choice but to come out to find the delivery boy. Who would have thought that as soon as she came out and turned right, she would see a man and woman standing nearby?

She knew that girl!

It was obviously her bestie Yuanyuan, but who was that man? And when did Yuanyuan come out? How did she not realize??

It was not in line with human nature to have gossip with no onlookers. Tang Shi didn’t speak as she jogged up, wanting to see what was going on.

Rong Heng spotted Tang Shi step ahead of Song Yuan. He narrowed his eyes. He recognized that this was the young man she was affectionately close with in that photo. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, especially when this young man came up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Rong Heng had already taken a step forward–

“Yuanyuan, is this your friend?” Tang Shi’s eyes were blazing with the flames of gossip. “Is he your friend?”

As soon as Tang Shi spoke, Rong Heng’s expression froze, closely followed by confusion.

This, this was clearly a woman’s voice… what was going on?

Song Yuan didn’t expect to get caught, but now she could only nod honestly. “En, he’s my friend.”

Tang Shi’s gaze swept over Rong Heng’s body like an X-ray, carefully scanning from head to toe. She immediately smiled and greeted, “Hiya. Hello, bro5, I’m Yuanyuan’s friend.”

Rong Heng: “…”

What was going on???

Tang Shi grinned. “Really, Yuanyuan, it’s so cold outside tonight. I just so happened to order takeout. Call your friend in, go and get warm.”

Song Yuan was aware of the ferocity of her friends, so she declined, “No need, he still needs to head back for something.”

“No matter how busy, there’s always time for a cup of water, right?” Tang Shi had suspected this morning that Song Yuan had found a boyfriend. Now that she’d caught the person in question, it was impossible for her to let Rong Heng go. It was at this time that the takeout delivery boy arrived. Tang Shi carried the takeout and urged Song Yuan and Rong Heng inside.

Song Yuan and Rong Heng could only follow behind Tang Shi.

Rong Heng returned to his senses and asked in a dazed and confused manner, “She’s female?”

Song Yuan finally figured out why Rong Heng had gone crazy tonight…

She lowered her voice. “Otherwise?”

[1] 优柔寡断: to be indecisive or irresolute; 瞻前顾后: to look forward and back; to be overcautious

[2] The raws said 活得清醒, which is like “to live soberly/clear-headedly,” but that sounds awkward in English. My interpretation is that he’s saying he can’t live the rest of his life running away from and denying the possible reality that Song Yuan has feelings for someone else. He needs to know whether she does or not and live with that answer, whatever it may be.

[3] 五脏六腑: five viscera and six bowels, referring to the internal organs of the human body

[4] In reference to his earlier monologue that avoiding the reality out of fear would make him a fool

[5] 兄弟: brother, but not necessarily blood related

Cheese: idc if we were married and had a kid, if MY (ex-ish)husband came and found me at night while i was out with my friends, i would be extremely weirded out and kinda pissed like BRO CHILL why are you here when i never even told you where i went to hang out with my friends?? or is that just me showing my unromantic side

HAHAHA i didn’t make the connection that the “guy” in the photo was tang shi until right when i was translating that paragraph. did anyone realize it was her the moment she was introduced? here’s a cookie for your excellent reader’s instincts