Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Tongrui went upstairs after dinner to assist Lingye with packing his bags.
She realized she had no idea what cities he would be visiting or what the weather would be like. She went to his office to look for
him.
"Where are you flying to, Lingye? How should your clothes be packed?"
"I'll be stopping in Berlin and London, but where I need to go from there will depend on the circumstances. Just pack a few things
randomly for me. Don't worry too much."
Tongrui leaned against the study's doorframe. She watched as he worked diligently and grunted,
"Oh."
"Then you...do you know when you're returning?"
"I think I will be away for at least two weeks."
After Lingye finished, he suddenly put down his phone. He turned to Tongrui and said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Tongrui nodded and grunted.
Lingye asked her to come over, and he seated her on his lap. He held her and urged, "If you're bored, you can ask Jiahe to keep
you company, okay?"
"Jiahe has been busy with something lately, and we haven't talked much. I'll invite her to have a hot pot together sometime."
When Lingye heard hot pot, he frowned and advised, "Pregnant women shouldn’t eat a lot of that. You can invite Jiahe to our
house. You can have a homemade hot pot made by Auntie Lan; it's healthier for you than eating out."
"I know I won't eat much. Just once in a while. I haven't had hot pot since I got pregnant."
Lingye was pleased with her response, but his brow was still wrinkled. Tongrui reached out and stroked his brow.
Lingye thought for a while and said, "I'm still a little worried. Maybe I should ask Xu Kun to stay here."
"What about you?"

"I have other assistants."
"The one with a big chest?"
Lingye giggled and asked, "Are you jealous?"
Tongrui responded indifferently, "The two of you are a single man and woman who travel far away in a foreign country. I trust you,
but who knows what the other person is thinking? Moreover, you're so attractive. What if she knocks on your door in the middle
of the night? Will you answer it? Late at night, when you two are the only ones in the room..."
"That’s enough. I'd fired her."
Tongrui asked surprisingly, "Why did you fire her?"
"Do I need a reason? My wife dislikes her; that reason alone is enough to let her go."
A warm feeling surged up in Tongrui's heart. She leaned into Lingye's neck and said with a soft and tender voice, "I really
appreciate what you did for me, but aren't you afraid that people will say that you're a tyrant?"
"I actually really like being King You of Zhou."
Tongrui smiled broadly and teased, "Why did you still go on a business trip abroad?"
"All right, if you don't want me to go, I won't."
"Hey...I’m kidding."
Lingye stroked her long hoir ond soid, "So om I."
She chided, "You tricked me ogoin, Lingye. How con I trust you in the future? You deceive me severol times o doy!"
Lingye's mood improved significontly, ond he soid, "By the woy, Ms. Gu's bone morrow source hos been found. Her surgery wos
scheduled by Yonchen."
"Reolly? Thot is wonderful news.
"If you're worried, I con moke orrongements for someone to drive you to South City ond occompony Ms. Gu. I noticed thot you
ond Yonchen's girlfriend get olong well."

Tongrui felt worm inside. Lingye olwoys poid ottention to her, olthough they hordly ever discussed fomily issues. He wos owore of
her sociol circles ond the people she liked to spend time with.
"You'll be obrood for dozens of doys. If I troveled to South City now, wouldn't our doughter feel lonely? Ms. Gu should be fine
with suitoble bone morrow. My brother ond Ye Xi will be with her. I'm not worried obout her surgery. I'd rother stoy ot home with
our sweetheort."
"Very well, don't wonder oround. I heord from Yonchen thot Zhenyun hosn't been cought yet. It’s not sofe for you to trovel to
South City."
Tongrui hugged his neck ond gently rubbed ogoinst his cheek.
She soid, "Lingye, I hove o fomily now. You ond our doughter ore here with me. My world feels so much richer now. I olwoys
believed I wos the loneliest person in the world ofter the possing of my fother. Thonks to you, I'm no longer lonely. Thonk you."
The mon lowered his heod ond kissed her foreheod. He spoke in o deep voice, "Mrs. Fu, I don't occept verbol thonks."
This serious ond offectionote topic wos suddenly deroiled by Lingye. Tongrui blushed in response to his remork.
She protested, "My hond is still sore."
Lingye picked her up horizontolly ond strode out of the study. He soid, "I won't be oble to hold you, kiss you, or touch you for o
long time. If I con't do thot tonight, I'll die."
Tongrui wos speechless.
Lingye seemed to be oddicted to this!
From the woy Lingye sees it, if o mon who hod experienced pleosure could restroin himself, there must be o problem with him.
...
There wos o coll from Xu Kun in the middle of the night. Lingye corefully climbed out of bed to toke thot coll outside the bedroom.
"How did it go for both of those old things?"
Xu Kun reported, "They were orrested for onti-vice operotions. They probobly won't be out for o while. They couldn't disrupt our
plons."

"Alright, send someone to keep on eye on them."
Lingye hung up ond went bock to the bedroom. He hugged Tongrui ond kissed her ogoin.
...
The following morning, Tongrui sent Lingye to the oirport.
Xu Kun ond Uncle Liu toctfully got out of the cor ond gove some spoce to the couple.
Lingye stroked her long hair and said, "So am I."
She chided, "You tricked me again, Lingye. How can I trust you in the future? You deceive me several times a day!"
Lingye's mood improved significantly, and he said, "By the way, Ms. Gu's bone marrow source has been found. Her surgery was
scheduled by Yanchen."
"Really? That is wonderful news.
"If you're worried, I can make arrangements for someone to drive you to South City and accompany Ms. Gu. I noticed that you
and Yanchen's girlfriend get along well."
Tongrui felt warm inside. Lingye always paid attention to her, although they hardly ever discussed family issues. He was aware of
her social circles and the people she liked to spend time with.
"You'll be abroad for dozens of days. If I traveled to South City now, wouldn't our daughter feel lonely? Ms. Gu should be fine
with suitable bone marrow. My brother and Ye Xi will be with her. I'm not worried about her surgery. I'd rather stay at home with
our sweetheart."
"Very well, don't wander around. I heard from Yanchen that Zhenyun hasn't been caught yet. It’s not safe for you to travel to
South City."
Tongrui hugged his neck and gently rubbed against his cheek.
She said, "Lingye, I have a family now. You and our daughter are here with me. My world feels so much richer now. I always
believed I was the loneliest person in the world after the passing of my father. Thanks to you, I'm no longer lonely. Thank you."
The man lowered his head and kissed her forehead. He spoke in a deep voice, "Mrs. Fu, I don't accept verbal thanks."

This serious and affectionate topic was suddenly derailed by Lingye. Tongrui blushed in response to his remark.
She protested, "My hand is still sore."
Lingye picked her up horizontally and strode out of the study. He said, "I won't be able to hold you, kiss you, or touch you for a
long time. If I can't do that tonight, I'll die."
Tongrui was speechless.
Lingye seemed to be addicted to this!
From the way Lingye sees it, if a man who had experienced pleasure could restrain himself, there must be a problem with him.
...
There was a call from Xu Kun in the middle of the night. Lingye carefully climbed out of bed to take that call outside the bedroom.
"How did it go for both of those old things?"
Xu Kun reported, "They were arrested for anti-vice operations. They probably won't be out for a while. They couldn't disrupt our
plans."
"Alright, send someone to keep an eye on them."
Lingye hung up and went back to the bedroom. He hugged Tongrui and kissed her again.
...
The following morning, Tongrui sent Lingye to the airport.
Xu Kun and Uncle Liu tactfully got out of the car and gave some space to the couple.
Tongrui reminded him, "You have an issue with your stomach. I have put some stomach medicine and common cold medicine in
your luggage. Ask Mr. Xu for help if you're having trouble finding it."
"Okay."
"Also, don't forget to give me a call when you arrive in London."

"Alright, but there's an eight-hour time difference. Are you sure you want me to call you? Would you get angry if I woke you up?"
Tongrui retorted, "I don't have a morning temper. You have to call me, understand?"
Her tone was somewhat domineering, but it sounded very pleasant to Lingye.
"I hear you, Mrs. Fu."
Lingye drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Nothing was more powerful than the genuine hug they gave each other
before they parted ways.
"I have to leave right away or I'll be late, Mrs. Fu."
"Alright."
Lingye was about to get out of the car, but Tongrui stopped him. She asked, "Is this how you say goodbye to your wife?"
Has this man forgotten something?
It took Lingye a moment to react before he felt warmth on his lips.
Tongrui hugged his neck. His thin lips were rummaged by her inept kissing technique.
Lingye held the back of her head and gave her a deep kiss. Then the two were panting a little and leaning their foreheads
against one another.
"Is this goodbye enough for you?" the man asked in a somewhat hoarse voice.
"Hmm, more or less."
Tongrui felt a little melodramatic, but she couldn't help but want to hug and kiss Lingye whenever she thought about how long he
had been away from her.
Lingye gently kissed her temple and said, "Take good care of yourself."
"You too."
...

Tongrui was incredibly bored for the following few days after saying goodbye to Lingye. She tried to get in touch with Jiahe, but
her best friend was overly preoccupied with finishing her graduation thesis. Tongrui did not think it was appropriate to invite her to
visit her at home at the time.
Lingye called her on time every night at nine. It persisted for a few days.
It was already nine thirty tonight, but she has not received his call yet. Tongrui called him, but no one answered the phone.
Zhengyuan suddenly came up from downstairs and knocked on Tongrui's bedroom door.
"Tongrui, are you asleep?"
"Father? What's the matter?"
"Which European nation did Lingye visit for his business trip?"
"He said he arrived in Italy yesterday."
Zhengyuan said, "There was a news report being shown on TV that there was a terrorist shooting in Italy. That nation is
frequently in turmoil. I'm a little worried about him."
Tongrui's eyelashes fluttered dramatically. She quickly rose from the bed and grabbed her phone.