Chapter 6
Translated by newbienoona
Edited by anks
It isn’t just anyone’s voice; it’s Han Qilu’s .
She looks around before she realizes he’s not a mirage . She falls into his tight embrace . His breath against her ear is fast, like he’s been running for awhile .
“You… . ”
“What are you doing here? You scared me and Steward Han!” Han Qilu holds on to her so tightly she gasps . “Why aren’t you waiting for us in the hotel?”
Although she can’t prove it, An Chuxia feels like the old Han Qilu has finally returned . She sinks into his embrace until she hears another voice .
“Qilu!” Xiang Mankuai hollers from the corner of the street as she sees him hold on to Chuxia . Her brow creases as she quickly steps forward and reaches out to yank Han Qilu away .
An Chuxia reluctantly leaves his embrace as they separate . The abrupt separation numbs her, especially when Mankuai wraps her arm around him like she owns him .
“How were you able to find us? Why didn’t you wait at the hotel?” Han Qilu asks as he gently gazes at Mankuai . “If you got lost, I wouldn’t know what to do . ”
Mankuai lifts her head toward him, to kiss him on the cheek, after hearing him chastise her . “I’ve lived here for a couple of years . I won’t get lost, so don’t worry about me . ”
She deliberately makes the statement for An Chuxia to hear, and it’s why Chuxia grinds her teeth . After all, she doesn’t want to speak .
Han Qilu doesn’t hear what Mankuai said since he is making a call to steward Han to let him know he found Chuxia . Then, he turns his eyes toward An Chuxia . “What were you doing here? We’ve been looking for you for quite some time . You got us worried . ”
An Chuxia looks at Mankuai from the corner of her eye . She doesn’t want to explain herself, so she says, “I’m sorry . I didn’t mean to make you worry . ”
“Next time, don’t go running around, okay?” Mankuai smiles brightly at An Chuxia before reaching out for Han Qilu’s arm . “Let’s go back . My feet are tired . ”
“Who said you should wear high heels everyday?” Han Qilu playfully scolds her . Then, he asks her . “Do you want me to carry you?”
“Okay!” Mankuai says . Han Qilu obediently carries Mankuai on his back as An Chuxia follows them silently, watching them from behind .
An Chuxia curses Han behind his back . It doesn’t matter, everything will be okay!
She raises her hand and rubs her right elbow, trying her best to smile despite holding back the tears on the verge of spilling .
***
New York Airport
“The plane is taking off soon,” An Chuxia says to Jiang Yuan over the phone .
“Come home soon . I’m dying with worry over here,” Jiang Yuan says over the speaker phone . She turns her head and whispers to Ling Hanyu, “Do you want to say something?”
He pauses for a moment before looking at her in embarrassment . “No, I’m leaving . ”
“Are you going to meet them at the airport?” Jiang Yuan quickly hangs up the phone before she catches up to him at the door . “Hanyu, aren’t you going to stay for the barbecue?”
“No . ” He waves at her . He just came over to hear what’s happening with An Chuxia . He has no interest in taking part in the barbecue .
On the other side of town, Nangong Zifei’s sitting in his villa, eating poultry . Once he’s done, he gets up and walks around the open-air balcony . He chats with Jiao Daihu by the railing .
“Do you think you can forget sister-in-law and accept Mage?” Jiao Daihu sighs as he flicks the cigarette butt in the air, watching it soar in the darkness like a firefly in flight .
Nangong Zifei doesn’t shake his head . “I don’t know . ”
It would be difficult to forget a person one has loved so deeply . He suddenly regrets meeting An Chuxia . If their paths hadn’t crossed, would he be this sad?
Suddenly, the phone rings . Daihu secures the newly-lit cigarette between his lips before impatiently pressing down on the answer button . “What?”
Nangong Zifei is unaware of the conversation happening beside him . All he sees is Jiao Daihu’s expression change from impatience, to joy, to ecstasy .
“Are you sure your information is accurate?” Daihu tosses the cigarette butt to the ground as he crushes the lit portion under his heel . “If this news isn’t real, may Lao Tzu curse your children’s children!”
Daihu seems to have received confirmation as he laughs before hanging up .
“Who was that on the phone that you look like you got away with murder?!” Nangong Zifei doesn’t look at him, but he is definitely interested in the news that Jiao Daihu received .
Jiao Daihu gleefully pockets his phone . “That was our contact in the United States . They’ve confirmed that Han Qilu has amnesia and doesn’t remember anything . They also said he got engaged in a square in the United States . Engaged!”
“What?!” Nangong Zifei’s cigarette falls to the ground, shocked . “What about An Chuxia? Does she know this?”
Jiao Daihu sighs . “This was the reason she left for the United States . It might be surreal to her . She must be very sad . ”
“When are they returning to China?” Zifei’s gaze deepens . “I returned her to him, and he dares to propose someone else?”
Seeing his boss looking less annoyed, Daihu smiles . “They should arrive at the City A airport by tomorrow morning . Truly, this isn’t such a bad thing . Boss, this time, she’ll realize that the person who truly loves her is you!”
They hear Mage’s footsteps coming toward them to bring in some fruit . She stops to open the glass door . The corner of her lip curls, revealing a smile . She reaches out with her bounty .
“Boss, Jiao Daihu ge, eat fruit . ” She walks in with a light tone, placing the fruit tray on the round table .
Jiao Daihu coughs and picks up a grape to stuff in his mouth . He says vaguely, “Anyway, boss, I’ll take care of it!”
He, then, takes off, walking out of the balcony door .
“Boss, why don’t you eat some grapes? I just washed them . ” Mage shoves the plate before him . He looks at her, resigned .
“Call me Nangong . ”
She wants to make sure she didn’t mishear him . She asks again joyfully, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah . ” He looks up at the starless sky . The forecast states rain this evening . Maybe this time, the forecast is accurate?
“Nangong… . ” is just a name, but her heartbeat accelerates . She carefully looks at him and asks, “You said you’ll take me bowling after school tomorrow night? Are we still going?”
He happened to just make the suggestion when he realized she was getting bored at home .
“Sure,” he says, non-committal .
“You don’t have to take me bowling since I can’t play anyway . Would you be able to go shopping with me?” she asks nervously, her eyes darting to him . She’s afraid he’ll be impatient with her .
Surprisingly, he is not . He turns his head towards her as he hands her a small pill box from his trouser pocket . “I should’ve given this to you this morning, but I forgot . You should take it now . ”
He says nothing else as he leaves the balcony .
She tilts the box toward the light and sees the drug name: Levonorgestrel tablets . She may have not had them before, but she knows it’s the morning-after contraceptive pill .
She knows she should take it within 72-hours .
“I am not a child… !” she screams at the night sky as she opens the package and takes the pill out .
For the longest time, she holds on to the pill before throwing it against the table .
She’s not afraid of getting pregnant . However, she’d consider herself unfortunate if it doesn’t happen . She feels sorry for the child [she might carry] but she wants to use this as a means to stay with Zifei .
The long night passes, and the morning arrives with the pattering rain .
Nangong Zifei is not an early riser, but he stands by the hallway door, watching the scenery . Daihu is not an early riser either, but today’s an exception . He wedges a piece of toast in his mouth as soon as he gets to the kitchen . He’s surprised to see Nangong Zifei by the entrance .
“Have you decided to go after sister-in-law, or… . ” Daihu points to the upstairs, referring to Mage .
“I’m responsible for her . ” He turns around to face Daihu . “I gave her the pill… How am I supposed to get An Chuxia back?”
“Why are you embarrassed?” Jiao Daihu raises his voice . “If I were you, I’d take advantage of this opportunity . You can’t do anything once Han Qilu recovers his memory, but for the time being, who’s supposed to comfort sister-in-law? You’re dumb if you let her slip away and have Ling Hanyu care for her . I heard Lao Ling is content to have her as the future [Ling] xiaonainai!”
Nangong Zifei’s face darkens as he tightly clenches his fist . A blue vein violently raises from his arm .
“I have to man up!”
“Then man up! I’m heading to the airport to pick up Touzi . ” Daihu takes a few steps before Nangong Zifei pulls him back .
“Don’t go!” he pleads . Then, he says, “Stay and spar with me . ”
The rain falls on Zifei as he heads to the gym next to the villa .
“Hey, I have to go . I can come back later to squat and spar… . ” Jiao Daihu complains, but he knows Zifei has made up his mind, and he won’t be heading to the airport . He sighs heavily before picking up the umbrella . He yells, “Boss, it’s raining! You should at least take an umbrella!”
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