Chapter 84 - We Could Have Something Going On

After Fu Yu’s silhouette disappeared from the rearview mirror, Changqing gave Changxin a call. “Are you at home?”

“I’m treating my colleagues at the hospital to dinner.” It was noisy on the other end of the phone but Changxin seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. “Changqing, I was about to tell you tonight that I’ll be going to Beijing next week for half a year to further my studies.”

“Ah!” Changqing was astonished. “Why are you furthering your studies all of a sudden?”

“This is all thanks to the Song Family,” Changxin said, “Initially, I would never have gotten this slot for further studies. Dad said it was Song Huaisheng who talked to the hospital’s leader. When I come back from my studies, my position and skills won’t be the same anymore and I might even be made a resident physician by the end of the year.”

“I see…” Changqing was a bit at a loss; her feelings were indescribable. No wonder Song Huaisheng suddenly called her back for dinner tonight. “But didn’t you say you would be busy making a baby with brother-in-law?”

“Your brother-in-law and I are still young. We can always make a baby next year, but if I miss this chance to further my studies, God knows how long I’ll have to wait,” Changxin said happily, “Help me thank Song Chuyi on my behalf. Right, you should make a trip to the Song Family in these two days and visit the Song Family’s seniors more often.”

“Oh…” Changqing thought she should be happy but she couldn’t bring herself to be happy. She didn’t like having to constantly rely on the Song Family. “Sis, I had dinner with Fu Yu today and we talked about some things in the past…”

“Changqing, don’t tell me you haven’t forgotten him?” Changxin frowned. “You can’t be like this. Song Chuyi treats you fairly well.”

“I know. I just wanted to clarify some things.” Changqing curled her lips, saying, “Back then I wrote a love letter to Fu Yu, but he rejected me and he told me to ask you. He said you knew the reason why he couldn’t make me any promises. What’s the reason?”

Changxin fell silent on the other end of the phone.

Changqing was anxious. “Sis, what on earth was it? Why didn’t you tell me anything?”

“So what if you knew? It was impossible between you and Fu Yu.” Changxin sighed and said, “If this was the past Fu Yu, I wouldn’t object, but both Dad and I wouldn’t feel assured putting you in the hands of the present Fu Yu. He left for many years and is now the CEO of Shang Wei. It would be impossible for Fu Yu to stay the same person.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to have anything to do with him; I just wanted to know the reason. For all these years, I’ve been brooding over it.” Changqing parked her car by the roadside and she felt choked up. “Sis, if I don’t get the answer, I won’t be able to put it behind me for the rest of my life. Don’t worry, even if you once liked Fu Yu, I wouldn’t be mad.”

“Fu Yu isn’t my type at all, okay?” Changxin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I didn’t tell you and would rather you be upset over Fu Yu’s departure back then was because I wanted to protect you. But forget it. Now that you’re already so old, back then… Dad and Auntie Shen, both of them seemed… to have feelings for each other…”

“What?” Changqing massaged her head and felt as though she heard the funniest joke of the century. “That’s impossible…”

“Changqing, there are many signs that pointed to that if you observed closely. You were just very careless since you were young,” Changxin said gently, “Think back to how Dad would always pick us up from the Shen Family and Auntie Shen would always make him stay for dinner. Initially, I didn’t read much into it until I happened to come home early from school once with Fu Yu and we chanced upon Dad hugging Auntie Shen before I understood it all.”

“I don’t believe it.” Changqing’s heart was writhing with pain. She shook her head. “How could Dad fall in love with someone else other than Mom? Besides, Auntie Shen hadn’t gotten divorced then.”

“I didn’t dare tell you precisely because I was afraid you would think this way,” Changxin said, “Changqing, you mustn’t blame Dad. Mom passed away too early and Dad has been single ever since he was 30. You have to understand him. He also needs someone’s care and understanding. Truth be told, I’m not like you. If Dad wants to remarry, I would be supportive. Now that you’re also married, Dad must feel so lonely living alone in such a big house. He just never mentioned it to us. All his life, he’s been giving to us. Because you said you didn’t want a stepmom when you were young, he never looked for another.”

“Sis, I thought about all that before and I’m not so selfish, but the other person is Auntie Shen. Just a few years ago…” Changqing finally understood why Fu Yu left. If it were her, she wouldn’t be able to accept it either.

How much pain did the old Fu Yu have to endure?

Her heart was wrung like fried dough.

“Back then, I felt almost the same as you right now.” Changxin opened her mouth again with a slight pathos in her tone. “I asked Dad about it before and he was frank with me. He said when he saw Auntie Shen taking care of us, she reminded him of our mother. Subsequently, her kindness and virtuousness slowly attracted him. At the same time, Auntie Shen’s unfortunate marriage made him sympathize with her. Actually, Auntie Shen knew a very long time ago that Fu Yu’s father had an affair but she just kept enduring it so Fu Yu could study well.”

“The year you went to University, Auntie Shen wanted to get a divorce, but Fu Yu still had hope for his parents to reconcile. Besides, Auntie Shen also knew Fu Yu liked you, so she still went to the States with Fu Yu.”

Changqing asked softly, “Then is Dad still meeting up with Auntie Shen now?”

“… Dad went to visit her once before. I’m not sure what happened after that.”

Changqing hung up.

In the car, all was dark.

She sat frozen. The radio was turned to a very low volume and it was singing: “Finally waited until I found you, at least I didn’t give up. Happiness doesn’t come easy and that makes people cherish it even more. Finally waited till I found you, I almost missed you.”

Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, catching her off-guard.

When she was young, her goal was to marry Fu Yu. So she waited and waited. She waited till she was still single at twenty, never kissed anyone before, but at this crucial moment, they still missed each other.

It also wasn’t that she didn’t like Song Chuyi, but Fu Yu was the person who made a permanent mark on her life after all.

When Fu Yu rejected her, her entire world seemed to have sunk into darkness.

But it was only now that she suddenly understood Fu Yu liked her.

If it had progressed from how it was in the past, they probably would’ve gotten married already.

But because of Yan Lei and Shen Lu, they missed each other just like that.

She didn’t blame Yan Lei. Yan Lei had been working hard his whole life just to make sure she could live a wealthy life.

Maybe she really wasn’t fated to be with Fu Yu.

Her phone suddenly vibrated for a while. A message from Changxin came through: “Changqing, don’t blame Dad and don’t think too much about it. Live happily with Song Chuchu and let the past stay in the past. Not considering all that the Song Family has done to help us, you and Song Chuyi are quite a good match to Dad and me.”

Changqing wiped her tears and threw her phone aside.

After that, she struck the steering wheel hard.

Why not tell me earlier, why did they not tell me earlier?

Changqing couldn’t think many things through and wanted to have a couple of drinks. She called Ruan Yang up and Ruan Yang said, “I’m in Hong Kong. Why don’t you buy a plane ticket to Hong Kong and I’ll drink with you?”

Changqing gave up and called Wen Tong. The latter scolded her immediately, “I’m with my boyfriend now. I spend 18 hours with you a day. Can’t you let me spend six hours with my boyfriend?”

She flipped through her contacts weakly and really couldn’t find anyone. At last, she drove back alone to the villa dispiritedly. Yan Lei was still socializing outside and there was only Auntie Zhang there.

Changqing found some old photographs from the store at home. There were so many photographs of her and Fu Yu.

Her birthday every year, them going to the park to play, the first time both of them went rowing…

Changqing looked and looked and her eyes became wet.

How did she and Fu Yu just miss each other?

10 o’clock, Auntie Zhang came in and said, “Just now, Mr. Song called and I picked up and told him you’re home. He should be on his way here now.”

“Why did you say I’m here? Don’t you know to lie?” Changqing said in a husky voice as she suddenly lost the desire to look at the photo album.

Auntie Zhang laughed. “Throwing a tantrum again? You’re a couple—you just need some coaxing.”

“Auntie Zhang, you don’t understand.” Changqing closed the photo album. She wanted to mourn the death of love quietly.

“I don’t. I know more than young people like you.” Auntie Zhang left the store chuckling.

Changqing locked up the cupboard before coming out. Outside, footsteps could be heard.

Song Chuyi carried a box of cherries in his left hand and with his right hand, he was holding Robben on his leash. Auntie Zhang quickly said with a smile, “Why did you bring so many cherries with you?”

“A patient from the hospital gave them to me.” Song Chuyi glanced slightly at Changqing who was sitting on the couch.

“Cherries are our Changqing’s favorite. Pass them to me, and I’ll wash them.” Auntie Zhang took the cherries and left, leaving them to have their couple time.

“Why aren’t you staying with me at night again?” Song Chuyi sat beside her.

Robben took the chance to free himself from the leash and pounced on Changqing.

Changqing held him and stroked him silently with her head hanging. Her long lashes trembled and the tears on them looked like they were about to fall. Dr. Song took a closer look and noticed her eyes were red too.

He fixed his gaze on her and asked, “You cried?”

“None of your business.” Changqing turned her face away and pouted. No matter how one looked at it, it looked like she was sulking.

Song Chuyi frowned. “Are you going to sleep here tonight?”

Changqing continued to ignore him.

Song Chuyi sighed gently. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I said, none of your business.” Changqing turned her body further from him and Robben bared his teeth at Song Chuyi, as though he was mocking him.

Song Chuyi’s face darkened and said coldly, “Robben, go away.”

“Why are you so mean to Robben?” Changqing hugged Robben who suddenly shrank even more. “Also, why didn’t you feed Robben in the morning? Do you know how hungry he was when I woke up?”

“He did something wrong, so I was just punishing him.” Song Chuyi tugged on his leash haughtily and Robben left Changqing’s embrace obediently, running out to the courtyard to play.

“You’re a tyrant. Look at how scared Robben is.” Changqing stood up angrily to leave.

Song Chuyi held onto her wrist and pulled her. Changqing turned around and fell into his embrace.

“Tell me—what exactly is wrong, mm?” He lowered his head and his cold, handsome face seemed to melt like the spring snow and his eyes brightened up as well. Even his final sound seemed bewitching too.