Chapter 26 - Rong Heng smiled and nodded, but he stood in the same place. His eyelids drooped, hiding the deep thoughts in his eyes.
As the end of the year approached, Song Haiping also became busy. He had some connections in the city and needed to go around to pay each person a visit.
As per usual, Song Haiping had invited a few of his pals over to eat and prepared to make his next stop. He had just left the private dining room when he spotted a familiar face in the lobby.
Song Haiping had been a penniless kid when he was young. The reason he got rich so quickly, apart from his ex-wife's sharp foresight, was that his own abilities weren't too bad. He was extremely sociable–in the words of his ex-wife, he spoke the language of humans when seeing a human, and he spoke the language of devils when seeing a devil. He was nearly fifty, but he was so confident in his memory that even though they had only met once, he could recognize that person as the driver of the Xie family's Crown Prince.
"Hello, do you remember me?" Song Haiping took the initiative to approach first. He had a keen sense of smell. He could detect the smell of smoke on the other party and decisively offered him a cigarette. "My family's child was naughty and ran onto the road and nearly caused you trouble. I've been wondering since then whether your car has had any issues."
Song Haiping had gotten Xie Heng's business card before he was able to return to his senses. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about contacting this Crown Prince, but rather that upon further consideration, many people wanted to climb up due to the Xie family's status. This crown prince had only just been discharged after having a brush with death. Song Haiping wasn't certain about the other party's temperament and mind and could only bide his time.
He had never in a million years expected to run into Xie Heng's driver in this city!
The driver, Sun Qiming, finally remembered after listening to Song Haiping's words. It had been several months since the incident, after all. He accepted the cigarette and smiled. "You're too courteous. There is no issue with the car."
"I had just arrived in B City and didn't recognize many people. I only found out after speaking with a friend that day that it was Mr. Xie." Song Haiping looked around. "Is Mr. Xie here, too?"
Sun Qiming had followed Xie Heng around for several years.
In the past, he had dared to gain a profit through such opportunities. The boss had had a good temper and had been good-natured, so Sun Qinming had occasionally disclosed the boss's whereabouts to others for money, such as that one family's young miss. But it was different now. He could feel that, ever since that time, his boss had not just had a huge change in temperament, but had also become inscrutable. The welfare benefits as a driver for the boss were not that great, but he also didn't want to lose this job. So now, even if it were Madam Xie who asked, he would not easily reveal the boss's whereabouts, let alone a stranger.
"No." Sun Qiming's tone became more perfunctory. "I still have something to do."
In his words was the intent to leave.
Song Haiping didn't expect that Xie Heng's drivers to be so tight-lipped.
He wanted to ask, but all drivers were like this. He was considered to be someone with face in this city; he wouldn't stoop so low as to smilingly flatter a driver.
But if Xie Heng's driver was here in this city, then Xie Heng was also likely to be here.
He had to find someone to investigate. He wanted to focus on expanding his business into B City. The waters in B City ran deep; if he could latch onto a big boat like Xie Heng, even if it was just a small connection, he would have smooth sailing.
The first snow came earlier this year. In previous years, it had come on New Years; this year, it was on Christmas Eve.
But because of this snow, the Christmas spirit was even stronger.
Song Yuan was very aware of her capabilities. She had only gotten her driver's license when she was in college, and the actual amount of time she had been on the road wasn't that long. Don't even mention driving on snowy days–she didn't even dare to drive on rainy days. Today, snow was beginning to fall early in the morning. Although the ground wasn't covered with snow, Song Yuan still changed her mind and decided not to drive for a while. Although there was no direct line to her uncle's company by subway, there was one by bus, so it was still very easy to travel to work.
Rong Ting scurried out onto the balcony in fluffy pajamas. Looking at the snow outside, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Auspicious snow heralds a prosperous year!"
Both the house and the company had heating, and Song Yuan didn't dare to go down the route of sacrificing warmth for fashion. She simply wore a down jacket and put on a hat and gloves before getting ready to head out.
"Gugu, I'm heading to work." Song Yuan stopped at the entrance. "It's snowing today, so the auntie will probably be late. If you feel hungry, drink a cup of milk to pad your stomach."
During this period of time, Song Haiping and Chen Linjing were both busy with social events and basically had no time to look after Rong Ting. Fortunately, the auntie they hired was kind and honest, and her cooking was good, which left Song Yuan at ease.
Of course, Rong Ting was also very stress-free. He already had the potential to be a homebody. It didn't matter if he couldn't go out for one day–just give him a brush, paper, and ink, or give him a few books. If he had a bit more snacks and Yakult, he would be happy and content.
"En." Rong Ting trotted over. "Empress Mother, be careful out there today."
Song Yuan looked at Rong Ting and thought, it would be nice if Gugu were a girl. If he were a girl, she could hug him and kiss him and lift him up. Unfortunately, Gugu always insisted that "a grown son must distance himself from the mother." He was only willing to accept holding hands, or a hug if he was extremely happy. As for a kiss...there had never been, nor would there likely ever be, such an occurrence.
Song Yuan exited the neighborhood community with an umbrella in hand.
It was quite cold today, but fortunately she wore many layers. It was probably due to the snow, but she noticed that the normally-sparse bus stop was almost completely packed with people today.
Her scheduled bus had arrived. She jogged over and just barely managed to make it. She swiped her bus card and headed for the middle.
"Please sit here." Among the group of youths who pretended to sleep, one man dressed in an overcoat stood up and offered his seat to an old man.
The man's white hair was quite conspicuous. At a glance, Song Yuan could recognize that this was the good-looking man she had run into at the bakery, as well as the man who had offered his help that day.
Evidently she wasn't a common face, either. The handsome man also recognized her with a glance. After a stunned expression flashed across his face, he shot her a smile.
The two came and stood together as the bus traveled smoothly. The road was icy, and the driver didn't dare to drive too fast, nor did the passengers dare to rush the driver or complain.
"Why didn't you drive today?" Rong Heng asked in a warm voice.
Song Yuan grabbed a grab handle. She usually didn't like to chat with strangers, but there were exceptions. For example, the handsome ge beside her shouldn't count as a stranger. After all, she had helped her once. Moreover, he was so handsome, exactly matching her aesthetics.
"The snow makes it slippery, and my driving skills aren't very good. I don't dare to drive outside on such a day."
When Song Yuan smiled, her eyes curved, and a pair of dimples appeared.
"And you?" Song Yuan paused, then asked him back.
Rong Heng was the type of upright handsome ge with well-proportioned features. When he smiled, his entire being seemed gentle, which didn't clash with the powerful and reserved aura around him.
"Me?" Rong Heng couldn't help laughing and looked at Song Yuan. "Same as you. The snow makes it slippery, so to be safe, I took the bus."
"There's no telling how long it'll snow. Looking at the weather forecast, it seems like it won't clear up until after Christmas."
The two made small talk with each other. Rong Heng was not very talkative, and neither was Song Yuan, but strangely enough, the two actually had a good conversation.
Arriving at her stop at about 8:30, Song Yuan prepared to get off the bus and said goodbye to Rong Heng. It was only after she got off that she realized that he had followed her off the bus.
His straight posture, his hands casually placed in his pockets, and his calm and composed attitude served as a sharp contrast to the crowd of office workers bustling around the bus stop.
"You also work around here?" Song Yuan was a little surprised.
What a coincidence! He probably also lived in her community, or at the very least not very far away. If he also worked nearby, then their travel routes would be over 95% similar.
Rong Heng was stunned, then shook his head. "No, I have some business here for the next few days."
Song Yuan thought that was the case. If their travel routes overlapped so closely, she couldn't have only met him twice.
"Oh, then goodbye. I have to go to work." Song Yuan waved to Rong Heng with a smile.
She had always been beautiful, the school flower since she was a child. When she smiled, she was even more beautiful.
Rong Heng smiled and nodded, but he stood in the same place. His eyelids drooped, hiding the deep thoughts in his eyes.
Too many people and things had separated them. It was only now that he had regained what he had lost that he had returned to his senses. If, at the very beginning, she hadn't smiled at him or had guarded against him, there were many things that wouldn't have happened.
Workdays went by quickly. Most of the time, Song Yuan got off work on time; now that there was a child at home, even if she had to work overtime, she would take her work home to finish it.
The company's rules were very humane. It got dark earlier in the winter, so lunch breaks were reduced by half an hour, and the end of the day was moved up to 5:30.
After work, Song Yuan went back by bus and prepared to go to the bakery. On a normal week, she would go to the bakery three or four times.
As soon as she entered the bakery, she spotted Rong Heng.
Rong Heng was in the middle of picking out toast. Hearing the sound of the door, he turned his head and saw Song Yuan. He was startled, then smiled again.
Song Yuan also didn't expect to meet again at the bakery. But then again, it was peak rush hour; it wasn't surprising for office workers to come to the bakery to pick up some bread for tomorrow's breakfast.
She took the initiative to greet him. Although she still didn't know this handsome ge's name, since they had bumped into each other several times, they definitely weren't strangers. Although they weren't close enough to be friends or acquaintances, they were still close enough to greet each other.
Song Yuan and Rong Heng both paid their bills.
As she walked out of the bakery, Song Yuan noticed that it was starting to rain. She was a bit annoyed; she had brought an umbrella with her to work this morning. When she had lunch with her colleagues at noon, she had accidentally left her umbrella in the restaurant. She'd called the restaurant, but the front desk hadn't seen it; it had probably been picked up.
The bakery wasn't far from her neighborhood, but if she went back like this, her clothes would definitely be wet by the time she got home.
When Rong Heng came out, he opened his umbrella and saw Song Yuan standing to the side. After some thought, he said to her: "Did you not bring your umbrella? I can lend you mine."
Song Yuan's face wasn't that thick-skinned. He only had one umbrella–if he lent it to her, then what about him?
She hurriedly shook her head, refusing his kind offer. "My house is actually nearby. It's really close."
Rong Heng made a sound of agreement. He held the umbrella in one hand and a bag of bread in the other and seemed to be pondering for a moment. He said again: "Since your home is nearby, I'll walk you home. It's easy to get sick if you go back while it's raining, and it would be an inconvenience for you."
By the time Song Yuan could react, she was already standing under the umbrella.
She couldn't help but lament in her heart that she was too simpleminded.
Fortunately, most handsome men had integrity, and men who fit her aesthetics were hard to come by. Otherwise, with her weak-willed nature, she would instantly be deceived without even knowing it.
The two didn't talk much as they walked. Song Yuan carried her bag of bread. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she felt like there was an unusual smell coming from the other's body. She had smelled it earlier that day, but there had been too many people on the bus, so she hadn't thought much of it.
What sort of smell was it?
She couldn't describe it. She didn't think it was the smell of cologne or laundry detergent.
Song Yuan was so immersed in her own world that she didn't notice Rong Heng had tilted the umbrella towards her. His shoulder was soaked.
As they arrived at the gates of the community, Song Yuan felt that this was the limit. She couldn't let someone send her off at her building, as that would be giving away her home address, which was rather dangerous. She still had some clarity of mind.
Song Yuan knew that this person was her type.
At least from what she'd seen so far–whether it was his face, his figure, or his temperament! No matter what angle, he was the type of person that she would like.
Song Yuan was not shy or introverted. If it were the past, she definitely would have asked him for his contact information. But now, as the cold wind blew, she thought of her child at home, and suddenly that thought was gone.
Rong Heng could see Song Yuan's hesitating appearance from the corner of his eye, but he didn't speak, only giving her a slight smile. Once he had seen her enter the community, he turned away and left.
Chapter 27 - Remember well–there is no one in this world who is like her, and none who will replace her.
Song Yuan ran all the way from the gates of the community to her building. She didn't get drenched, but she didn't dare to get too careless in this weather. If she caught a cold, she'd have to suffer for at least a week. As soon as she crossed through the door, she greeted Rong Ting, then grabbed her pajamas and rushed into the bathroom.
Every day, Rong Ting would wait for Song Yuan to come home before eating dinner. There was no Grand Tutor here, but he managed his own time very well.
He had already finished his school work and practiced his calligraphy. Moreover, he felt that the secrets and knowledge contained within the books here greatly expanded his knowledge and outlook.
Song Yuan washed her hair and showered until her entire body gave off steam. Winter was the season of fattening up. At this moment, she was staring at the dishes on the table with itchy fingers, but they were no longer steaming hot. She warmed up the dishes again with Rong Ting at her side. Although he didn't say it outright, his affection for her was visible to anyone with eyes.
The little prince had lacked maternal love.
In the past, Song Yuan would share stories about her day with Rong Ting, but today, she didn't really want to share.
If this child heard that she had shared an umbrella with another man today, he would probably be too angry to sleep at night. Who knew if His Majesty the emperor was usually too awe-inspiring–Rong Ting said that he only wanted her to be happy, but in his heart, he wished she could reconcile with his Emperor Father.
Gugu definitely loved her very, very much, but he also deeply adored his Emperor Father, although he didn't say it.
After eating, Rong Ting took the initiative to help Song Yuan clean up. The auntie had already left, but fortunately they had a dishwasher at home. After they had eaten and drunk enough, Song Yuan had Rong Ting go wash up.
The mother and son, both smelling fresh and clean, lay on the sofa and watched TV.
Song Yuan didn't have a habit of following dramas. Rong Ting wasn't interested in any TV shows, including cartoons, but in the winter, it was simply impossible to go out for a stroll in the cold winds. The only mode of entertainment the two could engage in together was watch TV.
Recently, Song Yuan had started following a transmigration internet-adapted drama that her colleague was gushing about.
As a matter of fact, there was no need for her coworker to hype it up. The male lead was a little fresh meat who Song Yuan liked very much. In order to support her family's idol, Song Yuan would naturally watch it to up the ratings.
This drama had an ensemble cast. Song Yuan wasn't too thrilled about the main CP, but she really liked the side CP. It was just that the side CP was clearly a deeply sadomasochistic relationship.
The side CP's all exited the stage one after another. Song Yuan couldn't endure this sort of drama. Not only did the actors in this ensemble cast have both face value and acting skills, but also the costumes and props were exquisite, and the video quality was very clear and gave people the sense that they were watching a movie. What was more, the BGM was too tear-jerking–as soon as the intro played, Song Yuan's eyes turned red.
Rong Ting found this drama to be extremely boring.
Unlike other children, he had no interest in adult drama series, and he was even less interested in cartoon shows.
He happened to turn his head and was horrified to see his Empress Mother sitting next to him with tears in her eyes.
"Why is Empress Mother crying?" Rong Ting asked in astonishment.
Song Yuan wiped away her tears. She, too, felt that she must look neurotic looking like this in front of the child. "Don't you feel sad? The one thing I can't stand the most besides love scenes is the separation through life and death. It's so painful–your loved one is dead, and you're still alive. Of course, it's even more painful to send your child off."
Your loved one was dead, while you were still alive–was that not the most painful thing?
Rong Ting looked thoughtful, but he still said: "Empress Mother's tears of sorrow are because the drama is filled with rich and exquisite sentiment."
Song Yuan was a bit embarrassed. "It's okay. It's mainly because I really like this pair."
She had already stopped crying. If she shed tears over a drama plot in front of the child, she would seem extremely childish.
Rong Ting didn't know whether he had been influenced by her. It was supposed to be a night of parent-child bonding by watching a drama together. Every day, he would point out flaws, whether about the clothes being offensive to the eyes or about the lack of discipline of the people wearing them. All in all, that little mouth had a lot to say. Today, strangely, he didn't say anything. Even when the male lead went in and out of the rear palace whenever he wanted despite being an outsider, or even when he pulled the female lead into a hug, Rong Ting acted as though he had no eyes and didn't express his evaluation.
Rong Ting just thought of his Emperor Father.
The year he had followed his Emperor Father to Xiayang, he didn't remember the specific reason why they had gone. He had been young, about three or four years old. He only knew that Emperor Father seemed to have something extremely important to handle.
A child's memory was limited, after all. He had forgotten many things, but one thing resurfaced in his mind thanks to Empress Mother's words.
On their way to Xiayang that year, they had stopped by a manor for a short break, and Emperor Father had spotted a young woman. At that time, sitting by Emperor Father's side, he personally witnessed Emperor Father's absentmindedness.
He had still been rather naughty at that time. While he was entertaining himself, he accidentally overheard a whispered conversation between some maids who had accompanied them.
The palace maid said in a low voice that the young woman slightly resembled his Empress Mother. Now that she had caught Emperor Father's attention, she would definitely be brought back to the palace and perhaps become a favored concubine.
He hadn't understood what it meant at that time–he only felt curiosity. Since he had never seen Empress Mother, he wanted to go and take a look at that young woman, only to discover that she wasn't in the manor anymore.
That night, as the old maid took care of him as usual, he was very puzzled and asked the old maid whether the young maiden from earlier in the day resembled Empress Mother.
Before the old maid could answer, Emperor Father had come in and sent everyone out of the room. When the room was only left with him and Emperor Father, he felt somewhat uneasy.
Emperor Father sat in a chair staring at the candle, his thoughts unknown. Later, Emperor Father told him: "She does not. Remember well–there is no one in this world who is like her, and none who will replace her."
In the end, that young maiden was not brought back to the palace like others had guessed, and Emperor Father had punished a number of people for the speculations. During that time, the air pressure was extremely low, keeping many people on tenterhooks.
Thinking of it now, someone must have thought to use that woman for their own interests. It was only a pity that that person had misjudged the heart of the Son of Heaven.
That night before going to bed, Rong Ting lay in bed. Song Yuan was getting ready to read him a bedtime story as usual when Rong Ting shook his head. He hesitantly said to her: "Empress Mother, although gu doesn't understand the matters between men and women, gu thinks that Emperor Father has you in his heart."
Song Yuan was stunned, then she smilingly stroked his head. "En, I know."
After coming to understand Rong Ting's adoration and respect for his Emperor Father, she would no longer speak her innermost thoughts in front of him again.
After all, just because she had forgotten that bit of memory, that didn't mean that it didn't exist. If she denied this point, what would the child think? If she expressed her instinctive dislike for emperor roles in front of the child, it would be the child who was unhappy in the end.
The future was long.
There would come a day when Gugu accepted that his parents had "divorced."
And until he accepted it, she didn't need to press his head down and force him to accept it.
What Gugu said probably influenced Song Yuan. After having slept well for some time, she had another dream.
In the dream, she seemed to be strolling down the street in traditional clothing. It was nighttime, and she was with someone else as she excitedly released a sky lantern.
The sky lantern ascended into the air. The night was beautiful, and there were many people lighting lanterns. That person held her hand. She was somewhat shy, but she still twined her fingers with his.
She looked up to peek at that person's face, but it was blurred in her dream, and she couldn't see it clearly.
"If you round it up, the sky lanterns can be treated as a shooting star. I want to make a wish!" This was her speaking.
That man just chuckled.
"I wish for Ziheng to be healthy and live a long life!"
"Is that your wish?"
"En!"
"A woman's wish to be nothing more than two beings in harmony, forever dependent on one another. Yuanyuan is truly different from the rest, to be so especially concerned for me."
"Don't be moved too soon. I'm a rather cruel person. If you do something that hurts me, we're breaking up. I'll go find someone else, and you–you can only watch helplessly, then live a long life. Ei." She thought and seemed to find that saying this was inappropriate. "No, that's not right. After we break up, I definitely won't concern myself with you."
That person seemed to say something, but she didn't hear it clearly. Then she woke up.
Song Yuan sat in bed. How should she phrase it? It was different from last time, when she thought she was dreaming. This time her line of thinking diverged, and she made a bold speculation: what if this wasn't just a simple dream? Could it possibly be a real experience she had in the ancient times?
She changed her clothes and walked out of the bedroom. Rong Ting was already awake and practicing his calligraphy. She walked over, stewing in her thoughts for a bit. Finally, she expressed her suspicions. "Gugu, let me ask you a question. What is your Emperor Father's name?"
Rong Ting gave her a glance, then picked up a brush and wrote two characters on a sheet of rice paper.
"Rong Heng?" Song Yuan nodded. "Then let me ask you again. Does he have any other names? Such as Ziheng or something."
She didn't know about the circumstances of the Great Ye Dynasty. From what she understood of other dynasties that existed, some poets seemed to have courtesy name.
Rong Ting shook his head. "Gu has never heard this name."
"...Okay, then."
It seemed that it really was just a dream.
But maybe it really was a real experience she had in the ancient times; it was just that her boyfriend wasn't the emperor.
In transmigration novels, wouldn't there be some prince or emperor who used a random name to mix in with the people...
It was just a pity that Gugu didn't know much. Or, maybe she could put together the bits and pieces to figure it out!
It had snowed again last night, and the ground had turned white. Given such weather, Song Yuan would be even less likely to drive, and she well-behavedly headed to the bus stop to take the bus. She didn't even reach the bus stop when she spotted the white haired handsome ge standing at the station!
A guy as handsome as him would be the center of attention no matter where he was. At least she could spot him right away.
She didn't know if her gaze had been too intense or not. He also turned his head to look over, and their gazes met.
He shot her a smile. It should be his way of greeting.
Song Yuan held the umbrella handle, looking calm on the surface. She even reciprocated with a smile of her own.
Chapter 28 - She wouldn't be cut off from love in the future, would she?
As soon as Song Yuan reached the bus stop, the bus she was taking just happened to arrive.
There were as many people waiting for the bus as before. Song Yuan got on the bus, and Rong Heng followed after, paying in cash.
The two found a spot in the middle and stood. There were no seats available at this point, but thankfully it wasn't crowded.
Rong Heng did not take the initiative to make conversation with Song Yuan. Song Yuan was still immersed in her own world, at one moment thinking of her dream, and at another thinking of Rong Ting. Even if a handsome ge was standing in front of her, when she thought of the child at home, she could control the rate of her heartbeat somewhat.
It wasn't easy being a mom! She wouldn't be cut off from love in the future, would she?
Song Yuan resisted the urge to chat with him.
Rong Heng was very tall, and his hand very leisurely held the pull ring. Even though there were many people on the bus, he could still easily pick out her scent. It was exactly the same as it was in the past.
When they stood like this, with her by his side, he was very content even if she didn't say a word.
Suddenly, he felt someone pull on his clothes. He looked down and saw a naughty little girl looking up at him.
"Uncle, uncle~"
Song Yuan's attention was caught by this childish voice. She also looked down and saw a cute little girl with a bun next to Rong Heng.
Rong Heng naturally knew that Song Yuan was looking at him. He bent down, a gentle smiling expression on his face. He asked softly: "Child, what's wrong?"
"Uncle, why do you have white hair! Just like my grandpa! But you look younger than my grandpa." The girl must have been very curious to have mustered up the courage to ask.
The little girl's mother was extremely embarrassed. She hurried over and pulled the girl away and said apologetically to Rong Heng: "Sorry, sorry, my child wasn't sensible."
Rong Heng's expression was mild. "No problem." He looked at the little girl, his smile growing deeper. "Child, Uncle's white hair is dyed. Your black hair is very beautiful. Uncle is already thinking about whether to dye his black."
Song Yuan watched Rong Heng patiently and gently speak to the little girl. For a moment, she felt deeply moved. When the little girl left with her mother, she blurted out unconsciously, "You're so patient with children."
"Am I? Maybe it's because I like children." Rong Heng looked back at the little girl. "Anyone would be more patient with children."
"That's not true." Song Yuan shook her head. "Many people don't like children and find them annoying. There aren't many who are as patient with children as you."
Rong Heng smiled. "Hearing your praise makes me feel like I've done something amazing."
Song Yuan didn't know whether she was looking through a filter, but she felt as though this white-haired, handsome ge truly tickled her aesthetics. She couldn't resist this sort of warm and gentlemanly type.
If it weren't for the child at home, and if those things hadn't happened, she would have long put aside her reservations and launched an attack.
What a pity, what a pity.
Although they stood beside each other like yesterday, Song Yuan wasn't in the mood to chat today. She had been afraid of something like this. It was easy to grow awkward with a newly made acquaintance, especially when you weren't in the mood to chat. If it were someone familiar, they could talk if they wanted to talk, and they could be silent if they didn't. It would be very comfortable.
Fortunately, the handsome ge didn't take the initiative to chat with her, either.
But in the adult world, if he didn't take the initiative to chat, it probably meant that he wasn't interested in her.
She originally thought he had been interested in her. Otherwise, why would he drop her off last night? But on second thought, if he were interested, he would have asked for her contact information yesterday.
Ai, one truly could not fantasize too much, lest they be disappointed.
She got off the bus, unconsciously glanced back, and found that Rong Heng did not get off.
Fine, she shouldn't shower affections on an uninterested party. She rid herself of the thoughts she shouldn't have and headed in the direction of the company.
Today was Christmas Eve as well as a Friday, and the amount of work she had wasn't small. She was busy from the moment she started work and didn't have a moment of rest until the afternoon.
The company's front desk was very attentive. They gave each person a bright red apple and ordered milk tea in the afternoon.
Song Yuan drank her milk tea while she logged in to the PC version of WeChat. Replying to messages on the phone while at work inevitably gave off the impression of slacking. It was better to use the PC version of WeChat–she would look like she was working seriously while she replied to messages.
Xie Ya sent a message: [I heard Ji Junpei is coming back! Omg! Wuli Yuanyuan finally no longer needs to bitterly wait in the cold cave!]
When Song Yuan saw this message, she nearly spat out her drink.
"Still bitterly waiting in the cold cave."
She hurriedly denied the rumor. [What's all this about bitterly waiting in the cold cave? I don't have anything to do with him.]
Xie Ya: [Really? You two clearly went to watch the movies together. Now that he's coming back, you can finally find yourself a damn partner.]
Song Yuan was a bit embarrassed. To say that she had no relation with Ji Junpei was like covering her nose to deceive her eyes, but to be honest, she and he could be considered an unsuccessful romance.
She had definitely been attracted to him in college. People like her who had no talents and whose grades were average would easily adore the study god. The study god's looks weren't bad, and he seemed to be interested in her... it wasn't that she wasn't attracted, but that she had been attracted for too long. Without taking the next step, that sort of sentiment very easily vanished into smoke.
Now, it was very difficult to return to the emotions from back then, and strange things had happened to her.
Song Yuan: [Even if he comes back I won't get out of singledom. Anyways, there's no chance for us. Watching a movie together is a thing of the past; let's not talk about it.]
She and Xie Ya were very good friends, but so far, no one except her parents knew about Rong Ting's relation with her.
She didn't know how to explain it, and nobody would believe her even if she did–they'd all treat her as a nutcase. After all, she already found it unexpected but pleasantly surprising that her parents believed her.
Let's take it slow!
Xie Ya: [What a shame. I think Ji Junpei's still pretty good. He's good-looking and he's a study tyrant. This kind of top-quality man is hard to find nowadays. Why not think it over, huh? Do you really have a boyfriend?]
Xie Ya: [If you have a boyfriend you can't hide it from me!]
Song Yuan, helpless: [I don't have a boyfriend, but it's not possible between us. It'll take too long to explain right now. I'll tell you when we meet up.]
She wanted to talk about it, but wasn't the crucial point to make it clear?
Coincidentally, as soon as she mentioned Ji Junpei to Xie Ya, a delivery boy came to deliver flowers.
The women in the office were all very envious. It was one thing to send flowers on Valentine's Day, but why send flowers on Christmas Eve?
Song Yuan was very confused. Fortunately, there was a signature on the card. There was only one character, "Ji," but Song Yuan knew who it was.
...
......
What did Ji Junpei mean by this? He shouldn't have returned to the country yet.
Song Yuan couldn't figure it out, nor did she want to ask him. As a matter of fact, she'd had minimal contact with him for the last half a year. Now, to take the initiative to contact him and cause a series of things to happen, all because of this bundle of flowers, was an outcome she didn't want.
If they were lovers, then she could tell him clearly, but the key point was that they didn't have any sort of relationship.
Although facing this kind of situation gave her a headache, Song Yuan also didn't want to play dead. After thinking about it, she braced herself and sent him a message: [Xuezhang, I received a bouquet of flowers. I was wondering if you sent them. If you did send them, thank you. I have something that I want to tell you. If you're free when you come back, my boyfriend and I will invite you to dinner!]
She felt relieved after sending this message.
Today was Friday, so she was originally planning to get off of work on time, but near the end of her day, something went wrong with the order she was responsible for. The customer kept calling her and asking her to contact the warehouse and factory. Seeing the customer's impatience, it would be difficult for her to take the work home. Thus, she gave Rong Ting a call and told him that she would be working overtime and would be getting home late, so he should eat first without waiting for her.
Rong Ting was an extremely cautious child, and she was now quite assured about him staying at home.
She ordered takeout for herself and worked until eight o'clock. There was nobody left in the office.
She had already passed peak rush hour, and she unhurriedly headed for the bus stop. Snowflakes fluttered through the air again and the outside temperature had long since dropped below zero. It was a bit hard to bear the freezing cold after emerging from the well-heated company.
When she got to the bus stop, she spotted a familiar person.
In this sort of weather, people would subconsciously hunch over, as if that would keep them warm, but he stood upright, as though unafraid of the cold, and didn't wear many layers.
Song Yuan was a bit surprised. She walked over to him and greeted him first. "Hi, what a coincidence."
Rong Heng seemed to have just noticed her. The surprise on his face was difficult to conceal. "What a coincidence. You're getting off work at this hour?"
Song Yuan was already exhausted from working overtime. She smiled helplessly. "Today's Friday, and there were a lot of things to do, so I worked overtime. And you? Why haven't you gone home yet?"
"I just finished dealing with my business."
Rong Heng lifted a paper bag in his hand and smilingly handed it to her. "A client gave me one, but I don't like eating apples, and there's no one at home to give it to, so I'll give it to you."
Song Yuan didn't know what it was, but she accepted it anyway. Inside the bag were two beautiful Red Delicious apples.
"I heard that today's Christmas Eve." Rong Heng paused. "I once heard someone say that Christmas Eve is about eating apples so that you will have peace."
"Ah, thank you. But I don't have any apples to give you." Song Yuan was a bit embarrassed. "The company gave some, but I ate them all."
She had some at home, but she couldn't bring him home with her, could she?
It was Christmas Eve, and someone gave her an apple, but she didn't give him one. It made her feel weird and awkward.
Rong Heng still had that gentle smile on his face. "No problem. I've already eaten one."
"Two is too many," Song Yuan spoke again. "I only need one."
Rong Heng withdrew his gaze and looked up into the sky. "Take it. You should have people at home."
Song Yuan thought of Rong Ting.
Yes, she and Rong Ting just happened to make two people. One person per apple, just perfect~
"En, thank you!"
Chapter 29 - It's impossible for people to never make mistakes. Isn't that right?
By this time, all the office workers had already left work. Today was Friday, as well as Christmas Eve. Most youths had gone to celebrate, so the bus was empty.
Song Yuan and Rong Heng got on the bus and looked for a seat. They sat in the back row, with Song Yuan seated by the window.
Song Yuan had originally thought that Rong Heng wouldn't sit next to her. After all, they weren't very familiar with each other. She didn't expect that as soon as she sat down, he took the seat right beside her. When she looked over, he said with a faint smile, "You don't mind me sitting here, do you?"
"No, no, I don't mind." Of course she didn't mind. It wasn't like the bus was her home.
Song Yuan felt a bit embarrassed. Rong Heng had given her two apples. On Christmas Eve, many businesses would give out apples, and on Valentine's Day, there would be people giving out roses at the subway station. Nobody would refuse such a small gift–it brought in fortune, after all.
It was just that she didn't have any apples to give him, which was more or less embarrassing.
She unconsciously rummaged around in her bag, only to find a pouch of strawberry milk1. The rest were necessities. They were both adults; it'd be rather awkward to give him a carton of strawberry milk.
She gave him a sidelong glance. He was looking intently out the bus window.
From the angle, if she had been more narcissistic, she would think that he was looking at her.
"What is it?" he asked her with a light smile.
Song Yuan hurriedly shook her head. "Are you a local? You don't sound like you have an accent."
"I'm not a local. I just came here to do something–" Rong Heng paused, "–to meet someone I want to see."
"No wonder I thought you had a B accent. Are you from B City?" Song Yuan smiled. "My grandfather worked in B City when he was young, and I used to go there often when I was little, so I'm familiar with the accent."
Rong Heng seemed lost in thought. "By geographical location, I should be considered to be from B City."
?
Song Yuan was amused by his solemn explanation.
While they were in the middle of talking, Song Yuan's cell phone rang. It was a video chat request from WeChat. She took out her phone from her bag and saw it was a video chat request from Rong Ting.
The facts proved that intergenerational parenting2 was real and true. She had bought Rong Ting a children's smartwatch, and her father later took him to go shopping and unexpectedly bought him an iPad. Her father was extraordinarily self-justified, saying that all his friend's grandsons had tablets, and his grandson naturally couldn't lag behind others.
WeChat was downloaded on the iPad, and her father helped Rong Ting sign up for an account.
Rong Ting knew when her lunch break was and would occasionally video chat with her. He found it very peculiar.
Song Yuan gave Rong Heng an apologetic smile, then accepted the video chat.
As she accepted the call, Rong Heng silently turned to the side, as though not wanting to disturb her chat.
It was only a small gesture, but Song Yuan felt this man was way too much of a gentlemanly, good-looking ge, worthy of meeting her aesthetic standards.
The video connected to show Rong Ting, who had already seemed to have washed up. He wore fluffy, yellow chick-printed pajamas, and he was lounging on the sofa. "Empress Mother, where are you?"
Song Yuan lowered the volume. "On the bus. I'll be home in about half an hour. Have you eaten? Has the auntie left?"
"Ate." Rong Ting looked tiny in the camera. "Gu saw that it was late and let the auntie leave first. Empress Mother, have you eaten? What did you eat?"
Sometimes, Rong Ting was awkward and arrogant, and other times, like now, he was like a warm little padded jacket.
"Ate. I wanted something hot today, so I ordered some claypot noodles3, which were very delicious."
Rong Ting frowned. "Empress Mother..."
He began to unceasingly reprimand her. Song Yuan was very embarrassed. After all, there was an outside sitting next to her.
She immediately cut him off. "Let's not talk about this. I ate everything. I'm outside right now and the signal's not very good. Let's talk when I get home, okay?"
Although Rong Ting was dissatisfied, he nodded in assent. "Empress Mother, be careful when you are going out. The ground is slippery today."
"Okay okay okay!" After she hung up the video call, Song Yuan let out a sigh of relief.
Nowadays, when she was at the office, she hid while she took video calls from Rong Ting.
It wasn't that she was afraid that other people would discover that she was a mom. From the moment she acknowledged Rong Ting, she had already been mentally prepared. It was just that Rong Ting still spoke like someone from the ancient times. He had his pride and refused to freely refer to himself with "I." He also refused to call her "Mom" and was only willing to refer to her as "Empress Mother." But if this were heard by other people, they would find it odd.
She was just about to put her phone back in the bag when she heard the man next to her ask her, a smile in his voice, "Do you have kids?"
Song Yuan whipped her head around and met with Rong Heng's clear eyes. She hesitated, then nodded her head. "En."
Rong Heng just smiled and didn't say anything more.
Song Yuan sighed in her heart. It wasn't easy to bump into someone who fit her aesthetics. They had no fate together.
The other didn't look old, nor did he seem to be married. Although it was quite realistic to say it, in the past she never would have considered someone with a child. Not just her, but her parents would also have opposed. To put it from another perspective, if other people lost interest in her because she had a child, she could understand. Alright, she should stop getting ahead of herself4. This handsome ge with the white hair wasn't even interested in her in the first place...
Song Yuan was extremely good at consoling herself, and very quickly she regained her composure.
What romance, forget about it! The least she could do was wait until Rong Ting accepted it.
She got off at the bus stop, and Rong Heng followed suit. She knew that he lived nearby.
There was a middle-aged man selling roasted sweet potatoes next to the bus stop, repeatedly announcing into the megaphone "Roasted sweet potatoes, savory and sweet roasted sweet potatoes." With such cold weather, the roasted sweet potato business was good. Song Yuan, unwilling to owe others, said to Rong Heng, "Um, please wait a minute."
Saying this, she jogged over to the sweet potato stand and asked the shopkeeper to choose a sweet potato that was roasted to the point that it dripped with honey.
The sweet potato was wrapped in a paper bag. It was still warm, and you could catch a faint whiff of the sweet aroma.
She smiled and handed him the sweet potato. "This is for you. Thank you for the apple, and Merry Christmas Eve!"
Rong Heng looked dazed. It was unknown what he thought of, but he laughed.
His temperament was really strange. When Song Yuan first met him, she had only thought that this person's aura was strong and that he even had a dignified and restrained bearing. After a few interactions, it seemed that her impression that day had just been an illusion. He was clearly clean and gentle, just like the warm sun in winter.
He seemed to be quite happy. The corners of his lips were raised slightly. "Thank you."
"It's nothing." Song Yuan waved her hand, revealing dimples as she smiled. "Then goodbye. The child is still waiting for me at home."
"En, goodbye."
Song Yuan remembered that tomorrow was Christmas and a holiday and was in a relaxed and happy mood. She walked with a brisk pace. Even if you didn't know her, you could see she was in a good mood.
Rong Heng watched her leave, then looked down at the sweet potato in his hand.
After she'd left, he hadn't dared to stir up the past or reminisce. It was only now, when she had shown up in his world once again, that he dared to miss the past a bit.
That year had also had heavy snowfall. He had been in the palace, with no intentions to go out, but when he saw the palace maid brewing tea, he remembered she had once said that her favorite line of poetry was "The night for snow doth pine/Care to drink, friend of mine5?"
Truthfully, at that time, he had been drawn to her because she had his good friend and the general's estate supporting her. He hadn't had any intention of crowning her as his empress after ascending the throne–her background was not fitting for such a position. His plan had been to first accept her as his ce fei6. If the general's estate provided truly valuable assistance, he could make her a noble consort7 as a show of favor.
That day, he left the palace–using his good friend as an excuse, of course.
He and his friend sat in the pavilion, and his friend ordered the servant to boil some wine. The land was shrouded in white, and the pavilion was warm and quite pleasant.
He saw her coming from the bridge, wearing a red cloak. Amongst the vast white, there was only this spot of red.
She approached with a smile and had the servant girl behind her pass on the sweet potatoes.
His friend stood up and brushed the snow off her cloak, his mouth reproachful but his actions doting. He asked her why she didn't remain in her room in such cold weather. What would she do if she got frostbite?
When she smiled, shallow dimples formed at the corners of her mouth. "I heard that gege was in the pavilion drinking wine, and I wanted to come, too. Ai, you are truly enjoying yourselves. I forgot the full version of the poem. Gege, one should drink when it snows. Can I have a cup?"
His good friend had no way to stop her. "Can I drive you away now that you're here? But you can only have one cup."
She wasn't familiar with how to drink. She only took a sip, and with a strange and adorable expression, she refused to drink more.
...
......
When Rong Heng raised his head, several snowflakes drifted through the sky. Her figure was no longer visible.
Back at the hotel suite, the driver, Sun Qiming, arrived. He stood by the desk, his expression cautious and his tone holding a trace of respect that he wasn't aware of. "Boss, I've investigated the backgrounds of those two people from that day. The man is the son of the owner of a restaurant chain in B City. He's twenty-five and is currently unemployed. His private life is rather messy and he's made some mistakes, but they were all dealt with by his family. The woman is his girlfriend. Actually, she can't really be considered his girlfriend–just a female partner. She comes from an ordinary family background, and her parents are ordinary employees. She met the man at a dinner party when he had still been her friend's boyfriend. The two are now in conflict–the man wants to break up while the woman is unwilling."
He had thought that the traffic accident that day was just a little incident. He hadn't expected that that night, the boss would have him run a background check on those two people.
He didn't know what the boss wanted to do, but those two people were probably in big trouble.
"Write it down. Continue monitoring." Rong Heng was reading a book. The fingers that turned the page were fair and slender, their joints clearly distinct. He said lightly, "It's impossible for people to never make mistakes. Isn't that right?"
Sun Qiming lowered his head and didn't speak.
In the silence, he heard the boss speak again. "You've been by my side for several years. I can rest assured with you."
Sun Qiming abruptly lifted his head, not understanding what he meant.
Rong Heng turned a page. On the desk sat the roasted sweet potato that was completely at odds with his image. "People will do anything for money8. Most people will do wrong for fame or fortune. If the people by my side make a mistake for these things..." He paused and looked up at Sun Qiming, a smile forming on his face, "I will be very disappointed."
Sun Qiming didn't know what to make of his words. Was it a rebuke or a warning?
The boss was clearly still that boss, but he didn't know why when he was stared at like this, and he heard these words, his back was dripping with sweat on this cold day.
He didn't know why he was like this.
But he no longer had the courage to take advantage. He didn't dare to trick the boss anymore.
Chapter 30 - Gugu, I want to apologize to you.
When Song Yuan got home, Rong Ting was in the middle of playing games on the tablet.
He finally had something in common with the children of this time–he liked to play video games! Song Haiping had been rather obsessed with "Legend of the Three Kingdoms" since a while ago. Rong Ting watched him play for a while, became interested, and then plunged headlong into the game pit. But fortunately, Rong Ting had extraordinary self-control and wasn't addicted to it.
Song Yuan felt that Rong Ting had even better discipline than her, so she wasn't in much of a position to lecture him. One time, she had been searching the Internet on her phone in the middle of the night. Rong Ting had gotten up to go to the bathroom, saw that her bedroom light was still on, and in turn urged her to go to bed early, instead of staying up late...
When she thought back on this incident, she felt rather ashamed as a mother.
Song Yuan casually placed the paper bag on the table. Rong Ting glanced at it. "What is it?"
"Someone gave some apples." Song Yuan thought of the white-haired handsome ge and couldn't help letting out a sigh.
"Why is Empress Mother preoccupied?" Rong Ting became keenly aware of Song Yuan's lack of enthusiasm. She had clearly been quite happy when she came through the door. What happened?
Even if Song Yuan's brain was lacking, she still wouldn't talk about it with Rong Ting. "I'm just tired from working overtime. I'm going to go take a shower."
"En."
Once Song Yuan entered the bathroom with her pajamas, Rong Ting put down the tablet and got off of the sofa. He had previously learned from her how to boil milk, so he made her a cup of steamed milk and placed it by the bed.
Song Yuan came out after washing up to blow-dry her hair.
Rong Ting followed behind her. "Empress Mother, the light in your room is on."
"Oh, it's okay."
Rong Ting was nervous. This was the first time he had made steamed milk for Empress Mother. He hoped that Empress Mother would quickly discover it and praise him, so he couldn't help urging her, "Empress Mother, it's not good to waste electricity."
"You know it's not good to waste electricity?" Song Yuan turned off the hair dryer, amused by his words. "It's alright, the light in my room is energy-efficient. Or maybe you could help turn it off for me?"
Rong Ting's expression was cold. "No."
Things were not going to plan.
Song Yuan saw Gugu huffily return to the living room and sit on the sofa. She thought, then decided to return to her room to turn off the light. Wasting electricity was indeed a bad habit. The child has already pointed it out; if she didn't correct it, then how could she set a good example for him in the future?
Rong Ting sat on the sofa, but he sneakily kept an eye on her. Seeing her enter the bedroom, he subconsciously straightened up and somewhat nervously glanced at the bedroom door.
Song Yuan spotted the cup of hot milk on the bedside table and immediately understood what was going on.
When she came out of the room, Rong Ting immediately withdrew his gaze and continued staring at the TV.
"Gugu, did you make steamed milk for me?" Song Yuan sat down beside him. She was very happy, and regardless of whether he would refuse or not, she hugged him.
Rong Ting struggled.
Song Yuan said warmly: "Royal Highness, let Mom hug for a little bit. It won't kill you."
Rong Ting stilled, calming down, and even stretched out his little paws to hug her awkwardly.
The fragrance on Empress Mother smelled very nice. He breathed in deeply, wanting to engrave it in his memories forever. This was Empress Mother's scent.
"Gugu, I want to apologize to you." Song Yuan suddenly spoke. "Gugu, you will never, ever be an annoyance or burden to me. You and my parents are my most, most important people."
Rong Ting was a little embarrassed, but he still said: "Gu knows."
The old maid didn't lie to him. She had said that when he was only two months old, Empress Mother loved to hold him and tell him that she loved him the most.
Rong Ting's schedule was very regular. He would go to bed at around 9:30. Song Yuan would read him a bedtime story every night, but the child was no longer satisfied with children's stories like "The Crow and the Pitcher"–he wanted to listen to thrilling stories. Song Yuan had no other option. During the day, when she had free time at the company, she would review Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin. Rong Ting loved Romance of the Three Kingdoms and said that he liked Cao Cao the most.
He said that Cao Cao was the most domineering and was fierce and ambitious. He didn't like Liu Bei very much, saying that Liu Bei loved to cry, and real men don't cry easily.
Waiting until Rong Ting fell asleep, Song Yuan sneakily placed a set of the Four Treasures that she had bought on his bedside table.
It wasn't that there were no good-quality sets nowadays, but rather that they weren't cheap.
She hoped he would like it. Tomorrow was Christmas, and although the little fellow didn't believe in Santa Claus, she still wanted to give him the joy of the celebration.
Early the next morning, Rong Ting woke up and prepared to go to the bathroom as usual. As soon as he got up, he noticed the large present on the bedside table.
There was a Christmas tree in the living room, and stickers pasted on the windows, giving off a very festive air. He naturally wouldn't forget that today was Christmas.
He carefully opened the package and saw that inside held a set of the Four Treasures, and they seemed to be of high quality.
He was pleasantly surprised, and the corners of his lips curled up.
When Song Yuan woke up, Rong Ting was still in a pleasant mood. She saw him stroke the brushes and paper and said in an exaggerated tone, "Gugu, did you see that Santa Claus got you a present?"
Rong Ting originally wanted to say that there was no such thing as Santa Claus, but when he looked up and saw Empress Mother looking more pleasantly surprised than him, he silently swallowed back the disheartening words and nodded gently.
Empress Mother, it is not so. Santa Claus does not exist.
Santa Claus was neither a friend nor a relative, so why would he prepare such a pleasant surprise for gu?
Empress Mother is gu's Santa Claus.
Today was Christmas, and both Chen Linjing and Song Haiping would come over. These two people who were both half a century old only held the concept that this day was a day for making money. On this day, supermarkets, clothing stores, and online stores held events. They were normally very busy, but seeing that this was their grandson's first Christmas, they pushed through their business at hand to come over.
Before they arrived, Song Yuan took Rong Ting out to eat breakfast.
Rong Ting still wasn't fond of eating outside, but today was special. Song Yuan specially brought him out to a nearby hotel for dim sum.
The Cantonese style of dim sum was essentially to have small dishes of everything. Song Yuan ordered many things, but Rong Ting took the initiative to stop her. "Empress Mother, neither Grandfather nor Grandmother are present, and the two of us do not need to order so much; we wouldn't be able to finish eating it all."
The watier was shocked upon hearing Rong Ting call Song Yuan "Empress Mother."
There were many young mothers these days, but none this young.
Song Yuan didn't care about what other people thought, so such a gaze didn't matter.
She used to be glued to her phone while she ate. Now, while she was with Rong Ting, she did her utmost not to touch her phone. After sitting down, she fished inside her bag for her cell phone, wanting to check where her parents were, when she discovered a small pink gift box in her bag. She took it out, somewhat surprised.
She had checked her bag while on the bus yesterday. Between yesterday night and now... if anybody wanted to surprise her, it could only be Rong Ting!
She looked up at Rong Ting.
Rong Ting seemed to be earnestly eating his shrimp dumpling. Perhaps it was because of the cold wind that blew past just now that his ears were tinged with red.
Song Yuan opened up the box and found a hair tie decorated with pearls.
Wuwuwu.
"Gugu, is this from you?" Too touching! She received a gift! And it was from Gugu!
Rong Ting set down his chopsticks and said solemnly: "No, it was from Santa Claus."
Song Yuan was so touched that she didn't have the mind to care about breakfast. She took out her phone, looked for a good angle, and took a picture of the hair tie. Finally, she chose a good filter and uploaded it to her Moments to show off.
【Christmas gift. Thank you, my precious duckling, love you!】
She had been popular since she was young, and there were many people connected to her Moments page. When this post appeared on her Moments, many people thought she was casting off the single status and sent her blessings–
[What! Yuanyuan, you're dating! When did this happen!!]
[Congrats, Yuanyuan! When are you bringing your boyfriend out for us to see? He must be a peerlessly handsome ge.]
[Hurry and form a singles bureau!]
[I declare my heart is broken. Yuanyuan, you actually starting dating behind my back~]
Song Yuan originally wanted to deny the rumors, but then she thought twice. Ji Junpei would definitely see her Moments post. For the sake of simplifying matters, it was better to let things follow the flow of the conversation.
There was a college classmate in her friends circle with whom she had a so-so relationship that couldn't be considered particularly good. Amongst the comments giving their blessings, hers stood out: [Yuanyuan, you have a boyfriend? He's so dependable, giving you a hair tie hahaha my boyfriend just loves to waste money. He gave me a Tiffany diamond ring. I'm so tired of him wanting to get married yet not being frugal.]
It wasn't like she had a feud with this classmate. She really didn't have any grudges. It was probably that they had worn the same outfit a couple times in the past, which was caught on camera and posted and discussed on the school forum. Since then, this classmate would compare everything with her. Apart from this, they hadn't had any conflicts. There was one time when she felt uncomfortable due to her period, and she had bought food for her.
"..."
Song Yuan was a bit speechless.
Rong Ting, who had been paying attention to her expression, asked: "Empress Mother, do you not like this gift?"
He hadn't known what gift to give to Empress Mother. If they were in the palace, he could have brought out any number of rare and exotic treasures. This was something he found on the day he had gone to the supermarket with Grandfather, after he had searched through the boutiques outside the supermarket.
Song Yuan hurriedly shook her head. She immediately used the hair tie to make a quick ponytail, which she waved in front of him. "Isn't it pretty? I like it a lot. Thank you, Gugu."
"It's a gift from Santa Claus; why are you thanking me?" Rong Ting solemnly and earnestly refuted her. "If Empress Mother must give thanks, it must be to Santa Claus."
This child!
Song Yuan calmed down after the outburst. What was she getting angry for? There was no need to get upset over such a disappointing response. And that classmate wasn't such an important person.
What was there to be proud of in comparing boyfriends? If she had the ability, come compare sons with her!
This was something her son gave her.