Deep Love
I did not go back to the company to work in the afternoon. I look lost and my spirit is low when I return home. The moment I see my mom, my eyes are br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears and I run over to her. I hug her chubby body tightly and start to cry. Mom stares blankly at me and gently pats my back: “What is the matter my daughter?”
I continue to grieve and sob spasmodically. Then I console myself that it does not matter I sustain injury on the outside. At least my mother’s embrace is still very warm!
On one hand, my mother is appeasing me. On the other hand, she asks in puzzlement: “Tell me quickly, what really happened?”
I am shedding tears and snuffling when I think of what I heard just now. I also feel grievance and say: “Mom, the matter is like this ……”
“Wait, wait!” I am about to tell her my marriage to Lu Jun is likely to fall through but suddenly she interrupts and enthusiastically suggests: “Don’t tell me first. It is boring if you tell me directly. Let me guess what is this all about!”
I stop sobbing spasmodically and look silently at her. Mom, do you think that I am playing a guessing game with you?
Without waiting for my reply, mom has already started to guess: “Tell me, is it concerning my prospective son-in-law?”
Indeed it is about him, so I nod.
Mom continues to ask: “Is it something concerning your impending marriage?”
Indeed it seems this marriage will not go through, so I nod.
Mom claps her hands and says with full confident: “I know what is the matter!”
I look at her with uncertainty: “You are aware of it?”
Mom pats me on the shoulder, looks at me deeply and says some meaningful and heartfelt words: “Both of you have set a wedding date? Foolish child, a big girl like you has to get married sooner or later. You cannot follow closely by my side forever. What is there to cry about? Getting married means that you’ve grown up, so you should be happy. Don’t cry, do not cry …… ”
I immediately stare blankly at her. Mom, you are simply too good at making wild guesses! I quickly explain myself: “Mom, listen to me ……”
“I knew it!” Mom interrupts again and looks at me. Then she tries to comfort me by saying: “I knew you could not bear to leave me, but what can be done? You cannot stay single forever, right?”
I pull her sleeve: “Mom, listen to me ah ……”
Mom ignores me and continues: “Moreover, I have told this matter to the neighbors, relatives and friends. Everyone also knows that you will be marrying into the rich and powerful family soon. If you suddenly don’t get married, I will lose face ah.”
I am going to cry again: “Actually, I ……”
Mom heaves a sigh and continues her persuasion: “‘Face’ is as important to a person as the bark is to the tree. If I lose face in front of the relatives and friends, I would rather die! Thus my well-behaved daughter, stop crying and wait happily for the time to get married, okay?”
I: “……”
Suddenly mom remembers: “Oh, that’s right, what did you want to say just now?”
I feel like weeping but have no tears: “Nothing, I just wanted to go to the room to have a good sleep ……”
I want to have a good sleep. How I wish after I wake up, all this is not real!
When I wake up and open my eyes, I see an enlarged handsome face. A handsome appearance with a pair of gentle black eyes. It is as if that phrase, ‘people are in high spirits when involved in happy events. He looks relaxed and pleased. His eyes look a bit joyful when gazing at me.
I take a deep breath, sit up on the bed and glare at him: “Why are you sitting next to me?”
Lu Jun raises his eyebrows: “If not, could it be that you want me to lie next to you?”
I remain silent for a while, then proceed to ask snappily: “Why did you come to my house?”
He replies with a normal expression: “I noticed that you did not come to work in the afternoon, so I specially came looking for you.”
When he mentioned this, I start to get angry. I put my hands on my waist, looking like a shrew and say furiously: “I don’t feel like going to work so I didn’t go to work! How? Can it be that you’ve come to punish me by deducting my salary?”
Lu Jun shakes his head slightly and speaks softly: “Of course not. I want to tell you that starting from today, you don’t need to go to the company to work anymore. I’ve already informed the personnel department, so that a replacement could be found as quickly as possible to take over your job.”
It seems like I am stuck mercilessly by a m.u.f.fled thunder and my head explodes with a bang. Very good Mr. Lu, what you did is really ruthless ah. As a victim, I also have not offered to resign, but you are already in a hurry to get rid of me?
I sniffle and tears are already falling down. Lu Jun’s calm face changes and he nervously stands up: “What happened to you? Where are you feeling unwell?”
“Go away!” I get hold of a pillow and throw it at him. While crying, I yell loudly: “Get out, I don’t want to see you!”
Lu Jun looks somewhat solemn and catches the pillow easily. He walks towards me and says softly: “Xia Ye, stop throwing tantrum. You cannot get angry now.”
I start to cry until muddled and completely collapsing. Then I sniffle and scold him: “You say don’t get angry, then I don’t get angry? You are a great love swindle! Go away, don’t come over here!”
“What great love swindle?” Lu Jun frowns, looks at me and asks in puzzlement: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
I look coldly at him. My gaze is grief-stricken: “Don’t pretend anymore! How long do you still want to keep me in the dark? I already knew everything!”
He asks in surprise: “What do you know?”
I continue to wail in great bitterness and deep hatred: “I’ve heard everything you said in the private room in the restaurant at midday today! Big boss Lu, you are really a Casanova who spreads his love everywhere, ah. Go and marry that woman. Let that woman gives birth to a baby for you! Why are you still coming to look for me? Get lost, go far away from me!”
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Lu Jun is startled at first. Following which, his gaze starts to soften and his mouth seems to curve into a faint smile. He walks over in a couple of strides, ignores my struggle and embraces me in his arms. He heaves a faint sigh and says: “Foolish woman, calm down first and listen to my explanation.”
I can feel his warm and familiar embrace, resulting in the expansion of my tears gland. While I am struggling, I ask: “Explanation, what is there to explain? Could it be that I saw the wrong person today? Or my ears are so bad, that I heard wrongly? Do you want to tell me that woman simply does not exist?”
“No, you did not see the wrong person. You also did not hear wrongly.” His voice is soft and thick with emotion. Every single word seems to carry a strong sense of yearning: “Actually, there is such a woman. She is pregnant with my child. I love her very much, more than I love myself. Seeing her feel sad, I’ll feel heartache. Seeing her feel happy, I’ll feel happier. She is not the best, but is the one I love most. I just want to keep her by my side for a lifetime. I will do my best to give her happiness.”
While listening to his speech, my heart feels painful like pins and needles. The jealous emotion begins to breed like crazy and tears are flowing quietly. I want to cover my ears and not listen anymore, but his clear and melodious voice is still continuing slowly: “She is very silly and is an idiot. Do everything also in a daze. No brain and also no scheme, like an impetuous little pig. But I want to bring this little pig home to raise it until it is fair and chubby, letting it be carefree and without worries forever. I want to keep it company forever, holding its small trotters tightly to prevent such a dim-witted creature from walking to the chopping board ……” While talking, he gently holds my shoulder. He looks like someone deeply in love and devoted: “Xia Ye, don’t snivel anymore. You still don’t know who I am talking about? You are that little pig, ah. Are you willing to marry me, to let me protect you for a whole lifetime?”
No need to look in the mirror, I also know my face is surely very red now. I guess the eyes are also red. There is still tear stains on the face but there is also a smiling expression. Then I behave like a thief, quietly lifting up my head to steal a glance at him and mutter: “I …… where got so stupid like a pig.”
Lu Jun has a smile on his face: “Yes ah, I should not have likened you to a pig because can pig feel grievance and cry?”
“……”
I keep quiet and happily lean into his embrace. All of a sudden, something flashes through my mind: “Something is amiss. I keep on feeling that I seem to have overlooked a problem.”
He asks: “What kind of problem?”
I ask seriously: “Who is the person talking to you at noon today?”
He replies faintly: “He Xiao Ran, one of my old schoolmate.”
I nod and continue to ask slowly in a calm voice: “If the other woman who I regarded as the third party actually does not exist and I regarded myself as the imaginary enemy today, then who is the one pregnant now?”
He raises his eyebrows and looks at me: “What do you think?”
After I have calmed down, I am starting to remember now. All at once, my train of thoughts are connected. Didn’t I run into He Xiao Ran in the restaurant just now? Lu Jun said he has an appointment with someone. As it turns out, he had an appointment with He Xiao Ran. At that time, I was afraid to strike a blow at him so I said my marriage has not been settled. Thus that was why he advised Lu Jun that he should take responsibility like a man.
He Xiao Ran is a gynaecologist …… I think seriously about this for a while. I have put on quite a bit of weight lately, especially around the waist. I am rather depressed over it. Moreover when I eat the stuff I used to like recently, I always complain they are greasy and I feel nausea. From time to time, I’ll even retch once or twice, in that case ……
“Ah!!” I am frightened and scream out. Then I grip his shoulder in agitation and frantically trying to get up: “Lu Jun, you are a big jerk from top to bottom. I do not want to be an unmarried mother! I don’t want, I don’t want, I don’t want!”
He quickly raises his hand to stabilize my body and frowns slightly: “Who asked you to be an unmarried mother?”
I look at him in anger: “Currently, am I already pregnant but not yet married!?”
He says very calmly and slowly: “Therefore we’ve to rush to get married now before your stomach is noticeable.”
I lower my head slightly and silently pull at the corner of my clothes: “But, we did not have an official courtship yet. Flowers, wine and movie date, we have not experienced all of those before ……”
Lu Jun gives a chuckle, touches my head and coaxes softly: “It doesn’t matter. After we get married, we will discuss this further. Flowers, wine, movie date and so on, you will get all of those later.”
Thus I feel embarra.s.sed in silent. Other people normally have a courtship first, then get married and pregnant later. Whereas I got pregnant first, then get married and courtship later ……