Chapter 5.2 (1/2)

Chapter Five (Part 2 of 2)

The whole night, Han Ting Ting had bizarre dreams. She dreamt she was back in her old house. Dong Dong was little, everyday Dong Dong was sent to a nursery and she’d pick Dong Dong up after work. She’d run out of the nursery and that person was leaning against a black SUV, smoking and waiting for them. His expression was carefree and had a handsome cold aura. When he saw her running toward his car, he’d smile and spoke gently to her. ‘You’re all grown up now and still running and jumping about.’

Han Ting Ting’s dream morphed to her childhood. That person wore a white s.h.i.+rt. It was her birthday. He crouched down in front of her and gave her a cute teddy bear! He rubbed her head and smile. ‘Today’s little Ting Ting’s birthday, happy birthday!’

Han Ting Ting was raised under a strict military style. Her birthday gift every year was an egg bread. That birthday it was the first time someone happily said happy birthday to her. It was also the first time she knew that such a warm person existed in the world.

Back then Putt Putt was brand new and had a fresh smell. When she was little that person was exclusively good natured toward her.

It was a precious and memorable period of her life.

When she woke up her pillow was wet and she hugged Putt Putt. She rubbed her eyes for a long time before lazily getting out of bed and was.h.i.+ng her face.

Han Ting Ting stepped out of her room and saw Qin Song coming downstairs. His suit was impeccable, a jacket draped on his arm, he carried a briefcase and doc.u.ments in his hands. He looked like he was ready to go to work.

‘Ah, why are you up so early today? I haven’t made breakfast for you…’ Han Ting Ting said.

Qin Song lifted his head and walked quickly pa.s.sed Han Ting Ting. His back was straight as he walked to the door to change his shoes. He acted like she didn’t exist.

A silent cold war between Qin Song and Han Ting Ting started from that morning.

Properties listed under Qin Song’s name were too many to count in one go, he didn’t need to worry he didn’t have anywhere to go. Before he got married, he’d decided to renovate one of his properties and furnish it lavishly. He thought he was going to go through the pretence of getting married then moved out on his own. He finally got a good opportunity to move out and make use of the renovated house.

Han Ting Ting at the start of the cold silent war had forgotten what happened between her and Qin Song. But after she saw him left their home in a puff, he didn’t come back for two nights. She stayed at home worried and thought about what she did wrong and finally she remembered the night she pushed him and he fell onto the floor.

After she remembered, she didn’t care about saving money and immediately called a taxi to drive her straight to Liang’s company building.

It was rare for all six Liang’s sworn brothers to meet up on a weekend. They were discussing one of Qin’s company finance investment proposals. Qin Song kept s.p.a.cing out and disrupted the meeting. Rong Yan lost his patience and pounded the meeting table.

‘Qin Song!’ Rong Yan called.

Qin Song used his pen to prop his chin and Rong Yan’s outburst woke him up from his deep thoughts. ‘What?’

Rong Yan narrowed his eyes and aimed a dagger at Qin Song.

Ji Nan pulled Qin Song’s ear and teasingly scolded Qin Song. ‘Qin Song, we asked how things are progressing at your end. But why are you in a daze?’

Qin Song rubbed his face and awkwardly coughed.

Li Wei Ran saw Qin Song’s lost look and helped Qin Song out. Li Wei Ran turned off the projector. ‘I’m tired too. Let’s all take a break and order for food as well.’

Everyone stretched their bodies, drank water and gossiped. Qin Song quietly left the meeting room by himself and went to wash his face.

The moment Qin Song left, Ji Nan pulled Li Wei Ran aside to grill him. ‘What’s wrong with Song Song?’

Li Wei Ran shrugged his shoulders. ‘How should I know?’

Their conversation was interrupted by an a.s.sistant who rushed into the meeting room.

‘Mrs Qin junior is here. She also brought a lot of home cooked food.’

Li Wei Ran coughed, put his phone down and went to escort Han Ting Ting into the meeting room. Ji Nan rushed around the room looking for drink a.s.sortments. Chen Yu Bai silently tidied the paperwork on the meeting table to make room for food. Rong Yan tucked a handkerchief into the front of his s.h.i.+rt collar to use as a makes.h.i.+ft napkin and happily waited for food to arrive. Big boss leisurely loosened his tie and rolled up his s.h.i.+rt sleeves.

Apart from Li Wei Ran, Han Ting Ting wasn’t familiar with Qin Song’s other sworn brothers. Her initial impression of them was that they were immaculate otherworldly geniuses. Unexpectedly the high cla.s.s sworn brothers at the meeting table were fighting with each other over food. It left Han Ting Ting standing frozen in a speechless daze.

Li Wei Ran was the most chivalrous. He ignored the ghastly beasts killing each other and remembered to be courteous toward Han Ting Ting and asked her to take a seat.

‘Li Wei Ran, where’s Qin… Song Song?’ Han Ting Ting asked softly.

Li Wei Ran pointed to the direction of the bathroom built inside the meeting room. ‘What’s wrong with Song Song the last two days? He hasn’t been himself and seemed a bit lost.’

‘He’s… mad at me.’ Han Ting Ting said awkwardly and fiddled her hair. ‘I’m not good, I pushed him and caused him to fall. That’s why he’s not happy.’

Han Ting Ting was busy explaining when she turned her head the four sworn brothers that were using brute force to scavenge for food suddenly surrounded her back. She was startled and looked at Li Wei Ran blankly.

Li Wei Ran maintained a serene smile. ‘You… pushed Song Song to fall?’

Han Ting Ting didn’t notice anything strange and nodded her head. ‘The last two nights he didn’t come home. I called his phone but he didn’t pick up… I came here to say sorry to him.’

Ji Nan was the first to burst out laughing. Suddenly the bathroom door opened and Qin Song stepped out. Li Wei Ran withdrew his strange speculations and acted like he didn’t hear or see anything.

Qin Song saw Han Ting Ting stood in the meeting room and his expression changed to that of a stern master of the house and silently gave a look of indifference.

Han Ting Ting felt embarra.s.sed and fiddled here and there. ‘Song Song…’

Qin Song saw Han Ting Ting’s embarra.s.sed state and his heart softened. He reluctantly stepped toward her. ‘What are you doing here?’

Qin Song saw Han Ting Ting’s face turned red, she looked like a white and pink bun… but he also noticed five amused critters in the meeting room watching their conversation play out from the sidelines. Then he pulled her out of the meeting room. ‘Wait outside while I finish the meeting!’

Han Ting Ting obediently agreed and carefully closed the meeting room door on her way out.

The meeting resumed and the productiveness of the meeting shot up. The Liang’s sworn brothers saw Qin Song was pumped up to finish the meeting, and they secretly exchanged knowing glances at each other.

‘I’m done!’ Qin Song said and grinned. ‘Let’s stop the meeting here.’

Everyone else was silent. Then Ji Nan propped her chin up with her hand and looked at Qin Song. ‘I’m hungry!’

Qin Song hurriedly tidied the paperwork on the meeting table and didn’t bother to lift his head. ‘You ate like a pig and can still say you’re hungry… None of you have a conscience, no one left a portion of the food for me!’

Rong Yan smiled slyly. ‘The young Qin master is not happy.’

‘Oh, why is the young Qin master not happy?’ Chen Yu Bai asked with a rare smile.

Li Wei Ran innocently put his hands up in the air. ‘It has nothing to do with me. I wasn’t the one who pushed him to fall!’

Qin Song was completely framed.

‘Meeting adjourned! Stop the nonsense,’ Big boss said. Big boss knocked on the table, stood up and gently added fuel to the fire. ‘Or our young Qin master will run away from home.’

Li Wei Ran couldn’t take it anymore, lost his composure and burst out laughing.

Qin Song’s eyes had a misty layer of shame. He hugged his suitcase and ran outside to escape the taunting.

Han Ting Ting’s waiting stance was that of someone who felt remorseful. Her two legs were closed together and tilted on an angle, two hands were clasped on her knees and her head bent. She sat on the sofa, didn’t move an inch and waited patiently.

Qin Song rarely waited for anyone but there have been many women who had frivolously waited for him. Those women played with their phones, read a magazine or entertained themselves with something else… when he stepped out of the meeting room it was the first time a girl radiantly sat in silence and waited for him.

Qin Song thought having someone seriously waiting for him was a beautiful sight!

For that reason when he stepped toward Han Ting Ting, he was powerless to put up a cold att.i.tude toward her.

Han Ting Ting saw Qin Song and happily stood up. ‘Is your meeting finish? Are you tired?’

‘I’m ok,’ Qin Song said. ‘Is there something you wanted?’

Han Ting Ting fiddled with her hands for a while and struggled to open her mouth.

‘I’m sorry. This time it’s my fault. I’m sorry…’ Han Ting Ting said seriously. ‘I hope you’ll forgive me.’

Qin Song was taken back from her sudden apology and took a step back. It was the first time he’d seen someone sincerely apologised to him.

Qin Song didn’t know what to say.

‘Ahem… forget it. I’m not going to make a fuss about it with you,’ Qin Song said.

Qin Song felt it was strange he forgave Han Ting Ting easily. Didn’t he take a silent oath that he’d ignore her existence?

‘Thank you!’ Han Ting Ting said on the verge of tears.

Qin Song still had a bit of reservation but he saw Han Ting Ting’s pitiful choked distress and melted. If he said he’d let it go then he should. After all, he was a generous and a mature man so there was no need to get even with her.

‘Han Ting Ting, on the outside you appear like a normal girl. But that night, what voodoo possessed you? Do you have a mental illness you’re hiding from me?’ Qin Song scolded.

‘I don’t…’ Han Ting Ting said. ‘That… that night I received a call from that person. He’s back… it made me feel uncomfortable. Then you were venting on me and kept bothering me… that’s when I lost it and pushed you. In the future I won’t be like that anymore. I promise!’

‘Who called you? Who’s back?’ Qin Song asked and grimanced. ‘Was it that person who wants you to be his daughter’s step-mum, right?’

‘He doesn’t want me to be Dong Dong’s step-mum! Don’t talk nonsense!’ Han Ting Ting said.

Qin Song crossed his arms and laughed coldly at her. That warm mood he was in a moment ago suddenly vaporised.

Qin Song felt he should have seen it from the start. Han Ting Ting was that kind of person. What gently waiting? What sincere apology? It was just part of her nature. She didn’t specifically wait or said sorry to him because he was someone special to her. Instead one call from that widower changed her from her usual easy going approach into a different person.

Qin Song knew that love was special. A few years ago, someone he knew said to him something he’d couldn’t forget. She said she wouldn’t kill herself over someone, she vowed to continue living because of one person, no matter what obstacles life threw at her. The Qin Song those years ago was a thousand times more arrogant and childish. But that Qin Song at least knew that he wasn’t the reason she wanted to keep living no matter how much she struggled and that was why he let her go.

Qin Song’s heart suddenly became cold and in turn his mood became cold. ‘Han Ting Ting! I can’t stop you from wanting to be her step-mum. But don’t ever forget your current status! If you dare do anything disgraceful then you and that person will have me to deal with!’

Qin Song’s crazy outburst was scary. Han Ting Ting pursed her lips too scared to reply.

‘Did you hear me?’ Qin Song asked harshly.

‘I didn’t do anything disgraceful…’ Han Ting Ting muttered.