Today is her mother’s death anniversary.
Five years ago today, her mother, who had battled cancer for many years, finally succumbed and passed away.
She left behind her.
She left her alone, living in this world.
That day, she truly understood what complete loneliness and solitude meant. Since then, she has had no attachments in this world, no bonds with anyone. She comes and goes, only by herself.
That’s how it feels.
That day, she realized, with deep pain, how much it hurt.
Thinking of this, Qi Feifei faintly pressed her lips together, not a smile, just self-mockery, a little light she lit for herself in profound sorrow.
“Mom, I’ve come to see you.”
She stood in front of the columbarium, placed fresh flowers and fruits, clasped her hands together, burned incense, and prayed.
“Are you doing well? Are you watching over me from heaven? You know I’m planning to open a third restaurant, right? It’s under renovation now, and will be officially open soon. Do you remember the jazz music I used to play for you? I’ve decided to go with that theme for the new restaurant, targeting mature men and women… If only you were still here, you would definitely be the first guest at my restaurant.”
If only you were still here.
Xin Zhihuan stood beside her, listening to Qi Feifei whispering to her mother, feeling a wrenching sensation in his chest.
Five years ago, when her mother passed away, she must have been devastated. How did she get through that most heartbreaking and darkest period?
At that time, he was in Europe for business, shuttling between several cities. His parents told him she insisted on not notifying him to avoid disturbing his work.
By the time he received the news, two weeks had already passed, and he couldn’t even attend his mother-in-law’s funeral.
Honestly, apart from feeling sorry for her, he couldn’t help but feel angry. Why was he kept so distant? After all, he was her husband in name. Why wasn’t he informed about such a big event?
What did she really think of him?
He was furious and ended up getting drunk in a small tavern in Prague that night. There, behind the bar, he saw a delicate and beautiful crystal music box displayed in a decorative cabinet. He asked the bartender to take it down for him to admire. Listening to its tinkling music, he reminisced about his moments with her.
Then, impulsively, he insisted on buying the music box, though the bartender said it was the owner’s private collection and not for sale. Drunk and irrational, he persisted until the owner came out to see what was happening.
He vaguely remembered drunkenly telling the owner a series of things, how the music box reminded him of his wife in Taiwan, how he both hated and missed her. He said many things and finally moved the owner to sell him the music box.
It was the crystal music box he brought back to Taiwan specifically for her – she would like it, right? He hoped she would.
Xin Zhihuan silently gazed at Qi Feifei, her delicate figure appearing unexpectedly fragile and heart-wrenching.
His heart stirred, and he suddenly spoke up. “Feifei, can I also say a few words to your mom?”
“What?” She looked at him in surprise, bewildered.
“I want to say a few words to your mom,” he whispered, stepping forward and looking directly at her mother’s tablet. “Mom, it’s me, Zhihuan.”
He called her “Mom”?
Qi Feifei’s heart fluttered slightly as she watched Xin Zhihuan’s profile, unexpectedly solemn and dignified.
“I’m sorry I’ve come to see you so late. I’ve been working abroad all these years, in New York. Did Feifei tell you?” He continued, having confessed to her mother in her sadness that he wouldn’t come back to her.
“Although I’ve come back to Taiwan a few times in between, I haven’t met Feifei. Although we are married, our relationship is very distant.”
Why did he have to tell her mom this? Qi Feifei lightly bit her lip.
“I came back this time not only because the headquarters sent me to handle the establishment of the Taiwan branch, but also because I received a divorce notice from Feifei, hoping to complete our divorce proceedings as quickly as possible.” He paused, lips slightly twitching, almost bitterly smiling. “Mom, did you know? When I received the letter, I was very unhappy. Why did she set a time limit for divorcing me? Does she treat me like a dog that can be called and dismissed at will?”
It’s not like that! Qi Feifei was shocked and took a sharp breath. How could he think like that?
“So I came back to Taiwan to teach her a lesson, to warn her that I’m not that easy to deal with.”
“But now I regret it.”
Regret? Why? She stared at him in bewilderment.
His voice became subdued and hoarse, laden with profound emotions. “I regret treating her that way, teasing her, ruining her chance at a good marriage because of jealousy… Mom, I’m truly sorry. I might have once again prevented her from finding happiness.”
He… sorry?
“For these six years, I’ve blamed Feifei, accused her of deceiving me, even blamed her for losing our child. I suspected her of infidelity, like my previous fiancée. I was so angry at her, especially because she wouldn’t give me a clear explanation.”
He wanted to hear her explanation? Qi Feifei was lost.
“But now I don’t care anymore. Regardless of the reasons, the past is in the past. We’ve been separated for six years, and all the grievances should have faded.”
So, what he means is…
She gritted her teeth, suddenly feeling a pang in her heart, an inexplicable pain.
“I think if she insists on divorcing me, I would agree without hesitation. But…”
But what?
“If she’s willing to give me another chance, I will take good care of her, make it up to her. I will do my best to give her everything she wants, to give her the happiness she desires.” He paused, his voice becoming even huskier and deeper. “Mom, will you agree? Let me take care of her for you.”
Is he out of his mind? What is he saying?
Qi Feifei couldn’t believe it, her delicate hand touching her throat, trying to suppress the waves of bitterness and sorrow surging in her chest. Was he serious with these words? Or was he teasing her again?
Yet Xin Zhihuan remained solemn, turning to face her openly.
“What I said, did you hear it, Feifei?” He asked softly, his gaze gentle and warm as water.
She stared back at him in confusion, her mind blank.
“You don’t have to give me an answer now.” Sensing her stunned confusion, he reassured her gently. “I’m just asking for a chance to prove that I can do better than Fang Jiajun. I will love you more, care for you more, fulfill all your needs.”
What exactly… is he saying?
“So don’t accept Fang Jiajun’s proposal yet, at least not now. See how I perform! Maybe you’ll find that I’m more suitable for you than him.” He spoke sincerely, earnestly.
This wasn’t like him at all. He wasn’t usually so tender and affectionate, so sincere. It left her… unsure of what to do.
He approached her, gently taking her hand, his determined gaze seeming to see into the deepest corners of her eyes, penetrating her fragile soul.
“Give me a chance, Feifei.”
His gentle yet commanding words were like an ancient spell, summoning her submission.
Unconsciously, she nodded. “…Okay.”
So, when he wants to, he can pamper a woman like this.
Sweet words and honeyed promises weren’t his style. His approach was through actions, gradually infiltrating her heart in everyday life.
He took care of her daily life – no, not just “took care,” but “supervised.” He strictly monitored her meals, ensuring she maintained regular routines, not allowing her to overwork.
“You’re too thin. You should eat more, like you used to.”
One night, he brought supper to her office, coaxing her to eat more.
“Like I used to?” She protested. “Wasn’t I too fat back then? Now this is considered a standard figure.”
“You want to be even more ‘standard’?” He frowned, staring at her. “Do you have to charm everyone to be satisfied?”
“What?” She was surprised, her heart fluttering at his obvious jealousy.
“You’re already beautiful enough.” He bluntly stated. “Being more beautiful would be a crime. Do you want to tempt other men into committing crimes?”
Her cheeks instantly flushed with a rosy hue, her heart in turmoil. It took her a moment to find her voice, thinking she was cleverly retorting. “Why would others commit crimes? Aren’t you capable of it?” Follow the newest chapters on novelping dot com.
As soon as the words came out, she immediately regretted them.
What was she saying? This was outright flirting!
He seemed somewhat surprised too, but more amused, smoothly picking up on her implication. “Do you want me to commit a crime against you?”
That’s enough!
She hastily avoided him, pretending her stomach was growling with hunger for supper, barely escaping this alarming ordeal.
But such incidents were not isolated. The next day, as he accompanied her to inspect the new restaurant about to open, he once again left her mind in turmoil.
In the role of a professional management consultant, he scrutinized every aspect of the restaurant, even examining the operational business plan she had prepared with meticulous care.
She felt anxious, worried he might find inconsistencies and question her managerial abilities.
Sure enough, after reviewing the business plan, he sharply raised questions. “Have you conducted a survey of the customer demographics in this area?”
“Yes, I had interns collect data earlier. There are several office buildings nearby, with many white-collar workers.”
“Have you considered the cost of ingredients in designing the menu?”
“Of course.”
“Since you own three restaurants, have you negotiated joint purchasing to enhance bargaining power with suppliers?”
“Yes, I have discussed it.” She handed him relevant documents. “These are the prices they are willing to offer for supplies.”
He quickly glanced over the numbers, comparing them with the financial structures of her other two establishments and the cash flows in and out over the past few years.
He carried a laptop with him and called up a program, inputting numbers for analysis.
“Is this software you purchased?” she curiously watched beside him.
“It’s a program I wrote myself,” he replied. “It’s well-suited for businesses like yours, where effective cash management is crucial alongside daily performance. Accounts receivable turnover and accounts payable turnover can influence your bargaining power with suppliers, and ingredient costs can fluctuate accordingly… See, this is the approximate result the program generated.”
She looked at the complex spreadsheets, feeling dizzy.
“Can’t understand?” he smiled.
She nodded awkwardly. “But how did you generate these spreadsheets so quickly? There are data going back years. Did you input all that just now?”
Was it her imagination, or did he slightly freeze, seeming somewhat embarrassed, avoiding her gaze? “The model was set up long ago. Businesses like yours generally have similar data.”
Was that so? She silently stared at him.
Although she didn’t have an MBA from overseas or belong to New York’s elite white-collar professionals like him, she had taken courses in financial management and related subjects in college. She understood that financial data varies between companies, and for rigorous operational and financial analysis, it’s essential to establish relevant databases.
So, did he already have a database of her restaurant in his computer? Was this not his first time analyzing her restaurant’s operations?
As doubts surfaced in her mind, he skillfully diverted her attention with a pointed critique.
“…So, your operational plan is incorrect. Your considerations are too shallow. You’ve only thought about one store, but in fact, you should consider all three stores simultaneously to precisely identify shared benefits and thereby increase profits.”
His insights were unique and profound, his explanations clear and organized. She deeply admired him, feeling her heartstrings quiver.
Some say that a man who works diligently is the most handsome. At this moment, in her eyes, he appeared like a noble deity adorned with radiant glory.
He was so handsome, so charming.
She had thought that after six years, she had achieved considerable growth and should be able to match him. Yet in an instant, she felt a wave of self-doubt.
His knowledge surpassed hers by far. She felt as if she were still the foolish girl who couldn’t even understand English song lyrics, unworthy of him.
“What are you thinking about?” He noticed her distraction and asked with concern.
She quickly shook her head, focusing. “Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Are you finding me too nitpicky?”
“… “