Chapter 42: Untitled
“Hi, Mr. Han.” Seeing that her elder sister’s boyfriend was even more perfect than she imagined, Mu Qiu felt ecstatic. Then again, thinking of how she was about to die, she couldn’t help but feel unresigned to that fact.
She also wanted to fall in love.
Seeing how Mu Qiu had been staring at Han Zhan like she was in a daze, Song Ci felt slightly uncomfortable. In her previous lifetime, Mu Qiu ended up marrying Cheng Yanmo for his good background and talent. He was an outstanding fellow that everyone praised.
When Mu Qiu married Cheng Yanmo, Han Zhan was still unheard of.
But seeing the way Mu Qiu was looking at Han Zhan, Song Ci thought Mu Qiu was attracted to Han Zhan and instantly felt a sense of danger.
No way! This man belonged to her, and Mu Qiu must not seduce him!
Song Ci looked calm on the surface but pressed into Han Zhan’s leather shoes with her toes under the table.
Han Zhan gazed down past Song Ci’s protesting foot and felt amused.
Guessing that Song Ci was acting up, Han Zhan slowly said to Mu Qiu, “Take good care of yourself and get well soon. Your sister and I are still waiting for you to be discharged from the hospital and attend our wedding.”
Hearing this, Song Ci was deeply pleased.
“Okay,” Mu Qiu said. Du Tingting took the phone and started chatting away with her daughter.
Song Ci couldn’t quite sit still anymore as she grabbed Han Zhan’s hand. She told Mu Mian, “Father, I’m going to move out of the house to live with Han Zhan. We’re planning to get married and want to live together before the wedding just to figure out if our living habits are also compatible.”
Mu Mian wanted to object. Du Tingting, on the other hand, had hung up the call and walked over. She heard her daughter’s statement and blurted out a question before Mu Mian could. “Songsong, do you really want to marry Han Zhan?”
Song Ci acknowledged solemnly.
“I love him and want to marry him. We have discussed it before and decided to cohabit.”
Du Tingting also had her considerations. She said, “You’re only 22 years old and aren’t in a hurry to get married. Anyway, for cohabitation... cohabitation...” Du Tingting mumbled, “How are you going to sleep then?”
This was the thing that Du Tingting was concerned about the most. She was afraid that Han Zhan was only greedy for Song Ci’s beauty and that his feelings towards her would fade after the initial exciting period.
Hearing this, Song Ci’s face blushed in embarrassment. Before she thought of how to reply, Han Zhan, who was beside her, said, “Aunty, to be honest, Song Ci and I are already husband and wife in deed.”
Han Zhan was only short of saying, ‘Song Ci and I already had sex!’
His statement stunned Du Tingting and Song Ci.
Mu Mian frowned as he heard Han Zhan’s explanation. “Last month, when we were at Shunchen City for a work trip, Song Ci stayed in my hotel room.”
“Ah, you’ve already...” As a woman, Du Tingting felt awkward talking about such matters.
However, after Mu Mian heard this, he suddenly asked, “Song Ci stayed in your room during that work trip?”
Han Zhan nodded. “Yes.”
He grabbed Song Ci’s hand and looked at Mu Mian and Du Tingting. He then solemnly said, “Uncle, Aunty, I’d like to ask for your permission for Song Ci’s hand in marriage. I love her and want to marry her.”
Although Song Ci didn’t understand why Han Zhan lied, she knew that she had to continue the act with him.
Song Ci grabbed Du Tingting’s hand and begged. “Mother, just let me move in with Han Zhan for the time being. We’ll only know if we’re compatible after staying together and interacting more.”
“Then...” Du Tingting said to Mu Mian, “Why don’t we just agree?”
From the time Mu Mian heard Han Zhan say that Song Ci stayed with him during their first work trip at Shunchen City, he had zoned out. The private investigator he had engaged with told him that on the night Song Fei went missing, Song Ci didn’t return to the hotel at all.
Mu Mian was almost certain that Song Ci was behind Song Fei’s disappearance, but then he got to know from Han Zhan that Song Ci had spent that specific night with him.
What was the truth exactly?
Mu Mian remained silent. Du Tingting nudged his shoulder and asked, “Hubby, do you think it’s okay?”
Mu Mian wasn’t listening to their conversation carefully, so when Du Tingting asked if it was okay, Mu Mian instinctively agreed. But upon doing so, Mu Mian saw that Song Ci looked overjoyed and Han Zhan was also smiling. He suddenly felt that something was off.
Han Zhan clasped Song Ci’s hand. And with a serious expression, Han Zhan said, “Uncle Mu, don’t worry. I definitely won’t let Song Ci down.”
Mu Mian was speechless.
Was it too late for him to go back on his words?
...
Han Zhan brought Song Ci away from the Mu Family. When she left, she brought along a small suitcase and a small box.
Han Zhan helped her place her luggage into the car boot and received a box that was rather light. Han Zhan noticed that since Song Ci held the box, she couldn’t bear to place it down. Obviously, the things inside mattered to Song Ci a lot.
Han Zhan initially thought it contained Song Ci’s valuable jewelry. But he still asked Song Ci, “What’s in the box? You even remembered it while moving houses.”
Song Ci said in a half-joking manner, “It contains a token from my first love.”
“First love?” Han Zhan narrowed his eyes and looked at her. Against Han Zhan’s inquisitive stare, Song Ci couldn’t hold her expression as she whispered, “First crush.”
Han Zhan giggled.
Han Zhan’s giggle was slightly meaningful.
Song Ci thought it was slightly annoying, however. “What’s so funny? I’m already 22 years old, can’t I have a crush?”
Hearing Song Ci’s question, Han Zhan kept his smile and said, “Of course you can. Anyone can.” Since that was before she met him, it was beyond Han Zhan’s control. He also didn’t feel uncomfortable about it.
Han Zhan placed that small box beside the luggage. Song Ci leaned against the car and asked Han Zhan, “Brother Han, have you ever been in love?”
Both were already a cohabiting couple which was just a step away from the closest husband and wife relationship. Han Zhan didn’t wish to hide his love history from Song Ci either, so he nodded.
At this point, Song Ci had still yet to truly fall in love with Han Zhan, and she wasn’t jealous either upon seeing him nod. Instead, she was very interested in Han Zhan’s love history. Moreover, Han Zhan was already 33 years old, and it wasn’t strange for him to have been in love. Otherwise, it would have been intriguing.
Song Ci asked Han Zhan curiously, “Who was it? How long were you guys in a relationship?”
Han Zhan shut the car boot and looked up to glance at her. He saw that she was genuinely curious, and so he said, “We met in high school, knew each other for seven years, and we were in a relationship for five years.”
As he spoke, he headed for the driver’s seat and prepared to board the car.
This information stunned Song Ci—that was a long time ago.
Song Ci headed for the passenger’s seat and asked, “That’s a long relationship, and you guys must have been very serious. Then how did you break up?”
Han Zhan’s hand was on the handle of the car door, and his movement paused slightly upon hearing her question.
Han Zhan opened the car door with a calm expression and sat down.
Song Ci also sat in the passenger’s seat. As she closed the car door, she heard Han Zhan say, “I got injured, my fingers were severed. Since I couldn’t hold a gun anymore, my future was bleak. At that time, her career was on a roll. For her prospects, she broke up with me.”
Too many years had already passed, and it didn’t hurt much anymore.
However, to admit that someone had dumped him was still slightly embarrassing for Han Zhan.
After hearing this answer, Song Ci’s first thought was, ‘Someone actually dumped my Brother Han before???’