148. Farewell dinner

Ling Ling realized it was almost 11 p.m. She and Ming Tong had been in constant contact the entire way, analyzing the locations of some landmarks his mother had mentioned. They finally reunited in a small square. "There's a tunnel through this square. I think Auntie should be there," Ling Ling breathlessly said. Ming Tong's face was livid, and as he hurried forward, he dropped a sentence: "I know you hate her, and I don't want to cause you any trouble, but we only have two days. Can't you just think of it as a little kindness for an elderly stranger?" Ling Ling froze in her tracks, a few seconds before she reacted. She followed him a few steps and said unflinchingly, "She hates me more than I hate her. Selfishness is my shield; I never extend kindness to strangers. But because she's your mother, I've tried to accept and tolerate her. I've done nothing wrong. We all have a share of responsibility for this situation! My biggest mistake was allowing myself to get involved!" Ming Tong stopped abruptly and stared at her in disbelief. "Mingtong!" His mother's overjoyed voice broke the tense between them. Mingtong rushed to his mother. The reserved mother and son rarely touched each other, but now they embraced as if reunited after a lifetime of hardship. Lingling looked at his mother, tears streaming down her face, her hair disheveled, her face etched with fatigue. She pulled out the bottle of mineral water she'd brought with her, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to the elderly woman. Mingtong glanced at her, his expression complex. But without a chance to speak, he helped his mother out of the tunnel and onto the main road to catch a taxi. As Lingling watched the two of them, she suddenly remembered Rong Xinhua's words at Shengnan's funeral: An 18-year-old girl has no idea what kind of man she would choose to spend the rest of her life with. Zhong Mingtong perfectly matched the boyfriend criteria she'd written in her diary as a teenager, but now she realized that such a life wasn't for her. *~*~*~*~*~*~~ Mingtong's father had been discharged from the hospital and was recuperating at his house in Shunyi. The Aojie case Lingling had been working on with Wen Rui'er was nearing completion. She was so busy every day that she'd slept on a folding bed in the office for two nights, sparing herself from the strain on her family relationships back home. She empathized with the middle-aged men in TV dramas who often stayed late at work, or parked their cars outside to smoke a cigarette or listen to the radio before heading home. Because in the company, even if you were divided into different levels, you still had your place. As long as you weren't laid off, you...

Ling Ling realized that it was almost 11 o'clock in the evening. She and Ming Tong had been in contact along the way, analyzing the locations of some landmark buildings his mother mentioned. They finally met in a small square.

"There is a tunnel across this square. I think my aunt should be there." Ling Ling said breathlessly.

Mingtong's face was ashen, and as he walked forward quickly, he said, "I know you hate her, and I don't want to cause you any trouble, but, it's only for two days. Can't you just treat it as a little kindness to a stranger old man?"

Hearing his words, Ling Ling froze in place. After a few seconds, she reacted and followed him a few steps before saying without hesitation, "She hates me more than I hate her. Selfishness is my protection, and I never show any kindness to strangers. But because she is your mother, I have always tried to accept her and tolerate her. I have done nothing wrong. We all have a part to play in this situation today! And my biggest mistake is allowing myself to be involved in all this!"

Mingtong suddenly stopped and looked at her in disbelief.

"Mingtong!" His mother's overjoyed voice broke the deadlock between the two.

Mingtong rushed towards his mother. The conservative mother and son rarely had physical contact, but now they hugged each other as if they had been reunited after a disaster.

Ling Ling looked at his mother with tears in her eyes, messy hair and a tired face. She took out a bottle of mineral water she had brought with her when she went out, unscrewed the cap and handed it to the old woman.

Mingtong looked at her with a complicated expression. But he didn't have the chance to say anything more. He helped his mother out of the tunnel and onto the main road to get a taxi.

Ling Ling looked at the backs of the mother and son, and she suddenly thought of what Rong Xinhua said at Shengnan's funeral: An 18-year-old girl has no idea what kind of man she should choose to spend the rest of her life with.

Zhong Mingtong was a man who completely met the standards of a boyfriend that she had written in her diary during her teenage years, but now she realized that such a life was not actually suitable for her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mingtong's father was discharged from the hospital and settled into his house in Shunyi to recuperate. The Aojie case, which Lingling had collaborated with Wen Ruier on, was also nearing completion. She was so busy every day that she simply slept on a folding bed in the office for two nights, saving herself the stress of family relationships back home.

She empathized with the middle-aged men in TV dramas who often work overtime at the company and don't go home, or who park their cars outside to smoke a cigarette or listen to a few radio clips before heading home. Because at work, even if there are different levels, you still have your place. As long as you haven't been laid off, you're needed. Only within the company can you feel your value. Once home, the glamorous exterior fades, and they're left in pajamas and slippers, talking about nothing but eating, drinking, and talking about your mom.

The final draft was submitted today. While Lingling thought the Aojie marketing plan, which Wen Ruier and the others had worked on, was more flashy than creative, Aojie liked it, and Lingling gained marketing experience with a leading foreign brand. With the work now complete, Lingling finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Mingtong said that his parents would be returning to their hometown tomorrow, and they would have a reunion dinner together at home tonight. Lingling agreed, and she also wanted to have a good talk with Mingtong. After work, Mingtong waited for her downstairs of Lingling's company. It felt like they hadn't seen each other for a long time.

"How about Uncle's follow-up checkup?" Ling Ling asked, and their conversation also turned to family matters.

"It's fine. I can move freely now." Mingtong said. He saw that she kept her hands in her coat pockets and he had no one to hold their hands.

They walked into the subway and stood for a while before getting a seat. As the number of people in the car gradually decreased, they began to chat absentmindedly about work that neither of them cared about.

After leaving the subway station, Ling Ling finally couldn't help but speak out, "Mingtong, let's talk."

Mingtong stood still, looking into her eyes. He knew what this meant, but he cowardly wanted to resist from the bottom of his heart: "No, Lingling, my parents are leaving tomorrow. It's been a really chaotic time. Let's just calm down and spend some time together before we talk about it, okay? Don't jump to conclusions during this special period."

"But this period of time is the normal state of life, isn't it? The real special period is the short time when we just got together." Ling Ling said with a sense of loss.

Mingtong stepped forward, held his hand, and said, "Wait for me a little longer, okay? We were so good before, but it all felt so short-lived to me. I've never been so free and happy in my life. I like you and only want to be with you, okay?"

Ling Ling looked back at his clear eyes, filled with longing. She nodded, thinking, after all, she still loved this man.

The two walked into Mingtong's house hand in hand, and the aroma of food hit them as soon as they entered. Lingling bent down to change her slippers, but found that her pair of slippers was missing from the shoe rack.

Mingtong's mother ran out with a smile on her face, and she actually smiled when she saw Lingling. It might be because Lu Yan, who was dressed up, was following her.

"Mom, why is she here?!" Mingtong asked in panic.

Mingtong's mother said disapprovingly, "Why can't Yanyan be here? She's been running around to help us so much these days. She even came early this morning to help me prepare meals. Her cooking skills are really good!"

Mingtong's father said to Lingling guiltily: "I'm sorry, Lingling, but we are leaving tomorrow. Let's have a reunion dinner together today."

Seeing Mingtong's father looking much better, Lingling felt a little relieved. The old man had always valued Lingling, and she couldn't bear to disappoint him, who had just recovered from a serious illness. Although she felt embarrassed, she nodded.

"No, you guys eat, we'll go eat outside." Mingtong pulled Lingling's hand and walked out, but was held down by Lingling.

Ling Ling smiled at him with relief and said, "It's nothing, let's eat together." She pulled Ming Tong to join her at the table.

Mingtong sat right next to her, but during the meal he was overwhelmed by the lively chat between his mother and Lu Yan, and they hardly communicated with each other.

The fireworks faded, and this dinner party, filled with everyone's own thoughts, finally came to an end. Ling Ling could finally return to her home upstairs, and she breathed a long sigh of relief.

Mingtong followed and stood in the living room, leaning against the long table, looking lonely out the window at the dark sky.

"Mingtong, we--" Ling Ling stood behind him and said hesitantly.

"I know. I agree." Mingtong couldn't get her to say the word "break up", so she could only say desperately, "I'm sorry for what happened recently."

"No..." Ling Ling couldn't bear to see him so sad, and wanted to deny it in a hurry, but she didn't know what to say.

Mingtong looked out the window, where the darkness deepened. "I should let you go. You deserve a better life. Staying by my side is a bondage to you, and it will wear away our love until nothing is left." He gave a trembling laugh and continued, "Over the past period of time, I've felt like so many people have been involved in our relationship. Everyone has their own opinions on our relationship, but no one has asked me what I really like. I like you, but you've become the least important factor in our relationship. However, I can't blame anyone, because—I really didn't do anything."

Two lines of clear tears slid down Mingtong's cheeks. His Adam's apple bulged and he swallowed the bitterness into his body. He seemed to become gray in an instant.

Ling Ling walked up to him and gently wiped away his tears with her slender fingers.

"No, Mingtong, I don't blame you." She held his face and finally continued the words she hadn't known how to express just now, "You're good, and I love you too, we're just not suitable for each other. We tried, we tried hard, and we ended it properly before our love became ugly. I am still as grateful as I was at the beginning, grateful to have met you, grateful that you were able to stay by my side when I was most helpless."

She stroked his head, stood on tiptoe and hugged him gently. He held her tightly in his arms with trembling hands and kissed her hair for the last time.

"Can you let me have it one last time?" He kissed her so passionately that he forgot about her, and there was a misty glint in his eyes.

Ling Ling nodded lightly, and was greeted by his passionate kiss, a passion unlike any she had ever experienced before. Ming Tong seemed to want to remember her body forever with this final caress. Throughout this night of tug-of-war and collision, in the intermittent gasps for breath, she realized that this might be the last time Ming Tong would do the 100 things he had once been afraid to do.