Chapter 44 And you, have you missed me? ...
Zhang Man stayed in Moscow for a week, but Lin Ke could usually only see her at night. She was really here to do business. During the day, she was either meeting with people from this chamber of commerce or discussing cooperation with the owners of that factory. She always came back reeking of alcohol.
That day, just like before, she staggered to the sofa as soon as she entered, lay down straight, and said, "Water..."
Lin Ke prepared honey water for her, and, worried that she might not be able to hold the cup steady, helped her hold it and fed her a couple of sips.
The woman's face was flushed and her eyes were glazed; she had probably drunk quite a bit again.
Lin Ke wanted to persuade her, but ultimately didn't speak, only softly asking, "Can you take a shower?"
"able......"
"Then you should rest for a while, and I'll make you a hangover soup."
"Keke...where's my phone...?"
Lin Ke took her phone out of her bag, and then, following her instructions, said in a somewhat dejected tone, "See if Yun Zheng has sent me any messages..."
No, the lock screen is completely clean.
She showed her the screen directly, asking, "What's wrong with you guys?"
That night, Yun Zheng seemed no different from usual, but he was somewhat dejected and his mood remained gloomy.
Zhang Man pointed to herself and asked dazedly, "Keke...am I not pretty?"
"pretty."
Am I not good enough?
"excellent."
"Then why doesn't he like me?"
Lin Ke laughed, "You two have only known each other for a short time. Besides, I think Yun Zheng is a very cautious person. Didn't he say that he hasn't met anyone he likes so he hasn't been in a relationship? So he's probably looking for someone with a soulmate? I think it's too difficult for you to make him your target."
Lin Ke initially thought she was just playing around, but after that night she seemed genuinely frustrated, remaining sullen for several days before a smile returned to her face.
The two have known each other for almost ten years. Zhang Man knows her personality best. She is not from Beicheng. Her hometown is a small coastal city in the south. Her family is not well-off and she has younger brothers and sisters.
Zhang Man is very hardworking, but she is also short of money. So when she graduated, she chose to do the quick money-making business of second-hand luxury goods. Because she was too eager for money and love, she made a wrong step in marriage. During the period of her divorce, she was like a completely different person. Now, Lin Ke feels that he can no longer understand her.
I'm also worried. Yunzheng isn't some college graduate who just entered the workforce. It's not something you can just do on a whim.
And... although she didn't think Zhang Man was wrong for being "married before," what about the man's thoughts? If Yun Zheng knew that Zhang Man had been married before, wouldn't the resistance be even greater?
“Manman…”
Zhang Man closed her eyes, seemingly exhausted, and leaned on her shoulder, speaking in a weak voice: "I know... I know everything... He and I are not from the same world... I know... I'll try again..."
He spoke so softly at the end that it was almost inaudible, but after a while, he suddenly stood up, his feet on the sofa, exuding an imposing aura, "If I don't take him down, I'm not Zhang!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his drunken body swayed unsteadily, and Lin Ke quickly pulled him down, saying, "Okay, be careful not to fall."
"Keke." Zhang Man put her hands on her shoulders, her eyes very serious. "You have to help me!"
"Okay, I'll help you. You should rest now, take a shower, and go to bed, okay?"
"Okay~" Like a child.
Zhang Man slept soundly until dawn. When she woke up the next day, she seemed to have forgotten her grand ambitions from the night before. She hurriedly packed her luggage, saying, "Oh no, I still have a big order back home. Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
After Lin Ke finished getting ready, she put the woman in the car. The woman rolled down the window, clenched her fist, and said defiantly, "Ke Ke, wait for me to come back. I will not give up on Yun Zheng!"
After seeing Zhang Man off, I went to work and entered the embassy through the back door, where I happened to run into Yun Zheng, who had just arrived.
Good morning, Director Yun.
"morning."
Yun Zheng has long legs and long strides, so Lin Ke quickened her pace to catch up. After thinking for a moment, she took the initiative to say, "Manman returned to China this morning."
The man didn't react much, just said, "Hmm."
"She's been running around these past few days. I heard she signed contracts with two or three local manufacturers and secured their domestic sales agency rights."
"Um."
"I think it's quite impressive that she, as a woman, has managed to secure so many collaborations on her own. I definitely couldn't have done it. Moreover, she only really started in this industry this year, and she's already achieved so much in just six months. That's remarkable."
"Um."
His cold, emotionless voice extinguished Lin Ke's desire to help.
Yun Zheng and Zhang Man have completely different personalities. Yun Zheng is calm and reserved, always deep and seemingly hiding many things in his heart. Trying to open his heart is probably a pipe dream.
Manman, you have a long road ahead of you. Good luck to yourself.
The embassy wasn't too busy during this period, so Lin Ke was able to go home to rest at noon. After waking up from her nap, she would call Si Xiaotie back on time.
"Mommy~"
The voice unconsciously picked up from the little girl's, "What is Xiao Tie doing?"
"School starts next week, and Dad is taking me to buy a new backpack. Mom, wait a minute, I'll show you my new backpack!"
After the call ended, she waited a while and then Si Yuming called her via WeChat video. She answered.
In the video, Si Xiaotie couldn't wait to show off her dinosaur backpack, and she was very happy. After showing it off, she shared what she had done from morning to night, "Mom, I went to see the baby spiders this morning. The baby spiders have grown so big and so big." She made exaggerated gestures with her hands, and her eyes widened involuntarily.
"Then I came back at noon and swam with my brother. I've already learned to swim without a swimming ring, Mom! Aren't I awesome!"
“Absolutely fantastic.”
"Hehe, and then..."
The little girl chattered for about ten minutes, her mouth almost dry from talking. Her father poured her some water and took the phone from her.
Lin Ke checked the time; it was almost time to go to work. She glanced at the man in the video and said, "I'll change my clothes first."
She then switched to call mode, put down her phone, and spoke to him on her own, "What's the temperature in Beicheng now? If it's cold, don't let her go swimming anymore, or she'll easily catch a cold."
"Yes, we'll drain the pool in a couple of days. If she still wants to swim, she can go to the swimming pool."
There was a rustling sound on the phone. Lin Ke quickly changed her clothes, picked up her phone again, and was about to hang up, but then she remembered something, put on her earphones, and said as she walked, "Si Yuming, I have a question for you."
"Um."
Do men like married women?
Suddenly, there was silence on the other end of the line, so quiet that the sound of breathing could be clearly heard through the earpiece. Lin Ke wondered, "Si Yuming?"
In the old house in China, Si Yuming walked into the study with his phone in hand, frowned, and asked, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
"It's nothing." Si Xiaotie had shared a bit too much today, and she was rushing to work, so she didn't have time to explain further. "It's just that if a woman is divorced but really likes you and is pursuing you, would you accept her?"
"No, I'm not divorced."
"..." Lin Ke was speechless. "Assuming, do you even know what 'assumption' means? Ugh, I just want to ask, do you men have any prejudice against divorced women?"
"I don't have it, but I don't know if others do."
"...Never mind, I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to work now."
After hanging up the phone, Si Yuming stood motionless by the window, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.
What does she mean by that?
......
To take care of Si Xiaotie, Si Yuming turned down many evenings of work, but on this night it was Grandpa Jin Yang's birthday, so he couldn't turn down any more.
When they were young, the families living in the same compound had a good relationship. After their parents passed away and their grandfather left, the Jin and Meng families helped them a lot, and he remembered their kindness.
Upon arriving at the Jin family villa, Si Yuming personally presented the gift and offered his blessings. The old man was very happy, and after exchanging a few words, Jin Yang pulled him into the group of young people.
Jiang Chengyin was also there, but the two only greeted each other from a distance and didn't say much.
Jin Yang's gaze followed, then he sighed deeply, "I'm really fed up with these old men."
"how?"
"You'd never guess, my father-in-law wants me to marry Jiang Chengyin."
Si Yuming looked over, surprised, but quickly understood.
The Jiang family also had a good relationship with them. Now, of such a large family, only Jiang Chengyin remains. The older generation probably wanted to do something good.
"What era are we living in? It's one thing if you and Meng Jing don't care about your own marriage, but I don't want to accept this kind of arranged marriage. What's the point of forcing a marriage between parents?"
Si Yuming punched him, his tone unfriendly, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Isn't that right? Besides, I've disliked Jiang Chengyin since I was a child, and now they're actually asking me to marry her? Are they out of their minds?" Jin Yang glared and puffed out his cheeks. "Anyway, I'm not getting married. Whoever wants to get married can get married."
Si Yuming asked, "What's Cheng Yin's opinion?"
Jin Yang frowned slightly but didn't say anything.
Damn it, Jiang Chengyin actually dared to look down on him!
As soon as she found out about this, she ran over to the old man and told him she didn't want to get married. He hadn't even said he would refuse yet, and she had already set him up. How infuriating!
A friend of mine, Da Dong, chimed in, "I think this girl from the Jiang family is pretty good. Not only is she beautiful, but she's also very capable. She's managing such a big company all by herself now, and she's wrested back control of the Jiang family from her uncles and elders. How amazing!"
Jin Yang glanced at him and said, "If you like her, marry her."
"I don't have a chance," Da Dong said with a helpless smile. "My girlfriend is keeping a close eye on me now."
He patted Jin Yang on the shoulder, "Brother Yang, you'll know how happy it is to have your wife by your side in the future." Then he raised an eyebrow at Si Yuming, "Right, President Si? I heard your wife has been sent to Moscow? That's really far. Even my girlfriend in Shanghai feels far away."
Si Yuming: "..."
"Seriously, long-distance relationships are no joke. Look at Meng Jing and Si Jie, they're married but still in a long-distance relationship. Just ask them what it's like, and you'll know how troublesome it is. It's also incredibly prone to problems..."
Da Dong realized he was rambling, but when he turned to his boss Yu Ming's probing gaze, he rolled up his sleeves and continued, "You know, boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, let alone physical needs, they can't even meet in person. Just imagine, if she gets sick or has a fever and you're not there, and another man happens to be with her, wouldn't that be a disaster?"
"I've been there. When my girlfriend and I first broke up, I was always worried. Now, a year later, she's the one who worries about me. She calls me more than a dozen times a day. I feel like I've lost my freedom. Sigh."
"But Mr. Si, you don't need to listen to my nonsense. We're not married yet, but you and your wife have been married for so many years and your baby is several years old. Your relationship is stable. Being in a long-distance relationship will only cause you some pain from missing each other."
The more the man listened, the darker his face became.
The old man over there was named Jin Yang. When Jin Yang saw the woman standing next to his grandfather, he walked over while cursing.
Da Dong also left.
Si Yuming stayed alone for a while, and around eight o'clock, he said goodbye to Grandpa Jin and left.
......
When he got home, Aunt Chen had just finished bathing the little girl and was about to tell her a story when he went to change his clothes and took over the task.
What would you like to hear today, baby?
Si Xiaotie's eyes lit up. "Dad, I don't want to hear stories. Teacher Tina taught me new words today. Can I read them to you?"
"What?"
"Apple, Banana, Pear, and Peach, do you know what they mean?" The little girl's pronunciation was perfect, and she looked expectant after she finished speaking.
Si Yuming looked down at his daughter and suddenly said, "Dad doesn't know, why don't you ask Mom, Xiaotie?"
Si Xiaotie's eyes showed disdain, "Dad, you're so stupid."
Then she took her smartwatch and called her mother, who remembered it was afternoon there.
But no one answered after two consecutive calls. Si Xiaotie wasn't too upset. She figured her mother must be working hard if she wasn't answering the phone. She put down her watch, shrugged her little shoulders, and said, "Mom's not here."
Si Yuming smiled and asked her to repeat the English words again.
I chatted with the little girl and told her stories until she finally fell asleep around 10 p.m.
Si Yuming went back to his bedroom to take a shower, and then got back to work.
It wasn't until two or three in the morning that he turned off his computer, rubbed his temples, leaned back in his chair, and looked around the bedroom.
Five years ago, this was his room, decorated mainly in cool colors. After they got married, she moved in, and the small space began to have many more things, changing every day.
A painting was hung on the bare wall above the bed, the bedside lamp was replaced with an antique fabric lampshade, the curtains were changed from gray to a classic dark green, and the soft sheets were changed every ten days or so, and the fresh-cut flowers were changed every few days...
The room became more colorful, and his life seemed to brighten up as well.
Si Yuming picked up the uniquely shaped glass water glass on the table, a smile involuntarily appearing in his eyes.
She said she doesn't like drinking water, but she has to, so she can only coax herself to drink water by using pretty cups.
For this reason, Si Xiaotie also has many beautiful cups, shaped like dinosaurs, rabbits, flowers...
He gradually lost his focus.
This time in China is 10 PM in Moscow.
What is she doing? Has she eaten? Has she showered? Or is she working overtime?
What Da Dong talked about today...
I used to miss her and my daughter when I was in Shanghai. After work, I would call home and hear their voices, which would make me feel relaxed and relieved after a long day.
He hadn't thought about anything back then, but now this longing was accompanied by anxiety, and he didn't have much confidence.
Long-distance relationships do bring many problems; when she's sick or unwell, what if someone else were by her side...?
A certain figure involuntarily surfaced in his mind, the man's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his back teeth.
Si Yuming glanced at the time again, picked up his phone, and dialed the number. This time, the call was answered.
"Wife."
Lin Ke had just finished tidying up and was lying in bed preparing to rest.
The voice on the phone was gentle. She turned off the light, pulled the covers up, lay on her side, held the phone to her ear, and lowered her voice, "Why aren't you asleep yet so late?"
"work overtime."
"So busy?"
"Yes, we're planning to open a new branch office, related to medical technology."
Lin Ke didn't understand those things, but since they had separated, it was a rare opportunity to talk on the phone alone like this, so she listened quietly to him say a few words.
"Then you should take care of yourself and get some rest. Have Aunt Chen look after Xiao Tie more often..."
"Don't talk about Xiao Tie," the man interrupted.
Lin Ke's lips curled into a gentle smile, hidden under the covers. "So what do you want to say?"
He asked, "Is work tiring?"
"Not tired, but lots of things to do."
Are my colleagues easy to get along with?
"Everything is fine."
Suddenly, there was silence. Then Lin Ke heard a deep voice ask, as if whispering in her ear, "Have you missed me?"
Do I want to...? Of course I do.
Since he came back last September, he would hold her while she slept every night. Now that he's gone, she'll be stunned for a moment when she wakes up in the middle of the night or in the morning, and it will take her several seconds to realize that he's not there.
I miss his embrace, I miss his kisses, I miss the nights when we grew closer and closer as husband and wife.
When Zhang Man was still alive, she asked her if she could stand the loneliness, but she didn't answer.
He had left for two years before Si Xiaotie turned three and a half, and they were in a similar state of separation, but his feelings now were different from then.
I don't know how to describe it, but when I think of him, I feel a little itchy, a little lost, and it's like the discomfort of being thirsty but unable to replenish my fluids, and a bit restless inside.
Two years of long-distance relationship tested not only her and Si Xiaotie, but also their still fragile marital bond.
She clutched the blanket and asked softly, "What about you? Have you missed me?"
He said, "I really want to."
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A message from the author: The last day of 2025 marks another year. Thank you for the encounter and for the companionship.
I'll save my blessings for tomorrow. [kiss][kiss]
Small red envelope~
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