MSTP Chapter 52

Previous | Table of Contents | Next

Translator: Cheese

“What if one day you found out that I had the wealth of an entire country?”

---

Rong Heng saw her looking over and took the initiative to approach her first.

Song Yuan looked back with some wariness, afraid that Rong Ting would come out again.

Rong Heng saw her behavior and sighed in his heart. “Don’t worry. Before you make a decision, I won’t contact him first, nor will I tell him I’m his dad. This is something I can still do.”

Despite hearing this, Song Yuan didn’t relax.

“Let’s find a place to talk.”

“En.”

There was a large shopping mall near the academy. Today was not a weekend, but there were still many people. There was a milk tea shop on the first floor, where many people were queued up. Song Yuan looked at it, initially very excited, but upon seeing the snaking line, she immediately wimped out. When she was in college, she had gone on a tour in Xingcheng with her classmates. It had been peak tourist season at the time, and there had been an extremely popular milk tea shop in Xingcheng. The queue was likely to take about an hour, and she and her classmates had been reluctant to line up, so they could only give up. Later, they all had some regrets thinking about it.

Rong Heng saw the look in her eyes and, understanding everything, considerately went to the back of the long line.

Song Yuan hurriedly joined his side, asking with a frown, “What are you doing?”

“Didn’t you want to drink it?” Rong Heng checked his watch. “I happen to be free now. I’ll line up and buy you one.”

“No need.” Song Yuan waved her hand. “There’s really no need. There are so many people right now; I’ll buy it on a day when there are fewer people.”

“Since you want to drink it, drink it now.” Rong Heng’s tone was flat. “That way you don’t always think about it. You go sit over there and wait for me.”

“Oh.”

By the time Song Yuan reacted, she was already obediently sitting in the resting area.

She was somewhat dazed. What was going on? Why did he use such a commanding tone, and why did she obey! Could it be that she was used to listening to his orders in the ancient times?

Rong Heng’s upright posture and outstanding temperament was particularly eyecatching from among the crowd. She stared at him, trying to remember any bits and pieces related to him, but nothing came to mind.

It was very boring, so she took out her phone and played a game. When she looked up, Rong Heng had already gradually reached the front of the line. At this time, there was a long-haired beauty beside him. She didn’t know what they were talking about, but he and the beauty looked at her.

The long-haired beauty could barely hide her regret. She rarely met a handsome man who could catch her interest, so she specially stepped forward to ask for his contact information.

The result: this handsome man said he was already married, and his wife was standing by the side.

Why was it that all the handsome men married young¹!

Rong Heng only bought one milk tea; he wasn’t fond of sweet drinks.

It took more than half an hour of standing in line just to buy this one cup of milk tea.

After buying the milk tea, the two of them went to a nearby coffee shop and found a quiet place by the window.

Song Yuan recalled what had happened just earlier and asked him curiously, “What were you saying to that beauty just now?”

“She asked me whether she could cut in line, and I said no.”

Song Yuan wouldn’t believe this sort of outright lie.

“Anyways, what did you come find me for?” Song Yuan said, “I don’t have too much time. I have to go back to pick Rong Ting up when he finishes class.”

Rong Heng wasn’t used to the coffee here, so he only ordered a cup of water². He held the glass, silent for a moment, before raising his head to look at her. “Mrs. Xie, my biological mother in name, hopes for me to go study abroad. I agreed. I will probably be leaving in a few months, and I won’t be coming back very many times during the few years. Miss Song, this is what I think–you don’t need to tell Rong Ting that I’m his dad. But while I’m still in China, I want to get closer to you. Will you agree?

“You don’t have to go back, since I’ll be leaving soon. B City has an excellent educational system, and it’s good for his growth. So long as I’m gone, you won’t be in danger here.”

Needless to say, Song Yuan was moved.

They had found a kindergarten in B City, and the apartment they were living in was within the school district. Naturally, it was best if they could stay in B City. Now, hearing that Rong Heng would be leaving the country shortly, Song Yuan’s heart began to jump.

She wasn’t skilled at hiding her emotions. Seeing her brows unfurrow in joy, Rong Heng’s expression grew deep.

Yes, she had forgotten everything. All those painful memories, but also all her feelings for him. Now, she truly had no feelings for him, an experience he found to be unpleasant.

“Really?” Song Yuan thought, then cautiously asked him, “You’re really going to leave?”

Rong Heng held himself back. “En.”

Song Yuan was just about to agree right away when she thought of her parents. She sobered up and said reservedly, “I’ll go home and discuss with my parents.”

“Okay, no rush. I should be staying another two or three months before leaving.”

To think that Rong Heng would be leaving in a few months! Song Yuan’s heart suddenly opened up.

“Frequently moving residences is said to be not good for children. Sorry, I didn’t mean to criticise you. It’s just that I think he’s still so young, doesn’t know anything, and is psychologically more fragile. Wouldn’t moving just after he familiarized himself with the environment affect his mental and physical health? Even though I’ve forgotten everything, when I see him, I feel a closeness and affection for him, as though he’s my only worry in this world. So, Miss Song, you don’t need to worry. I want to protect him even more than you do.”

Song Yuan suddenly had a thought. In the ancient times, Gugu was his only child. They would have been mutually dependent on one another³ in the palace, right?

Back then, Gugu’s only family was him, and his only family was Gugu. Logically speaking, Gugu’s feelings for him would probably be greater than his feelings for her.

If she really didn’t let father and son recognize each other, wouldn’t this not be good for Gugu?

It was Song Yuan’s turn to console Rong Heng after seeing his lost and bewildered expression. “I understand. Actually, I didn’t want to deceive Rong Ting. I am a person who hates deception. How could I deceive my own child?”

Rong Heng’s expression froze. Then, “Thank you for your understanding.

“Oh, that’s right.” Rong Heng handed over the two paper bags he had brought today. “They’re some books that I think are suitable for children, as well as some copybooks.”

Song Yuan naturally wouldn’t refuse. “You’re very considerate.”

“It’s only expected. That’s right, Miss Song, I have something to do, so I’ll leave first. The driver is just outside the mall. Shall I give you a ride?”

He was so polite. Despite knowing she had a son, he was never rude; on the contrary, he was as considerate as he was when they first met, and he maintained a comfortable distance. It was precisely because of this that she had doubts about those dreams. If a person lost his memories, his disposition would not be different from before. Right now, he was not the same person as the callous and heartless emperor from the dream.

“No need. I’ll sit here a little longer and stop by the supermarket later to buy some food.”

“En, that’s good. I’ll be leaving first. If there’s anything you need my help with, you can give me a call.” Rong Heng paused. “If I ever want to see Rong Ting in the next two days, I’ll give you a call in advance.”

“Okay, goodbye.”

Her conversation with Rong Heng was clearly friendly, harmonious, and pleasant.

It wasn’t as tense as she’d thought; rather, everything was peaceful.

After Rong Heng left the coffee shop, Song Yuan wanted to see what gifts he had left for Gugu, the little cutie. There were a few books in the paper bag. Song Yuan’s brain was full of fog after reading the titles. What kind of books were these? The Art of War and 36 Stratagems were understandable, but what about The History and Fall of the Ming Dynasty, The Emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms⁴, The Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang⁵, and The Twelve Emperors of the Qing Dynasty!!

Was it really okay to show Rong Ting these books??

Inside the bag was a note that read, “I heard Rong Ting was the crown prince in ancient times. I browsed through the bookstore and thought that he might like these kinds of books, but the contents of the book may be a bit heavy. If he doesn’t like them, I’ll buy something else next time.”…

She hurriedly picked up the other bag, wanting to see what other baffling books were inside, but instead, she found a small, wrapped box.

She initially didn’t plan on opening it. After all, it was something he was giving to Gugu. But there was a small piece of paper stuck on the box on which the handwriting said–To Miss Song Yuan.

Oh? It was for her?

Unable to resist her curiosity, Song Yuan opened the box and discovered that inside was a mug. The body of the mug was pink, and the walls seemed to be inlaid with something. Upon a closer look, they seemed to be diamonds.

They wouldn’t really be diamonds, right? Song Yuan immediately denied this speculation. If they really were diamonds, then it was at least one carat⁶, if not more. It was crazy to inlay a mug with diamonds.

She’d had one too many Mary Sue⁷ dreams.

Sitting in the car, Rong Heng stared out the window, but he was recalling things from the past. Back when their feelings were at their strongest, she used to weave a ring out of foxtail⁸ and give it to him giddily, ordering him to place it on her ring finger.

“You really have it easy⁹. Where we’re from you have to have a diamond ring to propose, did you know? But forget it, I won’t ask you to buy anything. I don’t want gems or gold. I’ve thought about it–I’m not my father and mother’s biological daughter, after all, and I don’t have such thick skin on my face to ask them for a dowry. How’s this: after we get married, you can make more money. As for me, I’ll see if I can write a story. I have so many stories in my brain. Later, when we make money, we’ll buy a house, one with a courtyard!

“We should plant flowers in the courtyard and install a swing. Houses are so expensive nowadays, I’ve asked. But first, after we get married, you can’t make me be the only one to cook and wash clothes. I won’t be an old maid for you; we have to have a clear division of labor. Your hands get rough when washing the dishes and washing clothes, so you can do that. Then I’ll be in charge of cooking, but cooking is also annoying. There’s so much grease and oil.

“I really want to get rich overnight! Other predecessors can strike it rich, so why don’t I have a mind for business? Ai!”

When she said these words, her eyes sparkled.

At that time, he knew that she already had him in his heart, but it was precisely because he liked her that he was so afraid of losing her. He tentatively asked her, “What if one day you find out that I have the wealth of an entire country¹⁰?”

She froze for a moment, then laughed with joy. “Really? Are you really a rich second generation pretending to be poor? That’s great. Hurry and buy a house. The sooner you buy a house the better!”

Later, he asked her what a diamond was.

She said, “A very sparkly and shiny stone. It’s especially beautiful. I like them a lot, but there aren’t any here.”

Later, he searched through the treasury and asked many people to search for one, but he never found the stone she spoke of. It was an immense regret in his heart.

Now, he could finally give one to her.

---

[1] 英年早婚: 英年 means “the prime of one’s life” and 早婚 means “to marry too early”

[2] 白开水: specifically boiled water

[3] 相依为命: mutually dependent for life; to rely upon one another

[4] Five Dynasties (907-906) and Ten Kingdoms (902-979). This period was marked by political strife and the rapid rise and fall of different states. This period is typically designated as beginning with the fall of the Tang dynasty and the eventual victory of the Song dynasty.

[5] 朱元璋: the personal name of the first Ming dynasty, emperor Hongwu. Born into a poor peasant family during a time when the Mongols were in control, then became a monk after being orphaned. Eventually joined the rebel forces, was promoted to general, and finally declared himself emperor of the Ming dynasty in 1368, following the symbolic end of the Mongol Yuan dynasty. His reign is known for its significant political, military, educational, and economic reform, as well as for his strict control over court and his moves to centralize power. Considered to be one of the most influential figures in ancient Chinese history.

[6] 1 carat = 0.2 g (200 mg). Depending on various factors including cut quality, clarity, color, and shape, the average 1 carat diamond can be anywhere between $1800 to $12000 (according to an article I read that was posted Dec. 3, 2020).

[7] 玛丽苏: Mary Sue is a fanfic-originated description for an unrealistically perfect female protagonist or character

[8] 狗尾巴草: Wikipedia gives me Setaria viridis (left), or green foxtail. It’s also possible that it’s S. faberi (right), which has a history of being cultivated/grown in China, but just know that it’s some species of foxtail.

[9] 便宜: convenient; cheap, inexpensive, or to let someone off lightly

[10] 富可敌国: having wealth equivalent to that of an entire nation; to be extremely wealthy

---

Cheese: i know that the mug gift is symbolic and all because it’s a reference to a gift she gave him in the past and it’s a homophone for “a lifetime,” but is it really practical to gift a mug inlaid with diamonds?? she doesnt even remember giving you a mug bro now you just look excessive and needlessly extravagant and kinda a little bit creepy/pushy

also, i spy some foreshadowing of future conflict *eyes emoji* altho tbh it’s a pretty obvious and necessary showdown

---

Previous | Table of Contents | Next