Goodnight, Miss Rose

After knowing that Tao Ting was also going on the business trip to Berlin, Lu Xiaoyue, with a women’s cigarette in her mouth, said with certainty, “When you come back from the trip, you will be promoted at the end of the year.”

Tao Ting did not feel anything after hearing this. Ever since coming back down from the 17th floor, she had felt like she was floating.

She asked a very stupid question, “Will CEO Xu also go to Berlin?”

Lu Xiaoyue chuckled, “Isn’t that obvious?”

Lu Xiaoyue had been working for many years and was very good at seeing through someone. She shook the ashes of her burnt-out cigarette and acted nonchalant, casually asking, “You’ve fallen love at first sight? Does CEO Xu really has such a great charm?”

Tao Ting suddenly laughed and shook her head. It was not to that extent. Besides, this was not their first encounter with each other.

Lu Xiaoyue blew a smoke ring and said, “Admiring such a man is enough. I heard that his ex-fiancée is the wealthy daughter of XX Technology.”

However, Tao Ting’s focus point was rather strange, “What do you mean by ex-fiancée?”

Lu Xiaoyue’s gaze was thoughtful, “They were about to get married, but they broke up because the bride’s family were facing some problems with their company’s operations.”

“Rich people sure are realistic.” She sneered and evaluated Xu Linyue in two words, “Heartless jerk.”

The cream was smashed to the ground and was beyond recognition. Tao Ting’s heart flooded with acid; she was unsure if it was because of her idol’s persona being ruined, or an emotion that even she herself was unable to clearly explain.

She threw her spoon and picked up her bag, solemnly reminding Lu Xiaoyue, “Lunch break is almost over. Let’s go back.”

***

Tao Ting had always been decisive and orderly. Very rarely would she be vexed over something until she had a headache.

She comforted herself by telling herself that Xu Linyue was simply a mentor for her career. She should not bother herself with how he deals with his private life.

But those two words were like vines wrapped around her chest, and she felt breathless every time she thought about it.

Tao Ting could not resolve her jumbled feelings and could only place more of her energy and thoughts on work.

Although they were among the same group of people that went on the business trip to Berlin together, she did not see Xu Linyue much.

They spent the first two days strolling around the exhibition and met some colleagues from the headquarters. On the last day, the company gave them a day off to travel freely.

Tao Ting did not get to see the saxophonist on Königssee (a lake) but tasted many different ways of eating potatoes.

In the afternoon, she visited the Brandenburg Gate and Berlin Cathedral, and had a cup of coffee on the bank of the Spree River.

When she returned to the hotel, she recognised Xu Linyue from afar, waiting for the elevator in the hotel lobby.

She deliberately slowed down her pace, hoping to create the perfect miss.

However, she did not expect him to press the open button and hurry her, “Are you not going to hurry in?”

Tao Ting took a breath, hasten her pace and stepped into the elevator.

“You didn’t go shopping?” Xu Linyue spoke first.

Tao Ting shook her head, “I don’t lack anything.”

Xu Linyue gave a short laugh and glanced down at the bag in his hand. It was a small gift from the person in charge of a perfume brand that he had just talked to.

“You can give it to your girlfriend,” she said.

Xu Linyue had received the gift but did not have anyone that he could gift it to.

“Take this,” Xu Linyue handed the paper bag to Tao Ting, “it should be suitable for you.”

Looking at her stunned expression, Xu Linyue joked, “You may not be lacking anything, but I can’t use it.”

Tao Ting took the paper bag with a flushed face, “Thank you then.”

With his hand empty, Xu Linyue inserted it into the pocket of his pants lazily, his shoulders and back not as proper as they usually were.

When the elevator was about to reach the floor, Tao Ting closed her eyes and plucked up the courage to ask, “Do you want to go for a drink together?”

To prevent him from misunderstanding, she explained, “I’ll treat you as a thank-you.”

Xu Linyue’s smile did not reach his eyes, “No need, consider it a reward. Your proposal was done pretty well.”

A fitting and perfect rejection, one that nobody could find faults with.

Tao Ting did her utmost to hold back her disappointment, embarrassment and shame, and raised a polite smile, “Thank you, Boss. I will continue to work hard.”

Heartless jerk.

She suddenly thought of these two words.

***

Having been arranged by her family to have another blind date, Tao Ting finished her meal with a lack of interest, finding this far more tiring than socialising.

She bid goodbye to the other party and walked towards the car park. Just as she got into the car, she received her mother’s call.

“How was this one today?”

She replied half-heartedly, “It’s okay.”

“That means that it’s not okay.”

Tao Ting laughed, “As long as you know that.”

“Tao Tao, Mom is not rushing you.”

It was the same conversation again. Tao Ting connected to her Bluetooth, and while turning the steering wheel, would occasionally utter an agreement.

Finally, Tao Ting’s mother suddenly asked lightly in a literary manner, “Isn’t this ‘Speak not of lakes and streams to one who once has seen the sea; Having been on Mount Wu, no clouds can ever compare. [1]’?”

Chinese language teachers always speak like this. Tao Ting was speechless and wanted to laugh, “There’s no such thing.”

“Then it’s ‘When she turned and smiled, the coquetry created was tremendous, rendering all concubines of the six palaces lusterless. [2]’?”

Tao Ting stopped smiling and suddenly became silent.

After a long time, she seemed to have turned annoyed due to embarrassment and hung up on the excuse of having to concentrate while driving.

When she met with a traffic jam, her mood remained the same – frustrated, but with nowhere to vent.

The truth was somewhat maddening. Why did she think of Xu Linyue earlier?

It was not love. It could not be love.

Tao Ting reminded herself that idolising him was enough. She must not fall for him.

***

After her twenty-ninth birthday, the most important event in Tao Ting’s life [3] became the family’s most crucial problem.

When she went to her (paternal) grandmother’s house for a meal and was constantly nagged by her aunts for two hours, Tao Ting was very annoyed, but she could only nod and smile.

She was still a year short of thirty, and she was still single [4].

Though there was no shortage of men treating her well, Tao Ting’s heart did not flutter.

Fortunately, Lu Xiaoyue called and asked if she wanted to go shopping together. Tao Ting hurriedly agreed and escaped from her grandmother’s house.

Both of them met at the mall. While buying drinks, Lu Xiaoyue told her, “I’ll transfer to the headquarters at the beginning of next year.”

Tao Ting frowned sadly. Lu Xiaoyue smiled and comforted her, “My husband’s company has always been in Beijing. He had urged me to go over for years. Once I leave, you are in charge. All the best.”

Tao Ting was still reluctant. She could never learn to part with someone.

This shopping trip was to find a dress for their annual dinner. Tao Ting did not want to spend too much time on this and casually picked a fitting black evening gown.

When she was about to check out, she was stopped by Lu Xiaoyue, “This dress? No, no, it’s too ordinary. Try this one.”

Lu Xiaoyue handed her a red velvet slip dress. The back was bare except for a strap, and the dress shone with gold under the light.

It was the latest model and was not discounted. One look and she knew that it would be expensive. Tao Ting shook her head and refused.

Lu Xiaoyue encouraged her, “Go try it on. You don’t have to spend money to try.”

Tao Ting could not refuse and went back to the fitting room to try it on.

She had a habit of working out, so her body had been well-maintained. She was not thin but well-proportionate. This dress highlighted her figure even more, making her elegant and sexy, natural and charming.

“Let’s take this piece. It suits you so well!” Lu Xiaoyue decided for her.

Tao Ting also preferred this piece, but she had seen the tag earlier. She could afford it, but it was beyond what she had expected.

When it comes to spending, Tao Ting had a calm and rational mind that was second to none. She was not swayed and still chose the black dress from earlier.

However, when she was checking out, the sales clerk told her that someone had already paid for the red dress.

Tao Ting and Lu Xiaoyue looked at each other, surprised.

“Did you pay for it?”

Lu Xiaoyue returned her a “what do you think?” look.

The girl next to her suddenly let out a stifled laugh. Tao Ting looked at her, and she gave an apologetic look.

“It must be a domineering CEO who doesn’t want to leave his name,” the girl pretended to be serious and speculated.

“Enough, Qingqing. Let’s go,” the (married) woman with the girl said.

“Got it. Where’s Youngest Uncle (mother’s youngest brother)?”

“He said he was going for a smoke.”

The two chatted as they left together.

Tao Ting rubbed her neck, still a little puzzled.

“Can you please tell me who paid for this? Is there a mistake?”

The sales clerk was also in a difficult position. She had thought that they knew each other earlier, but could it really have been a mistake?

She found the receipt, pointed at the signature at the bottom and asked, “Do you know this person?”

Tao Ting took the printed receipt. The handwriting was so wild that she struggled to read it.

——“Lambert”

It was not a common name.

A domineering CEO who did not want to leave his name?

Tao Ting disagreed. “A spendthrift who is foolish and has too much money [5]” would be more accurate.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES

[1] 曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云 (céng jīng cāng hǎi nàn wéi shuǐ, chú què wū shān bù shì yún): This is a line from the poem《On Parting (离思)》by Tang dynasty poet, Yuan Zhen (元稹), and is used to describe a loyal love, one where you would only love that one person and no one else. (Source) Credits for the English translations go to this site and Baidu Translate.

[2] 回眸一笑百媚生，六宫粉黛无颜色 (huí móu yī xiào bǎi mèi shēng, liù gōng fěn dài wú yán sè). This is a line from a famous poem《Song of Everlasting Regret (长恨歌)》by Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi (白居易). Credits for the English translations go to this site. You can read more about the poem here.

[3] 终身大事 (zhōng shēn dà shì), literally, “the most important event in one’s life”. It is commonly used to refer to marriage.

[4] 空窗期 (kōng chuāng qī), literally, “window period”. It is used to represent the period between the end of a past relationship and the start of a new relationship (i.e. the period where one is single). (Source)

[5] 冤大头 (yuān dà tóu): 大头 (literally “big head”) is used to refer to money. The 冤 is from 冤枉 (yuān wang), and in this context, means to spend money unnecessarily. Thus, this phrase may be used to describe someone being cheated of his money, or spending money on things that are not worth the money. (Source)