Summer #29

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 29

It’s all quiet around them. It’s so warm in Lin Mochen’s arms. In Mu Hanxia’s heart, there’s a blank turbulence.

Then she smiles and says, “Jason, what are you doing? Do you possibly need warmth from others?”

These words don’t sound very agreeable to Lin Mochen. He calmly loosens up the hug. But his hands slip down and hold on to hers. He asks, “Are you still cold? You are ill.”

The low voice is right at Mu Hanxia’s ear. She draws her hand from his without any hesitation and says, “I’m fine.”

Lin Mochen’s hands are now empty, but his expression remains unchanged.

They are nestling together on the heap, their body closely snuggled with each other. Mu Hanxia props herself up with both hands and is just going to climb down, when Lin Mochen presses lightly on her shoulders to stop her. He jumps down first―He is tall with long legs so it’s easy for him to do that―then turns and stretches out his hand to her, “Now come down.”

Mu Hanxia gives her hand to him without showing any awkwardness and jumps down. The moment she lands, he holds her lightly at the waist. Mu Hanxia is taken aback.

It is indeed a very common gesture. But when his fingers touch her waist, she feels some kind of slight shiver within herself, as if little ripples are stirred up in a quiet lake. There’s something strange about the strength of his fingers or the way he holds her.

But when she looks up, she only sees his cool face. And the hand has also left her.

So Mu Hanxia tells herself that she must have been over-sensitive.

After all, she’s the one who has something hidden in her heart.

They walk toward the outside. Mu Hanxia asks, “Not too much trouble out there, I hope?”

Lin Mochen replies, “Except for you, what trouble can there be?”

The response sounds a little weird and Mu Hanxia glances at him with some confusion.

Quickly they come across a few colleagues including Fang Kun. Lin Mochen tells her, “Take good care of Summer.” Then with a glance at Mu Hanxia, he goes to the front with a few male colleagues to handle the remaining issues.

Mu Hanxia watches as he goes away. She is really tired and uncomfortable, so she leans on Fang Kun and says, “Sorry, I made you worry.” Fang Kun says it’s OK and helps her out the factory. The night is so cold and so quiet. They walk a while under the dark sky and Fang Kun starts to say, “Summer, you don’t know how Chief Lin was worried about you. When you couldn’t be found, his expression was so terrifying that we just didn’t dare to look. I’ve never seen him like this. It’s like he’s going to kill someone.”

Mu Hanxia is surprised. Then she glances at her and smiles, “Now you don’t know that Jason is actually someone who’s cold on the outside but warm in the heart. When I worked in the supermarket with him in Jiang City, he always earnestly worried about his employees when they were sick or had injury, even though he didn’t say anything out loud.” This is purely her fabrication. Even though Lin Mochen never treats his employees lightly, “earnestly worrying?” How can it be possible? But Fang Kun is sold by her words, “Oh, so he is?” She murmurs, “I honestly didn’t know about this...”

“Yes, he is just such a person.” Mu Hanxia replies. She looks up at the dark sky that is slightly fading. It’s almost dawn.

The apartment is not suitable to stay, so Mu Hanxia is sent to stay in a hotel by the colleagues. She has a hotel room all to herself. Lying in the big bed and staring at the dim sky outside the window, she just can’t fall asleep

After tossing and turning for some time, she receives a message on the cellphone.

Lin Mochen: “Asleep?”

Mu Hanxia doesn’t know where he is right now and what he’s doing. She wraps herself tightly in the quilt and replies, “No. Are you done with those things?”

The next moment, Lin Mochen’s phone call comes in.

“Why not sleeping yet?” He asks.

Mu Hanxia hears his voice with a little echo and knows he’s still out somewhere. She replies, “I’m almost asleep.”

He’s quiet for a moment and says, “I have something to do right now. If you have anything or feel uncomfortable, call me anytime.”

Mu Hanxia is also quiet for a few seconds with the phone in hand. Then she smiles, “Thanks. But why should I call you? You’re not even a doctor. It doesn’t seem to be helpful even if I called you.”

“How would you know it won’t be helpful?” He says lightly, “Doctors with two legs can be found anywhere, but how many Lin Mochens are there?”

Mu hanxia: “...”

“Remember that.” He says and hangs up.

Mu Hanxia puts down the phone and looks up at the lonely sky outside the window. After staring blankly for a while, she closes her eyes and tries to fall asleep.

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Mu Hanxia rests at the hotel for a whole day and returns to the company the next day, when she learns that Lin Mochen is on a business trip in Beijing. She hears that the incident at that night was handled without further trouble. Most of the gangsters were captured by the police and Xie Lin was also taken to the police station for an interrogation. It’s not clear what happened next. As to Lin Mochen, he went to meet some venture capitalists. Because Feng Chen has been developing smoothly and the valuation has reached over a hundred million, it can develop at a even more incredible speed if there is additional large investment.

And Lin Mochen will in turn enjoy a multiplication of his valuation.

During the two days he’s away, Mu Hanxia feels that he might call her sometime, which makes her kind of restless in the heart.

However, he hasn’t called. He hasn’t contacted her at all, not with even a text message.

In fact, in the skyscraper in Beijing, when Lin Mochen is done with business talks and is standing by the window alone, with a cup of coffee in his hand, gazing out at the city’s skyline, all he is thinking about is her. He takes out the cellphone and looks at her number. But then he just smiles and puts the phone back into his pocket.

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The hotel where Mu Hanxia temporary stays is very near the company. But there’s only she who stays here. Fang Kun and the other few who came from Beijing are staying at another hotel. She figures it must be because there aren’t enough hotel rooms and didn’t bother to ask any questions about it.

Today she’s off work and is walking back to the hotel. On the way she passes the apparel stores of other brands. No matter they are some nationally well-known brands or the brands from the Rong Yue Group, the most powerful incorporate in the grand southwestern area, none of them has as many customers as Feng Chen. This makes her secretly happy. But when she thinks about Lin Mochen, whose enterprise is getting bigger and bigger, she somehow feels empty and lost.

The east breeze picks up and the dusk clouds are soft but cold. She strolls back to the fountain pool at the hotel entrance, only to see a familiar figure standing by the flowerbed.

He is back.

In his black parka covered with dust from the trip, he is standing there talking on the phone. He sees her as well, his eyes clear and bright.

Mu Hanxia walks over: “Jason.”

He nods. Although he’s still on the phone, his eyes are locked on her. “Hmm...enjoy a good meal.” He urges the person on the other end of the phone with a gentle voice.

Mu Hanxia smiles and turns to go upstairs first. But his hand is quick to grab her by the arm and he hangs up the phone.

“It’s my little sister.” He says, “my real sister.”

Mu Hanxia is surprised, “You have a little sister?”

“Hmm.” A hint of smile appears in his eyes, “She’s right in Lin City and is in her last year of high school right now. You two will have plenty of chance to meet each other later.”

Mu Hanxia tries not to think too much of the implications in his words, but she feels more comfortable at hearing it was her sister. “Oh...” She says, “When did you come back?”

“Just now.” He says, “Let’s go have dinner. I have something to tell to you.”