Extra Story 14: Make Up - The Missing Piece

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Yang Yue sent Shen Mo the photo she had just taken, adding the caption: Ran into the “missus” while I was shopping. Looks like he’s out shopping with quite a beautiful woman.

In the photo was a luxury car; a slender woman was getting out of it. Only her back could be seen, but one could tell from just her stylish outfit that she must be beautiful.

Around five minutes later, Shen Mo finally replied: I’ve told you so many times. There’s no “missus.”

Yang Yue took a sip of the milk tea in her hand. She couldn’t help but feel amused.

Shen Mo was the owner of the studio where Yang Yue worked. He was good-tempered and good-looking, but his only shortcoming had been being single in his thirties. Even Yang Yue, his employee, had started worrying for him. Over last Lunar New Year, Shen Mo spent his vacation travelling abroad, and when he came back, he said he wanted to work hard at his job so that he could provide for a child. It gave Yang Yue quite a shock.

Later, Yang Yue went out of her way to coax Shen Mo for the details. She managed to find out that Shen Mo had met a beautiful lady overseas, one who was divorced, single, and raising a child. Shen Mo fell in love with her at first sight and immediately started planning to make money and support the family as a stepdad.

A romantic plot that could only be seen in a movie!

Yang Yue, who loved watching romance shows, instantly dreamed up a cliché drama. She couldn’t wait to see the future “missus.” However, when she eventually saw the real person, her jaw dropped in astonishment.

Yep, beautiful indeed, but a beautiful man instead of a woman. If Yang Yue didn’t already have a boyfriend, she’d rush over toward him at once.

After Shen Mo’s introduction, Yang Yue learned that Mr. Ji was taking care of a three-year-old alone. The child’s mother had long since passed away. Shen Mo knew the mother too, and because of various complicated reasons, he had decided to raise the child together with Mr. Ji.

It wasn’t as cliché as what Yang Yue had imagined, but having a handsome man to look at wasn’t so bad either. From then on, Yang Yue called the man “Mr. Ji” as Shen Mo did. Only when she teased Shen Mo did she sometimes mention the word “missus.”

This time was the same. Yang Yue came across Mr. Ji while she was shopping, so she joked about it with Shen Mo. She didn’t take it seriously and had a great time over the weekend, but she discovered that Shen Mo was already in the studio when she went to work on Monday.

“Boss? Why did you get here so early today? I thought you lived in Jinxiu Villa. The traffic should’ve been quite bad on your way over.”

“Yeah.” Shen Mo’s complexion didn’t look too good. It seemed as if he didn’t sleep well. “I didn’t go home last night.”

“What? Why?”

Shen Mo replied vaguely, “There’s a lot of work. I was worried I couldn’t finish in time.”

“You mean the painting Mr. Tang ordered last time? The timing is a little tight, but you didn’t have to work overnight, did you?”

No explanation, Shen Mo only waved his hand. “Get to work.”

Yang Yue didn’t say anything, but she felt quite surprised. Strange—her boss was the absolute model of a good man. Why was he suddenly not going home at night?

But even stranger was what happened next. During her lunch break, a familiar car stopped in front of the studio. A man got out of the car and walked straight in.

“Mr. Ji?”

Mr. Ji rarely came to the studio at such a time. Yang Yue hurried over to greet him. “Boss didn’t sleep well last night. He’s taking a break inside right now. I’ll go get him”

“There’s no need.” Ji Mingxuan smiled at Yang Yue. “I came here for you.”

“Me?”

“Do you happen to have time for a cup of coffee, Miss Yang?”

“Of course!”

At this moment, Yang Yue had completely forgotten about her boyfriend. She’d make time for the coffee even if she didn’t have time.

There was a coffee shop right opposite the studio, so Ji Mingxuan invited Yang Yue to go over and sit down for a while. Each of them ordered a cup of coffee, and after some small talk, Ji Mingxuan cut to the chase and started asking about Shen Mo. In front of such an attractive face, Yang Yue naturally told him everything she knew.

“What has he been up to lately? Nothing in particular.”

“He’s in good health. I never saw him go to the hospital.”

“Setbacks at work? Definitely not.”

“The studio’s business is great. There shouldn’t be financial issues.”

“Girlfriend? No way. He goes home right after work every day. He’s got no time for a girlfriend.”

Even after much discussion, Yang Yue and Ji Mingxuan still didn’t find out why Shen Mo hadn’t gone home last night. Yang Yue remembered the photo she’d sent Shen Mo over the weekend, so she mentioned it as well.

Hearing this, Ji Mingxuan paused. “What photo?”

Yang Yue found the photo on her phone and asked somewhat uneasily, “It was only a shot from behind. It doesn’t count as privacy infringement, does it?”

Ji Mingxuan’s expression looked rather serious. He studied the photo for a while, as if he was thinking about something, and then returned the phone to Yang Yue. “Don’t worry. I think I know what’s going on.”

Yang Yue asked, “What is it?”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t answer her question. He only said, “I’m sorry for taking so much of your time, Miss Yang. I’ll go back with you.”

Beyond puzzled, Yang Yue still couldn’t hold back her curiosity. “Mr. Ji, is that lady your girlfriend?”

“No.” The corners of Ji Mingxuan’s lips lifted slightly. “It was my car, but I had lent my car to a friend that day.”

“Oh. I made a mistake, then.”

Ji Mingxuan responded with a soft “mn.”

There shouldn’t be any emotion in the sound, but for some reason, Yang Yue felt that Mr. Ji was in quite a good mood.

In the evening, when it was time to get off work, Ji Mingxuan came by again. This time, though, he brought his son, Ji Ning, with him as well. Shen Mo was still locking himself in the resting room, probably busy with work. Ji Mingxuan pushed Ji Ning forward and said, “Go knock.”

Ji Ning turned around and stretched out three fingers. “Three toys.”

“One.”

“Then I’ll take two.”

“Okay, deal.”

Ji Ning immediately revealed a smile. He knocked on the door and coaxed, “Uncle, it’s me.”

“Xiao-Ning?” Hearing Ji Ning’s voice, Shen Mo opened the door, as expected. “Why are you here?”

Ignoring the question, Ji Ning threw himself into Shen Mo’s arms, clinging onto Shen Mo’s waist. Seizing the chance, Ji Mingxuan took a step forward and squeezed through the door as well.

“Mr. Ji…”

Shen Mo only had the time to call his name once before the door slammed shut.

A while later, the door opened a crack, and little Ji Ning was urged out of the room. Next, the sound of an easel falling to the ground came from within, and then there was silence.

Stunned by what she saw, Yang Yue asked Ji Ning, “What happened?”

“They were arguing with each other. They just had a fight.”

“And then?”

Ji Ning blinked his large eyes at Yang Yue.

Yang Yue understood at once and gave him a piece of chocolate.

Ji Ning tossed the chocolate into his mouth. He spoke as if he’d already seen this too many times, “And then… they made up, of course.”

* * *