Bringing the Nation's Husband Home

When she was young, Qiao Anhao often saw classmates around her secretly dating from a young age. As they were afraid to be caught by the teachers, they pretended to be strangers in school, but as soon as school was over, they would hold hands when they walked.

In the weekends, the girls would take off their simple school uniforms to wear beautiful dresses. They’d lie to their parents by saying they were going out with their girl friends, but they were really going out with the guy they liked, to watch a movie, buy a big box of popcorn and two cokes. Such a simple date, yet it was simply beautiful.

Back in those days, she would fantasize: Just when will I be able to watch a movie with Lu Jinnian..?

That was the most wonderful childhood dream of hers. A thirteen year old dream that never came true.

If they weren’t destined to be together, then, let them relive the end of the days where they cried, laughed, felt touched, and hurt. Let her have a beautiful, lasting memory.

Lu Jinnian was a little taken aback by the affection in Qiao Anhao’s suggestion, and so he blanked out for a minute. An unspeakable, wild feeling of happiness surfaced in his heart. Even his usual tone of voice sounded particularly upbeat. ”All right, I’ll book the tickets.”

The tears that were completely dried out fell again. Qiao Anhao curved her lips into a smile, and said in a relaxed tone of voice, ”Mm, but I have to film our last scene that very night, so you’d best book it for later that afternoon.”

”All right,” Lu Jinnian agreed with no objections. He casually asked, ”Is there anything else?”

”No...” Qiao Anhao bit her lip. She said ”Bye”, as he hung up the phone. She raised her head, looked up at the bright blue skies, and took a deep breath, pushing back the tears that wanted to flow continuously.

He was the man who she deeply loved for thirteen years. She once swore to herself that she would only love him in this lifetime.

”In my whole life, I will only love you” were the most beautiful, romantic words she had written for him.

But the man she had loved with all her heart had hurt her so deeply.

When the evidence was put in front of her one-by-one, she had lost her right to ask him, and so now, she didn’t dare ask him, ”Lu Jinnian, did you or did you not abort my child?”, to which he would answer ”Yes”. In that moment, in front of her, just how unbearably awkward would that be?

Qiao Anhao kept her head up, and shut her eyes for a long time. She then pulled out yesterday’s abortion papers and today’s check-up results. She tore them up into bits, and threw them into the bin beside her.

-

Since today was the weekend, there were six days from now till Friday. When Lu Jinnian hung up on Qiao Anhao’s call, he couldn’t wait to call his assistant to help him book two VIP tickets.

He passed on Qiao Anhao’s words to him, ”Friday night, Qiao Qiao and I have to film our last scene, and so book it for late that afternoon... She’d probably want to rest a bit, so book it for three... Oh, and remember to book the seats for the non-smoking area. Qiao Qiao doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes...

”Also, they have to be center seats. It’s uncomfortable to watch from the side. Remember to prepare a blanket in the car in advance. The movie is two hours long, if the air con is too high, she’ll get cold...

”Oh, right, prepare two cushions as well, in case we get uncomfortable, so we can support our lower backs.”

’It’s just a movie, Mr. Lu’s too much!’ thought the assistant, secretly complaining in his head. Yet he appeared very respectful and agreed to everything, then asked, ”Mr. Lu, do you have any other requests?”