Luo Qi was still thinking about Liang Zhen’s house. 

She opened the chat box with her mother. The last time her mom contacted her was in June: the night Luo Qi posted her ‘boyfriend’ in her WeChat Moments.

Her mother had asked her: [Are you dating a new boyfriend?]

She had replied: [Fake, it’s just to deal with the rotten peach blossoms.]

Luo Qi sent a message now. [Mom, I’m going home for the Mid-Autumn Festival.]

Now that she has received the marriage certificate with Jiang Shenghe, her previous resentment towards her parents has miraculously disappeared, her heart and mind at ease.

When Jiang Yifang saw the message from her daughter, her nose felt sour but she felt excited all the same.

She didn’t explain any more about what happened in the past. After all, when Madam Pei came to her, her heart was really shaken and she had hoped that her daughter could get back together with Pei Shixiao.

It was right for her daughter to blame her.

Last month, her husband was under too much pressure and his health really suffered. He stayed in the hospital for nearly half a month. She accompanied him, all while working overtime to catch up on the work at hand, and she even ran to the site from time to time.

In the first half of the year, she had taken on a relatively large project. She didn’t take a single break for six months. It was just completed last week.

In recent weeks, the eldest aunt had finally stopped coming to their house and suddenly life was rosier.

Her husband’s company was still in a difficult situation, but there was hope for him with the new funding he received.

Everything has finally come to an end.

Even if her daughter hadn’t planned to come back, she herself was planning to visit her daughter during the holidays.

[What do you want to eat? Mom will make it for you in advance.]

Luo Qi made a list and sent it to her mother.

Jiang Yifang asked again: [Can you stay at home for a few more days? Mom happened to be taking a break right now, so I don’t have to hurry out with the work. I will wait until after the holiday to start a new project again.]

Luo Qi: [I can stay for four or five days.] She still has to reserve a few days to spend time with the boss.

Jiang Yifang said happily: [Call me before you come back and I will pick you up at the station.]

[Mom, don’t mention the past anymore when I go back.]

[I won’t mention it. It was your father and I who did something wrong. At that time, we only wanted to make your life easier, and didn’t want you to suffer anymore. We didn’t understand that you value relationships very much.]

Jiang Yifang stopped herself: [Okay, no more talking about this. Yu Li told me that you transferred money to your uncle two days ago. How did you save so much in a year? You can’t live your life without spending a single yuan. Did I not tell you that you don’t have to pay back the money, your dad and I will be able to pay it back in at least ten years. When your dad’s company improves its profitability, it’s even possible we can pay it back in five or six years.]

Luo Qi: [I did spend. After being promoted to my new job, I often worked overtime and received a lot of overtime pay. I bought some clothes and even an oil painting that I like very much, so I didn’t treat myself too badly.]

As long as the past wasn’t mentioned, there would be no barrier between her and her mother.

She didn’t forget that Liang Zhen asked her to find her mother to design her house; she would talk to her mother in person when she got home.

Jiang Yifang didn’t tell her daughter that her eldest paternal aunt’s daughter was getting married during National Day.¹ Her daughter wouldn’t want to go there, and her relatives wouldn’t know that her daughter was coming home anyway so there was no need to say anything.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

At six o’clock, Luo Qi got off work on time.

[Mr. Jiang, I will drive there myself. It will be more convenient for work tomorrow.]

Jiang Shenghe: [I will also drive myself.]

The two of them didn’t go downstairs together, but they arrived at the tavern at about the same time.

‘Come, I’m Still Here’.

Luo Qi had reserved a table on the first floor in advance. The lights on the first floor were darker and more decadent than those on the second floor, and several nostalgic slow songs played on loop every day.

In the past, a customer had asked if the playlist could be changed, but the boss said ‘no’.

Those songs were Chu Lin’s favorite songs.

Occasionally, piano music was played as well—all played by Chu Lin.

When Luo Qi made the reservation, there were only two tables available and they were next to the door, just a few steps inside.

Jiang Shenghe took off his suit and put it on the stool next to him. They both drove here and couldn’t drink.

“What are you having?” he asked Luo Qi.

“Cherry juice.”

Go to the tavern but don’t drink, eat grilled lamb chops actually bought from the restaurant next door, celebrate getting a marriage certificate with the boss. Everything felt ridiculous, but it was really happening.

… …

There was a short-haired beauty sitting at a table at the far end of the tavern. This person was stunned when she saw the two enter the door, and she quickly covered her face and moved to sit on the empty chair across the table, keeping her back to the door.

She typed with both hands: [Your boss and Luo Qi are here! They sat at the table by the door! Please stay in the bathroom first!]

Xiao Jiang: “…”

He hurriedly asked his wife: [“Has Chief Jiang seen you?”]

[I don’t think so. The light is very dim, and they didn’t seem to pay attention to the people inside.] Jiang Shenghe had only met her once and didn’t even talk to her. He probably didn’t remember what she looked like.

[Didn’t you say they were BE? Why did they come to the tavern together?]

Xiao Jiang: [How would I know? I wish they were together.]

That morning, Chief Jiang had sent them a big red envelope. He invited his wife to go here and eat lamb chops to comfort her. Unexpectedly, the boss also came.

They didn’t even go upstairs but stayed on the same floor as them.

His wife sent another message: [Then what will you do? Why don’t you go say ‘hello’?]

[Forget it, that would be embarrassing.]

The tavern has a back door, which was connected to the back kitchen. [I know the boss. I’ll go out through the back door. You can play with your phone first while I take advantage of this time to go to the supermarket and buy what we need.]

They were going on a road trip during the National Day holiday. They originally planned to buy things for their trip tomorrow night, but it didn’t matter if he did it today.

The nominal owner of the tavern was Chu Lin’s friend who runs a piano music store. During the day, the piano teacher teaches piano playing, and at night he comes to the tavern to listen to music and paint pictures.

When Xiao Jiang booked the second floor of this tavern last time, he exchanged messages, and after that they occasionally liked each other’s posts.

After successfully going out through the back door—Xiao Jiang reported it his wife, and then he drove to the supermarket.

Xiao Jiang’s wife resisted temptation and did not look back at the table at the door.

Seventh Year of My Secret Love for You translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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A list of all advance chapters is HERE.
Chapter 38.3 — The Gift He Wants (2/9)

Chapter 39.1 — Capture Her Fingertips (2/10)
Chapter 39.2 — Capture Her Fingertips (2/11)
Chapter 39.3 — Capture Her Fingertips (2/16)

Chapter 40.1 — Hugged Her For A Long Time (2/17)
Chapter 40.2 — Hugged Her For A Long Time (2/18)

1.  The bride is not Luo Yuli’s sister. The ‘eldest aunt’ here is Luo Qi’s father’s eldest sister, not the wife of Luo Qi’s father’s eldest brother. ↩︎