[AFTER 4 YEARS]
Rita held the card in her hand and, after hesitating for two seconds, took out her phone from the coat pocket and dialed Lu Riman's number.
It was as if Lu Riman had anticipated her call; it rang only once before he answered.
A slightly lazy voice came from the other end, "Yeah, Rita."
"Are you still at my doorstep?"
"Yes." A simple word that carried a charming hint of a smile.
Rita pursed her lips, struggled for a second, and finally spoke up, "Wait."
"Sure, I'll wait." Riman's voice grew even more joyful with laughter.
Rita hung up and tossed her phone onto the sofa beside her, hurriedly getting up to run upstairs.
She ran back to her study, entered the password into the safe under the desk, took out a delicate gift bag, then closed the safe and ran downstairs.
When she reached the front door, she stopped to catch her breath, and once she calmed down, she reached out to open the door.
"Here." She handed the gift bag in her hand to Riman at the door.
Riman had his left hand in his coat pocket; upon seeing the gift bag Rita handed over, his beautiful eyes curved into crescent shapes, and a delighted smile almost overflowed from his eyes.
He reached out his right hand to take the gift bag, eagerly taking out the gift box from it.
As he untied the ribbon on the gift box, he suddenly heard Rita in front of him emphasize, "I'm only giving you a gift because yours was to my liking."
Riman feigned surprise and nodded, teasing with his words, "Thank you for the gift you specially prepared for me."
He emphasized the word "specially," and when he opened the lid, he saw a black scarf inside, with his deep sea-like eyes shimmering with a brilliant light.
"Stop showing off, hurry and go back." She said impatiently, waving her hand.
"Thank you for the gift, Rita, I really like it."
Seeing that he liked the gift, Rita's lips couldn't help but gently curve up. She waved again, "Got it, goodbye then."
After saying that, she closed the door again.
Riman placed the lid back on the box, put the box back in the gift bag, and carried it home.
When he reached home, he took the box out again, retrieved the scarf from it, and was about to try it on when he noticed a card pressed beneath the scarf.
Surprised, he pulled out the card and opened it—[Riman, happy fourth wedding anniversary. During winter, the neck is the most likely to catch cold, so I specially learned how to knit and made this scarf for you. I hope you don't find it unpleasant. Thank you for your care and companionship over the years. May we stay together and grow old together. —Your wife, Rita]
The handwriting on the card was delicate and beautiful, yet every word inexplicably brought a sense of bitterness to Lu Riman.
Rita indeed did not prepare a Christmas gift for him; this gift was meant for their fourth wedding anniversary before they divorced.
Sadly, they divorced two months before the wedding anniversary, so Rita had kept this gift until now.
A pang of sorrow suddenly surged in his heart, spreading like a virus throughout his body, permeating every cell, and tormenting him relentlessly.
Since the day of the third day of the Lunar New Year when Riman sent Rita home, he hadn't seen Rita again.
Although they were neighbors on different floors, it was as if they were separated by a great distance, and it had been a long time since they had seen each other.
Every time Riman went to Rita's home to look for her, she was never there, and he didn't know what she was busy with.
Riman called her several times, but she never answered. He sent her a WeChat, and she only replied with two words... No time.
One day, Riman finally happened to meet Rita, who was about to leave, in the parking lot.
He greeted her enthusiastically, but she, wearing black sunglasses, merely glanced at the time on her wrist with a calm expression and said, "I have to meet a very important person."
Apparently not wanting to chit-chat with Riman.
As she spoke, Rita walked past Riman, her steps hurried towards her car.
Riman quickly followed her and curiously asked, "What have you been busy with lately, always coming and going?"
Rita, with her beautiful almond eyes hidden behind the ink, gave gossiping Riman a glance and calmly replied, "Just something worth being busy with."
Contrary to her perfunctory answer, Riman wasn't displeased but instead looked intrigued and asked, "Sounds interesting. Can I join you?"
Rita stopped in front of the driver's seat of the car, stared into Riman's eyes filled with hope, and mercilessly shook her head to reject him, "No."
After speaking, she withdrew her gaze, reached out to open the car door, bent down, swiftly sat inside, and before closing the car door, said to Riman standing to the side without even lifting her head, "I'm off, bye-bye."
"Hmm. Be careful on the road."
The less important Riman helplessly watched her car speed away to meet that important person.
Rita has indeed been very busy lately. The restaurant is about to be completed with renovations, and she must hire all the staff before the renovation is finished.
Due to her high standards for employees, she has to spend more time and energy interviewing these people.
Finally, a week before the restaurant's renovation was completed, she hired all the staff.
To promote the restaurant, she gladly accepted an interview invitation from a well-known domestic magazine, Yueren, but the condition was that the interview must be low-key and conducted inside the restaurant.
Since that day in the parking lot with Riman, Rita hadn't seen him, likely because the company has been very busy recently.
However, the night before her interview, she finally saw Riman again, not in person but on a television entertainment channel.
He was once again rumored with Xia Yuge, and the two were caught by reporters kissing in a restaurant.
Rumors of Riman and Xia Yuge have been endless, and the photograph of them kissing only made this ambiguous relationship even more mysterious.
Rita was not interested in their news, turned off the TV, and immediately lay down to sleep, conserving her energy for the morning interview.
However, somehow, her previously improving sleep quality tormented her again that night, and she lay awake for a long time. In desperation, she had to take three sleeping pills from the nightstand.
When Rita got up the next day, she was not feeling very well and deliberately put on more makeup to conceal her poor complexion.
When she arrived at the restaurant, the magazine's car was already parked outside.
Seeing her get out of the car, the magazine crew also exited, and the reporter Wu Su Yue, who was to interview her, warmly greeted her, while others busily unloaded the equipment from the vehicle.
"Mr. Wu, I'm sorry to keep you waiting."
"Actually, we just arrived too."
Rita took out the key to open the restaurant's door, with Wu Su Yue and the magazine staff following closely behind into the restaurant.