The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Clue in the Name

The empty milk tea cup sat in the trash, but the name on the screen—”Less Ice, Slight Sugar”—seemed to burn into Song Xiangwan’s retinas.

Less ice, slight sugar.

It was a specific preference. Not just a common order, but a habit she had shared with only one person over three years of intimate, quiet afternoons. Whenever they ordered drinks at the villa, Ming Jin would always remind the servants or the assistants: “Xiangwan likes it with less ice and slight sugar. It’s better for her stomach.”

Song Xiangwan’s heart hammered against her ribs. Could it be a coincidence? The internet was vast; thousands of people probably used that handle. But the timing, the immense wealth, the “career fan” dedication, and now… the mention of poor health and being unable to travel.

Every piece of the puzzle was screaming a name she had tried so hard to push into the back of her mind.

She gripped her phone, her thumbs hovering over the keyboard. She wanted to ask. She wanted to scream, “Is it you?” but her rational side clamped down on the impulse. If it was Ming Jin, why would she do this? Why support her anonymously while pushing her away in person?

…

Back in the Ward

When Song Xiangwan slipped back into her room, Cao Xin was just waking up, stretching her arms.

“Where did you go?” Cao Xin asked, squinting. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or like you’ve been caught stealing.”

Song Xiangwan quickly wiped her mouth, praying there was no pearl milk tea residue. “Just… walking off the hospital food. The stairs are good exercise.”

“Don’t overdo it. You’re still recovering,” Cao Xin warned, then her face softened. “Anyway, I just got a call. The ‘Alluring City’ production team is pushing for your return to the set in three days. Are you up for it?”

“I’m fine,” Song Xiangwan said, her voice more determined than usual. She needed to get back to work. She needed the distraction. “The sooner, the better.”

As Cao Xin began organizing the discharge papers, Song Xiangwan’s phone buzzed again. It wasn’t the “rich lady” sister this time. It was a message from an unknown number.

“The meeting with President Zhao is set for tomorrow evening at the Grand Hyatt. Dress comfortably, but don’t be late. — Zhao Rui.”

Song Xiangwan stared at the message. A strange chill settled in her gut. She remembered Ming Jin’s warning from the day before: “I don’t want her to be wronged or bullied.”

If Ming Jin was watching over her as “Less Ice, Slight Sugar,” would she approve of this meeting? Or was Zhao Rui truly the “lifeline” she claimed to be?

…

The Departure

In the VIP wing of the same hospital, the atmosphere was much heavier.

Xu Zhiyan was supervising the packing of Ming Jin’s belongings. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and the faint, elegant perfume Ming Jin always wore.

“Sister, the private jet is ready,” Xu Zhiyan whispered, leaning over the bed. “Doctor Lin says as long as we keep the portable oxygen on, the flight to Haicheng should be safe.”

Ming Jin nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the window. From this height, she could see the courtyard of the hospital. Below, a small figure in a white hoodie and a baseball cap was getting into a black SUV.

Song Xiangwan.

Ming Jin watched the car pull away until it disappeared into the Shancheng traffic.

“Sister?” Xu Zhiyan followed her gaze, but the car was already gone.

“Let’s go,” Ming Jin said, her voice a mere shadow. “There’s nothing left for us here.”

As the wheelchair was pushed toward the service elevator, Ming Jin’s phone vibrated in her lap. A notification from a side-account app: “Sister is a Peerless Beauty replied to your message.”

She didn’t open it. She couldn’t. Every word from Song Xiangwan was a thread pulling at a heart that was already failing. She had to let go, for both their sakes.

But as the elevator doors closed, Ming Jin’s hand instinctively went to her throat, touching the place where a small, hidden jade pendant hung—the twin to the one she had given Song Xiangwan years ago.

…

The Calm Before the Storm

The SUV carrying Song Xiangwan sped toward the airport. Cao Xin was busy on the phone, and Chengcheng was fast asleep.

Song Xiangwan looked out at the foggy mountains of Shancheng. She felt like she was standing on a precipice. Tomorrow, she would meet a powerful producer who could change her career. Tomorrow, she would return to the city where her heart was broken.

She pulled out her phone and sent one last message to Less Ice, Slight Sugar.

“I’m leaving Shancheng today. I have a big meeting tomorrow. I hope your health gets better soon, sister. I’ll make you proud.”

Miles away, on a plane taxiing toward the runway, a screen lit up.

Ming Jin looked at the message. A single tear, cold and silent, traced a path down her pale cheek. She didn’t reply. She simply turned the phone off and leaned her head back, closing her eyes as the engines roared to life.

The game was changing, and neither of them knew that the meeting tomorrow night was a trap that would force their paths to collide once again.