After I Was Gone, Mr. Song Said He Loved Me

The Christmas ball was set at the IHG InterContinental Hotel’s western restaurant, a venue of over a thousand square meters entirely booked by Huanya. The entire place was decorated like a Hollywood fantasy film, full of magical colors. The most eye-catching feature was the four-meter-tall Christmas tree in the center, adorned with gifts symbolizing good luck. However, what everyone truly coveted were the Swarovski crystal crowns labeled Queen and King hanging at the very top of the tree. It was said that each was worth over a hundred thousand yuan.

As I entered the venue, a few young female colleagues from the company were taking photos around the Christmas tree. With a silver fox mask covering my eyes and nose, combined with my ‘elf prince’ attire, I was nearly unrecognizable when silent.

“Hey, elf prince?” A clear female voice called out.

Following the voice, I saw a female ‘Avatar’ waving at me from beneath the Christmas tree.

“Could you take a few group photos for us?” she asked with a smile.

I nodded and walked over.

The interstellar girls began posing in various ways, and I became their mobile photographer, trying my best to capture them beautifully. My photography skills received unanimous praise from the female colleagues, and soon more girls approached me for photos. I agreed to each request, snapping away with their phones, finding the best angles.

While stepping back to widen the shot, I suddenly bumped into something, lost my balance, and almost fell flat. Fortunately, a hand caught me, preventing the fall.

Turning around, I saw a tall man in a black fitted suit wearing a V for Vendetta mask, and another man in a light blue suit with a Venetian black swan mask.

“Sorry for bumping into you, I was just…” I started to apologize, but the familiar icy cologne scent hit me, rendering me speechless. It was Song Yu’s scent.

“Is that Assistant Bai?” asked the man in the black swan mask.

I looked up, and before I could respond, he removed his mask. Nian Hua looked at me with a bright smile.

I didn’t remove my mask, just muttered, “Mr. Nian.”

“It is you,” Nian Hua said, smiling at the man in the V for Vendetta mask. “Yu, it’s Assistant Bai.”

Song Yu’s mask covered his entire face, leaving only his deep eyes to glance over me.

“The ball is crowded, be careful,” he said, then wrapped his arm around Nian Hua and walked further into the venue.

I stood there, watching them leave, feeling a sharp pain in my heart. This was an internal Christmas ball hosted by Huanya, yet Song Yu brought Nian Hua along, clearly intending to publicly announce their relationship.

I smirked at myself, mocking my foolishness. I had gone to great lengths for this ball, hoping that when Song Yu saw me, he might spare me a few glances or words. But it was all just my wishful thinking.

He had completely withdrawn from our unspeakable relationship, leaving me alone in the past, foolishly hoping he would turn back to look at me.

“Hi, elf prince!” The voices of my female colleagues pulled me back from my heavy thoughts.

I snapped out of my daze, realizing the girls were still holding their initial poses, waiting for me to take their pictures. I quickly picked up my phone and snapped a few shots. The girls were thrilled with the photos in the album and thanked me profusely.

At that moment, the host of the event, Lisa, the manager of the Public Relations Department, took the microphone. Standing on the circular stage at the center of the venue, she delivered the opening remarks and Christmas greetings in both English and Chinese. The audience erupted in applause, and though I didn’t understand the English, I joined in the clapping.

Lisa then explained the theme and schedule of the party, which included interactive games like “Double Dragon Play,” where two people carry a balloon back-to-back from start to finish; “You Guess, I Act,” testing teammates’ chemistry; and the recently popular “Squid Game¹.” The scores from these games would determine the night’s best partners, crowning them as the Queen and King of the party. The main goal was to foster connections between departments and strengthen colleague relationships, ultimately benefiting the company.

After Lisa’s introduction, leaders from various departments took turns speaking on stage, with the highlight being Huanya’s CEO-Song Yu.

He removed his mask, and his handsome, refined face caught the light, causing me a moment of distraction. It seemed he was still the man who would occasionally ruffle my hair and softly command me to call his name.

Song Yu was dazzling, standing there with an undeniable aura of nobility in every expression and gesture. His innate presence as a leader made everything else seem insignificant in comparison.

At that moment, I finally understood why, despite my efforts, I could never stand beside him.

The difference between us was like that between clouds and mud; incomparable.

The event officially began with the band playing a lively waltz. All the employees gathered in the center of the dance floor, dancing while searching for their partners for the upcoming activities.

Song Yu and Nian Hua stood aside, not joining the dance.

Perhaps influenced by the festive atmosphere, everyone was in high spirits. Some young employees playfully encouraged Song Yu to join them in the games. Their suggestion was echoed by some playful middle managers, who seized the opportunity to stir up excitement and persuade Song Yu to participate. Even the usually serious Lisa joined in, pulling Song Yu towards the dance floor.

In the end, Song Yu had no choice but to join in with Nian Hua.

The crowd surrounded Song Yu and Nian Hua, placing them at the center of the dance floor. Although Song Yu hadn’t formally introduced Nian Hua’s identity, it was widely known within the company that the president of Huanya had a boyfriend.

Everyone danced joyfully to the rhythm of the music, and some employees even paired up for couple dances, creating an unprecedentedly high-spirited atmosphere in the venue.

Suddenly, the lights went out in the venue, causing a wave of astonishment among the crowd.

The ballroom was located in the hotel’s largest central restaurant, with no windows around. As the lights went out, the entire venue was plunged into pitch-black darkness.

Amidst the bewilderment, hotel staff hurried over to explain that due to Christmas, the area’s power consumption was too high, leading to unstable voltage. The electricians were working hard to fix it, assuring us that it would be restored in a few minutes and that there was no need to worry.

Lisa also did her best to calm everyone’s nerves, suggesting the band play some simple tunes to lighten the mood. As the music resumed, people gradually recovered from their initial panic.

Someone then proposed that, given the lack of visibility, everyone could use the chaos to pair up for the upcoming games, thus avoiding strong players teaming up and leaving the outcome to chance.

The suggestion was met with unanimous approval.

In truth, finding partners was just an excuse for some male colleagues to grope around indiscriminately.

I was jostled about by the chaotic crowd, swaying like a tumbler, bumping into one person after another.

Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into an embrace.

That familiar faint scent of icy cologne.

It was Song Yu!!!

“Song Yu??” I breathed unevenly, calling out his name in astonishment.

He remained silent.

But I was certain it was him-the feel of his hold, his scent, and the familiar, strong heartbeat against my chest.

He was Song Yu.

I reached out to touch his face, but he evaded when I encountered his mask.

In my moment of bewilderment, he tightened his grip on my waist and began to dance. I followed his rhythm, stepping lightly, twisting and turning, as if in this darkness, there were only the two of us.

As the last note of the dance music abruptly ended, I spun into his arms, and my lips were covered by a pair of thin lips.

There was no intense clash of tongues, just the frantic exchange of breaths between us.

I was even more certain that this person was Song Yu.

“Mm… Song Yu…” I mumbled his name indistinctly.

At that moment, Lisa took the microphone and asked if everyone had found their partners. Most responded affirmatively.

Almost instantly, he released me.

By the time I came to my senses and tried to grab him, he had already vanished into the crowd.

Whoosh-

The lights came back on, and the crowd cheered. However, upon seeing that their partners weren’t who they wanted, a chorus of groans erupted.

I spun around, eagerly searching for Song Yu, only to spot that familiar figure on the other side of the crowd, standing next to Nian Hua.

If not for the lingering warmth on my lips from the kiss, I might have doubted whether I had just imagined the whole encounter.

It reminded me of the Cinderella story-no matter how beautiful and sweet the experience, when the clock strikes midnight, everything returns to its original state.

Just like Cinderella, I had a fleeting moment of Song Yu’s tenderness, but unlike her, I wasn’t as fortunate, for the prince’s beloved was Cinderella, while Song Yu’s beloved wasn’t me.

Once the power was restored, Lisa began organizing everyone to set up the props for the upcoming games.

A few colleagues who hadn’t found partners formed teams among themselves. At that moment, a slender female colleague in a puffy dress approached me.

“Are you without a partner too? How about we team up?” she asked cautiously.

I guessed that other colleagues might have avoided her due to her lack of strength and inconvenient attire, fearing she might drag down the team’s performance in the games. So, no one had teamed up with her.

I had no particular desire to be the Queen or King, and I couldn’t stand seeing a girl embarrassed, so I was ready to accept her invitation.

Just as I was about to say “yes,” a male voice interrupted our conversation.

“Sorry, the elf prince already has a partner!”

Footnote:

Squid Game(鱿鱼游戏):“Squid Game” is a popular South Korean television series that gained international fame for its unique premise, where contestants participate in deadly children’s games for a chance to win a large cash prize. The show highlights themes of survival, competition, and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters.