It was another early morning.
After finishing his usual exercise and enjoying the breakfast prepared by Lan Yixian, Liu Changqing drove his little van to the company.
As always, he was greeted at the entrance by Feng Shuyan, her expression still as blank as ever. Seeing the familiar look on her face, Liu Changqing couldn’t help but smile.
Seizing the opportunity while her father wasn’t around, he gave her braid a playful tug and pinched her cheek. Afterward, he took her little hand and walked inside.
The receptionist greeted them as usual, and Liu Changqing returned her greeting with a cheerful smile before heading into his office.
Once seated in front of the computer, he slumped in his chair.
"I don’t feel like drawing anymore..."
"There’s not enough manpower, so you’ll just have to tough it out," Feng Qian said as he clicked the mouse, his eyes glued to the computer screen.
"Just venting..." Liu Changqing muttered half-heartedly. He had no real intention of stopping;
after all, how could he et next month’s release deadline otherwise?
Progress had already been accelerated significantly.
anwhile, Feng Shuyan struggled to move a chair closer. After climbing onto it, she pulled out her howork from her small backpack and began working on it slowly.
Liu Changqing couldn’t help but marvel at her focus. For a ten-year-old, she managed her ti incredibly well.
Back when he was her age? Sumr howork?
That was always cramd into the last two days of vacation!
Wasn’t playing by the river or collecting marbles more fun? Not to ntion trading five-cent packs of collectible cards!
The mories washed over him like a tide, but Liu Changqing quickly shook his head and refocused on his work.
This ti, he fully imrsed himself. Ti ticked by, and the quiet of the office was only interrupted by the rhythmic clicking of the mouse.
Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a blaring ringtone:
"I love you~ Love you~ Like a mouse loves rice!"
Feng Qian paused, frowning as he glanced toward the source of the noise.
"Who’s singing that? It’s awful."
Liu Changqing’s expression darkened. "I sang it."
"Listen closely—it’s the sorrow of life captured in song. A masterpiece."
Feng Qian blinked, reorganizing his words with an impassive face.
Liu Changqing didn’t take the banter seriously. A few days ago, in a bout of boredom, he had recorded the song as his ringtone and alarm. It was far more obnoxious than the default "ding ding ding" tones.
Pulling out his vibrating phone, he checked the caller ID.
An Yuanyao.
The mont he saw the na, his expression changed.
He let the screeching ringtone play, staring blankly at the screen as if in a daze.
The atrocious singing was unbearable for Feng Qian. Unable to hold back, he turned toward Liu Changqing. "Old Liu, answer the phone!"
"Oh."
Snapped out of his trance, Liu Changqing pressed the reject button. The noise cut off abruptly. Tossing the phone casually onto the desk, he resud his work.
Neither Feng Qian nor Feng Shuyan paid further attention and returned to their respective tasks.
Just as the office regained its quiet atmosphere, the sa ringtone blared again:
"I love you~"
Liu Changqing grabbed the phone and hung up before the first line finished.
This ti, instead of resuming his work, he stared at the phone’s screen. Sure enough, three seconds later, it rang again.
He cut it off after just the first word, "I."
Seconds later, it rang once more, and he rejected the call again.
After a few cycles of this, Feng Qian sighed, putting down his work. He looked at Liu Changqing with a helpless expression.
"If you don’t want to answer, just block them. Why keep rejecting it?"
"..."
Liu Changqing said nothing, his thoughts unreadable.
The phone rang again, echoing in the quiet office. This ti, Liu Changqing stared at it in a trance.
He had been clear the last ti they talked, hadn’t he? She’d disappeared for days. What was the point of calling now?
His gaze beca complicated, and after hesitating for a while, he stood up and walked out without a word.
As the door clicked shut, Feng Qian and his daughter exchanged puzzled glances.
At the stairwell, Liu Changqing lit a cigarette.
His mood soured. In the echo-prone space, the ringtone blared again, grating on his nerves.
Taking a long drag, he looked at the caller ID.
Finally, he pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.
"Hello."
"What are you doing? Do you know how many tis I’ve called? Why are you only answering now?"
"..."
Liu Changqing didn’t respond imdiately. After a mont of thought, he spoke.
"I thought I made myself clear last ti. Why are you calling now?"
"What do you think? I just went to the bookstore, but you weren’t there."
"I’m not at the bookstore."
"Then where are you?"
"Why do you want to know? Our relationship now... let’s just not—"
"I’m on my way to your house."
Her words caught him off guard.
"Why are you going to my house?"
"To find you!"
"I’m not ho."
"Then where are you?"
"Are you crazy? Or is sothing wrong with my head? Why would I tell you where I am? Can’t you just go ho and sleep?"
"..."
After a brief silence, An Yuanyao replied nonchalantly, "Fine, I’ll wait at your house. I’ll have Xiazhi open the door. I don’t believe you won’t co back!"
"Wait a minute!"
Hearing that, Liu Changqing quickly stopped her. He opened his mouth, but it took a long sigh before he spoke again.
"I’m at [XXXXXX]. Call when you get here, and I’ll co downstairs."
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