Chapter 178: Chapter 177: Single Bed and Double Bed
Qu Chaozong tossed his phone aside and continued watching TV.
The phone hung up automatically, then started ringing again, hung up, and quickly rang again, repeating several times.
Qu Chaozong was almost laughing from anger, muttering to himself, "Hey, so damn persistent!"
He picked up the phone and answered the call: "Hello!"
There was a pause on the phone for about a second before Zhang Xin’s voice came through: "Hey, it’s me."
The background noise on the phone was chaotic, like being out on a busy street. Qu Chaozong glanced at the time; it was already past nine at night. Nightlife?
Qu Chaozong frowned, "What’s up?"
Zhang Xin: "Come pick me up."
Qu Chaozong was a bit helpless: "I’m not at home."
Zhang Xin: "Then where are you?"
Qu Chaozong leaned back on the bed, stretching his arms in a yawn, "Provincial city."
Zhang Xin: "Perfect, I’m at the bus station now, come pick me up."
Qu Chaozong froze midway through his stretch, his posture stiffening. He asked in some confusion, "What do you mean?"
Zhang Xin suddenly laughed, her voice wafting through the phone: "I came to see you. Come pick me up at the bus station. I don’t know anyone here, and it’s not safe for me to be alone."
Qu Chaozong’s eyes widened as he sat up abruptly, incredulous: "Are you kidding me!"
Zhang Xin: "I never joke. Hurry up and come over. I’m waiting for you. I’m not leaving unless you come. Do as you see fit—I’m hanging up now."
Snap!! Beep beep beep!!
Qu Chaozong panicked, "Hello! Hello hello!!"
Qu Chaozong, flustered, hurriedly redialed the number... Shutdown!!!
Qu Chaozong cursed loudly, "You’ve got to be kidding me! And you dare to shut down your phone!"
Qu Chaozong leaned back, crashing onto the bed, and rubbed his head vigorously with both hands. After a while, he cursed, "So damn annoying!"
Qu Chaozong lay on the bed lifelessly for a minute, then jumped up, punching the bed hard, got out of bed, and started putting on clothes piece by piece in his slippers.
The nighttime bus station wasn’t as bustling as imagined. After the last bus arrived, the usually open gates for passengers were tightly locked. Scattered outside were small groups of people; either nearby vendors chatting, travelers waiting for family pickups after the last bus, or small stalls selling tea eggs and sausages.
Qu Chaozong circled the bus station and still didn’t see Zhang Xin. His first thought was that he was being played, and surprisingly, his second thought wasn’t to be furious but to breathe a sigh of relief.
But before he could exhale completely, his phone rang with a vibrating hum.
The moment Qu Chaozong pulled out his phone, his mind buzzed, and he suddenly felt like having a cigarette.
He answered, took a deep breath, and steadied his slightly chaotic mood: "Okay, I know you’re really here. Where are you?"
Zhang Xin’s laughter came through the phone: "I’m in the fast-food place behind you. Turn around, and you’ll see me."
Qu Chaozong turned and indeed saw Zhang Xin standing by a table in the window of the fast-food place, waving at him.
Qu Chaozong stood still, stared at her face for half a second, then stepped over.
Zhang Xin sat back down, face pressed against the glass, looking at Qu Chaozong, eyes slightly amused, as if undressing him with her eyes.
Qu Chaozong couldn’t read her eyes. Those dark pupils were like indescribably beautiful objects: attractive and alluring but devoid of any depth.
The table before Zhang Xin was filled with a lavish set of meal items, all seemingly untouched. She merely held a hot drink, sipping occasionally, and smiled at Qu Chaozong: "Have you eaten? If you don’t mind, eat this. I haven’t touched it."
Qu Chaozong gave her a look, called the waiter, packed up everything on the table, and carried it in his hand, saying, "Let’s go."
Qu Chaozong stood up and began to walk out. Barely two steps in, someone grabbed his hand, palms pressed together—one warm and firm, the other thin and cold.
Qu Chaozong halted and glanced sideways.
Zhang Xin smiled somewhat ingratiatingly: "It’s a bit cold, let me warm my hands."
Then her slender fingers slipped between his rough, solid ones, interlocking like lovers, holding hands.
Qu Chaozong made a muffled grunting sound as he rolled his eyes upward toward the ceiling.
Zhang Xin turned her head and looked at Qu Chaozong’s slightly flustered but helpless expression, pursing her lips in laughter.
The hotel Qu Chaozong was staying at had a nice environment, booked by Li Shuren, with a thousand yuan deposit for ten days at one hundred yuan per day.
Passing through the hotel doors, Qu Chaozong released her hand and extended it toward Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin raised an eyebrow at him: "What’s up?"
Qu Chaozong nodded toward the front desk nearby: "ID card."
Zhang Xin frowned seriously: "Don’t have it."
Qu Chaozong glared at her: "Who are you kidding? Without an ID, how’d you get a ticket at the bus station?"
Zhang Xin earnestly replied, "Got stolen, along with my wallet, as I got off the bus."
Qu Chaozong warned wearily, "Speak the truth!"
Zhang Xin tilted her head, "It was really lost. You don’t believe me, see for yourself."
Zhang Xin opened her bag, revealing two medicine boxes on top, filled with colorful pills.
Qu Chaozong paused and looked at Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin bared her teeth and smiled: "I have a terminal illness. I have to take medication regularly, or I’ll drop dead any minute. What’s so surprising about it?"
Qu Chaozong silently averted his eyes, wearing an expression of disbelief, asking, "Really got stolen?"
Zhang Xin nodded, "Yeah."
Qu Chaozong thought for a moment, "How much money was lost?"
Zhang Xin: "No money."
Qu Chaozong squinted at Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin: "I use cards, don’t carry cash."
Qu Chaozong choked on Zhang Xin’s response, left speechless.
He led Zhang Xin directly into the elevator beside them.
Following him, Zhang Xin suddenly asked, "Hey, if there’s a sudden room check tonight, will they arrest us? I don’t have an ID card."
Qu Chaozong’s temples throbbed as he growled under his breath, "Shut up!"
Zhang Xin glanced up at him, a slow curve forming at the corner of her mouth. You little thing.
The room Li Shuren booked for Qu Chaozong was a spacious, square single with a large bed. Opposite the bed was a wall-mounted TV, and diagonally across was a frosted glass-walled bathroom, artistically resembling a spa with its half-hidden design.
Zhang Xin surveyed the room, then cast a stunning glance at Qu Chaozong, enough to make any man’s heart race.
Unfortunately, Qu Chaozong was busy rummaging through his luggage, responding to her charming expression with the back of his head.