Liu Jie woke up when he heard the sound of the front door opening. He stood up and waits for Meilin in one of the chairs. He doesn't know why but he really wants to see the face of the girl immediately.
"Hey," Meilin greeted when she saw a man sitting on the chair wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and a jogging pants that is too short for his long legs, "It's already late. Why are you still up?"
"Uhh…" he looks everywhere before answering, "I just woke up."
"Oh."
"Why are you so late?" he asked immediately. He wants to hug her.
"I have my part time job," she replied, "The old library in the downtown, remember?"
"Until this late?" he asked again, "It's already past two in the morning."
Meilin was confused because of the sudden concern and warmth she was feeling, so, she can't help but be terrified. This must be because of the pairing.
"It's because I handle their security," she answered and put her things in the table not minding how big of a mess it was, "I just check their security, look through their logs and system. Though it looks so old, it has some important files and books."
She wanted to ask if he ate the congee but too scared to hear he did not.
Liu Jie can't argue how late she could be. In the first place, this feeling he has was because of the pairing. It was the chains that make them feel… this way.
Both of them dismissed their concerns and do their own thing. Liu Jie rest in the bedroom and Meilin continue her thesis. But the two of them was wide awake with each other's faces and questions working their gears up.
--
The next morning, Liu Jie saw another note in the lamp. It seems Meilin is busy with her life. Liu Jie never asked what she was busy off.
"Have school and part time today. There's money in the table call this number for delivery. 9xx-xxxx
Telephone instruction is in the table. –Mei =)
P.S
Ask for Shan Wei to deliver. Shan. Wei."
He did what was told in the instruction, and with just the second ring a voice of a woman shrieking greeted him. He almost threw the phone if he just not heard the other person calling Meilin's name.
"Xiao Mei! It's been soooooo long since you called me! How are you? Do you need anything? Oh, yeah! Of course, you will call for food! Why did I even ask? Your favorite noodles, right? Okay! I will bring some side dishes also, so, wait for me! Mwah! Mwah! Auntie loves youuuuuu!"
And with that just a beeping sound came after. Liu Jie can't help but be confused. The woman talked too fast. What the hell? Is that how delivery works?
--
Meilin called her groupmates for thesis and give a very hard scolding. She was not mad for them not doing their work, she's mad because they already know they are not doing anything but they have the guts to ask if they will graduate! How dare they?!
"First, no one will complain about their grades! I already gave the portions you have to do. I tried messaging you to WhatsApp, QQ, even mailing you to your respective email accounts. Did I lack anything? No!" she exclaimed as she slammed her hands on the papers.
They were in the empty classroom and she was bursting in emotions. Why? Oh, just ask why?!
"We're sorry, Mei Mei," one of her groupmates apologized, "We're too busy—"
"Don't start me with your busy schedule because my feed in Instagram was full of your pictures going to a café near T University, an album of selfies having fun in the K Park, and live video of your travel in City J?!"
The three of them felt guiltier. They've been playing too much.
"How can we compensate?" the other one said, "We know you need money, so, how about we give you money? Yeah. Money would do, since, you're poor."
Meilin felt ridiculed.
"Yeah, we will give you a treat from the famous café near the university, then, give you a ticket for K Park, how about that?"
"It's such a good deal! So, let's say good bye to this and forget about it."
Meilin smiled sweetly, and the three of them felt they were being spared from death.
"Yeah," Meilin agreed, "Let's say goodbye to your grades and forget that we we're even groupmates."
"What?! Hey, Meilin, why are you like that?!"
"Oh, my, you tell me," she said and left them frozen and their mouths open.
--
Meilin was walking on the hallway when she saw Xi Feng looking at the bushes. That's the only time she realized that everyone was searching for something. She walked up to Xi Feng and asked.
"Xi Feng," she called.
Xi Feng looked up and saw Meilin looking at him. He blushed a little because he knows that he was covered by dirt and sweat.
"Meilin! Great timing, are you busy?" Meilin shake her head, "Great! Can you help me look for something?"
"On what?"
"Look for underwear."