"Yes, I haven't eaten yet." Because he had his back against the light, she could not see his expression clearly. She did not detect emotions in his words either.
Gao Xiaoxiao flipped a switch and the living room instantly lit up.
"Do you need me to order dinner for you? Jinsheng?" Gao Xiaoxiao walked over and looked at him with a smile.
He knew that she did not know how to cook. Perhaps that was why Han Zhen rarely ate dinner at home. When the company ordered lunch for him, it was always Jinsheng.
Han Zhen narrowed his eyes. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, I came back after having lunch with Huanyan." Gao Xiaoxiao could easily lie now without changing her expression…
Looking at Han Zhen's expressionless face, she added thoughtfully, "Do you need me to order dinner for you?"
Han Zhen stood up and walked towards the stairs. He seemed aloof. "No need. I'll go upstairs to rest."
"Oh," Gao Xiaoxiao replied. Although she felt that he seemed to be in a bad mood, she still asked, "Can I take two days off on Tuesday and Wednesday?"
Han Zhen stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. "Not feeling well?"
"No." Gao Xiaoxiao blinked. "I've an appointment with Huanyan to go out of town for two days."
"Huanyan. Huanyan again," Han Zhen thought.
He smiled. "Alright, be careful on the trip."
• • •
Chongcheng was a small county city in the south. It was located in a basin surrounded by mountains. It was only June but it was already more than 20°C there, so it was much hotter than in City D.
After Gao Xiaoxiao packed up and changed her clothes, she called Huanyan.
Although Han Zhen was never interested in her affairs, she still had to cover her tracks just in case. Otherwise, she would be in big trouble if she was exposed.
"Xiaoxiao." A gentle and elegant female voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Huanyan, I'm taking Xiaobai back to Chongcheng tomorrow night. We won't be back until Thursday. If anyone from the Han family asks, remember to cover for me."
"Alright, no problem," Chang Huanyan readily agreed.
After the two of them chatted casually for a while, Chang Huanyan suddenly said, "Oh right, Xiaoxiao, we recently accepted a project for a fashion brand. We're shooting promotional photos of parent-child matching outfits. The remuneration is quite generous. Didn't you say that the tuition fees for kindergarten are very high? Do you want to bring Xiaobai along for the photo shoot?"
"No." Gao Xiaoxiao rejected her without hesitation. "Xiaobai is only four years old. I will earn money myself."
"Is that so? Alright, anyway… don't work too hard. If you need anything, look for me and Xiaoshou. We have some savings that we don't need to use."
Gao Xiaoxiao smiled. "I know. Thank you, Huanyan."
Huanyan was her classmate and best friend since she was young in Chongcheng. She was also making a living in City D, but she had just graduated from university and was now an editor of a fashion magazine.
All these years, had it not been for Huanyan, she did not know if she could have held on…
Having such a confidant in life was enough for her.
Chang Huanyan sighed. "Really… What are you thanking me for? Alright, let's not talk about it. Come back on Thursday and we'll have lunch together. Have an early rest."
"Okay. Good night."
• • •
The next day, at 7:30 am, Gao Xiaoxiao woke up on time.
She gave Xiaobai a call. As expected, the little fellow was already up and eating breakfast.
After hanging up, Gao Xiaoxiao washed up and changed into the company's black suit. She then put on her black-framed glasses and walked out of the bedroom with her backpack.
On the other side, Han Zhen's door was closed. He must have gone for a morning jog.