Tu Xiaolong was on tenterhooks waiting for Zhang Liying's call or whatever means she would use to communicate through. Having interacted with her for the past few days,he was sure she wouldn't call him the second time if he missed to pick up her call the first time. For that reason he had to be extremely alert and kept checking his phone not sure if she would text him or give him a call.
Tu Xiaoheng noticed his cousin's strange behaviour during dinner that night. But somehow he was familiar with the scenario as if he had experienced it himself before. Therefore he was able to precisely come up with two conclusions;one would only anticipate a call that much from a person they are afraid of ,or they like. Whether it was fear or liking,Tu Xiaolong refused to reveal. He wanted to keep his interactions with the Four Seasons Brigade a secret.
After dinner,Tu Xiaolong cleared the table and went to do the dishes with his phone dipped inside the pocket of his sweatpants. After he finished doing the dishes he checked his phone again,but there was no message . It was already half past nine and he gradually lost his hope after waiting a while more. He knew he had left a bad impression of himself during his interactions with Zhang Liying so he assumed it was no surprise that she would change her mind about teaching him how to play videogames.
Tu Xiaolong kept tossing and rustling in bed,not able to sleep at all. He had never experienced insomnia before but he had heard that those who had been caught in the horns of insomnia usually experienced longer nights,longer than winter nights so there was no way he would allow himself to experience such a torture. He went back to the living room and switched on the small television that was in the center of their small living room and started watching a random movie.
The movie was a boring one but it was actually the best way to make him fall asleep sooner. His eyelids became heavy as he struggled to look at the TV screen and without knowing it he was already asleep in the next five minutes. Luckily Tu Xiaoheng who had gone to the bathroom walked to the living room and was surprised to see the sight in front of him. He switched off the TV and tried to wake up Tu Xiaolong to go to his room but all was futile because the latter just kept grunting sleepily and Tu Xiaoheng had no choice but to carry him in bridal style to his room. Tu Xiaolong was light almost like a girl making it easier for Tu Xiaoheng to drop him off in his room as soon as possible.
Tu Xiaolong was startled by the sound of his phone ringing loudly in the room. At first he thought it was the alarm but then remembered he had only set a five day alarm; from Monday to Friday. He lazily patted his hand on the bedside table in search of his phone without opening his eyes. The sound became more annoying and he decided to spring up from his bed to get rid of the sound once and for all. He picked up his phone and stared at the unknown number calling him. He was annoyed by the fact that an unknown caller just disturbed his peaceful slumber and he swore to bash at the caller but when he received the call and heard a familiar voice talking from the other end,he swallowed the harsh words at the tip of his tongue that he was about to pour out on the caller.
"Come to the studio at exactly eight,"the female voice uttered with solemnity. Tu Xiaolong could already figure out the expression Zhang Liying had in her face while saying those words to him.
"I..."
Before Tu Xiaolong could respond the line was disconnected from the other end. Checking the time it was half past seven and the walk to the studio was a twenty minute one. He only had a few minutes to prepare himself. He threw his quilt aside and got up from the bed and dashed downstairs to see if there was something to eat as he had woken up feeling unusually hungry. When he opened the fridge ,he was welcomed by the nearly empty shelves. There was only banana milk in the fridge and he wasn't particularly fond of it. Also that was his cousin's favourite drink so he decided to spare it.
Tu Xiaolong rushed back upstairs and went to freshen up before leaving. He would just need to buy breakfast on his way to the studio and maybe eat it while at the studio. On reaching the snack shop,his phone ran out of battery and went off before he could make any transaction. He had to head directly to the studio with an empty stomach. He reached the studio a few minutes to eight. The door to the game studio was left ajar so he just walked in without knocking.
To his utmost surprise,there was no one in the gaming studio.Had Zhang Liying tricked him when she was not even awake herself? It was uncourteous to shout or talk loudly in the morning because it was a sign of disturbing others. He didn't want to anger the girls and he began snooping around to see if he could run into someone. He walked around exploring the new surrounding till he found himself in the dining area. The gaming studio and the dining area were on the same floor. The dining area combined both the kitchen and the dining room.
Tu Xiaolong was startled when he met Zhang Liying's piercing gaze immediately he stepped inside the dining area. Zhang Liying was seated taking a cup of coffee.
"Sorry for the intrusion. My phone died and I couldn't text you about my arrival,"Tu Xiaolong defended himself before Zhang Liying pointed out his mistake.
"Wait for me in the studio."
Tu Xiaolong found himself glued on the spot where he was standing. He had another request but he wasn't sure if Zhang Liying would fulfill it.
"Why are you still here?"
"Liying Jie can you not treat me like a stray dog everyday? You should have informed me earlier that I would have to come to the studio at such a time. I didn't have breakfast so I'm starving,do you have something that I could fill my stomach with?"Tu Xiaolong uttered shamelessly with a mischievous smile.
"Freeloader. I agreed to teach you how to play videogames for free now you want free food too?"
"It's just today. I won't bother you again,"Tu Xiaolong pleaded.
"Find something in the fridge."
There were two fridges in the kitchen and Tu Xiaolong wasn't sure which one of the two he was supposed to open but luckily Zhang Liying pointed it out.
"Can I take anything?"
"As long as you find it edible,"Zhang Liying replied nonchalantly.
Tu Xiaolong's eyes landed on a manually sealed packet of croquettes in the fridge. He just took it and closed the fridge. His face lit up when Chen Duling walked into the room.
"Duling Jie good morning,"Tu Xiaolong beamed.
Chen Duling was so focused on the croquettes Tu Xiaolong was holding that she almost forgot to respond to his greetings.
"Oh morning. You can't eat that. Those are the homemade croquettes the Spanish granny makes for Liying. She treasures them so much,"Chen Duling reminded him gently.
"Oh,"Tu Xiaolong said turning around to open the fridge to return them.
"You can eat them,"Zhang Liying spoke after a while.
"Huh!?"
Chen Duling was shocked. It was hard fo her and the other two girls to convince Zhang Liying to share the homemade croquettes with them but she willingly gave them to Tu Xiaolong,a guy she detested.
"You can have them too if you like,"Zhang Liying said referring to Chen Duling.
"Then let's share them,"Chen Duling said excitedly as she walked towards the coffeemaker and brewed two cups of coffee;one for herself and one for Tu Xiaolong. Zhang Liying watched the two as they feasted on the so called favourite snacks of hers.
"Freeloader!"Zhang Liying snorted ,got up and walked away.
"Who is the freeloader? Is it you or me?"Chen Duling asked in confusion while taking a bite if the croquette she was holding.
"Definitely me,"Tu Xiaolong uttered with certainty.