Free Web NovelChapter 83: Chapter 83: A Phone Call
The suspicion about her past life was a lump in Su Li’s throat, something she could neither swallow nor spit out. She couldn’t bear the lengthy process of exchanging letters with Tang Yuanxiao.
From the moment Yin Cuihua mentioned the factory had a telephone, Su Li had set her sights on it. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Two days and two nights was enough time for Tang Yuanxiao to get back to his unit.
Amid the pitter-patter of rain, Su Li made the call.
"Hello, I’m looking for Tang Yuanxiao. He’s..."
Once the call connected, Su Li carefully gave the details of the person she was looking for. After the operator agreed to find him, she hung up. Then came a rather long wait.
One minute, five minutes, ten minutes...
Su Li stood by the window, gazing outside with a desolate expression.
In contrast to the quiet on Su Li’s end, the other side of the line was anything but peaceful.
Tang Yuanxiao had gotten back to his unit late at night. After a night’s rest, he was up at the sound of the bell, leading his men in morning drills.
Life fell back into its familiar, disciplined rhythm, one Tang Yuanxiao was well accustomed to.
After breakfast, he went to his office. A letter was lying on his desk.
From Su Li.
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t even have to look to know it was the belated divorce letter.
He asked around and found out the letter had arrived on the thirteenth of the first month. Right on the second day of his journey home. It had just missed him.
If he’d received this letter just one day earlier, his heart might not have been on such a rollercoaster during his trip home.
Tang Yuanxiao stared at the letter, his expression a storm of complicated emotions. After a moment, he finally opened it.
He had already heard most of the contents from Su Li herself, so he read it with a sense of calm.
He read it once but couldn’t bring himself to read it a second time. Just as he put the letter away, he was told he had a phone call.
Tang Yuanxiao’s face fell the moment he heard. Without a word, he bolted out the door.
It wasn’t that he never got calls, but it wasn’t a rare occurrence either. The reason his face drained of color was because the person on the other end of the line was Su Li.
Su Li was on the phone.
He had only just returned. It had been less than three days since he’d left Su Li. For her to be calling him now... how could he not be frantic?
Tang Yuanxiao sprinted over as fast as he could, his mind racing with panic.
Su Li, on her end of the line, had no idea she had terrified Tang Yuanxiao.
After waiting fifteen minutes, she called the number again as arranged.
"Hello." ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"Tang Yuanxiao, it’s Su Li." Su Li recognized his voice.
"Su Li, what happened?" Tang Yuanxiao’s voice was tight, and he was panting, his breathing unsteady.
"Nothing, nothing’s wrong," Su Li said quickly, only now realizing she must have scared him.
"Nothing?" His voice was still tight.
"Yes, nothing’s wrong," Su Li affirmed, closing her eyes in annoyance. "Really, nothing is wrong."
Tang Yuanxiao let out half a sigh of relief. "Why did you call?"
’She can’t be this impatient to talk about the divorce again, can she?’
At the thought, Tang Yuanxiao’s expression tightened, and his heart leaped back into his throat.
"Su Li, you... you aren’t thinking of calling my superior to talk about... about *that*, are you?"
Even over the phone, Su Li could hear the grim tone in his voice.
"No." Su Li rubbed her forehead. "I called because there’s something I need to ask you."
She paused. "I’m sorry, I scared you."
"What did you want to ask?" Tang Yuanxiao asked directly.
There was a moment of silence on Su Li’s end. "I just wanted to ask... if Little Mo really disappeared, what’s the first thing you would do?"
"What?" A fresh wave of cold sweat washed over Tang Yuanxiao.
"I mean, hypothetically. It’s just a ’what if’," Su Li clarified, before asking again.
"If I hadn’t gotten Little Mo back last time, and you found out he was missing, what’s the first thing you would do?"
Su Li held her breath, waiting for his answer.
After a two-second pause, Tang Yuanxiao replied, "Don’t pose such terrifying hypotheticals."
He paused. "Are... are you okay? Did something else happen?"
’Did Mrs. Tang say something awful again? Or are the people in Xinghua Village spreading more gossip?’
"No, it’s none of that. Just answer my question, okay?"
Su Li shook her head, exasperated, and repeated her question. "Just tell me, if Little Mo really disappeared, what’s the first thing you would do?"
Tang Yuanxiao let out a breath. "What else would I do?" he answered without a second thought. "I’d look for Momo, of course."
’Of course...’
’It’s just as I expected...’
Hearing his answer, Su Li sank limply into a chair, stunned into silence.
After he answered, Tang Yuanxiao waited. When he heard nothing but silence, he spoke again, his voice urgent.
"Su Li?"
"Su Li, can you hear me? Su Li?"
Su Li snapped out of it. "Yes, I can hear you."
Tang Yuanxiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Su Li, why would you ask a question like that?"
"I just wanted to know," Su Li replied. "It’s nothing."
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t sound convinced. "Are you sure nothing’s wrong?"
"Yes, it’s nothing." Su Li took a deep breath. "It’s raining in Phoenix City, so I haven’t gone back yet."
"It’s raining? Is it a heavy rain?" Tang Yuanxiao asked, concerned.
"It is." Su Li was in no mood for small talk. After a moment’s thought, she added,
"Let’s stick with that hypothetical. I have another question, Tang Yuanxiao. If I hadn’t gotten Little Mo back, and everyone said I was the one who sold him, would you have believed them?"
Tang Yuanxiao rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply.
"Why would I believe them with no proof? Su Li, why do you keep asking such strange questions? I’ve told you before, I don’t believe baseless rumors."
He paused, his voice taking on a rare, gentle tone meant to soothe her.
"Su Li, don’t worry. No matter how other people slander or misunderstand you, I won’t just blindly follow what they say."
There was silence from Su Li’s end of the line.
Tang Yuanxiao added, "I know the most important thing between a husband and wife is mutual trust. I trust you, and you can trust me, too."
After he spoke, a heavy silence fell over both ends of the line.
After a long moment, Su Li was the one to speak.
"Thank you for answering my questions. We’ve been on the phone for a while now, so I’m going to hang up."
"...Su Li," Tang Yuanxiao began.
Su Li cut in, her tone detached. "I want to thank you for your trust, but... we’re still going through with the divorce in six months."
Tang Yuanxiao choked on his words.
"I’m sorry for this. I won’t scare you like this again unless it’s important. Goodbye."
Su Li moved to hang up.
"Wait," Tang Yuanxiao said quickly. "Su Li, is everything really okay?"
’She called all this way just to ask two weird questions.’ No matter how he thought about it, something felt wrong to Tang Yuanxiao.
Su Li understood his unspoken question and was silent for a few seconds.
"Really, it’s nothing. Goodbye."
Su Li hung up the phone and let out a long sigh, her expression an unreadable mix of melancholy and relief.
"Su Li..." On the other end, Tang Yuanxiao heard the dial tone and reluctantly put down his own receiver.
He stood there, frowning in thought for a moment. Just as he was about to say something, he noticed his colleague giving him a strange look.
"Ahem..." Tang Yuanxiao cleared his throat, his expression instantly hardening. "What is it?"
His colleague was speechless. ’That was a quick change.’
’One minute he’s a whirlwind of emotion, talking all about trust between husband and wife. The next, he hangs up and puts on that scary face. Hmph!’
