CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: JUST WANTED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE

Qin Guanglin, the top eater, was rubbing his belly as he looked up information about Artemisia argyi on his computer, making sure of its safety first—no recklessness allowed.

After getting the hang of how to use the mugwort leaves, and deeming it reliable, he habitually opened his inbox to find a new email. It was a call for submissions of several paintings about the Dragon Boat Festival. If selected, these would be exhibited at the festival gathering and on the official website, with credits to the artist and a substantial cash prize.

This wasn’t bad... Qin Guanglin replied to the email, looked around to find nothing else to do, stood up, and went to the studio to brainstorm, aiming to take the lead.

The elements of the Dragon Boat Festival include nothing much beyond Dragon Boat races and rice dumplings; coming up with fresh and creative ideas was no easy feat. If he fell into cliché, not only winning but even being selected would be difficult.

Knock, knock, knock!

He didn’t know how much time had passed when someone knocked on the studio door. Qin’s Mom’s voice came through, "Your phone is ringing! What are you doing?"

Qin Guanglin patted himself down and, sure enough, had forgotten his phone, which was still in the bedroom, "Coming."

"Here, it’s He Fang calling." Standing at the door, Qin’s Mom handed over the phone, which had yet to connect and was still playing its ringing tune.

"Hello?"

"Did you fall asleep?" He Fang asked from the other end.

"No, I just didn’t bring my phone to the studio." Qin Guanglin explained, "What’s up?"

"I missed you."

"..." He glanced at Qin’s Mom, closed the door to the studio so she couldn’t eavesdrop, "Didn’t we just meet?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice."

"You’ve learned to be clingy?" Qin Guanglin was delighted.

"Don’t you like me being clingy?" He Fang retorted.

"I like it, of course, I like it... Oh, I just figured out a solution."

"What solution?"

"For stomach pains."

"..."

"Why’ve you gone silent?" Qin Guanglin was puzzled.

It was quiet for a long time before He Fang’s voice came through again, "I love you."

"I love you too." Qin Guanglin grinned in response, then furrowed his brow, "Why does your voice sound so odd?"

He Fang sniffled, "I’ve got a bit of a cold, it’s nothing."

"Then get some sleep, I’ll come see you tomorrow."

"No, don’t hang up," He Fang refused, "Stay with me and talk a little longer."

"Um... talk about what?" Qin Guanglin lacked the experience in long phone conversations and was a bit at a loss for words.

"Why are you so good to me?" He Fang asked.

"How else am I going to marry you?" He chuckled, "I have a motive, at least. What about you?"

"..." He Fang fell silent for a moment, "Because you want to marry me."

"Well, that’s convenient, mutual feelings. Let’s hurry up and get it done." Qin Guanglin never missed an opportunity.

"Don’t rush, you’ll get me sooner or later," she paused, "Don’t worry, you won’t lose me."

"How could I possibly run? I’m the one who’s worried you’ll run off."

"..."

"..."

"Let’s go out these next few days," He Fang spoke up, "Just the two of us."

"Great, go out for a walk."

"No, I don’t mean shopping, I mean traveling."

"Where to?" Qin Guanglin hesitated, having just started a new job, taking time off now didn’t seem right.

"Um... let me think." He Fang pondered for a moment, "How about Le Mountain to see the Giant Buddha?"

"Isn’t that too far?" Qin Guanglin thought the round trip would take quite some time, "How about we wait until the National Holiday?"

"Then let’s pick somewhere closer." He Fang thought again, "Wudang Mountain, Zhongnan Mountain?"

Qin Guanglin laughed, "You really like mountains, huh?"

"People always talk about seeking the Dao at Wudang, worshiping the Buddha at Le Mountain, searching for immortals at Zhongnan," He Fang’s voice sounded a bit better, but still nasal, "You have to accompany me to all three places. Now pick one."

"I choose Zhongnan," Qin Guanglin picked the closest one, "When shall we go?"

"This week or next, I’ll get ready; you arrange some time too."

"Sure." He agreed, as Zhongnan Mountain was close enough that a two to three-day trip should suffice. By taking the weekend and maybe an additional day or two off work, he could manage it, "There really aren’t any immortals anyway, who searches for immortals?"

"Am I not?"

"Yes, yes, yes, you are," Qin Guanglin paused, "Why do I feel like something’s off with you?"

"What’s off?"

He scratched his head, feeling like He Fang seemed down, "Shall we switch to a video call?"

Not seeing her smile always made him anxious.

"I’m wearing very little, are you sure you want to see?"

"Uh... just the face is fine," Qin Guanglin was embarrassed. It really wasn’t appropriate to video call late at night, but he was uneasy not seeing her at all.

"Forget it, just hang on."

He Fang hung up and quickly video-called back.

Qin Guanglin tapped to answer, and her figure wrapped in a coat immediately appeared on the phone.

"You see," He Fang held her phone and turned in a circle, "is this coat a disappointment to you?"

"Why are you on the balcony?" Qin Guanglin was relieved; although He Fang’s face was a bit too far to see clearly, he could still tell she was smiling.

"All my roommates are inside, do you want to see them?"

"...No, you better go back inside. If you catch a cold, just lie down. I’ll call you back in a bit." Qin Guanglin said and was about to hang up.

"Wait," He Fang stopped him, "let me look at you a bit longer."

"What’s there to look at? I’ll let you have enough tomorrow."

"I want to see you now, be good, let me look a bit longer."

"Alright," Qin Guanglin sighed helplessly, "why don’t you take a screenshot and look at it slowly under the covers?"

"I don’t want to."

He Fang thought for a moment, "How about I video call with you under the covers?"

"That’s not a good idea..." Qin Guanglin’s gaze wandered, not knowing what to think.

"Morals," He Fang saw right through him as he began to let his mind wander again, "so far away and still not behaving."

"It’s all your fault for leading me on," Qin Guanglin argued confidently, thinking it wasn’t illegal after all.

"That’s what you really think?"

"If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have thought about it. It’s still your fault."

"What did you dream about last night?" He Fang remembered the dream he had mentioned this morning.

"Guess?" How could he possibly admit it? Thinking was fine, but saying it aloud would be breaking the rules.

"Hmph, I know even if you don’t say it." He Fang looked around and quietly crouched in the corner.

"What are you doing?" Qin Guanglin had a bad feeling.

"Did you dream about this?" She lifted the phone slightly, the camera moved down, and she tugged at the collar of her coat.

"You..."

"Is it nice?" He Fang shook her phone and then stood back up, "Okay, no more looking."

"You did that on purpose!" Qin Guanglin’s eyes widened, his feelings mixed.

Seeing that glimpse of sky blue covering half a soccer ball, he was going to have dreams again tonight.

He Fang was like a little fox spirit, always finding ways to tease him; giving just a hint and then withholding, intentionally making him overthink. Such a wicked woman!

...Yet he liked it so much.

"You’re so good, this is your reward," He Fang’s mood improved, "Rest early, I’m going in."

"How could I possibly rest well?" Qin Guanglin complained, "if you keep this up, I don’t know what might happen."

"If you dare to do anything over the line, it’s all over," He Fang threatened him, "aren’t you happy with a little taste of sweetness?"

"How about a bit more?"

"That’s it; go rest."

After hanging up the video call, Qin Guanglin furrowed his brows; his screen showed six missed calls, all from He Fang earlier.

Could it be that his feeling was right, and she really did encounter something upsetting?

But why wouldn’t she mention it?

After careful thought for a moment, his expression relaxed again; whether the feeling was right or wrong, based on her behavior before the video call ended, she should be fine now.

Maybe she really was just missing him a lot...

Hey, thinking about it that way, his mood greatly improved again.