Translator: CinderTL
After Boss Lin left, Fatty sat alone on the sofa, lost in thought. Boss Lin's words had left him feeling strange, as if she was intentionally hinting at something.
Moreover, before leaving, she had told him that she wouldn't be too busy these days and would stay near the studio. If he remembered anything or had something to say, he could reach out to her anytime.
Fatty reached out and scratched his head. What could he possibly need Boss Lin for?
Could it be...? Fatty's eyes lit up. Did she think he was doing well and was planning to promote him early, maybe even start paying him?
Recalling what Boss Lin had said earlier about the Doctor, Fatty couldn't help but feel that this might be the case. If she hadn't truly accepted him, why would she share so much about the Doctor's past?
Fatty suddenly felt a surge of positivity. He straightened up on the sofa, determined not to let Boss Lin's kindness go to waste. He would work even harder, strive to improve, and contribute to society as soon as possible.
A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes, and he felt like everything was getting better. The Doctor and Boss Lin were truly good people!
Time flew by, and before he knew it, it was almost dark outside. The noise outside grew louder. At noon, Fatty had noticed that the Doctor hadn't come downstairs, so he decided to check on him.
To his surprise, the bedroom door was closed. Worried about the Doctor, Fatty tentatively called out a few times from outside the door.
The Doctor's voice sounded muffled as he replied that he was tired and wouldn't be eating lunch. Fatty wanted to say more, but seeing the Doctor's firm attitude, he guessed that the recent mission with his teammates must have affected him deeply.
So, Fatty went downstairs alone, planning to prepare something nourishing for the Doctor in the evening.
By the time it was almost dark, Fatty went upstairs to inform the Doctor and then left the house alone, carrying a cloth bag. The previous vegetable basket had been torn apart by the people Xia Meng had brought over.
Little did he know, as soon as he stepped out, someone descended the stairs. The office was unlit, and the last rays of the setting sun cast a faint orange glow across the room.
The figure slowly walked to the sofa and sat down. The light from the window soon disappeared, leaving Jiang Cheng sitting alone in the dim room. Right on the hour, a shrill phone ring pierced the silence.
The phone was placed in front of him, vibrating and ringing simultaneously, grating on his nerves. He reached out, initially intending to pick it up, but after a few seconds, he decided to put it on speaker instead.
A familiar voice came through, "Dr. Jiang!"
Pi Ruan's enthusiastic voice was unmistakable, but at this moment, it felt entirely out of place. Without waiting for Jiang Cheng's response, Pi Ruan continued, "Ah, I'm exhausted! I rushed over as soon as I got your message, and I've finally arrived."
"Dr. Jiang, you have no idea how much worse Echeng's development is compared to our Rongcheng. It was such a hassle to gather information, and the address you gave me was in a particularly remote area. But luckily, I have my all-powerful social circle," Pi Ruan's tone shifted, brimming with pride. "I found the neighborhood you mentioned, and the building number matches too."
"But the place has been abandoned for years. And when I checked the room number you gave me, I found out that the family moved away many years ago."
"By the way, Doctor Jiang, the former homeowner wasn't surnamed Wang, but Zhao. He was the only one in his family," Pi Ruan licked his lips and smiled awkwardly. "Doctor Jiang, are you perhaps mistaken?"
Without any pleasantries, Jiang Cheng hung up the phone.
It seemed to be true.
He always felt that there was a pair of eyes watching him, very close, extremely close.
So close that it felt like with just a stretch of his hand, he could be caught.
Everything about him was exposed under the surveillance of these eyes.
It wasn't just Xia Meng and her group who were being targeted.
He was too.
As night fell, the neon lights along the street lit up one by one, and the noise outside the window invaded the room. The sound of footsteps echoed outside the door.
When the door opened, a large figure was reflected inside. Fatty hummed a tune whose name he couldn't recall, carrying a bag in each hand.
Since there was no knife, he bought some ready-to-eat food, all pre-cut by the shopkeeper, along with some cold dishes.
They could be eaten directly, very convenient.
The main dish was sorghum rice porridge. He thought the doctor might be a bit overheated recently, so he prepared something lighter.
The money was given by the doctor earlier. After returning from the bar late that night, Jiang Cheng seemed to have made a hefty sum.
In high spirits, he generously gave Fatty a few red bills.
Let him spend freely.
After naturally turning on the light, Fatty was startled. "Doctor," Fatty patted his chest, "Why didn't you turn on the light? You scared me!"
When Jiang Cheng looked up and his gaze met Fatty's, the latter's expression changed abruptly.
The doctor's eyes were filled with complexity, and there was a lot that Fatty couldn't understand. "Put the stuff down and come sit here."
Fatty immediately put down the food and obediently walked over, sitting on the sofa across from the doctor.
He could feel that the doctor wasn't joking.
For more than ten seconds, the doctor just looked at him calmly, not saying a word. The silence was almost suffocating for Fatty.
He wanted to speak up, but reason told him it was better not to.
Just as Fatty was about to break, Jiang Cheng leaned back on the sofa. "It's been a long time since you've been home, right? Do you miss it?"
"A little," Fatty answered honestly.
Jiang Cheng reached out and poured Fatty a glass of water. Only then did Fatty notice that a cup had been placed in front of him at some point.
It seemed the doctor had brought it earlier, as it wasn't there before he left.
Picking up his own cup, Jiang Cheng took a sip but didn't put it down, instead holding it in his hand. "Who else is in your family?"
"My grandmother is still there," Fatty scratched his head, his mood somewhat low. "My younger siblings have probably all left by now. I don't know if anyone is still with grandma."
"Tomorrow I'll go home with you, to Goose City, to see grandma," Jiang Cheng looked at Fatty, speaking calmly. "Consider it a gesture from me."
"That's not necessary, Doctor, you're so busy," Fatty declined symbolically, but it was clear to anyone that he was very happy.
But for some reason, after seeing Fatty's reaction, Jiang Cheng's eyes grew even darker.
Fatty could clearly see the light in his eyes gradually fading, with a surge of emotion wildly stirring beneath.
The doctor seemed to be suppressing something.
"Fatty," Jiang Cheng raised his eyes, looking at the plump figure on the opposite sofa, "don't you have anything you want to say to me?"
"It's not too late yet," Jiang Cheng said. "There's still time to make things right."
The confusion in Fatty's eyes deepened. He actually detected a hint of pleading in the doctor's tone.
A plea from the doctor.
Brothers, I got back late from overtime today and am rushing to finish up.
(End of the Chapter)
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