Chapter 9 (2/2)

“Just gotten back.”

Fang Zhaomu’s fingers tapped on his screen, typing and deleting “So are we going to talk through the phone” a few times. When he just typed “so” for the nth time, his phone suddenly rang, and the screen flashed, showing that he was receiving a call from Andrew.

Fang Zhaomu bit his lip, then drank some water. Nervously, he accepted the call, and he heard a very loud static noise coming from the other side, as well as the sound of something falling to the ground. Fang Zhaomu called out a few times, and waited for a short while before a mature, somewhat low and cold male voice travelled through the phone to his ear. “Mu?”

Fang Zhaomu’s heart was beating very fast, as Andrew happened to have one of those very very nice sounding voices.

“You’re not working overtime tonight?” Fang Zhaomu felt that he was about to start stuttering, but pretended to be calm and asked Andrew.

Fang Zhaomu was better at teasing as they sent each other messages, but when it came to such a direct interaction, it was Andrew who was more composed.

Andrew paused for a couple of seconds, then told Fang Zhaomu, “I’m working from home.”

Sounds of typing on a keyboard could be heard. Fang Zhaomu’s cheeks heated up, and quietly told Andrew, “You’re talking to me while working?”

“Mn.” Andrew hesitated, and the sounds of the keyboard stopped.

Fang Zhaoumu sat up on his bed, pulling his blanket aside to cool down. “You’re so busy.”

“It’s not too bad.”

“Andrew,” Fang Zhaomu felt that for some reason, Andrew’s voice sounded a little familiar. “I feel that we’ve unconsciously met each other before.”

“Hmm?” Andrew made a questioning sound.

“It feels like I’ve heard your voice before.”

“Oh?” No fluctuation in Andrew’s voice could be heard. “Where?”

Now that they had spoken to each other, Fang Zhaomu did not calm down, but his heart pounded even harder. He could only admit to Andrew, “Andrew, I’ve very nervous talking to you.”

Andrew stopped typing. “Why?”

Fang Zhaomu also did not know the answer, and guessed, “Maybe it’s because I haven’t spoken to anyone through the phone in chinese for a long time.”

“Mn,” Andrew asked him. “Does your wrist still hurts?”

Fang Zhaomu looked at his bruised wrist, and assessed it bitterly, “Now it really looks like a mark left from playing with ropes…”

“Mu.” Andrew called him.

Everyone, when they said “Mu”, would always have a trace of unknowing gentleness in their voice. Fang Zhaomu flushed when he heard it, and told Andrew, “It feels so weird for you to call me by just one word of my name. Actually, my name is Fang Zhaomu. You can call me Xiao Zhao, or Xiao Mu.”

“Mn.” Andrew acknowledged, then did not continue.

Fang Zhaomu waited, then thickened his skin and asked Andrew, “After acknowledging it, why haven’t you call me yet?”

“…” Andrew most probably felt a little helpless, and so, called him “Fang Zhaomu” in a low voice.

Fang Zhaomu immediately told him that he was incorrect.

“What’s incorrect about that?”

“I only asked you to call me Xiao Zhao or Xiao Mu, why did you call me by something else?” Fang Zhaomu said reasonably.

Andrew murmured “Xiao Mu”, then asked Fang Zhaomu, “When are you going to the supermarket again?”