As to whether Cheng Su was still at the restaurant, Wan Dahe couldn’t be certain, and Qi Taiguo was also unsure, given that it was now past nine in the evening.
He both hoped Cheng Su would be there and worried if she was; hoping she was there because he wanted to talk to her, and if she was, it would prove that she too was concerned and cared about him. But if she was, what about going home so late? He was worried about her being a woman out at that hour!
With a heart full of trepidation, Qi Taiguo dialed the number of the restaurant where Cheng Su worked.
Du, du, du!
The call was quickly answered, and a familiar voice filled with anxiety came through. Qi Taiguo’s eyes grew warm, and his heart heated up as he smiled and said, "It’s me!"
Cheng Su gripped the phone tightly: "Hello!"
"It’s me!"
That familiar voice was Qi Taiguo’s, Cheng Su, who had held back her tears all day, suddenly let them fall, pitter-patter, onto the receiver.
On the other end of the line, Cheng Su didn’t speak; Qi Taiguo frowned, "Susu? Are you listening?"
His response was the soft sound of sniffling and nose breathing.
She was crying!
Qi Taiguo heard, and in an instant, his heart turned to mush, and at that moment, he keenly felt that his responsibilities had greatly increased.
When he was on missions, there would be someone worrying and thinking about him, this person was his wife, his woman!
"Susu, don’t cry, I’m okay, stop crying, it’s making my heart ache!" Qi Taiguo, hearing the sound of her sniffling, shooed away Wan Dahe who stood beside, smirking with his hand over his mouth, and took the IV stand he was hooked up to.
Cheng Su cried noisily, sniffling as she scolded, "Qi Taiguo, you’re bad, you’re so bad!"
"Yes, I’m bad, so please stop crying," Qi Taiguo quickly said.
"You didn’t keep your promise, getting yourself hurt and even falling unconscious, and now you won’t let me shed a few tears?" Cheng Su sobbed, "You promised, you said you’d come back whole and unharmed, what is this now?"
"Yes, I’m at fault, I’m nothing but a smooth-talking scoundrel. Good Susu, it’s not that I won’t let you cry, it’s just when you cry, my heart hurts, and besides, you’re crying there alone, with no one to wipe your tears, right? What a waste!" Qi Taiguo coaxed.
Cheng Su was amused by him and laughed, wiping away her tears, "Who needs you? Can’t I wipe them myself?"
"I need you, I do!"
Cheng Su composed herself before asking, "How are you now? Are you alright? Is everything okay?"
"Not good!"
Cheng Su immediately grew anxious, "What’s not good, what did the doctor say, what toxin is it, Wan Dahe said you were bitten by a spider, was it a Black Widow? Did they do any tests?"
"My heart’s not good," Qi Taiguo whined, "It aches because I miss you so much."
Cheng Su was taken aback, then scolded him, "You jerk! Making jokes at a time like this!"
"Really, everything else is fine, it’s just that my heart aches from missing you so much, Susu, I miss you so much."
"I, I miss you too!" Cheng Su, feeling her tears welling up again, said, "When will you come back? Has the doctor said you can leave? Don’t lie to me, Qi Taiguo, if you hide anything, I won’t let you off the hook!"
"They say a few more IV drips and I should be good! I guess I’ll be home to see you the day after tomorrow!" Qi Taiguo said.
Cheng Su fell silent, then said after a pause, "If you’re lying to me, I, I won’t let you in the bed!"
Qi Taiguo laughed, his voice low, "Not the bed, then how about on the sofa?"
"You scoundrel!"
The two talked on the phone for nearly half an hour, and if Qi Taiguo hadn’t been worried about her safety if she went back, he would have wished to keep talking. Reluctantly hanging up, he turned to Wan Dahe, "Go get the doctor, I’m going to be discharged tomorrow!"
He couldn’t wait any longer; he wanted to go back to see her, to hold her—that was where his heart truly lay.