Ji Xinxin glanced at Ling Chuxia’s complexion, her brows lifting as dissatisfaction immediately appeared in her tone, "Ling Chuxia, don’t tell me you’re rushing home again?"
Ling Chuxia indeed had to rush home, as Shi Che had said he would return for dinner that evening, and she wanted to be there with him. However, she had not seen Ji Xinxin in a long time and didn’t know how to refuse.
As Ling Chuxia furrowed her brows thinking about what to say, Ji Xinxin slammed her palm on the table, glaring at Ling Chuxia, "Ling Chuxia! Would you rather go home to face an empty house where you can’t eat anything than have a meal with me? Do you want our friendship to end now?"
Startled by Ji Xinxin’s slap, Ling Chuxia quickly shook her head, not even having time to think of what to say, she blurted out, "No, it’s not that, Shi Che is coming home tonight, I need to go back."
Ji Xinxin hummed dismissively, "You think I would believe that?"
A person who hasn’t come home in years, would he suddenly return?
Ling Chuxia was about to explain when her phone rang. She had to answer it first. Pulling open her purse, she took out her phone, which flashed with the characters "Young Master."
Ling Chuxia glanced at Ji Xinxin, pressed the answer button, and put the phone to her ear, softly saying, "Young Master."
Ji Xinxin’s gaze sharply froze on her face.
From the other end of the phone, Shi Che’s familiar deep and elegant voice came, "Where are you?"
"Xinxin is back in the country. I came out to meet her for a bit. We are at the usual coffee place we go to."
Shi Che made a soft noise of acknowledgment, then said, "When will you leave? I’ll come and pick you up."
Ling Chuxia looked at Ji Xinxin again, took a deep breath, and then said, "I can leave now. But you don’t have to come get me, I can go home by myself."
"I’ll be there in thirty minutes," Shi Che said, as if he hadn’t heard her words. With that, the call ended abruptly.
Listening to the dial tone on the phone, Ling Chuxia pursed her lips and slowly put down the phone.
Across from her, Ji Xinxin laughed coldly again, "You can’t even stay with me for thirty minutes, and the moment your husband calls, you can’t wait to leave. It seems our friendship really is over!"
"Xinxin, I..." Ling Chuxia began to explain, but Ji Xinxin dismissively waved her hand before she could finish, "Just go, I don’t want to be a third wheel."
Although Ji Xinxin spoke with an impatient tone, Ling Chuxia simply curled her lips. After so many years of friendship, there was no need for words, for she understood her friend’s difficulties.
Ling Chuxia smiled at Ji Xinxin, didn’t rush to stand up, but instead spoke softly, "I can still stay with you for thirty minutes."
Due to Shi Che’s company being close to the café, his car arrived at the coffee house’s entrance in less than thirty minutes.
Seeing the car, Ling Chuxia apologetically gestured to Ji Xinxin before standing up and leaving.
Ling Chuxia opened the passenger door, sat in, and buckled her seatbelt, but noticed that Shi Che hadn’t driven off. Perplexed, she looked up to see him already watching her. Their eyes met.
Shi Che’s eyes were deep and dark. Silently watching her, Ling Chuxia, still accustomed to it, lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. Shi Che’s brow furrowed, but he slowly began to speak, "Does your head still hurt?"
Ling Chuxia hadn’t expected him to remember that. Her heart warmed instantly, and she shook her head, "It doesn’t hurt anymore."