The phone’s ringtone kept ringing, ringing for a long time. It wasn’t until a minute later, when the call was automatically disconnected, that no one had picked up.
Shen Yi felt even more panicked and increasingly irritated. He kept redialling the number as he got out of bed.
But still, the call wasn’t answered.
Shen Yi had completely forgotten it was past one in the morning, and that Ye Wanwan had the habit of putting her phone on silent while asleep. It was normal that he couldn’t get through.
Assistant Chen’s room was just across from Shen Yi’s. Wearing his pajamas, Shen Yi went directly into the hallway, one hand still dialing on his phone while the other knocked forcefully on the door.
Soon, Assistant Chen’s voice came from inside the room, carrying a hint of anger, "Who is it?"
"Assistant Chen, it’s me," Shen Yi said with a heavy voice.
The room went quiet, and after a dozen seconds, the door opened. Assistant Chen, bleary-eyed, looked at the person outside the door, rubbed his eyes, and perked up.
"Manager Shen, what’s wrong so late at night?" Seeing their manager’s grim expression, Assistant Chen knew something serious must have happened!
Having worked with Manager Shen for many years, he knew his temperament: always calm and composed in face of issues, he had never seen Manager Shen looking so flustered.
"Book a flight ticket, I need to go back now!" Shen Yi demanded curtly.
Assistant Chen was taken aback; wasn’t the contract supposed to be signed tomorrow? Why leave now?
But seeing Manager Shen’s expression, Assistant Chen wisely chose to comply, "I’ll book it right now."
Manager Shen turned to go back to his phone, while Shen Yi stood in the doorway, still making calls.
Just as Shen Yi thought that no one would answer, a muffled voice from Ye Wanwan came through the phone: "Hello?"
Shen Yi paused, slightly doubting if he was experiencing an auditory hallucination, and tentatively called out, "Wanwan?"
Ye Wanwan’s voice was faint, clearly still between sleep and wakefulness, responding subconsciously.
Ye Wanwan waited for a while, and not hearing a response, she almost fell asleep again—fortunately, she still remembered the phone call.
Suddenly, she snapped back to alertness, taking a deep breath, her voice no longer wispy, "Shen Yi, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you resting this late?"
Shen Yi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in that moment, he didn’t know what to say. Should he tell her he had a nightmare, a nightmare in which she died?
Ye Wanwan still hadn’t heard Shen Yi speak. Did he fall asleep with his phone on the bed and accidentally pressed on it?
But earlier, she was sure she heard Shen Yi calling her. Therefore, Ye Wanwan brought the phone closer to her mouth and called out, stretching the words, "Shen Yi, Shen Yi, are you there?"
"Yeah, I’m here," Shen Yi replied in a low voice.
"Calling me so late, is there something wrong?" Ye Wanwan glanced at the phone; it was almost two in the morning, and Shen Yi had called her multiple times.
Shen Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, taking several seconds before speaking, "Nothing much, just, I kind of missed you."
Ye Wanwan was startled; she had not expected Shen Yi to speak so straightforwardly about his longing.
Shen Yi had gotten through to Ye Wanwan’s phone, and knowing she was safe should’ve relieved him. Yet Ye Wanwan’s silence made him feel uneasy inside.