Chapter 62 Suspicious Phone Call

  The winter sun is particularly warm. Ji Ningning sits in the yard, not basking in the sun, but the wind blows by and brings a hint of warmth. Ji Ningning knows that spring is coming because the snow in the yard has already melted.

  I don't know how long I've been sitting like this. My mind is filled with Chen Yanqiu's silly smile. But as I think about it, Ji Ningning can't help but smile too. It feels especially sweet in my heart.

  But every time she thought that Xun Yanqiu was already dating Mo Fei, Ji Ningning's heart would feel especially uncomfortable, with a kind of extremely powerless loss.

  Just as Ji Ningning was lost in thought, the alarm clock at home suddenly rang out. Ji Ningning knew that she should start cooking for her father and mother. Every time she sat in the yard in a daze, she would forget about the passage of time. Sometimes she would even forget to cook. When her father and mother came back, they would scold her. So, in order to prevent herself from getting lost in thought and forgetting about the time, she specially set an alarm clock. She also placed the alarm clock by the window. Therefore, when the alarm clock rang, Ji Ningning, who was in the yard, could hear it.

  Ji Ningning thinks summer is relatively better. Summer is so good, with the cool breeze carrying the scent of grass. Whether wearing a T-shirt or a shirt, a pair of canvas shoes, and carrying a canvas bag, she can lightly and quickly go wherever she wants to have fun. Winter, on the other hand, is obviously too heavy, like the worries in her heart, hard to let go of. Ji Ningning feels that winter is too oppressive, so she doesn't want to stay at home. She will put on a big coat and walk on the streets, watching people coming and going. However, the streets outside the city are empty with no one coming or going, so Ji Ningning won't go out either. She can only sit in the courtyard, staring blankly.

  This world is always particularly merciless, especially cruel. Of course, Ji Ningning didn't know that at the time. She just saw it in a book and would think people who spoke like this were being pretentious or cynical.

  Ji Ningning was just opening the gas stove to cook rice. The phone on the sofa in the living room rang quietly. She hurriedly ran to answer the phone.

  The name "Cen Yanqiu" appeared on her phone screen. Ji Ningning suddenly had an inexplicable feeling. Her hand holding the phone was trembling, and it seemed like her whole heart was trembling too. Cen Yanqiu rarely called her. It was only last semester when there were things going on in the club that he would call her. Now it's winter break. Ji Ningning really couldn't understand why Cen Yanqiu was calling her. But she was happy, extremely happy.

  Ji Ningning took a deep breath before answering. "Hello? What's up?"

  “……”

  There was no sound from that side. Ji Ningning's heart suddenly shook. This didn't seem like the usual Cen Yanqiu. She hastily asked again, "What's wrong? Speak."

  "Ji Ning Ning..." Yan Qiu's voice drifted over, laced with a hint of fatigue. She knew he was heartbroken.

  Ji Ningning deliberately raised her voice and said, "Cen Yanqiu, I don't care what you've done. Don't be wishy-washy like a woman. If there's something to say, just say it."

  "It's nothing... I just wanted to know if you're still alive in this world." Yanqiu's voice suddenly became lighter, as if nothing was wrong. Jining knew he was changing the subject.

  Ji Ningning suddenly felt a sense of relief, gazing out the window at the swaying leaves. She couldn't help but think of a sentence from a book: If I'm thinking of you when you're also thinking of me, that would be great.

  "Qin Yanqiu, don't worry, I'm still alive. Now I seriously suspect that you're making a call from hell to me." Ji Ningning suddenly burst out laughing.

  "Ji Ning Ning. That's right. I'm in hell. I've come to take you down to hell with me. Hahaha..."

  "Haha... Would I give you that chance? I'm the one who beheads demons and eliminates evil spirits, specializing in eradicating pests like you who harm humanity."

  Two people, you say one word and I say another. Don't know how long we talked before hanging up the phone.

  Ji Ningning held her phone, gazing out the window, and suddenly burst into a sweet smile. However, after some careful thought, she still felt a bit puzzled. Why would Cen Yanqiu call her out of the blue? Although they had both matured a lot since entering high school and were no longer as hostile towards each other as they were in middle school, it was unlikely that they would be calling each other during the holidays to chat. If that were really the case, wouldn't they be considered legendary bosom friends?

  Although she was extremely surprised by Chen Yanqiu's phone call, Ji Ningning still felt that something was not quite right. She put down the phone and her heart began to feel uneasy again.

  At noon when eating lunch, Ji Ningning couldn't eat anymore and stared blankly while picking at her food.

  Ji Ningning's father, Ji Jingtao, usually doted on his daughter. Seeing her distracted and absent-minded, he felt puzzled and perplexed. His daughter was normally clever and wise, quick-witted and clever, with few worries. What was wrong today?

  "Ning Ning, what's wrong? Today's dishes don't suit your appetite?" Ji Jingtao couldn't help but ask. In fact, he was also reminding his daughter to eat well.

  Ji Ningning snapped out of it, only to realize she had zoned out again. She lifted her head and looked at Ji Jingtao with a smile: "The dishes Dad bought today are all my favorites, they're really delicious."

  "Eat more if it's delicious. Don't be distracted at the dinner table." Ji Jingtao wasn't very strict either. Usually, he would still give in to his daughter a bit.

  Ji Ningning's mother, Zhong Xiaotong, couldn't help but take a look at Ji Ningning. She also seemed to have noticed that her daughter had been looking troubled lately. A bad premonition crept into her mind. Girls always have something on their minds. What she feared most was that her daughter wasn't studying hard and would end up like others, falling in love too early.

  "Dad, Mom, I want to go to Aunt's house tomorrow." Ji Ningning paused for a moment before speaking up. She felt that Xun Yanqiu had something on his mind and was worried about him, so she must go see him.

  Ji Jingtao and Zhong Xiaotang looked at each other in dismay, neither of them understanding why their daughter suddenly wanted to go to her aunt's house. Usually during holidays, she couldn't wait to come home early, but now it seemed like the opposite was true. Just when they finally had a winter break, she wanted to run off to her aunt's house again.

  Ji Jing stared at her daughter thoughtfully for a while before asking, "What's the point of going to Auntie's house during Chinese New Year? They'll all come to our place to pay their respects then, and besides, it's only a week away."

  "Not really." Ji Ningning slightly raised her head. "Something happened on classmate's side. I want to go take a look."

  "Is it a boy classmate or a girl classmate?" Zhong Xiaotong couldn't help but ask.

  It's strange to think about it. Why are all parents so concerned about the gender of their children's friends and classmates? Can't people of different sexes be friends?

  Ji Ningning had no choice but to lie. She wasn't a girl who liked telling lies, but today she lied to her dad and mom. "It's a female classmate. Her brother went to America. Her family members are all busy working and have no time to accompany her. When she got sick, nobody took care of her. So..."

  When saying this, Ji Ningning felt particularly ashamed. How could she use her good friend Bai Yaya as an example? And even cursed her to get sick.