LET ME TELL YOU (3)

"I…" Meng Bao paused for a while, then continued with his husky voice, "I just want to hear your voice, Ying Jie."

"… my voice?" 

"Yes…" Meng Bao replied. "I want to hear your voice because my mind is muddled right now. I believe your voice can soothe me, Jie…"

'He wants to hear my voice? Why? He is off from his rental boyfriend job right now…' I pondered. Meng Bao seemed to realize that he hadn't gotten any answer from me. So he asked:

"Did I wake you up in the middle of the night, Jie? I will call you later—"

"No! I'm not sleepy at all!" I replied so he would not hang up the call. "But why do you want to hear my voice, don't you—"

'Have a girlfriend?' I only said this last sentence in my heart. I didn't dare to utter it to Meng Bao. Maybe it was my greediness because I didn't want Meng Bao to suddenly realize that he got a girlfriend and would hang up on me.

'Now this makes me feel like a mistress or some sort…' I thought. 

Meng Bao didn't seem to catch my intention, and he answered with:

"I don't know, Jie. Your voice calms me down, like rain in summer. Hearing you makes me assured that everything is alright."

I froze when I heard that, it wasn't fair, was it? How could a handsome man like him say something like that so easily to an average, lonely woman like me? That was deadly as heck. We were basically doing what a couple usually do, a late-night call. 

"We've known each other for only two days, but why do you feel so important for me, Jie?" Meng Bao asked. "I don't understand why did you suddenly kick me away, but it keeps lingering in my head. Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

"No, it's not that…" I replied. But I didn't dare to continue because it would show my true feeling that I shamelessly wished for something more than just rental boyfriend service from him.

"It's not your fault. It's me who has a problem, Meng Bao," I added. 

"But those questions haunted me for the whole evening, and something also happened this evening… I feel like crap, so I called you. Because your voice gives me peace…"

'Man, if he dares to say something cheesy like this one more time, I'm sure I'll become a teenage girl in love. This is unfair.' 

I cursed Meng Bao at my heart. Why did he do something like this to me? This was just giving me hope! If he had a girlfriend, he should be calling his girlfriend right now, not me!

But when I want to confront Meng Bao about it, I got tongue-tied. Because I got greedy. I'm afraid he would hang up and call his girlfriend instead. I secretly wished for him to prioritize me, someone, who only knew him for two days.

'At least, let me indulge in this warmth just for tonight.'

We were in silence, listening to each other's breaths. Although for some, it would feel strange, for me, it felt assuring. At least, I knew that Meng Bao was talking to me right now.

"Jie? Jie, are you asleep?" Meng Bao asked. 

"Not yet. How about you? Do you have something to do tomorrow?" I asked back.

…

"I'm planning to meet my dad tomorrow. He keeps on pressuring me to work in his office, but I don't like to be tied with work. Because someone once told me that I need to earn a lot of money, and working a boring job like him won't earn me a lot," Meng Bao said. He openly talked about his problem with me, which made me feel appreciated.

"How about you, Jie?" Meng Bao asked.

"I… I will have to work tomorrow. I worked as a secretary in a company. Work is hard and busy, but I enjoy it a lot," I replied. "Because of money, of course. Ahahah! Your Jie is a strong woman who carries her family. I can't slack off!" I added a small joke to ease this strangely intimate conversation between us. But Meng Bao was silenced for a while, and then said:

"Jie, I don't want you to work too hard. I…" Meng Bao paused, probably considering whether he should continue or not. 

"I… want to spoil you instead. I want you to rest and have fun more," Meng Bao said. "W—With me, of course…"

'Ahhhhh, he is so cuteeee!' I almost flew high up in the sky when he said such a sweet thing. 

'Shi Ying, promise yourself that this will be the last time for you to play along with Meng Bao! You know it's not good to live with your imagination. This is not a romcom!'

After I promised myself, I started teasing Meng Bao, "Oooh? Do you want to spoil and dote on me? Like those male lead in web novels? Meng Bao, if you want to dote on me, you have to marry me first!" I laughed freely. Although my heart was hurting inside.

'This rental boyfriend fantasy is surely intoxicating,' I thought.

"I—I will think about it," Meng Bao replied. 

"You need a lot of money for my Bride price as a sign of respect! Your Jie has a lot of pride!" I teased him and gigging carefreely. 

"I—I will give you sixty-five million yuan, or around 10 million dollars. Is that enough, Jie? I—I know it might sound too little, I will increase the price—"

"Well, I think that's enough. But I want more later on. Your Jie loves money after all~." 

"I—I will not disappoint!" Meng Bao said determinedly.

I laughed harder. Meng Bao really knew how to have fun. Obviously, we both knew well that sixty-five million yuan was just an imaginary number. Since we were both middle-class worker in this city, and I wouldn't mind if my future husband gave me just enough price for us to live comfortably.

That was… if I actually married someone for real. Which probably would never happen. 

After I was in a good mood, and Meng Bao seemed to have cheered up, I checked the clock, and it was already two in the morning. We talked for two hours straight about random stuff along the way and didn't expect that time to pass by so easily.

"Meng Bao, it's late-night already. Time to sleep. I will sleep first, okay?"

"Okay, Jie. Sleep well," Meng Bao said. And I hung up the call first. 

I checked his number. I've promised myself this was the last time I got entangled with him before this feeling went too far. So I took a deep breath and braced myself. I texted his number.

*Meng Bao, you don't need to meet my parents. I will find someone else. You don't need to call me again. Good night, and goodbye.*

I sent the text and blocked his number immediately.

I didn't want to fall in love with him. So it was best to take this step and find another one in that Rent A Boyfriend app. Since the application had returned normal. Or I could always ask Shi Qiang to help me since she said she knew plenty of handsome gay men in her office. It was better than got entangled too far with a man who had a life outside of his rental boyfriend service.

'Remember Shi Ying. Don't be fooled. This is business.'