A Late-night Visitor

Jiang Muye expertly set up all the game equipment, grabbed a few bags of jelly, chips and dried fish from who knows where, and took out a bottle of good wine from the wine cellar while he hummed a happy tune.

Everything was ready, and he sat on the floor with his legs crossed and rubbed his hands together. Just as he was about to familiarize himself with the game, the doorbell outside suddenly rang.

Jiang Muye’s face immediately turned black. He didn't answer the door, and instead, directly called Lei Ming and said bad-temperedly, "Stop ringing! I’ve already promised I’ll be on time tomorrow morning, isn’t that enough? Every day bossing me around like I'm a pet, not even letting me play some games, you don't believe that I won’t be able to take it anymore and quit?"

"Ah? Ring what?" On the other end of the call, Lei Ming was utterly baffled.

Jiang Muye choked and paused. "You’re not outside ringing my doorbell?"

"I’m pretty far away from your place now, and I’m driving!" Lei Ming was innocent.

"Then who can it be… not many people know I live here…"Jiang Muye murmured suspiciously.

"Don’t tell me your address was leaked? Be careful, don't open the door, what if it’s the media! Ning Xi’s still there!" Lei Ming immediately turned vigilant.

Jiang Muye humphed, not caring in the slightest, "So what if it’s the media! So what if they see her here?"

Lei Ming said helplessly, "Muye, I’m not lecturing you, but even if you want to help her, she needs to accept your help first! It’s already clear that Ning Xi doesn’t want to get on your pirate ship1…"

Jiang Muye immediately exploded. "What pirate ship! Who are you calling a pirate ship!"

The doorbell was still ringing, at five-second intervals in a very regular pattern.

"I won’t talk to you anymore, I’m going to go open the door! It’s so late, who on earth could it be…"Jiang Muye hung up and walked impatiently to the drawing room.

Jiang Muye deliberately checked the electronic monitor first to see who was outside, and was stunned, like he had seen a real ghost.

"F***! Lu Tingxiao!!! Why is he here…"

The man at the door was wearing gray home clothes and a pair of slippers, and was carrying a few things in his hands. Even though he was dressed extremely casually, for some reason, Jiang Muye felt as if a gust of wind off a glacier was blowing down his neck, so cold it made him shiver.

Like a rabbit that had just seen a wolf, Jiang Muye paced frantically in circles. After the doorbell rang twice more, he took a deep breath, and opened the door.

The moment he opened the door, his attitude from before suddenly turned cautiously respectful. "Eh, why are you here…"

"To visit you," the man answered emotionlessly.

"Oh… come in please! Come in…"Jiang Muye busily welcomed him in.

Lu Tingxiao glanced at the game controllers on the floor, and also the snacks and wine, then sat down on the sofa.

Noticing what Lu Tingxiao was looking at, Jiang Muye coughed and explained, "Cough, work is tiring, I seldom have time to relax."

This was of no concern to Lu Tingxiao. He asked casually, "When did you arrive?"

"Not that long ago." Jiang Muye searched for a while and finally found a pouch of tea leaves, but there was no hot water, so he could only take out a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. "I haven’t boiled any water here, is this okay?"

"No need to fuss, I won’t stay long." Lu Tingxiao pointed at the few boxes he had brought. "These are from your mother"

"She could have sent someone to bring these here, why is she troubling you to personally come here yourself at night!" In his heart, Jiang Muye reproached his mother a hundred times over. Why would she, without any rhyme or reason, ask him to bring things over! Didn't she know he was terrified of this person the most? … Fine, it was obvious, it was because his mother definitely knew, that she had sent Lu Tingxiao to check up on him…