Adding Zhou Si's contact information was just a small episode for Ning Anmiao, and she didn't give it much thought.
Compared to this, the most urgent thing for her at the moment was to design clothes for Jiang Xixi.
She had readily agreed at that time, but only later did she realize that Jiang Xixi hadn't even mentioned her requirements for the clothes, or even the occasion for which she would wear them.
She hesitated for a while and then took the initiative to call Jiang Xixi.
The moment the other party answered, she immediately said, "Why are you calling me?"
The tone was unfriendly, as if her call had come at a bad time.
Ning Anmiao was taken aback. She paused for three or four seconds and didn't want to waste any more time on this call. "For the clothes you want, what occasion will you wear them for?"
"It's my birthday at the end of this month. Don't you even remember that?" Jiang Xixi said irritably, then lowered her voice into the receiver, as if afraid of being heard by someone.
"Okay, okay, I won't talk to you anymore." Jiang Xixi hurriedly hung up the phone.
Ning Anmiao rubbed her hair, still at a loss.
But thanks to Jiang Xixi's reminder, Ning Anmiao remembered that the end of this month was indeed her birthday, and also Jiang Zhou's.
Although the siblings were a few years apart, they were coincidentally born on the same day.
According to the rules of the Jiang family, Jiang Xixi and Jiang Zhou always celebrated their birthdays together, and this time would probably be no exception.
Ning Anmiao thought for a while and decided to go to the Jiang family then.
Although she didn't get along well with Jiang Xixi, Jiang Zhou had watched her grow up, so the proper etiquette couldn't be neglected.
She thought for a few minutes. Seeing that it was still early before bedtime, she propped up the drawing board again, planning to finish the sketch before going to sleep.
Then she would think about what birthday gift to prepare for Brother Jiang Zhou.
——
That evening, Assistant Song opened the door and came in, reporting the work arrangements as usual. "Mr. Lu, the cooperation partner has invited you to dinner tonight."
Seeing that there was no response from the other side, Assistant Song continued, "As usual, I'll decline it for you later."
"No need." The man sitting in the large office chair rarely interrupted, his voice deep. "Don't decline this social gathering."
The cooperation partner tonight was an old friend of several years. It was okay to have a few drinks when meeting.
Moreover, without Miaomiao at home, he wasn't in a hurry to go back and rest.
"Okay, I'll go and inform them right away."
...
In the private room of the pre - arranged restaurant at night, among the toasts of a few old friends, Lu Yan drank quite a lot of wine.
He had good alcohol tolerance. Even if he drank too much, he wouldn't lose his composure. At most, he would have a slight headache.
He sat in the car, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples one by one to relieve the throbbing nerves in his head.
While driving, Assistant Song saw Lu Yan's headache from drinking too much through the rear - view mirror and comforted him, "Mr. Lu, you've drunk so much again. When Miss Ning sees it when you get home, she'll be worried again."
Mentioning Ning Anmiao, Lu Yan's temple twitched violently. He said faintly, "She's not at home."
Assistant Song immediately stiffened his back.
Oh no, oh no, he had said the wrong thing.
He carefully looked at the rear - view mirror to make sure that his boss wasn't angry, and then he quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Lu Yan closed his eyes, but the pain was getting stronger. He felt a burning pain in his stomach. Although he still looked calm, his mind was a little confused.
He reached out and took out a bottle of water from the car fridge in the front row, took a few sips, but it didn't relieve the churning feeling in his stomach.
"Mr. Lu, there's a pharmacy ahead. Let me go and buy some medicine for you." Assistant Song was good at observing people's expressions and had long noticed the hand that Lu Yan had placed on his stomach.
After drinking so much wine and not eating much at the dinner table just now, it was very likely that his old stomach problem had flared up again.
Lu Yan opened his eyes, his voice hoarse. "Okay, thank you for your hard work."
...
When Assistant Song sent Lu Yan home, after he took the stomach medicine and lay on the big bed, his mind cleared up a lot.
It would take a while for the stomach medicine to take effect. Lu Yan endured the pain, turned over, and reached for the phone not far from the bedside.
In the darkness, only the faint light from the phone screen made his eyes look especially deep.
His gaze fell on the contact note, and his eyes gradually softened.
It was Miaomiao who had taken his phone and changed it before. She had noted her phone number as "Wifey".
The corners of his lips curved slightly. At first, his fingertips just rested on those four words, but then accidentally, he pressed it.
When he saw the call being dialed, Lu Yan's pupils shrank a bit, and he quickly hung up.
He had just quarreled with Miaomiao. She probably didn't want to answer his call or hear his voice now, Lu Yan thought.
He twitched his lips and felt that his stomach hurt even more than before, and there was no relief at all.
Song Qin must have bought fake medicine.
The phone popped up a "low battery" reminder and was about to turn off.
He simply threw the phone aside, turned over, and went to sleep.
Maybe it was the effect of the alcohol. He was a bit dazed and actually fell asleep while enduring the pain.
...
Ning Anmiao finished the draft before going to bed. She stretched, checked the time, and thought it was about time to rest. After washing up and changing into her pajamas, she lay on the bed.
The phone was in the bedroom, and she hadn't heard it because she had been drawing in the living room just now.
When she saw a missed call from "Darling Husband" on her phone, Ning Anmiao's heart skipped a beat.
Looking at the missed call, Ning Anmiao was a bit absent - minded. She began to wonder why Lu Yan had called.
Did he want to tell her something?
Was he going to explain what had happened that day? Or was he going to apologize?
Ning Anmiao struggled for a long time and finally comforted herself: Call him back and ask. What if something happened?
She called back, but what came from the phone was a mechanical female voice: "Sorry, the phone you dialed has been turned off."
Turned off?
Ning Anmiao thought it was incredible.
Lu Yan's phone was always on because he had to answer calls from different people.
She didn't know why, but suddenly she felt very nervous and worried that something might have happened to Lu Yan.
But how could something happen to Lu Yan?
She closed her eyes and forced herself not to think about whether something had happened to him. She covered the quilt and closed her eyes, ready to go to sleep.
The last quarrel hadn't been resolved yet. She wasn't going to rush to care about this heartless and cold man!
She reached out and turned off the bedside lamp.
After about a few minutes, there was a deep sigh in the darkness, and Ning Anmiao lifted the quilt again.
The desk lamp that had just been turned off was turned on again.