"Of course!" Tao Qingyu asked, "What's her name?"
"Xiao Mo."
Song Xi handed the phone to Xiao Mo, her lips forming a silent cue for her to speak. But Xiao Mo's hands and feet were already sweating from nervousness.
Hearing no sound, Tao Qingyu spoke first, "Xiao Mo?"
"Mm... I, I am." Xiao Mo's voice trembled.
Tao Qingyu heard it and didn't tease her, but instead said very gently, "Hello, nice to meet you. May I call you Xiao Mo?"
Xiao Mo almost cried out in excitement. She covered her mouth, "Of course you can!"
"Have you eaten?"
"N-no."
"Was work busy today?"
"N-not... busy."
Although the questions were trivial, watching the two converse, Song Xi felt a sense of relief.
She looked at Lou Yuming, her expression conveying a "praise me" sentiment for a good deed done.
Lou Yuming, however, was expressionless, his eyes dark and deep.
Song Xi: ?
Just then, the doorbell rang, likely the food delivery.
Song Xi's eyes lit up, and she immediately went to open the door.
"Miss Song, your order."
"Oh, Assistant Yao, thank you for your hard work!"
Hearing the voice, Lou Yuming's eyelids twitched.
Song Xi, carrying the food, said, "Since you're here, we've only finished half of the cleaning. After we eat, please stay and help us out."
Lou Yuming's thin lips pursed into a straight line. Seeing Yao Yifan's helpless look, he was speechless.
Four people, just enough for a game of mahjong. She did it on purpose!
When Yao Yifan walked up, Lou Yuming, his face grim, asked, "Who told you to come?"
"Xiao Mo called me. I didn't expect..."
No wonder they were acting so secretive earlier.
Meeting Lou Yuming's gaze, Song Xi blinked innocently, "What's wrong?"
"..." Acting!
Song Xi said, "Xiao Mo, time to eat."
Tao Qingyu heard the voice and said, "Let's eat. It was a pleasure meeting you today, Xiao Mo."
Xiao Mo's cheeks were flushed. Shyly, her voice was barely a whisper, "Okay. You should eat well too, and take care of yourself."
Yao Yifan looked over curiously, "Who was she on the phone with?"
Lou Yuming was somewhat surprised. Since when did he become interested in such things?
"Xiao Mo's idol," Song Xi took the phone from Xiao Mo and turned off the speakerphone.
Song Xi said, "I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Tao Qingyu smiled, "Teacher Song, you're too polite. I saw your trending topic today. You're as amazing as ever!"
"No, I just said a few things casually. People online made a fuss about it. By the way, Ye Tian, have you been in contact with him recently?"
Tao Qingyu replied, "No. Teacher Song, don't you know? Ye Tian... he has already left the group. It seems to be due to his heart condition. Singing and dancing is indeed difficult for him. His departure isn't necessarily a bad thing."
Although he said that, his tone revealed a hint of disappointment and regret.
Song Xi comforted him, "I'll go see him in the hospital tomorrow. If there's a chance, I'll ask him to video call you."
"Really? Then I'll trouble Teacher Song!"
Why is it taking so long?
Lou Yuming's brow showed impatience. He gave Xiao Mo a meaningful look, but Xiao Mo was already lost in her own world. Having just finished a call with her idol, she felt floaty, as if lying on a cloud.
Useless!
He then looked at Yao Yifan, but Yao Yifan didn't catch his gaze.
Instead, he was focused on Xiao Mo, asking, "Idol?"
The word "idol" seemed to be a magic charm. Xiao Mo nodded vigorously, "Yes!"
Yao Yifan furrowed his brows, "What's his name?"
"Tao Qingyu!"
Xiao Mo immediately took out her phone. After facial recognition, Yao Yifan saw her wallpaper: a man dancing on stage, radiating light. He must be Tao Qingyu.
"Is he very good?"
"He's super good!"
Xiao Mo was eager to share, but Lou Yuming couldn't stand it any longer and tapped the table with the bottom of his glass.
"Why are you asking her all this?" he asked Yao Yifan, "Since when did you become interested in this kind of thing?"
Yao Yifan opened his mouth, but realized his string of questions was indeed rather peculiar.
So he composed himself, returning to his usual expressionless demeanor, and said in Song Xi's direction, "Miss Song, it's time to eat."
Hearing him, Song Xi raised her hand to signal, and after saying goodbye to Tao Qingyu, hung up the phone.
They arrived at the dining table. Lou Yuming's expression was frosty, and the seating arrangement was naturally divided.
There were only four seats. Yao Yifan and Xiao Mo sat together, leaving only the empty seat beside Lou Yuming.
Although she was unhappy about it, she said nothing.
Yao Yifan and Xiao Mo didn't want to eat, especially at the same table as Lou Yuming. But they couldn't resist Song Xi's request. Later, Lou Yuming grew impatient and coldly commanded, "Eat if you're told to eat. Why so many words!"
Yao Yifan and Xiao Mo had no choice but to pick up their chopsticks.
Yao Yifan had a premonition that this meal might lead to indigestion.
Xiao Mo, however, was staring at the plate of stir-fried pork with peppers in front of Lou Yuming, thinking: *Wuwuwu, it's too far, I can't reach it.*