Li Ting was sitting quietly in her room. Notebooks were scattered all around her bed and on the floor, showing how deeply she was immersed in her studies. One notebook lay open in front of her, and she was carefully working through a set of math problems.
"Math is so difficult… solving these questions gives me a headache," she muttered under her breath, rubbing her temple slightly as she continued writing.
Just then, her phone rang, breaking the silence of the room. She paused, placed her pencil gently on the notebook, and reached for her phone. Looking at the screen, she smiled faintly and answered the call.
"Hi Momo, how are you? How's your exam preparation going?" Li Ting asked.
"I'm fine," Momo replied, though her voice sounded a bit tired. "My preparation is just okay. But I miss you a lot. Why don't you come over? We can study together and talk too."
Li Ting glanced at the clock. "Hey, I need to go take a bath right now. I'll try to come in a little while."
"Don't just try—you have to come for sure," Momo insisted playfully.
"Alright, fine, I'll come," Li Ting laughed softly. "Okay, I'm hanging up now. I need to go bathe."
"Okay, bye—and come quickly."
"Yes, I'll come soon. Bye."
After ending the call, Li Ting looked around her messy room. She quickly gathered her books and stacked them neatly. Then she got off the bed, opened her cupboard, took out a fresh set of clothes, and headed to the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ming was sitting in his office, going through some paperwork. His manager sat across from him, holding a stack of files.
"Sir, these are all the files. They contain the complete records," the manager said respectfully as he handed them over.
Zhao Ming took the files and nodded in response. "Alright, I will review all these carefully."
"And all the staff details are also included in this file," the manager added, handing him another folder.
Zhao Ming flipped through a few pages and then asked, "And who handles the cashier's work?"
"Sir, Shen Zi handles it."
"Send Miss Shen Zi to my office."
"Okay, sir, I'll send her right away."
The manager stood up and quietly left the office.
After some time, the bell at Momo's house gate rang. Momo hurried to open it, and as soon as she did, she saw Li Ting standing there.
"Li Ting!" she exclaimed happily and immediately hugged her. "I missed you so much. Come inside!"
They both went inside, smiling, and sat down on the sofa.
"You sit here. I'll bring something cold for you. It's really hot outside," Momo said as she stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
Li Ting leaned back, feeling relaxed after arriving. After a few minutes, Momo returned with a glass of cold drink and handed it to her.
"Here, have this," she said warmly.
"Thank you," Li Ting replied, taking the glass. "Come, sit next to me."
Momo sat beside her.
"Did you bring your books for studying?" she asked.
"Yes, I did. Let's start studying," Li Ting said, opening her bag.
Momo smiled slightly and shook her head. "We're meeting after so many days. Let's talk for a while first, then we'll study."
Li Ting smiled softly and held Momo's hand. "I could talk to you my whole life and never get tired. But tell me… what happened? Why do you seem worried?"
Momo looked surprised. "How did you know I'm worried?"
Li Ting replied gently, "My friend, even if we're not related by blood, I've known you for a long time. When you're worried, your eyes and your voice give it away. I can see the sadness. Now tell me, what's wrong?"
Momo sighed and looked down for a moment. "Yaar… Dad suddenly called my brother to Singapore."
"Why?" Li Ting asked, concerned.
"Dad wasn't feeling well. I called my brother today, and he said Dad had gone to the office. I asked him, 'If Dad wasn't well, why did he go to work?' Then my brother said that Dad was feeling a little better."
Li Ting nodded slightly. "Well, if he's feeling better, then that's a good thing, right? What's there to worry about?"
Momo's expression didn't change. "I'm worried because Dad is not answering my calls."
Li Ting tried to reassure her. "He might be busy. That's probably why he isn't answering."
Momo shook her head slowly. "No… no matter where he is, he always answers my calls."
Li Ting paused, then spoke calmly, "Try calling him again tomorrow. I'm sure he'll pick up. And if he still doesn't, you can try calling him using Zhao Ming's phone."
Momo thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes… You're right. I'll call him again tomorrow."
Li Ting smiled warmly. "That's better. Now… smile for me."
For a moment, Momo stayed quiet, then a faint but genuine smile appeared on her face.
And in that small moment, her worry felt just a little lighter.