Chapter 216 - [Bonus Chapter]Phone Call

************

CHAPTER 216

By the time the driver parked the car by the tall building, it was late. Shin was waiting for them at the entrance as per Jiang Meilin's wishes. She was scared that something might have happened to them.

Bai Xiaojin slept off during the drive back home so Bai Renxiang had to carry him out of the car. Seeing this, Shin rushed to meet them.

"Ah! Brother Shin. What are you still doing here? Did the store close late?" Bai Renxiang asked.

"No. Mum wanted me to come and wait for you. She was was worried since you nor Little Jin had come home," he said.

"Oh! She worries too much," she said with a soft sigh.

"Let me help you to take him upstairs," he offered.

"Oh, that would be great. My baby has added so much weight. Thank you," Bai Renxiang joked.

Shin could only smile. Just as he was successfully taking the sleeping boy away from his mother, Bai Xiaojin cried out and hugged Bai Renxiang even tighter.

"Sigh. Looks like I will have to take him up by myself. Just help me with my purse and the file bag from Jun."

"Okay," Shin and the driver exchanged greetings before driver Jun passed the purse and bag to Shin.

"Have a good night young miss," the driver said after he bowed his head.

"Hmm. You too, Jun. Drive safely."

****

At their apartment.

"Good evening mum," Bai Renxiang greeted as soon as she saw Jiang Meilin in the living room.

"Oh thank God. What took you so long to come home?" Jiang Meilin immediately stood up from the couch and approached them.

"I am sorry for making you worry. But can we talk after I put Xiaojin to bed?"

"Oh! Yes, sure. He must have been tired. Hurry," Jiang Meilin said.

"Please make me a chilled cup of milk, mum. Not warm. I will take a quick bath and then come out to talk."

"Ok, honey. You should do just that. I will wait here."

"Thanks, mum. Thanks, brother Shin," Bai Renxiang said before she left for her room. 

"I will be heading back now. Good night," Shin said.

"Oh, okay. Have a good night then."

After Bai Renxiang changed Bai Xiaojin's clothes to more comfortable sleepwear, she tucked him in and went to take a bath. In less than ten minutes, she was out of the bathroom, during her hair with a towel and another wrapped securely around her chest.

Ring!! Ring!!

"Honey! Here, someone is calling," Jiang Meilin rushed into the room.

"Who is it?" Bai Renxiang asked as she collected the phone.

The name, 'Mr Li' was displayed on the phone's screen. Bai Renxiang's eyes shined. She signalled her mother to start quiet and then she cleared her throat.

"Hello."

"Hey, Bai Renxiang. How are you?" Li Fengjin's baritone voice rang into her ears. The sound of her name when he says it made Bai Renxiang blush a little. 

"I am fine and you?" Sgt asked and bit her lips. Jiang Meilin was stunned to see her daughter's expression over a call with... a man. Her interest was piqued.

"I am doing great now that I have heard your voice," he answered with a cheeky smile. He wished he could see her face at the moment.

"Oh! Uhm... Okay," Bai Renxiang smiled. Then she realised that her mother was also in the room. She held the phone tightly against her chest.

"Mum, what are you still doing here?" She whispered.

"Can't I wait for you to finish your call?" Jiang mmHg whispered back.

"No, you can't... Hello," she went back to the oh one call while giving her mother the look saying 'you can go now'.Jiang Meilin sighed and left.

"Yeah. I called to check up on you. Have you arrived at your house yet?" He asked.

"Yes, I have. I arrived like fifteen minutes ago," Bai Renxiang answered as she walked to her closet to get her sleepwear.

"Okay. I hope your parents were not mad or worried "

"No. My mother was worried though. She asked where I have been and I told her that we would talk after I tuck Xiaojin in bed then have a quick bath."

"Ah! That means I interrupted your discussion with your mum. I should hang up now then," Li Fengjin said.

"No, you did not interrupt us," she quickly said. Her voice shocked both Li Fengjin and herself. "I mean, I just came out of the shower. So you did not interrupt anything," she added to explain herself. Bai Renxiang did not want him to get the wrong idea.

*chuckle*

"Alright. How is your son doing? Is he still clinging unto you?"

"Sigh. You do not need to even ask. He did not let anyone carry him except me. What is worse is that he has gained so much weight? My hands were aching," she explained.

"Hahaha! And yet he would say he is not a baby," Li Fengjin laughed.

"I know right? But then again, he was really scared today. I was too. So I understand if he becomes clingy and spoiled. I would prefer if he is."

She sat down beside him on the bed as she softly caressed Bai Xiaojin's hair. Bai Xiaojin moved his head closer to her warm palm making her smile.

"Why would you prefer your son to be clingy and spoiled?"

"It's because he... Sigh. Bai Xiaojin prioritise me over himself."

"Is that not great? Most parents I have seen get tired of their kids' whining and crying and being clingy," Li Fengjin asked.

"I know. But I am not those parents. Sometimes I wish that my son would be like those kids. Even if it is just for a while. But I do not want it to be too much," she stated.

"But the last time I told him to do so, he wrecked the living room and ran out of the house. I had to chase him," she added.

"What? He did that? Hahahaha. That would have been funny to watch. Damn. I missed a good show," Li Fengjin teased.

"Stoo laughing. It was not funny."

"Really? It sounds funny to me," he continued.

"Li Fengjin!" Bai Renxiang called out in a dangerous warning tone. 

"Alright. Alright now. I will stop laughing. You see. You just called me by my name. No Mr added," he pointed out.

"Mr Li are you done laughing?"

"Oh come on! Do not change now. You just called me by name a few seconds ago. It sounded nice," he whined. "Please don't call me Mr Li anymore," he added.

"Why should I, Mr Li?" She intentionally said it again.

"I told you before. It makes me feel old."

"But everyone calls you Mr Li. Your business partners call you Mr Li. I am your business partner, aren't I? So why do you start feeling old when u call you Mr Li." She reasoned.

"Urgh. I know they all call me that. But I do not want you to call me that. My friends don't call me Mr Li and I consider you to be my friend. Or are you not?" He asked.

There was silence on the other end if the line. Bai Renxiang was surprised at his words. She was okay with just calling him by his name but she just wanted to know out of curiosity and also tease him. She did not expect him to say she was his friend.

"Hello! Bai Renxiang, are you still there?" He asked.

"Yey, I am." She answered.

"I asked you a question before you went silent. Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. No, you did not. I just... Nevermind. So what were you saying?" She asked to divert his attention. She did not want to tell she was kind of happy he saw her as a friend.

"Oh! I was just saying that my friends are not allowed to call me Mr Li. And you are my friend, right?" He repeated.

"Yes."

"Really?" He asked. He was expecting her to be unsure of her answer. Like a no or something like that.  But nevertheless, he liked the one he got.

"Yes. So don't worry. You will not have to feel old anymore. I will not call you Mr Li again. But..."

"But?" He mimicked her word.

"But ilonky when there is no one with us. If we are in tg midst of other business personnels, we stick to the formalities," she said.

"Sure. No problem. I am okay with whatever you say," he agreed without thinking twice about it.

'Good job Li Fengjin. You are making progress,' he mentally patted himself on the shoulder.

"Then we have got ourselves a deal, Li Fengjin."

"Yeah."

Silence ensued. None if them knew what else to say to each other. They had no topic of discussion to raise.

No wanting to make the atmosphere between them awkward, he decide to let her rest.

"Ahem! It was nice talking to you before bed. We should end the call so that you can talk to your mum or have a rest. Today must have been stressful for you," he said.

"Hmm. It was nice talking to you too. Thank you for calling anyways."

"It is not a big deal. I just wanted to make sure you got home safely after our meeting, that's all. Have a good night Bai Renxiang."

"You too. Good night, Li Fengjin."

Bai Renxiang was all smiles when they ended the call. She sighed before slumping on the bed.

"You seem happy after that phone call."