C23 A Missed Call!

"Oh, then I'll dig right in," Faang Ming declared as he gulped down the slice of bread in his hand, followed swiftly by a gulp of milk.

His movements were fluid and swift, the entire process taking less than three minutes, leaving Zhang Ruoyu watching in amazement.

"Are you sure that's enough? I can whip up something else in the kitchen if you're still hungry," Zhang Ruoyu offered with a smile.

"No, no, that's not necessary. I'm quite full, thank you!" Faang Ming responded hastily.

"Eh? Do you live here by yourself?" Faang Ming seized the chance to steer the conversation elsewhere, inquiring of Zhang Ruoyu.

Zhang Ruoyu caught on to Faang Ming's implication and clarified, "My dad and I have always lived apart. Plus, this place is really convenient for getting to work."

"Oh!" Faang Ming acknowledged with a nod, his curiosity piqued by the previous evening's events. "Speaking of which, how did you happen to be there last night?"

At his question, Zhang Ruoyu gave Faang Ming a pointed look and replied with a hint of irritation, "You're the reason! You rushed off and left me behind last night. I had just finished dinner and was near my home when I ran into you again."

Scratching his head, Faang Ming admitted with a touch of guilt, "I'm truly sorry, but I'm grateful you were there to help me."

"I didn't do it for your thanks. Like I said yesterday, I was helping out for Ning'er's sake," Zhang Ruoyu stated nonchalantly.

"What about my clothes? I can't keep wearing these pajamas," Faang Ming remarked, glancing down at his attire with discomfort. He turned to Zhang Ruoyu with the question.

Zhang Ruoyu's expression shifted to one of slight unease as she quickly replied, "I'll step out and pick up a new set of clothes for you, and I need to make a stop at the police station as well."

"Ah! The police station? Why?" Faang Ming's face tensed up at her words.

"What else? I have to work, don't I? The police station isn't my personal business; I need to check in," Zhang Ruoyu explained, a bit miffed by his reaction.

"I'm sorry! I overreacted," Faang Ming said, seeing her annoyance and immediately expressing remorse.

"It's fine, it's fine. Just go rest in your room; I'm heading out now," Zhang Ruoyu said, grabbing her coat from the rack and exiting through the door.

Once Zhang Ruoyu had left, Faang Ming hurried back to his room, frantically searching for his phone to call Zhang Yijie and Chu Ning'er.

Despite nearly tearing the bed apart, his phone was nowhere to be found. Sitting on the bed, defeated, it dawned on him, "That must be Zhang Ruoyu's doing. She probably took it with her, worried I might get into trouble while she was out."

Resigned to his situation, Faang Ming lay back down. He wasn't particularly worried about Zhang Ruoyu having his phone or her leaving; he was confident that if she had wanted to apprehend him, last night would have been the perfect chance, not now.

Unbeknownst to Faang Ming, Zhang Yijie was frantically trying to reach him, his phone close to being overwhelmed with calls. Upon learning that Faang Ming hadn't been captured, Zhang Yijie was desperately sending people out to search for him.

The brawl at the nightclub last night quickly made its way onto television screens. When Chu Ning'er caught the news, she immediately tried to reach Faang Ming by phone, only to be met with a constant busy signal.

This left Chu Ning'er even more anxious for Faang Ming's well-being. If Lin Yuhan hadn't been there to stop her, she would likely be frantically searching the streets of Arrowguard by now.

In the serenity of a tidy living room, Lin Yuhan observed Chu Ning'er's restless demeanor and inquired, "Ning'er, where on earth could Faang Ming be? You seem incredibly on edge today."

"It's... it's nothing. He's just dealing with some private issues," Chu Ning'er stammered out a reply.

Lin Yuhan, sensing the evasion, pressed further after a thoughtful pause. "Ning'er, haven't I treated you well recently?"

"Yes, you have! Yuhan, you've been so kind to me, just like a real sister," Chu Ning'er affirmed with earnestness.

"Then as sisters, why can't you confide in me?" Lin Yuhan asked, feigning a wounded expression.

Moved by her friend's apparent distress, Chu Ning'er's kind heart won over her reservations. She glanced at Lin Yuhan and, after a long hesitation, relented. "If I tell you, you must promise to keep it to yourself."

"Of course! You can trust me, Ning'er," Zhang Ruoyu quickly assured her, seeing Chu Ning'er's resolve waver.

With that assurance, Chu Ning'er disclosed to Lin Yuhan how Faang Ming had run afoul of the Black Dragon Gang because of her.

"It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, Faang Ming wouldn't be in this mess with the Black Dragon Gang," Chu Ning'er lamented, tears streaming down her face.

That's when it clicked for Lin Yuhan – the reason Faang Ming had entrusted Chu Ning'er to her care. She had found it odd before; even if he had matters to attend to, such precautions seemed extreme.

Lin Yuhan tenderly wiped away Chu Ning'er's tears and comforted her, "This just shows how much Faang Ming truly cares about you. He wouldn't take such risks otherwise."

"Ning'er, have you tried calling Faang Ming?" Lin Yuhan asked abruptly.

"I have, but there's been no answer," Chu Ning'er replied with a nod.

Despite sharing Chu Ning'er's concern, Lin Yuhan offered reassurance. "Ning'er, Faang Ming will be alright. He's probably somewhere in Arrowguard City right now. I'm sure he'll call you soon."

"Really?" Chu Ning'er asked, holding back her tears upon hearing Lin Yuhan's words.

"Yes! When have I ever lied to you? Go on, get some rest. As soon as Faang Ming calls, I'll let you know, okay?" Lin Yuhan coaxed her gently.

"Alright," Chu Ning'er agreed, nodding. She rose and returned to her room, not wanting to burden Lin Yuhan with further worry.

Once Chu Ning'er had departed, Lin Yuhan contemplated reaching out to find Faang Ming's whereabouts but realized she had no leads to pursue. All she could do was hope for the best.

As dusk approached, Zhang Ruoyu entered, finding Faang Ming idly seated on the couch. She tossed a bag to him, announcing, "Here are your clothes."

"Thanks," Faang Ming said, catching the bag and heading into his room to change.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoyu casually removed her jacket and set down the dinner she had brought for Faang Ming on the table.

Freshly attired, Faang Ming reemerged. Zhang Ruoyu looked up and asked, "How's that? All good?"

"Mmm! Very good, thank you!" Faang Ming said with a courteous nod.

"Do you only know how to say 'thank you' to me?" Zhang Ruoyu asked with a hint of irritation.

"I... I..." Faang Ming stammered, struggling to find the right words.

"Come on! Your dinner's ready on the table. Eat up!" Zhang Ruoyu couldn't help but chuckle at his flustered state.

Faang Ming nodded in appreciation, his appetite whetted by the lavish meal Zhang Ruoyu had brought home. With a rumbling stomach, he eagerly grabbed his chopsticks and dug in.

"By the way, do you have my phone?" he mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"No, I put it in the drawer in the living room. Didn't you see it?" Zhang Ruoyu replied, getting up to retrieve Faang Ming's phone from the drawer and placing it on the table.

"I had put it there last night while tidying up and forgot to mention it before I left," she explained with a touch of remorse.

"Ah, I should've checked the living room!" Faang Ming mentally kicked himself for not being more thorough.

As he continued to eat, Faang Ming checked his phone and was surprised to find over a hundred missed calls, the most recent from just five minutes ago. He hadn't heard them because he had set his phone to silent the night before. The calls were all from Zhang Yijie and Chu Ning'er.

Wanting to return the calls but wary of upsetting Zhang Ruoyu, Faang Ming wiped his mouth and dialed Lin Yuhan's home number instead.

"Hello! Is this Miss Lin?" he inquired.

"You finally decided to call? Ning'er has been worried sick about you. Hold on, I'll get her," Lin Yuhan's voice came through, tinged with blame.

"Faang Ming, is that you?" Chu Ning'er's voice was laced with urgency.

"Yes, Ning'er, I'm so sorry for making you worry," Faang Ming replied, his voice filled with concern.

"Where are you? Have you taken care of everything?" she pressed.

"I... I still have a few loose ends to tie up. Give me three days at most, and I'll come to pick you up. Then we can head back to Autumnhold together," Faang Ming said, pausing briefly before responding.

Though he had dealt with Wang Meng, he felt the need to meet with Zhang Yijie before leaving, so he hadn't committed to an immediate return to Chu Ning'er.

"Alright, I'll hold you to that, but you have to ensure your phone is always reachable," Chu Ning'er conceded, understanding Faang Ming's reasons but still filled with concern.

"I promise, I'll call you," Faang Ming assured her.

"Just remember to keep your word. You have no idea how much Ning'er has been worrying—she's even cried a few times," Lin Yuhan chimed in.

Hearing her voice, Faang Ming responded warmly, "I really appreciate your help, Miss Lin. Once everything's settled, I'll take you out for a grand meal, okay?" He smiled at the thought.