Chapter 2374 Come Back, Please 2

Xiao Ai could definitely recite his phone number backwards.

Holding one of the girls’ phones, Wubai dialed Xiao Ai’s phone once again, but before connecting, he hung up again, making the few subordinates nearby feel conflicted and suspicious.

Yet Wubai said nothing, sitting quietly in the living room, waiting for a full half hour. It wasn’t until the watch showed eight o’clock that he started dialing the number.

Some of the subordinates wondered: Was it too early before, so Young Master Nan was just waiting half an hour to let Xiao Ai sleep a little longer?

No matter whether their guess was correct, at this moment, Wubai no longer hesitated. He quickly dialed Xiao Ai’s phone decisively, and the phone promptly rang, with Xiao Ai’s voice coming through: "Li Qing, calling me so early?"

Wubai held his breath, even afraid to make a sound, fearing that as soon as he made a sound, she would hang up the call.

During the days he had lost track of her, Wubai didn’t know how he managed to get through. The entire world felt as if it had lost its center in an instant, collapsing, with not a single day being happy. He could only keep searching, and when he couldn’t find her, he buried himself in endless work to numb himself.

His eyes tinged with acid, Wubai stood up and walked towards the window, his steps light, because he knew, familiar as she was, she could probably recognize him just by his footsteps, and he didn’t want to be hung up on too soon.

In this room, there was no balcony. Opening the window, below was a small marketplace, bustling, with all kinds of noisy sounds mingling together. Yet, Wubai automatically blocked out these sounds from his ears, clinging to the phone, only wanting to hear her voice.

"Li Qing, why aren’t you speaking?"

What should I say? Xiao Ai, I have so much to say to you, but when the words reach my lips, countless things to say suddenly don’t know where to begin. I want to tell you, come back; I want to rage hysterically at you, come back; I even want to lower my stance, come back, I want to cry recklessly, come back!

I don’t want to wear a mask day and night, pretending nothing’s wrong as I work and live. I don’t want to be a numb man who’s lost his heart.

I want you to call and text me every day, asking me when I’m coming home;

I want, each day when I come home, for you to run over and hand me my slippers;

I want to see the entire world in your eyes, because you said, I am your whole world!

I... I want to tell you, actually... Wubai tilted his head high, yet still couldn’t control that tear, sliding from the corner of his eye, scattering with the wind.

"Li Qing? Can you hear me?"

How could you not hear!

Hearing your voice, even a man like me can’t control my tears, I don’t dare turn back, for sure I’ll be seen by my subordinates in this pathetic state.

Xiao Ai, do you know?

During the time I lost you, I held back constantly, kept telling myself I am a man, can’t collapse, can’t lose heart, can’t cry, can’t become useless!

But pretending is exhausting, tears like a flood breaking a dam, he couldn’t control them, noiselessly letting them fall, blocking his nose, crying silently and restrained, his back gently trembling.

"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? Is it that there’s no signal on your end?"

"Xiao Ai." Wubai finally uttered two words, as if uttering his own life’s blood: "Xiao Ai."

Suddenly, there was no sound from the other side, Wubai was terrified in that instant, afraid she would hang up: "Xiao Ai, come back, please!"

He asked her for the first time, just like she often did, calling him in the middle of the night, saying: "Wubai, can you come home, I’m scared here alone, please."

That word "please," she used it too much, felt it initially, but gradually became numb.

It took great courage and pride to utter this "please" himself.