Song Qingchun squeezed her phone tightly as she lied, "I'm sorry, an emergency came up. I forgot to tell you that I have to leave early."
Su Zhinian, on the other end of the phone, was quiet for a long time before asking, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Song Qingchun said with forced levity. She even added a small laugh to cover up her lie before she continued. "There's an emergency at the company…"
Su Zhinian seemed to have bought her lie because the worry in his voice seemed to have minimized. "When will it be over? I can come fetch you."
"There's no need, I drove."
"Okay then, be careful on your way home, and message me when you reach home."
"I know." Song Qingchun paused before adding, "Then, I'll see you later?"
"Okay, goodbye."
Song Qingchun said a hasty "goodbye" before she hung up. Song Qingchun tossed her phone onto the passenger seat and sat in her car, spacing out. She looked out the window and realized with a start that she was at North Sea Garden.
