Ch 21

                                    

                                          
Walking out of the cemetery, Qiu Zheng Qing gives Yin Ting a call.

                          
The phone makes a du du noise, he actually feels his heartbeat speeding up.

                          
It got through!

                          
His breathing feels a little unstable.

                          
“Please, be, more, serious!” The voice from the other end is lively and full of enthusiasm.

                          
He wants to resist the mirth bubbling in him but he is not able to. When he heard her voice, he immediately wants to smile. She must have eaten the ‘everyday I’m very energetic’ pill today.

                          
He clears his throat and says, “Those words are what I want to tell you.”

                          
Yin Ting laughs, she totally does not mind their opening speech to each other is forever so unoriginal. She asks, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

                          
Why does she feel that he called her to ask for her help? He clears his throat again. “En, it’s like this. I’m at the cemetery.”

                          
“Oh.”

                          
“Oh” again. In his mind, the image of her expression while rounding her mouth to say “oh” comes up. It makes him want to smile again. He says, “I saw the presents you gave my parents. Thank you.”

                          
“Don’t worry about it!” Yin Ting understands what he means now. She straightforwardly says, “Our families are neighbours, don’t be too polite.”

                          
“En.” Then he no longer knows what else to say. He panics a little, his mind is completely blank. He hears the children voices from Yin Ting’s side. He wants to ask where is she but what does that have anything to do with them? He hesitates. Then he hears Yin Ting’s laughter and an aiya sound. Yin Ting then says, “There’s a kid who fell, I have to hang up now. We’ll talk later. Happy holidays, goodbye.”

                          
She says it in a single breath, and then hangs up.

                          
He does not even have the chance to say goodbye. He stares at his phone, unsure what is he even thinking about. He puts his phone aside and starts his car, leaving the cemetery. After the distance of a few streets, he suddenly remembers that he heard children’s laughter. She even said there is a kid who fell. Ah right, wonder how the children at the welfare centre are doing. What are they doing during the holidays? He really should visit them.

                          
Once he makes the decision, he steers the wheel into the direction of the welfare centre.

                          
On his way there, he stops to buy two boxes of fruits. When he reaches, he sees a lot of children playing in the garden. He comes down from the car and looks around but there is no sight of that familiar figure. Then he hears a small, sweet voice yelling, “Uncle Zheng Qing!”

                          
That form of addressment! He turns around and sees Little Stone throwing herself at him “Uncle Serious!”


                          
He is afraid that she would fall so he quickly holds both of her arms, hugging her. “Uncle Serious!” Little Stone is still calling him, her voice full of excitement, bright and clear.

                          
He sighs. “Little Stone, is it Yin Ting jie who tells you to call me that?”

                          
She shakes her head and then, belatedly realizing, nods. “We asked Ting Ting jie what is your name, she said it is Zheng Jing (Serious).”

                          
“Qiu Zheng Qing,” he corrects her.

                          
Little Stone nods. “Yes, exactly. Qiu Zheng Jing. I think that calling you Uncle Qiu feels like I’m begging (qiu) you, so I call you Uncle Serious.”