Chapter 242 - Mushy, with Two Light Bulbs

"Ahem. Okay. I know you want to talk to her right now." Song Xuantin pushed down her smile while her eyes glinted mischievously.

"You see, my friend lacks basic manners. I just want to teach her a very tiny lesson. Is that okay?" Song Xuantin had been ignored by Xiong Zhi a lot of times. Hehe... This was the right time to get back at her. She surely would not have a chance like this anymore in the future.

Linfeng was a bit confused, but since he owned Song Xuantin a favor, and that he was sure she would never harm his Young Miss, he decided to let her be.

"Do I need to do something?" 

"Nothing. You just have to stay quiet and listen." Song Xuantin licked her lips. Oh, the feeling of tricking Xiong Zhi with senior Linfeng as a partner in crime was so exciting.

"Alright," Linfeng signed. He also wanted to hear how Xiong Zhi usually talk to her friends over the phone. 

"...I think I need to stay quiet as well, right? She would not notice?" Jang Shin asked worriedly. It might be bad if the Young Miss knew that he was eavesdropping as well. The Jang family could not afford to offend the heiress of the Xiong family.

"Relax, she would not put her guard up against me. Trust me, she would not even check if I suddenly cut off in the middle of the call. That's how she always ignore me, huhu," Song Xuantin lamented. 

Jang Shin empathized with her. He, too, felt the same way sometimes with Linfeng. 

...He should also find a comeback at Linfeng in the future.

"Don't worry. I support you." 

After Jang Shin swore his alliance, Song Xuantin unmuted Xiong Zhi's line.

"Zhi? Are you still there?"

Silence. However, the soft music was still playing, though it was a different piece from earlier. Song Xuantin knew her friend was listening on the other side.

"Zhi, if there's one cup of water in a deserted land, and you and an old man was left alone. Would you take that water to survive? Or give it to the old man?"

"..." Still silence. Xiong Zhi did not care to answer as she was immersed in the book.

"What if the two people in that land was the two of us, would you take that one cup of water or give it to me instead?"

"..." Yet another silence. 

"What if it was—"

"Can we include Xinyang in Operation Two? I promised her that I will help her as well," Xiong Zhi said out of the blue. Since they were already talking, and it appeared like Song Xuantin had a lot of free time in her hands, Xiong Zhi decided to simply make good of use it.

"Xinyang?" Song Xuantin was confused. Xinyang was not a common name in their circle. There was only one named Xinyang that Song Xuantin knew. 

Also, with Xiong Zhi's status, it was not unlikely that she meant Tang Xinyang. But what did Tang Xinyang got to do with Operation Two? 

'Did these two talk about my awesomeness without me knowing?'

While Linfeng and Jang Shin stayed silent in the background like blackboards. They also felt a bit surprised. 

Linfeng wondered when his Young Miss and Tang Xinyang got close. Still, it was a good thing. A powerful ally was good tidings for his Young Miss. 

He smiled. His Young Miss was growing in a very astonishing speed. He was just gone for three months, yet she had already accomplished remarkable things.

A small part of him felt down that he was not there when she overcame those trials and achieved great accomplishments. He felt he had missed an important hallmark in her life. 

Realizing that he was not there when it happened, made him feel bitter and useless.

'Does the Young Miss still need me?'

A large part of him wanted Xiong Zhi to depend on him, but he knew that it was pure selfishness. Linfeng sighed and no longer dwelled on it. It was useless to think of such things anyway.

Jang Shin was the most confused. When did Xinyang and Young Miss Zhi become good friends? His interest was greatly piqued and his back straightened up. 

He suddenly got interested in this Operation Two. Was it a collaboration project between the Xiong's and the Tang's? If so, that was news he had not heard.

The two girls continued on with their discussion.

"Yes. She heard our conversation by the fountain back on my birthday party. She talked to me asking for advice. She needs Operation Two as well," Xiong Zhi explained.

When Song Xuantin heard that, she instantly understood what Xiong Zhi meant. 

Kyaa! Another girl suffering from an unrequited love. Someone needed her help!

Song Xuantin's eyes sparkled with delight.

"Who is the lucky man?" Song Xuantin excitedly asked, wondering who the charming man was, who managed to catch the attention of the handsome and suave Tang Xinyang. For such a girl to be desperate enough to ask for help in her love problem!

"Jang Shin."

"..." The excited girl froze.

"..."

"..."

However, it only lasted for two seconds as her reflexes kicked in. She speedily muted Jang Shin's reception.

Jang Shin and Linfeng who was suddenly muted: "..." 

"Why didn't you warn me?" Song Xuantin calmed down her rapidly beating heart. 

(╥﹏╥) 

A big secret almost got out! Things would be bad if Jang Shin came to know from other people's mouths that Tang Xinyang liked him. All the more when his heart was not yet secured for Tang Xinyang first

She almost screwed up!

"...Why do I have to warn you?" Puzzled, Xiong Zhi found Song Xuantin's excessive reaction a bit confusing. 

"…Because Jang Shin was listening in on conversation from the other line!"

[A/n: what happened in getting back?]

"…" Xiong Zhi's calm expression finally broke. Her face twitched. "Jang Shin is... listening in on us?" 

"En... Senior Linfeng is with him. Gosh, Xiong Zhi, we almost blew up everything for Xinyang. We didn't expose too much information, right? Right???"

Silence reigned for a moment.

"...Linfeng... is on the other line?" 

Xiong Zhi was stunned. She had no idea why in the world Song Xuantin put the guys on the line without telling her earlier, but all her attention right now was preoccupied with one thing. 

Linfeng was on the other line! She could finally hear his voice!

"...Yes, he wants to talk to you. But, let's keep it quiet about Jang Shin, okay?"

"..." The hell she cared about that.

"I know. Let me talk to him." Xiong Zhi immediately stood up and turned off the music lamp.

To her, Linfeng's voice was way better than the soft melody from the music lamp. She wanted to fully focus her ears on Linfeng's voice.

She really, really, missed him.

Song Xuantin finally unmuted Jang Shin.

Jang Shin wanted to ask the two why his name was mentioned, and what this Operation Two was all about. But since he made a promise to stay silent, he kept his mouth shut. Ahhh… He really wanted to know though.

"Senior Linfeng? Senior, Zhi is here." Song Xuantin gave them the cue to finally speak.

"..."

"Linfeng?" Xiong Zhi tentatively called out his name. The girl better not be fooling her.

Her voice was cool and low in her usual flat tone, but there was also an imperceptible hint of yearning in it.

Such a voice was music to his ears. Linfeng closed his eyes as he immersed himself in her voice. The corner of his lips curved up.

"I'm here. How are you doing, Young Miss?"

His voice was deep and soft. 

It was so gentle that Jang Shin again broke into goosebumps and Song Xuantin silently squealed 'kyaa, kyaa' in her heart.

Likewise, Xiong Zhi savored that low, masculine voice she had so missed. She closed her eyes as she felt herself drown in his gentleness.

"I am doing fine. But... I can't sleep well at night. I miss you."

The two who was fed dog food: "..."

Song Xuantin was happy as well. But she noticed again that Xiong Zhi was a bit too careless in expressing her feelings whenever she wanted. 

'There are still people eavesdropping on your talk, you know?!'

Her friend should act modest at times like this.

Jang Shin, on the other hand, was shocked to the heavens. He received too many shocks today. First was his friend. Now, it was the young miss from the Xiong family. 

'This two...'

He was now sure that there was really something going on between this master and aide pair. 

It was obviously more than just a master-aide relationship! Would it be a good thing?

No. It was definitely a bad thing. Jang Shin, who came from a butler family and grew up with his friend, knew the importance of the butler's code and conduct, especially with the strict Zhou family! Their punishment towards illicit relationsh.i.p.s with their masters was very severe.

More so, that Master was the heiress of the Xiong family.

Jang Shin did not know what to feel. Should he be happy that his friend finally found a girl he liked? Or should he be sad because he knew that this two would likely not end up together?

He was even more confused that Linfeng actually allowed himself to arrive to this point. His friend was wise, so he what was he doing? 

What would his friend plan to do from now on? 

Keep liking his Young Miss until his master was promised to another man? 

Then this relationship should have never started to begin with, if it was bound to end in such a tragic way. 

If Jang Shin had this thoughts, he was sure that his friend thought of it too. 

'Linfeng, what are you doing?' 

Jang Shin was worried.

It appeared he needed to talk to his friend alone.

"Cough. I hate to interrupt, but Zhi, just give your personal number to Senior Linfeng so senior can call you. Unless, you want us two light bulbs to hear all the mushy talk between the two of you." 

Song Xuantin truly wanted to eavesdrop. But not now. These two need some time alone.

"Linfeng, after your call with the Young Miss Xiong Zhi, please call me. We have something to talk about," Jang Shin addressed Linfeng, his tone grave.

Linfeng already had an idea what Jang Shin wanted to talk about, so he simply answered that he would call him later.

After Xiong Zhi gave her personal number, the four finally said goodbye to each other.

Xiong Zhi held her phone, waiting for his phone call.

Ring.

Xiong Zhi took a deep breath. She was both excited and nervous. She tapped to answer.

"Zhi'er."

Linfeng's soft and deep voice sounded in her room, making her heart speed up once again.

"Mmm... I'm here, Linfeng." Xiong Zhi's tone was softer this time with just the two of them. Linfeng could not help but let out a smile, his eyes curling up gently.

His heart melted at her voice. Like ripples on a silent lake, warmth spread all over his body.