Chapter 13: Call If You Need Me
Pei Hanchuan took his phone from his pocket and opened the group chat that he had been ignoring since he first realized that he had been reborn.
His message to them was brief. My office. Tomorrow. Eight. All four of you. In person. Come alone. No excuses.
The first response appeared before he could even lower his phone.
Song Zeyu: Eight in the morning? There’s an eight in the morning?!?
A second on quickly followed the first.
Song Zeyu: What did we do to you?
Hanchuan turned off the screen. He had more important things to do than to start something with Zeyu that wouldn’t end until tomorrow morning at eight.
"You didn’t answer him," Zhiyi murmured, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Aren’t you worried he won’t come?"
"He’ll come," Hanchuan assured her.
"How do you know?"
"He complained about the time, not the meeting."
The distinction was logical enough for her to accept quickly.
With a slight smile on his face, Hanchuan held out his hand for her phone and Zhiyi gave it to him.
He entered a number, called his own phone and ended the connection after the first ring. Then he added his office number and an address beneath the contact before pinning it above every other name.
He even changed one of her settings before he was satisfied enough to hand the phone back to her.
"What did you do?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
"My calls will bypass silent mode," he replied like it was no big deal. To be fair, it wasn’t a big deal for either one of them.
"I use silent mode during lectures," Zhiyi pointed out. This wasn’t her disagreeing with his move so much as informing him why she had it on silent mode.
"I know," he agreed, nodding his head.
"How? You didn’t know that before today."
"I know you." The smile on his face was noticeable now, and it was the first time that Zhiyi had seen it as bright. Like he was actually happy. "You use silent mode everywhere."
That was true. He wasn’t wrong.
"If you need me, call," he continued.
Zhiyi looked at the contact now fixed at the top of her screen. "What qualifies as need?"
"Anything that makes you consider calling."
"That definition depends on an action I may reject before evaluating whether the situation qualifies."
"Then call and let me decide."
Zhiyi considered the arrangement. If she did as he suggested, it would transfer the classification of the problem to Hanchuan. The pressure behind her eyes eased as she let out yet another long sigh.
"All right," she agreed, smiling slightly in return.
Hanchuan bent to retrieve her bag. He adjusted the strap before placing it over her shoulder, then smoothed the section of her uniform collar trapped beneath it.
The movements were familiar even if the clothes weren’t which almost reassured Zhiyi more than anything else that things would work according to plan from here on out.
He was the same as what she remembered. That was the only thing she needed.
Hanchuan’s hand remained against her shoulder for a moment after everything sat correctly. "I’ll walk you down," he murmured softly.
"The driver can find the entrance without you," she replied, looking up at him.
"I know."
"You have work to do."
"It will still be here when I return."
Zhiyi couldn’t identify a practical reason for Hanchuan to accompany her. He had already arranged the driver, summoned his friends and given her instructions for tomorrow.
However, he hadn’t asked whether she wanted him to come.
He had simply decided that he would.
"All right," she said.
Hanchuan guided her toward the office door.
Assistant Lin rose immediately when they entered the outer office.
"Have the car brought to the private entrance," Hanchuan instructed. "The driver will take Miss Qiao home and remain until she is inside."
"Yes, President Pei."
"Send the vehicle information to her phone. Driver’s name, photograph and license plate."
Assistant Lin’s eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter before he looked briefly toward Zhiyi. "Of course."
The information arrived before they reached the elevator.
Zhiyi checked the driver’s photograph against the name, memorized the license plate and opened the route from Pei Holdings to the Qiao residence.
Hanchuan reached over and closed the map.
"The driver knows the route."
"I was checking whether the bridge would be congested."
"He’ll manage the traffic."
"There are three routes, but one passes a construction zone that increases collision probability by—"
"The driver will manage it."
Zhiyi put her phone away.
Hanchuan took her downstairs using the private elevator. No security officers approached when they crossed the lower level, and the black sedan was waiting with its rear door open.
The driver stood beside it.
His face matched the photograph Assistant Lin had sent.
Hanchuan stopped before allowing her to enter.
"Tomorrow. Eight."
"Your office."
"Yes."
"All four men will be there."
"Yes."
Zhiyi looked back at the building.
This morning, Hanchuan had been dead.
Now he stood in front of her with working legs, one hand resting on the top of the car door while he waited for her to sit.
The change still didn’t fit inside any known system, but Zhiyi didn’t need it to.
She got into the car.
Hanchuan leaned down before closing the door. "Call if you need me."
"You’ll decide whether it qualifies."
"I will."
"All right."
He closed the door.
Zhiyi watched him through the window as the car pulled away.
He remained at the entrance until the vehicle turned onto the main road.
Only then did he disappear from view.
The drive from Hanchuan’s office to her house went surprisingly smoothly. Not that she expected anything less with him guaranteeing the way.
The driver finally came up to a three-story house behind stone walls and an ornamental gate.
Zhiyi had once thought it was large.
After spending two years living above floodwater with Hanchuan in three connected offices, the house now appeared to be more poorly designed rather than impressive.
The entrance hall wasted too much space. The front windows faced west without adequate exterior shading. There was no independent water source, and the basement had only one exit.
It wouldn’t survive the first heat without substantial modification.
It wouldn’t survive the flood at all.
The driver stopped beneath the covered entrance and Zhiyi opened the door.
"I’ll wait until you’re inside, Miss Qiao," he said, his head bowed respectfully.
"That’s unnecessary. Hanchuan said to remain until I was inside, not until the door closed."
The driver’s expression remained professional. "I believe President Pei intended the door to close."
That interpretation was probably correct.
She wouldn’t argue it.