The Person You Called Is Unavailable

Chapter 8 Crack

"One iced Americano and one hot cocoa, right? Anything else you'd like to add?"

"No, that's all."

"Alright, please head to the counter to pay and pick up your order. Thank you."

"Thanks."

Terry drove forward, stopping at the next counter just a little ahead.

"Your iced Americano and hot cocoa, that'll be 19 dollars." The cashier handed Terry a bag with the drinks, and after Terry passed over the cash, they drove off.

Li Ren took the iced Americano from the bag, inserted a straw, and placed it in the drink holder.

"Thanks." Terry said.

Li Ren didn't respond. He quietly took the hot cocoa out, opened the lid slightly, and took a sip. Suddenly, Terry slammed on the brakes, causing the scalding cocoa to splash into Li Ren's mouth.

"Ow!" Li Ren furrowed his brow. The roof of his mouth and his tongue felt like they'd been pricked by a thousand needles.

Terry, startled by Li Ren's reaction, turned his head in panic. "Sorry! Sorry!" He quickly reached out toward Li Ren but wasn't sure what to do. "Are you okay?" he asked, pulling out a tissue to hand to Li Ren.

Li Ren took the tissue, placed the cocoa on the other drink holder, and wiped his mouth. Li Ren hadn't said a word since just now, and compared to how polite he'd been earlier, his silence now seemed—'Mad?' Terry thought. 'Should I ask if he's okay...?'

After a brief pause, Terry couldn't resist. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.

Li Ren glanced at Terry, thinking, 'Ugh... just drive. Why ask that out of nowhere?' After silently complaining in his head, Li Ren answered somewhat impatiently, "No." It wasn't anger, more like frustration, a sense of being overwhelmed.

When Li Ren first took this job, he had considered the possibility of running into someone he knew. Lousheng Town wasn't big, and encountering familiar faces was inevitable. But he never imagined running into anyone from his own family.

The car was driving smoothly, but Li Ren's mood remained unsettled. He stared out the window at the familiar scenery passing by, unconsciously swallowing. Terry noticed Li Ren's discomfort and, trying to break the awkwardness, started a new topic. "Your hometown seems really peaceful. How did you get to school back then? Did you get a ride, or did you ride a bike?"

Li Ren glanced at him and replied flatly, "Walked."

Terry widened his eyes. "Walked? That's a long way!"

Li Ren turned to look at Terry, who awkwardly avoided his gaze. 'Oh no,' Terry thought.

"How do you know how far my home is from school?" Li Ren asked.

Terry's quick-witted mind raced to come up with a plausible excuse.

"Ah, well, I know your address. When you went to the hospital that day, I saw it. I looked up schools nearby on the map, and the closest one is at least 2 km away. That's why I said it's far," Terry said, trying to sound casual.

Li Ren fixed his gaze on the phone resting on the phone mount, then turned his attention back to the window. "My house is about a 30-minute walk to school. If I leave at 6:30, I can make it to class before the bell rings. But I usually leave at 5:30."

"5:30? That's really early!" Terry exclaimed. 'Did I manage to get away with that one?' he thought.

"It's fine, I'm used to it. It's better than being late," Li Ren said, his mind drifting. 'If you'd lived through what I have, you'd be willing to wake up early just to have a few minutes to sleep in school.'