The woman and Xuan Wen turned their heads at the same time. Sunlight streamed into the room through the half-open door. Gao Ming, who had been standing beside the wardrobe, had left at some point.
"My boy is back! He's right outside!" The Middle-Aged Woman hurriedly hung up and ran toward the door in her slippers. Xuan Wen quickly followed, leaving only the chubby little boy in the room, still wolfing down ribs.
Pulling the door open, the Middle-Aged Woman stepped into the corridor. The midday sunlight was still a little dazzling. She looked both ways, but the corridor was empty. There wasn't a soul in sight.
"I clearly heard it just now." The Middle-Aged Woman looked puzzled. She grabbed Xuan Wen's hand. "Young lady, you heard the music too, didn't you? That's my son's ringtone. He's never changed it."
"His ringtone?" Xuan Wen's mind raced, and the confusion on her face grew more pronounced. "Was there one?"
"Yes!" The Middle-Aged Woman looked back into the room and called to the chubby little boy sneaking ribs. "Little Stomach! You heard the ringtone too, didn't you?"
The chubby little boy stuffed an entire rib into his mouth. Food was all he cared about. Seemingly afraid of getting caught, he stood foolishly beside the table without saying a word.
"I really heard it!" The Middle-Aged Woman lingered no longer and ran straight toward the stairwell. Xuan Wen followed close behind, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
She had been in the apartment for a long time, but the Middle-Aged Woman had never stepped outside her front door. Whenever she needed something, she had others run errands for her. This was the first time she had ventured outside.
The moment the woman left her home, the sunlight became slightly distorted, and traces