"Mm, I know."
That was all he said, one brief reply. He didn't ask how his business trip had gone or say when he would be home. It was nothing more than a stock response.
Ji Yanzhi drew a deep breath, struggling to keep his emotions down. "That's all, then. I'll hang up."
"Okay. Bye."
Ji Ting had barely lowered the phone from his ear before he asked, "Are you done eating?"
The person across from him paused, then glanced at the dishes on the table. "You only had a few bites. Is the food here not to your taste?"
"Mm."
The other man clearly hadn't expected him to be so blunt. Embarrassment flickered across his face. "Then, then I'll get it packed up. I can reheat it tonight."
Ji Ting said coldly, "Suit yourself."
Ten-odd minutes later, the two of them walked back to the Shili Group campus.
Out of their line of sight, Ji Yanzhi stood behind a floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at them.
After ending that call, he couldn't stop himself from guessing who was having lunch with Ji Ting. He had considered Xu Ren, or perhaps one of the professors at the Laboratory. Even Lu Yanchu had crossed his mind.
But Ji Yanzhi had never imagined that the person eating with Ji Ting would be a young man he had never seen before.
He was in his early twenties, with a face that made him easy to like at first sight. His eyes and brows were full of smiles whenever he spoke to Ji Ting.
They parted in front of the Main Building. The young man walked backward as he waved goodbye to Ji Ting. Although Ji Ting only gave a faint nod, his gaze followed the other man until he entered the building.
*Mm... I'll