The two stared at each other, and Ji Ting's fingers tightened slightly around his phone.
Ji Yanzhi didn't hear anything, did he?
A flicker of amusement crossed Ji Yanzhi's eyes as he walked over. "Shen Mu Lan said you were outside taking a call. Who was it?"
In the past, a situation like this would have immediately put him on edge. Now, he felt perfectly calm. His only curiosity was what Ji Ear was trying to hide from him.
"Um..." Ji Ting's gaze flickered. "It was Uncle Yang. He asked whether we'd be coming home for dinner tonight."
Ji Yanzhi laughed inwardly. He'd known Ji Ear couldn't lie.
He draped an arm around Ji Ting's shoulders, and they headed back together. "You told him we were eating out?"
"Yes."
He had barely finished speaking when Ji Yanzhi asked in puzzlement, "That's strange. Didn't I give Uncle Yang and the others time off until after the Lantern Festival? Why's he back today?"
Ji Ting abruptly paused. For once, his mind went completely blank.
Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Ji Yanzhi nearly laughed aloud. "Ji Ear? Ji Ear?"
It took Ji Ting two seconds to lift his head. "...Hmm?"
Ji Yanzhi fought to keep the corners of his mouth still and offered him a way out. "Don't you want to know what Team Leader Sun just told me?"
Ji Ting nodded again, still dazed. "Yes."
Seeing that his brain had completely shut down, Ji Yanzhi finally lost the battle and burst out laughing.
Ji Ting looked bewildered. "What is it? Why are you laughing?"
"He said Ji Shize would be sentenced after the New Year. I was happy to hear it..."
Shen Mu Lan ran a private dining restaurant. Most of his regular customers were young, so he kept plenty of board games