"Have you eaten?" Shen Wangjing's low voice came through amid the crackle of the connection.
"Yeah. Jiang Changping fried some spring rolls. They tasted awful." Jiang Xun rolled over and propped his phone against his pillow. "But I ate three to spare his feelings."
Shen Wangjing gave a low chuckle.
"What are you laughing at?"
"You and that stubborn mouth of yours."
"Are you asking for another beating?"
They looked at each other through the screen for a while, neither saying anything.
Jiang Xun reached out and poked Shen Wangjing's face on the screen, muttering, "You've lost weight."
"I haven't."
"If I say you have, you have." Jiang Xun leaned closer to the screen, staring unblinkingly at the person on the other end. "How are things over there? Is anyone picking on you?"
Before Shen Wangjing could answer, the camera suddenly tilted, and a blond head forced its way into the frame.
"Xiao Jiang Xun! Happy New Year!" Li Jingyao waved wildly at the camera, his smile bright enough to light up all of Victoria Harbour. "I miss you so much. Have you missed me?"
Jiang Xun's face fell instantly. "Who'd miss you? Get lost."
"Don't be so heartless. I even got you a New Year's present-"
Shen Wangjing had already reached out and pushed Li Jingyao's head out of the frame.
When the camera steadied again, Li Jingyao let out an exaggerated wail in the background. "Cousin! You nearly pushed me into the sea!"
Unmoved, Shen Wangjing looked down at Jiang Xun's puffed-up face on the screen, the curve of his lips deepening.
Li Jingyao muttered a few more things, then, apparently realizing those two had no time for him at all, took his glass of wine elsewhere to find his own fun.
At last, things quieted down around