Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97
Because he heard through the phone, other than the sound of her cooking, there was also an undercurrent of other sound.
The sound was soft and weak. Even he, with exceptional hearing, could barely pick it up, much less a normal person. The sound was out of place. It was something he had not heard around his bungalow for the two years he had stayed there.
The noise on Song Qingchun’s end was rather loud because she was in the kitchen. On his end, the staff were working overtime. The sound of printers, people on the phone, secretaries chatting in the break room, the honking of cars outside… they all conspired to muddle his hearing, making it hard for him to discern the source of the incongruent sound from Song Qingchun’s end.
Song Qingchun put the phone on speaker and placed it on the counter. She waited for a long time, but there was no reply from Su Zhinian. As she washed the vegetables, she said a questioning
hello
into the phone and called his name.
Su Zhinian?
Su Zhinian was so focused on discerning the curious sound that he merely responded with an offhand
hmm
before going silent again.
After she finished washing the vegetables, Song Qingchun turned off the tap and pulled out a few napkins to dry the water on her hands. She picked up the phone and asked,
Why did you call?
Su Zhinian could hear clearer now that the sound of the water was going. He didn’t answer Song Qingchun immediately but held his breath to focus on that barely discernible sound.
The sound had a rhythm to it; it came fast and slow, fast and slow… It sounded like human breathing, and from the heaviness of the sound, the breathing of a man!
This bungalow was his personal property; other than Tang Nuo, no one knew about it. Tang Nuo was in the conference room, waiting for the meeting to start, so this man… was her guest?
Su Zhinian’s gaze that looked out at the glittering neon lights of the city suddenly turned chilly. He asked in a brusque tone,
You have a guest at home?
Song Qingchun was about to ask Su Zhinian, Why aren’t you saying anything? However, she stopped when she heard that question from Su Zhinian.
She first responded with a confused
huh?
before pulling open the kitchen door to look into the living room. Then the perplexed Song Qingchun added,
No… I’m the only one home.
After leaving the kitchen, without the influence from the exhaust fan, Su Zhinian could hear the sound even clearer.
The breathing was coming from upstairs, and Song Qingchun didn’t sound like she was lying.
Before Su Zhinian’s mind could analyze what was really happening, he heard footsteps, yes, it was from that person. He could hear the man glide surreptitiously across the floor, stopping often, lest he make too much noise…
Su Zhinian frowned instantly and realized with a start that there was a burglar in his house.
