"Chu Yi has received two silent calls that he thinks were from his dad," Yan Hang said with a frown.

Cui Yi glanced over at him. "Then?"

"That day, the 30th, when I went with him to his grandpa's place, while we were wandering the streets," Yan Hang said, "I felt like I saw his dad, but I can't be certain. By the time I turned to look again there was no one there."

"You didn't tell the police?" Cui Yi asked.

"I don't know if I should," Yan Hang said. "I'm afraid of misleading them and impacting the investigation. And I'm afraid..."

"You're afraid Chu Yi will think you're impatient to catch his dad," Cui Yi finished.

"Mm," Yan Hang nodded.

Cui Yi was silent for a moment. "It's probably not that you're afraid Chu Yi will think that, but that you think that yourself on his behalf."

Yan Hang didn't respond.

That was probably right. Although when Chu Yi received the calls he had asked if Yan Hang wanted to tell the police, so Chu Yi probably wouldn't think like that. But he did always feel a little conflicted.

He had always felt Chu Yi's dad didn't have the guts to orchestrate such a big case, and was just caught up in it. But what if...what if...

"Tell the police," Cui Yi said. "If it really is a lead, and the case progresses, it would be good for both of you right?"

Yan Hang was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Let's turn around."

Early morning on his birthday, Grandpa had already called. When Chu Yi picked up he could hear Grandpa repeatedly saying "Hello?" on the other end.

"Grandpa, grandpa, I can hear you," he said with a smile. "I can hear you."

"Today's your birthday! Your grandma and I wish you a happy birthday!" Grandpa said.

"Very happy," Chu Yi smiled and nodded.

"Your Grandma is telling you not to forget to eat a bowl of noodles," Grandpa said.

"I'll tell him myself!" came Grandma's voice from the side.

"Your Grandma wants to tell you herself," Grandpa passed the phone to Grandma.

"Eat a bowl of noodles," Grandma's voice rang out. "Don't forget!"

"Mm!" Chu Yi pressed at the corner of his eye. "I remember!"

After chatting with Grandpa and Grandma and hanging up, Zhou Chunyang smiled and said, "Does pasta count as noodles?"

"Ah," Chu Yi laughed. "Don't know."

"It's fine," Li Ziqiang said. "With Brother Hang here, making a proper bowl of Chinese noodles shouldn't be a problem."

"Man, I'm hungry now," Hu Biao said, rubbing his stomach. "Let's go get the cake to eat."

"Did you weigh yourself after New Year's?" Zhou Chunyang went over to poke Hu Biao's stomach. "You just ate lunch, and you're already thinking about cake?"

"It's my stomach, my appetite," Hu Biao said. "I only go wild once a year."

"Your weight is al, always wild," Chu Yi said.

"Brother Dog," Hu Biao looked at him. "I'll spare you since today's your birthday..."

"No need," Chu Yi smiled.

"Still gotta say it," Hu Biao said. "After all..."

"Whether you spare him for his birthday or not he's still Brother Dog," Zhang Qiang said, playing on his phone. "You're at the bottom, what can you do."

"I'm boycotting food," Hu Biao lay down facing the wall. "No more friendship in this dorm."

"In a bit," Chu Yi checked the time, "my treat at the, convenience store."

Hu Biao immediately flipped over and gave him a thumbs up. "Brother Dog is a good guy."

Chu Yi was in a great mood today. A year older, seventeen now!

Eighteen by traditional counting!

By some places' custom of adding two years, he was nineteen! The same age as Yan Hang!

Next year he would be twenty-two, even older than Yan Hang!

Hahahahaha.

Chu Yi laughed merrily at the window.

"Psycho," Zhou Chunyang glanced at him.

"Oh," Chu Yi nodded. "You noticed."

Zhou Chunyang smiled and went back to playing his game. "Did you book the private room for tonight?"

"Yan Hang said he booked it," Chu Yi said.

"Then it's good," Zhou Chunyang said. "He's particular, must have booked somewhere high-end."

Chu Yi just smiled without responding.

After hanging out in the dorm room for an hour, Hu Biao sat up like he was watching the clock. "Brother Dog, shall we head to the convenience store?"

"Let's go," Chu Yi stood up. "The rest of you coming?"

"Yeah——" everyone responded in unison except Su Bin.

"Come on," Hu Biao said. "Just now you were all still mocking me!"

The group laughed as they headed out towards the convenience store.

The convenience store didn't actually have much in the way of good food, mainly just snacks to tide them over.

Chu Yi stood at the cash register waiting for them to pick out snacks, not feeling hungry himself.

Just as he was about to send a message to Yan Hang, his phone in his pocket rang. As he fished out his phone, he marveled to himself, we really do have a psychic connection!

The words "Home" on the caller ID made him freeze for a good five seconds.

The landline at home was hardly ever used. Dad and Mom used their cell phones, grandma used voice control, and the landline was generally only used by grandpa to call his friends to brag and exchange insults.

He could hardly remember ever receiving a call from this number.

Who at home still remembered his birthday?

And even called on his birthday?

He answered the phone in great surprise: "Hello?"

"That good-for-nothing father of yours has been caught by the police!" Grandma's voice came through the phone.

Chu Yi was stunned, unable to process what she had said for a long time.