Chapter 33: A Trio (7)

She was just about to go upstairs when Leng Mohan called out to her.

Ye Ye was in the kitchen, apparently in high spirits. She hummed a little tune as she busied herself chopping something with a knife.

“Ye Ye, come out for a moment,” Leng Mohan called coolly.

“Coming.”

Ye Ye’s long, curly hair was loosely pinned up, and she too wore a black T-shirt. It was clearly a matching shirt—the same style Leng Mohan had on.

“Brother Mohan, is there anything else you’d like to eat?” Ye Ye asked as she walked out.

When she saw Lin Yan standing in the middle of the living room, she let out a soft cry of surprise, then smiled. “Sister Lin Yan, you’re back?”

“Mm.” Lin Yan nodded faintly.

Seeing what Ye Ye and Leng Mohan were wearing, Lin Yan had no idea what had happened between them that afternoon, yet a sour feeling rose in her heart. She showed nothing on her face, merely watching Leng Mohan in silence, waiting to see why he had called both of them over.

Before Leng Mohan could speak, Ye Ye said apologetically, “Sister Lin Yan, I’m sorry. I thought you wouldn’t be coming home for dinner tonight, so I only prepared enough ingredients for two. Should I—should I go out and buy some more?”

“No need. I’ve already eaten, and I probably won’t be hungry tonight,” Lin Yan said indifferently.

“Even if you’re not hungry, you should eat something.” Leng Mohan frowned slightly.

“I don’t want to turn into a pig. I just ate, and if I eat again, what else could I be?” Sensing that the atmosphere was somewhat off, Lin Yan made a self-deprecating joke to lighten things. Then she remembered the man she had seen on the way home and asked casually, “Did someone come by earlier?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Leng Mohan and Ye Ye answered at the same time, but with completely opposite replies.

“Huh? Why are you two saying entirely different things?” Lin Yan asked curiously, looking from one to the other.

“But that man just said he was Sister Lin Yan’s future brother-in-law...” Ye Ye muttered under her breath.

“Shut up.” Leng Mohan’s voice suddenly rose, nearly drowning her out.

He seemed genuinely angry now. His icy gaze fixed on Ye Ye, filled with unmistakable warning.

Both Ye Ye and Lin Yan turned toward him, but he merely stared coldly at Ye Ye and asked, “Did you change the password on the door?”

Ye Ye and Lin Yan were both stunned. Neither could follow Leng Mohan’s abrupt change of subject. How had he leaped from whether a guest had come to the door lock?

Leng Mohan watched Ye Ye coldly without saying anything more, while Lin Yan looked at her in bewilderment as well.

Ye Ye lowered her head, her face flushing slightly. “The old password was too simple and could easily be cracked, so I set a more secure one.”

Leng Mohan’s expression remained impassive as he said without emotion, “It’s hard to remember. Change it back.”

“It’s easy to remember. It’s 198996—the sixth of September, 1989.”

Those numbers were Ye Ye’s birthday. She had changed the door lock to that combination so that every time Leng Mohan opened the door, he would think of her and remember her birthday.

“Is there anything special about it?” Leng Mohan asked lazily as he settled onto the sofa. One hand rested against the back, while the other tapped lightly on the pearwood table.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound was deep and muffled, each knock seeming to strike directly into the heart.

Ye Ye immediately began to feel guilty. Swallowing nervously, she stammered, “I—I... it’s my birthday.”