Qiao Xiaren picked up the phone, glanced at it, and decided to answer: "Hello, who is this?"
There was a long silence on the other end until, just as Qiao Xiaren was about to hang up in annoyance, a choked voice suddenly came through: "Xiaren, it's me, Mom."
The word Mom hit her, and Qiao Xiaren's first reaction was to smile sarcastically, a bitter curl unconsciously appearing at the corner of her mouth, glaringly sharp.
"Mrs. Lan, what can I do for you?"
Hearing the weak woman's choking voice, Qiao Xiaren felt no sympathy or distress; her first reaction was to find it laughable.
"Daughter, could you please listen to what your mom has to say for a few words and not hang up?" It seemed that Mrs. Lan feared Qiao Xiaren would hang up, so she quickly reminded her a few times. Qiao Xiaren heard the hurried clack of high heels on the floor, and when passing by somewhere, it seemed a number of servants were greeting her.
