Stepping out of the apartment, Li Ming went a little further down the street and pulled out his phone.

He remembered how, in the beginning, Rui Lan had told him that he definitely shouldn’t date Mo Fang. That he was bad news and that a relationship with him could never work out. At first, he had been worried as well but then after spending some time together and seeing how sweet Mo Fang could be, he just couldn’t help himself.

Despite the warning of his good friend, he finally went ahead with what he shouldn’t have done. And still, Rui Lan had told him today that he would be there to talk if things got worse.

Li Ming glanced at the time and winced. It was already quite late. But still, he couldn’t be alone right now and he definitely couldn’t be with Mo Fang. Also, he didn’t know who else to call. So in the end, despite the time, he called Rui Lan.

The phone rang three or four times before Rui Lan picked up. "Ah Ming, what’s the matter?"

Hearing Rui Lan’s voice, Li Ming suddenly didn’t know what to do. He kept quiet for a moment until the silence stretched between them.

On the other side, Rui Lan raised his brows and turned to look at Cang Gui Ying. He had the distinct feeling that something had gone seriously wrong. And he didn’t need to think much to figure out what that was. Thus, he carefully cleared his throat, hoping that he wasn’t making a blunder right now. "Something is up with Mo Fang?"

Li Ming sighed at that, the drawn-out sound a clear answer to that. "Do you … have time to meet up?"

Rui Lan looked at his girlfriend again who raised her brows at him, not quite sure what was going on. Well, in any case, he had promised to be there for him. "Well, what do you want to do? Go out and drink or …?"

Li Ming wasn’t really somebody who drank a lot so that might not be the best idea but then again, you didn’t have trouble in your relationship every day. Maybe he would indeed feel better after getting a couple of beers.

Li Ming hesitated, not really wanting to impose but then again, he felt like he had no other way. "Actually … I just … I just don’t want to be at home. Mo Fang … he’s in my apartment."

Rui Lan wasn’t really sure what to make of that. So was that a yes to going out to drink or was is it a no?"

Cang Gui Ying elbowed him and motioned to the ground. He only looked at her uncomprehendingly though. She clicked her tongue, and then grabbed the phone from him, clearing her throat as well. "Hi, Bro Li, I’m at brother Rui’s place but if you don’t mind that, you can come over right away. I’d go home as well so you have the place to yourself but it’s already so late and already dark outside so if you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather stay."

Li Ming was stunned when he suddenly heard her voice but Rui Lan and Cang Gui Ying had indeed gotten back together after that day all of their coworkers went out. But thinking that he might interrupt a romantic evening between a couple, he actually didn’t want to intrude. "Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to intrude."

"Aiya, don’t worry about that! In any case, I totally don’t mind. Where are you right now? Should we come and get you or do you know the way here yourself?"

Li Ming really wasn’t sure what to make of this. He didn’t want to stay where he was but he also didn’t want to go over right now.

Rui Lan had finally gotten the hint after his girlfriend took matters in her hand and leaned closer to the phone. "Ah ming, don’t be like this! In any case, you’re my friend and Xiao Ying is my girlfriend. What’s there that we can’t talk about between all three of us? Also, it’s not like she doesn’t know Mo Fang herself.

"Just come on over. Don’t argue any longer. I’ll be waiting for a quarter of an hour. If you’re not here by then, I’ll come and get you personally. And I’ll have to leave Xiao Ying alone for that so she will be pissed off and might break up with me again. You wouldn’t wanna be responsible for that, would you?" He didn’t give him the time to respond and just ended the call, looking at Cang Gui Ying as if he had done a really good thing.

She didn’t seem impressed and instead rolled her eyes at him for that last part but she still felt that it likely got the message across. Li Ming really wasn’t the type of guy who would leave somebody hanging or make things difficult for them. "What do you think happened?"

Rui Lan leaned back and pursed his lips, hooking his arms behind the backrest of the couch. "Well, knowing Mo Fang, he probably fucked up for real. And since Li Ming can’t even stand to be in the same apartment as him right now, I’d say it was breakup-worthy. Who knows if they’re still together?"

"Would Mo Fang really stay at his place if they broke up?"

Rui Lan raised his shoulders, unable to answer that. "Your guess is as good as mine. I bet he’s not going to let go that easily. In so far, I’m happy that Li Ming is coming over here. He shouldn’t deal with that right now."

Cang Gui Ying nodded and then patted his leg, getting up and going to the kitchen. "Even if you don’t go out to drink, let’s get some beers and some food. In any case, this will be a long night."

Rui Lan clicked his tongue, feeling that she was probably right. "Ah, we don’t even have a free day tomorrow."

His girlfriend poked her head out of the kitchen and nodded. "Well, this kind of thing can’t be timed. Let’s just hope that Li Ming will be doing better tomorrow. And that they will be able to work together in the future despite everything. I’m afraid that with both of them at the railroad station, that could actually become a problem."

When she reminded him of that, Rui Lan cursed under his breath. Right. They were all working at the same place. And breakups were always awkward, even if they were somewhat civil like theirs had been back then. If it was a breakup where one side was majorly pissed off and the other side might not even want to let go, he didn’t think that that would work out well.

Oh, things would really get interesting at the railroad station soon. That, or maybe it would be better to say that they would get bad.