C.18 First Transmigration: Call

' That might work! '

He thought excitedly with his eyes twinkling as he smiled widely, getting excited as he pictures the future in his head.

"With this, it might help me get out of this hell hole. " he said as took the drawer out and put it on the floor to take out the things behind the box. It was a black monopod that LiJu also gave him together with the old camera.

He took it out of the plastic wrap as he sat beside the drawer. He took a clean cottoned black shirt, since the rugs here are dirty, to wipe the monopod clean. After cleaning it he sets the camera and makes it stand on the corner of the room and then places the drawer back.

He turns on the camera to check if it still has battery,after a while he tries to turn it again but it still wont open. He opened the box if the charger was there, but got frustrated when he saw it wasn't there. Sighing in frustration, he rubs his nose in annoyance as stare at the box like it was there just to make him more annoyed, contemplating whether he should call LiJu or not– despite his unwillingness and embarrassment– he decided to call the other.

' it's Sunday and he shouldn't be busy…it should be fine…' he double thought as he held the phone, facing the screen with LiJu's number.

Even though he knew that he 'ran away' twice after doing intimate things with him– he clicked the number then he heard ringing from it. Biting his fingernails, he put the call on speaker as he wait for it to get picked up.

After three rings, LiJu picked up as a smirk planted on the other side as he held back his chuckle and says " hello? ".

As if hearing his smirk from the otherside, Zhou XiuYing hesitates to answer back but then remembering that he needed something from the other, he builds up his courage and answers back after making the other wait for a few seconds.

" Hello, Sir LiJu, um.. May I ask if you still have the charger for the camera? " he said hesitantly as he bit his nails.

" What camera? " LiJu asks from the phone.

' had I given him a camera? ', LiJu thought as he sat on his chair in his office while he circles the pen with his fingers.

" The camera, you gave it to me around last two years ago… because you said you're not using it so gave it to me… " Zhou XiuYing said, as he twindless the hem of his shirt while his hands sweats a bit from ansty, hoping he remembers it because for him, it was also one of his treasured memory, since he gave it to him when he first bought the luxurious penthouse he was currently in after their night session.

" I have? " LiJu asks in confusion as he really couldn't remember that he gave him one before. Maybe he just didn't think much of it when he gave it to him, hence he didn't remember.

" Yes… you gave it to me last two ago…" Zhou XiuYing said as his voice quiet down at the end, a tint of sadness was heard if you observe his tone, like he was toning down his feelings and trying to act as if he was not affect that he didn't remember.

" What brand and unit is it? I might still have it here, "

Totally not hearing it, he said casually as he sat up and opened his email and wrote ' Buy me …ASAP, Need this in 2 hours, " leaving a blank after the 'me'.

"Umm.. wait a sec" He said as he crawled to the drawer to get the box then he went back to the phone.

" It says… Fujifilm GFX100s " Zhou XIuYing says as he read the case of the camera

"That's a pretty good camera, I never knew I had one before " LiJu says as he begins to type the name on his email and send it to his personal secretary, not really minding that it isn't work hours and that it's the weekend. He receives an instant reply from his personal secretary, saying that he got it.

Then he emailed again, " No I need this in an hour, make it quick" then he sent it. Oblivious of his secretary's annoyance

Secretary: I need a raise

The secretary wants to send it but is way too scared of his boss. If he sends it out of whim, he might get fired out of whim too.

So the secretary sighs and just replies an " Yes sir, be there in an hour "

From the other side of the line, Zhou XiuYing heard that he was typing something in his keyboard, base from how fast he was typing, he conclude that he must be busy about something and that he disturb the other, he also remembers that he answers the phone on the third ring

" Did I disturb your work? You must be busy," he said guiltily then he continued " I'm sorry for disturbing you, then I'm going to hung up" he said hurriedly as he was about to press the hung up.

" No you did not disturb me, I was just organising some things on my laptop. " he excuses as he predicted that he'll hung up if he didn't say anything soon, though it's not his thing to explain himself but he just couldn't help it and just blurt things what on his mind,

Silence filled the two as they both dont know what to talk about after that. They must have realise this as they both awkwardly says their name at the same time.

" XiuYing" - LiJu

" Sir LiJu" - XiuYing

" ….." silence

" You can go first " Zhou XiuYing says awkwardly, since they never talk through the phone like this, just text asking if he could go over to you-know-what or LiJu texting him to come to do you-know-what

" What are your plans for your acting career? "

Yan LiJu who was always confident at what he does, well respected by both his people and other entertainment companies, a billionaire, born to be alpha…was now scratching his head awkwardly as he thought of topics of what they should talk about. Slouching his body on the desk as held the phone in his left ear.

" For now… I actually don't know if i should continue and pursue another career… I think acting is not for me, even getting an extra role is hard for me so…" he said with his low self-esteem evident from his voice, LiJu could even hear it through the phone.

He didn't want to tell lies to his XiuYing, telling lies that he could do it if he worked hard enough, because if he did he knew that he was only giving him false hope since he's an expert when it comes to this field. He just really don't have the talent of it, even the basic of the basic… he couldn't do it. He couldn't act. So staying silent for a moment was the only thing he could do.

From this, he knew that LiJu was agreeing with him. He didn't feel sad or anything, but he felt good that he did not try to tell him to just work hard and he'll get there.

One thing that they both hated was giving someone false hope, because they understand what it felt like when you were the one who got fooled by it.