Song Qingchun was confused by Su Zhinian's sudden declaration. When she recovered, Su Zhinian had walked away.
In the dining room, Song Qingchun set down the prepared porridge before Su Zhinian. Then, she retrieved a pair of chopsticks for him as well. Su Zhinian sat at the dining table and had a blank expression as Song Qingchun served him.
When Su Zhinian picked up the chopsticks, Song Qingchun, who felt suffocated by the atmosphere, immediately blurted out, "I will go take my luggage upstairs."
Su Zhinian lowered his head to blow at the piping hot porridge and huffed audibly, giving Song Qingchun her cue to leave.
After Song Qingchun put down her luggage, it was already past 7 am. When she stepped into the dining room, Su Zhinian, who heard her, raised his head to look at her. Then he used his chin to point at the seat opposite him, telling her to join him for breakfast.
Song Qingchun stood motionless and uttered no response.
Su Zhinian frowned slightly as he raised his head to look at Song Qingchun again. Assuming she did not understand him, he opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, Song Qingchun spoke. "Mr. Su, please leave the plates on the table when you're done with breakfast. I will take care of them when I return later tonight."
Su Zhinian did not respond, but his hand that went for the dish stopped in mid-air. As if realizing what Song Qingchun was getting at, he stared at the porridge before him, and then his gaze went up to glance at the wall clock; it was already 7:10 am.
Song Qingchun continued, "Mr. Su, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Su Zhinian still did not say a word, but his expression visibly dropped. Song Qingchun took Su Zhinian's lack of reaction as tacit approval so she continued, "Goodbye, Mr. Su…"
Before Song Qingchun could finish, Su Zhinian slammed the chopsticks in his hands heavily on the table.
Song Qingchun was so spooked that she swallowed the rest of her words. Even though there was no obvious shift in Su Zhinian's expression, she knew he was angry. After a period of uncomfortable silence, she coughed and said, "You said that I have to be here from 7 pm to 7 am and it is already 7:10 am…"
Yes, that was what he said, but the fact that those words came out of her mouth angered him for some unknown reason. Su Zhinian suddenly picked up the bowl of porridge and flung it at the floor. There was still half a bowl of porridge in it which flew everywhere, some of it even dropping on Song Qingchun's hair.
Song Qingchun swallowed the rest of her sentence upon witnessing his reaction. She instinctually took a step back. Then she ran forward and squatted down, starting to pick up the glass fragments on the floor.
The ball of fury inside Su Zhinian burned even brighter. He glared at the squatting Song Qingchun for about two seconds before asking her in a freezing voice, "Aren't you leaving? What are you doing squatting here then?"
Song Qingchun shivered involuntarily and the piece of glass fell from her finger, cutting her skin in the process.
Su Zhinian's voice suddenly became bone-chilling. "Go! Leave!"
Song Qingchun did not have to be told twice. Without even taking a glance at Su Zhinian, she stood up and dashed out the front door.
Listening to Song Qingchun's retreating footsteps that got increasingly further away, Su Zhinian suddenly deflated like a balloon leaking air. This feeling of helplessness made a part deep within him tear asunder from extreme pain.