"You've been gone way too long, haven't you?"
Niu Ma complained.
"No choice, the boss wouldn't let me leave."
Liu Zheng said, spreading his tentacles as he returned to the lounge.
"Did they give you more work again?"
Niu Ma immediately reacted.
"Born to be overworked, even dogs on the street ask me to find them bones."
He joked about himself.
"While you were gone, I delivered takeout twice."
Niu Ma complained.
"You must be tired, want me to give you a massage?"
"Forget it, you look pretty busy yourself, probably wouldn't do it right. I'll just lie down."
Niu Ma grumbled a few words, turned over, and continued lying down.
Liu Zheng chuckled and was about to go over for the massage when the phone rang.
"Senior, are you okay?"
He pressed the answer button, hearing the novelist's voice from the other end.
"I'm fine, already back at the restaurant."
Liu Zheng replied.
"That's good. I called you several times on the way, couldn't get through; made me really worried."
