Chapter 6

On Friday evening, people in the office gradually dispersed, and the sky outside the window was dyed with an ambiguous warm color by the neon lights.

Lin Qi looked at the message sent by Chen Yan on the phone screen, "If you feel more comfortable shopping alone, that's totally fine," and couldn't help laughing.

This man, even when inviting someone, was cautious and restrained. He always paved the way for everyone, leaving the greatest respect and freedom to the other person.

She had almost no hesitation.

Her curiosity about this man who could always see through her accurately and comfort her in the gentlest way had long since far surpassed the slight reserve she felt when they first met.

Lin Qi: I don't mind. I'm just curious about what records you buy. After all, not many people still listen to music the old-fashioned way these days.

In her reply, she readily accepted the invitation and also expressed her curiosity openly with a slightly teasing joke.

Chen Yan's reply came quickly, with a frankness that showed that he had seen through her and accepted it with pleasure.

[Chen Yan: It’s indeed a somewhat old-fashioned habit.]

[Chen Yan: My tastes may be a bit mixed, so I'm sorry to make you laugh.]

He naturally accepted her curiosity and turned it into a small highlight of their meeting on Saturday. This mature way of dealing with it made Lin Qi feel very comfortable.

[Chen Yan: Then let's set a specific time on Saturday? Which bookstore do you usually go to, or which area is it located in?]

Lin Qi's fingertips flew across the screen, and she decided to continue this little "suspense" game.

[Lin Qi: Haha, then I'll have to guess your taste first. We'll find out on Saturday.]

Lin Qi: The independent bookstore downtown. I'm planning to go there tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM. Is that convenient for you?

She threw out the specific time and place, and gave the final decision back to him.

[Chen Yan: Okay, then I look forward to your answer.]

Chen Yan: I know the one downtown. Ten o'clock on a Saturday morning is a good time, so it shouldn't be too crowded.

【Chen Yan: Then we’ll meet at the bookstore entrance tomorrow.】

Everything was settled, and he said nothing more.

【Chen Yan: Good night.】

【Lin Qi: Good night, see you tomorrow.】

After seeing the last four words she sent, Chen Yan held the phone in his hand and did not put it down for a long time.

"See you tomorrow."

These three words were different from any previous "good night." They no longer signified a gap of several days and a new round of waiting, but pointed to a clear and specific appointment in a dozen hours.

The night outside the window seemed to become more concrete, carrying a firm anticipation of the approaching dawn.

The next day, Saturday, at ten o'clock in the morning.

The sun was shining brightly outside the independent bookstore in the city center. The autumn breeze, with a hint of refreshing coolness, blew down a few golden sycamore leaves on the roadside.

Chen Yan arrived a few minutes early. He was dressed more casually today than at his last exhibition, a well-made, dark shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, revealing his sturdy wrists, which looked clean and sharp. He didn't check his phone, but simply stood quietly at the door, watching the people coming and going.

Soon, he saw Lin Qi in the crowd.

Today she wore a simple cotton and linen dress with an off-white knitted cardigan over it. Her long hair was casually tied with a simple hair tie, with a few strands of hair hanging down her cheeks. She looked particularly gentle and comfortable in the sun.

This made his nerves, which had been tense for a week, relax unconsciously.

"Good morning." Seeing her approaching, he nodded slightly at her, his voice deeper and more attractive than the one he heard on WeChat.

Lin Qi greeted him with a smile. The atmosphere today was more relaxed and informal than their last exhibition. She seemed to have none of the reservedness of a first date alone, instead displaying the warmth and attentiveness of a host.

"I checked," she said, looking up, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "There's a record store within a kilometer. After I buy the book, shall we go there to pick out some records?"

Hearing that she had even checked out the record store, Chen Yan's eyes flashed with a subtle admiration. This wasn't just attentiveness, it was thoughtfulness. It made him feel that he wasn't the only one who had put so much effort into this meeting.

"Thank you for your kindness." He replied naturally, with a hint of a smile in his tone, "I thought I would have to ask you to accompany me to find a needle in a haystack."

"Okay, then let's do as you planned." He looked at the quiet space inside the bookstore, which was illuminated by sunlight.

"Come in first," he said, "and see what books you would like to take home today."

They walked into the bookstore one after another.

A scent mingled with the scent of new book ink and the incense of old paper and agarwood filled the air. The shop was quiet, the only sound being the gentle rustling of pages. Sunlight streamed through the large glass windows, casting warm patches of light across the natural wood shelves and floor.

Chen Yan was very considerate and did not disturb Lin Qi.

He watched her quietly move between the bookshelves, like a squirrel searching for its favorite berries in the forest. Her fingertips gently slid across the spines of the books, occasionally pulling out a book, flipping through a few pages intently, and then putting it back.

He was not far away, and he also picked up a book and read quietly, giving her enough personal space without being disturbed.

About half an hour later, Lin Qi walked towards him contentedly, holding three books.

He pulled himself away from his reading, raised his head, and his eyes naturally fell on the three books in her arms.

"Have you chosen?" he asked.

He patiently looked through the titles of the books she had chosen one by one.

"Auditing is that simple: Let the numbers speak", "The Surrender Experiment", and "Flowers for Algernon".

When he saw the first bestseller, a financial book, he didn't show any particular expression, as if he'd expected it. When he saw the second psychology book, his eyebrows twitched slightly, as if he was a little curious. Finally, his gaze rested on the third science fiction novel, where it lingered the longest.

"From audit, to submission, and then to Algernon." He whispered these key words, as if talking to himself, and then looked up at her.

"You read widely," he stated, his tone devoid of judgment, only pure curiosity. "These three books... cover a wide range."