Appear

At the end of the month, Qi Shuo switched to the day shift. At 6:30 in the morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the air still carried the coolness of late autumn, with the scent of dew.

After washing up, he changed into his gray work clothes—the collar and cuffs were a little worn, but they were very clean. The beds in the factory dormitory were narrow, and his back ached a bit after sleeping there all night. He stretched his shoulders, pushed open the dormitory door, and went out.

The morning air was still noticeably chilly. Qi Shuo pulled his coat tighter around himself and walked along the factory path towards the gate. At this hour, the factory was nearly empty, with only a few workers who had just finished their night shift leaving in small groups. He habitually checked his pockets to make sure his keys and phone were there, then pushed open the factory's iron gate—

Then, he stopped in his tracks.

At the corner of the wall near the factory entrance, a figure in a dark blue coat was squatting there. The person was hugging their knees, chin resting on their arms, curled up like an abandoned little animal. The hem of the coat dragged on the ground, covered in dust, making them look somewhat disheveled.

Qi Shuo was taken aback and subconsciously tiptoed over. As he got closer, he could see Tan Huaiyu's appearance clearly—his face was pale, there were obvious dark circles under his eyes, and his eyelashes cast a small shadow in the morning light. He looked extremely tired.

His breathing was very light, as if he were asleep, but his brows were slightly furrowed, suggesting that he was not sleeping soundly.

"Tan Huaiyu?" Qi Shuo called out softly, his voice unconsciously softening.

Tan Huaiyu suddenly raised her head, her amber eyes instantly lighting up like two brightened stars: "Qi Shuo!"

His voice was a little hoarse, with a nasal tone from just waking up, and sounded soft.

"Hmm." Qi Shuo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the dust clinging to the hem of his coat. "Get up, your clothes are dragging on the floor."

Tan Huaiyu said "Oh," and obediently stood up, patting the hem of his coat. His movements were somewhat clumsy, as if he wasn't fully awake yet. After standing up, he was a little shorter than Qi Shuo, reaching Qi Shuo's eyebrows. The way he looked with his head down at that moment inexplicably made people feel... a little pitiful.

"What are you doing here?" Qi Shuo asked, his voice calm, but his hand in his pocket clenched slightly. The touch of his fingertips on the cold keys brought him back to his senses.

"I came to have breakfast with you." Tan Huaiyu answered matter-of-factly, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible expectation. He looked up, his amber eyes staring straight at Qi Shuo, filled with an emotion Qi Shuo couldn't decipher—expectation, trepidation, and a touch of... caution.

Qi Shuo paused for a second, then frowned: "Why do you want to have dinner with me? I remember your law firm is quite far away, isn't it?"

He remembered Xiao Jue saying that Tan Huaiyu's law firm was located in the city center, at least an hour's drive from the factory.

"I want to find you," Tan Huaiyu said, his voice soft but firm. His eyes were fixed on Qi Shuo, as if afraid of missing any change in his expression.

Qi Shuo was stunned. He looked into Tan Huaiyu's amber eyes, which were filled with an emotion he couldn't decipher. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. In the end, he simply raised his chin and said in a low voice, "Let's go to that breakfast shop."

Tan Huaiyu's eyes brightened even more, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up into a bright smile: "Okay!"

He quickly caught up with Qi Shuo, and the two walked side by side on the street in the early morning.

The sunlight gradually streamed down, bathing the street in a golden glow. The leaves of the plane trees along the roadside were beginning to turn yellow, and occasionally a few would drift down and land at their feet.

The street was quiet, with only the occasional car horn and the faint sounds of the city in the distance. Neither of them spoke; only their footsteps echoed in the empty street.

Qi Shuo walked ahead, with Tan Huaiyu following half a step behind. He looked at Qi Shuo's back—more upright than five years ago, but also thinner. His work clothes hung loosely on him, making his shoulders appear even more slender.

Qi Shuo must have had a very tough five years.

"We're here." Qi Shuo suddenly stopped and pointed to a small shop in front of him.

The breakfast shop was small but clean. A few folding tables were set up at the entrance, and there were only four tables inside. Several yellowed menus were pasted on the wall, and a few boxes of ingredients were piled in the corner. The owner, a man in his fifties, greeted Qi Shuo warmly, "Master Qi, bringing friends today?"

"Okay." Qi Shuo nodded, found a seat by the window, and ordered, "Two servings of rice noodle rolls and two cups of soy milk."

"Alright!" the boss replied with a smile, turning around to prepare.

Tan Huaiyu sat down opposite Qi Shuo and looked around. The shop was simple, with somewhat old tables and chairs, but it was clean. A business license and health permit hung on the wall, looking quite dated. Qi Shuo must come here often.

"Do you... come here to eat often?" Tan Huaiyu asked, her voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something.

"Hmm." Qi Shuo answered briefly, pulling two pairs of chopsticks from the holder, wiping them with a tissue, and handing one pair to Tan Huaiyu. "Cheap, and tastes pretty good."

Breakfast arrived quickly. Steaming hot rice noodle rolls, drizzled with soy sauce and chili oil, sprinkled with chopped green onions and cilantro, smelled wonderful. Two cups of warm soy milk were placed beside them, with fine droplets of water condensing on the sides of the cups.

"Eat up," Qi Shuo said, picking up his chopsticks and starting to eat.

Tan Huaiyu nodded and began to eat as well. The rice noodle rolls were very tender, melting in his mouth. The salty aroma of the soy sauce and the spiciness of the chili oil burst on his tongue, making him unable to resist taking a few more bites. The soy milk was also very fragrant and rich; the warm liquid slid down his throat, bringing a touch of warmth.

The two ate breakfast in silence, neither of them speaking. Qi Shuo ate very slowly, chewing each bite carefully; Tan Huaiyu would occasionally steal a glance at him, then quickly lower her head again.

After finishing the last bite of rice noodle roll, Qi Shuo wiped his mouth and said, "Let's go back."

Tan Huaiyu wiped his mouth and nodded obediently, "Then I'll be going now. See you later, Qi Shuo."

"See you later?" Qi Shuo frowned, putting down the tissue. "What do you mean, 'see you later'?"

Tan Huaiyu smiled, offered no explanation, and got up to pay. The owner smiled and said, "A friend of Master Qi? First time here, I'll give you a discount!"

"Thank you." Tan Huaiyu smiled politely, paid the bill, and turned to Qi Shuo. "Then I'll be going now."

Qi Shuo nodded, watching Tan Huaiyu walk out of the breakfast shop, hail a taxi, and leave. After the car drove away, he remained standing there, looking in that direction, his heart filled with doubt.

How shall we meet later?

Without giving it much thought, he went straight back to work at the factory.

Noon is lunch break time in the workshop.

Qi Shuo took off his mask and hat, rubbing his slightly sore neck. A morning of assembly line work had left his shoulders and arms stiff. He stretched, walked out of the workshop, and headed to the canteen for lunch.

As soon as he reached the factory gate, he saw a familiar figure—Tan Huaiyu was there again. This time, he was squatting by the flower bed at the factory gate, holding a mobile phone and looking down at something. The sunlight shone on him, outlining a gentle silhouette.

Qi Shuo was taken aback, then quickly walked over.

Hearing footsteps, Tan Huaiyu looked up and saw Qi Shuo. His eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up. However, he had been squatting for too long, and his legs were a little numb. When he stood up, he swayed a few times and almost fell into Qi Shuo's arms.

Qi Shuo instinctively reached out and touched his shoulder, feeling the warmth and touch of his palm, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly released his hand, took a half step back, and said in a somewhat cold tone, "Why are you here again?"

After regaining his balance, Tan Huaiyu rubbed his numb legs and grinned shamelessly, "Didn't we say we'd see each other later? Let's go eat together."

Qi Shuo: "..."

He sighed, but not wanting to directly send them away, he could only say helplessly, "Go on."

Instead of eating in the canteen, he took Tan Huaiyu to a small, casual restaurant near the factory. The restaurant wasn't big, but the food was good and the prices were reasonable. The owner, seeing Qi Shuo, greeted him warmly, "Chef Qi, bringing a friend today?"

"Hmm." Qi Shuo nodded, found a seat by the window, picked up the menu and looked at it, "Stir-fried green peppers with pork, Mapo tofu, and one more..."

He paused, looked up at Tan Huaiyu, and added, "And sweet and sour pork ribs, please."

Tan Huaiyu was taken aback—stir-fried green peppers with pork and Mapo tofu were both dishes he loved.

Qi Shuo handed him the menu: "Order whatever you want."

Tan Huaiyu took the menu, glanced at it, and then ordered a pork rib soup that Qi Shuo liked.

"That's all," Qi Shuo said to the boss.

"Okay!" The boss smiled, made a note of it, and turned to prepare.

The two sat by the window, sunlight streaming through the glass and falling on the table, creating a bright band of light. Tan Huaiyu looked at Qi Shuo's profile—more mature than five years ago, but also more weary. The fine lines around his eyes were more pronounced, and there were noticeable dark circles under his eyes, clearly the result of long hours of staying up late.

"Are you...ve been working very hard lately?" Tan Huaiyu asked softly.

"It's alright," Qi Shuo replied briefly. "I'm used to it."

Tan Huaiyu nodded and didn't ask any further questions. He knew Qi Shuo's personality—he didn't like to complain or whine, and no matter how tired or miserable he was, he would only say "It's okay".

The dishes arrived quickly. The stir-fried pork with green peppers smelled delicious, the Mapo tofu was glistening with red oil, the sweet and sour pork ribs looked enticing, and the pork rib soup was steaming hot. The two ate with their heads down, and Tan Huaiyu casually started a conversation: "It's gotten colder in Beijing lately, much colder than in the north."

"Mm," Qi Shuo responded.

"The preparations for the law firm are going quite smoothly, and it should officially open next month."

"Um."

"The northern part of the city has changed a lot in the past few years; many more high-rise buildings have appeared."

"Um."

The conversation was simple and distant, a question-and-answer exchange. But at least Qi Shuo hadn't refused to talk to him. Tan Huaiyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued trying to find a topic: "How's Qingran doing lately?"

Qi Shuo paused for a moment, then continued eating: "It's alright, much better than before."

"That's good." Tan Huaiyu smiled. "Does she... still remember me?"

"I remember," Qi Shuo said calmly. "I had just gotten home that day and told Sister Jin about your perverted brother."

Tan Huaiyu: "..."

The two continued eating, the atmosphere somewhat silent. Tan Huaiyu secretly glanced at Qi Shuo—he ate with great focus, chewing each bite carefully, his movements unhurried and deliberate, exuding a composed air. This Qi Shuo seemed no different from the Qi Shuo who quietly read in the library five years ago.

But it seems... everything is different now.

After finishing their meal, Tan Huaiyu insisted on paying the bill. Qi Shuo pursed his lips but didn't insist. He only said casually as he left, "Tan Huaiyu, don't come again."

Tan Huaiyu was taken aback, looking at him with a wronged expression: "Why?"

"This is not a place for you," Qi Shuo said, his voice soft but firm. "Go back."

Tan Huaiyu remained silent, head bowed, like a scolded child. After a long while, he finally whispered, "Oh."

He obediently hailed a taxi and left, his back view looking somewhat forlorn.

Qi Shuo stood there, watching the taxi drive away. His fingers clenched slightly, then slowly relaxed, and he lowered his eyes.

That's fine.

This way... it's better for everyone.

He gathered his thoughts, turned around, and went back to the factory to continue working.

Six o'clock in the afternoon, dinner time.

Qi Shuo walked out of the workshop and subconsciously glanced at the factory gate—there was no one there.

He looked away and headed towards the cafeteria. He'd only gone halfway when he suddenly heard a cry for help—

"Qi Shuo, help me!!"

The voice was so familiar that it sent a shiver down his spine. Qi Shuo turned his head and saw Tan Huaiyu sitting on the factory wall, looking utterly dejected, his hands gripping the edge tightly, his face pale.

In the corner, a stray dog ​​was barking wildly at him, baring its teeth, looking like it was about to pounce at any moment.

Qi Shuo was taken aback.

Tan Huaiyu was afraid of dogs when he was a child, and he didn't expect that he would still be afraid of them when he grew up.

He sighed, strode over, picked up a stone, and threw it at the stray dog. The dog was startled and ran away with its tail between its legs.

"Get down." Qi Shuo looked up at Tan Huaiyu, his voice calm.

Tan Huaiyu looked at him with a pitiful expression: "My legs went weak."

Qi Shuo: "..."

He helplessly stretched out his hand: "Jump down, I'll catch you."

Tan Huaiyu smiled brightly at him, her eyes crinkling with delight: "Okay."

After saying that, he leaped down from the high wall and threw himself into Qi Shuo's arms. Qi Shuo caught him steadily, feeling his weight and warmth. His heart skipped a beat, and he didn't even want to let go...

He quickly released his grip, letting Tan Huaiyu stand properly, then withdrew his hand and casually asked, "Why are you here again?"

"I've come to have dinner with you," Tan Huaiyu said matter-of-factly.

"I told you at noon not to come."

"I want to come." Tan Huaiyu looked at him with a determined gaze.

Seeing his expression, Qi Shuo suddenly lost his temper. He sighed and asked calmly, "Can the cafeteria handle it?"

"Yes!" Tan Huaiyu's eyes lit up. "I'm not a picky eater!"

"Okay." Qi Shuo nodded. "Let's go."

He turned and headed towards the cafeteria. Tan Huaiyu quickly followed, his smile impossible to hide. Sunlight shone on the two of them, casting two shadows side by side on the ground, one tall and one short, one in front of the other, yet strangely harmonious.