library

The days after returning from camping felt like being put back on track.

The starry sky atop the mountain, the warmth of the campfire, and the unrestrained laughter of the boys were like a short but beautiful dream, settling into a bright spot in my memory.

Life is once again filled with the mundane routines of going to work, coming home, taking tutoring classes, and eating three meals a day—simple, yet peaceful.

As spring deepens, the wind in the northern city has lost its biting chill and become gentle.

The trees along the roadside sprouted tender green buds, and the sunshine grew warmer day by day.

People can finally take off their heavy down jackets and put on light coats, making their steps feel much lighter.

One Saturday afternoon, Qi Shuo finished tutoring Qin Zhou in English. Qin Zhou, like a bird released from its cage, immediately grabbed his basketball and rushed out the door, excitedly joining Cheng Rui and Lin Zhiyu who were already waiting downstairs. They ran towards the basketball court, leaving only his fading shouts in the air: "Brother Shuo, I'm going to play basketball!"

The house fell silent instantly.

Qi Shuo tidied up the scattered papers and reference books on his desk, looked at the bright sunshine outside the window, and suddenly had the idea of ​​going to the library.

He recalled the set of books on translation theory that he had browsed through in the bookstore last time. He had only read a small part of it then, but he had been thinking about it ever since.

As soon as this thought arose, another figure unexpectedly appeared in my mind—Tan Huaiyu, carrying gifts, standing under the streetlights in the community with that pale and stubborn face.

Just as Sister Jin had predicted, the boy never reappeared after that fierce conflict. He vanished like a drop of water, silently evaporating.

Qi Shuo felt a mix of emotions, a sense of relief mixed with a sense of emptiness. He shook his head, as if trying to dispel these conflicting feelings, sighed softly, and stopped thinking about it.

He put on his coat and rode his bike to the city library. The library was quite crowded on the weekend, but it maintained a solemn silence. The air was filled with the distinctive scent of pages and ink.

Qi Shuo easily found the social sciences reading area and found the thick set of translation studies works deep in the bookshelves.

He carried his books, looking for a quiet spot. Finally, he sat down in a corner at the far end of the reading room, right next to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Sunlight streamed in through the huge glass windows, casting bright spots of light on the smooth tabletop, while tiny dust particles floated in the air.

As Qi Shuo turned the heavy pages and his fingertips traced the rigorous and logical words, his heart gradually calmed down.

The knowledge that once fascinated him and ignited his dreams still has a comforting power when read today. His dream at eighteen is as clear as yesterday's image—to become an excellent translator, even a diplomat, using language to build bridges and reach a wider world. He excelled academically, especially in languages, and everyone said that admission to the School of Foreign Languages ​​at Peking University was practically his.

He could have brought his acceptance letter, given his mother and sister a stable future, and allowed Sister Jin and Qin Zhou to live a better life... He was just a little bit short of it.

But fate took such a cruel and violent turn, shattering all hopes and dreams. Dreams, future, family... everything came to an abrupt end that evening.

The path to becoming a translator was completely closed to him. Eight years of being out of touch with society, coupled with an indelible criminal record, meant he was destined to never again touch those fields that required rigorous political vetting and impressive resumes.

This dream will never be realized.

A faint bitterness welled up in my heart, but it was quickly replaced by a resigned calm.

He took a deep breath, gathered his wandering thoughts, and refocused his attention on the pages of the book before him. Perhaps it was a kind of solace to be able to quietly read something he once loved, like this.

Time slipped away quietly with the rustling of turning pages. After some time, the empty chair opposite was gently pulled out, and a figure sat down.

Qi Shuo subconsciously glanced up. It was a girl who looked very young, probably not even twenty years old, and likely a college student.

She wore a soft, off-white sweater dress and a beret of the same color, with a few strands of slightly curled chestnut hair peeking out from under the brim.

She was also holding several thick books, one of which had a cover that was from the same series as the translation studies book he was reading.

The girl gently put down her book, her movements quiet and deliberate. The afternoon sun illuminated her profile, revealing fair skin, a touch of baby fat, a slightly upturned nose, and naturally pink lips.

She was focused on turning the pages of a book, her long eyelashes like two small fans casting soft shadows under her eyes. She had a non-threatening, even somewhat endearing, appearance that easily evoked a protective instinct in people.

Qi Shuo only glanced at it for a few seconds before realizing it was impolite to stare at a stranger like that, so he quickly looked away and refocused on his book.

The reading room was quiet, with only the low hum of the air conditioner and the occasional rustling of pages. After a while, Qi Shuo heard a very faint, slightly annoyed "tsk" sound from across the room.

He looked up and saw the girl frowning at a page of a book, pointing to a long and difficult sentence, while holding her phone in her other hand, seemingly searching for something, but clearly not finding a satisfactory answer.

She puffed out her cheeks, like a hamster hoarding food, her face full of defiance. Then she picked up the notebook next to her, carefully copied down the sentence, and muttered in an almost inaudible whisper, "Why translate it like this...it's so awkward..."

Her voice was soft, with a touch of confused charm.

Qi Shuo's gaze lingered on that sentence for a few seconds. It was indeed a somewhat awkward and questionable translation example.

Almost without thinking, he tore a small piece of sticky note from his notebook, picked up a pen, and fluently wrote down a few concise grammatical analyses and a suggestion for a translation that was more in line with Chinese expression habits.

Then, he gently pushed the note across the table, right under the girl's nose.

The girl paused for a moment, then looked up at Qi Shuo with a puzzled expression. When her gaze fell on the clear, strong handwriting and precise annotations on the note, her large, previously confused eyes instantly lit up, as if they had been filled with starlight.

She quickly picked up the note and began to carefully study it, comparing it with the sentences in the book.

A moment later, her furrowed brows relaxed, and a look of delighted realization appeared on her face. Her eyes crinkled as she gave Qi Shuo a grateful yet slightly shy smile, and whispered, "Thank you, I understand."

Her smile was pure, filled with unadulterated joy.

Qi Shuo nodded almost imperceptibly without uttering a sound, which served as his response.

However, the girl did not immediately look away. Instead, she stared at Qi Shuo for several seconds, her eyes filled with undisguised curiosity.

Qi Shuo felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. He frowned slightly, raised his chin, and gave her a questioning look.

The girl seemed amused by his reaction, her eyes crinkling even deeper. She cheerfully picked up the pen and quickly wrote another line on the back of the note, then pushed it back over.

Qi Shuo looked down at the paper and saw a line of delicate, small handwriting:

"Your handwriting is beautiful."

It was followed by a cute emoticon.

Qi Shuo was completely stunned.

He hadn't expected the other person to write that sentence specifically because of this. He was somewhat taken aback, and then, a very faint, almost invisible smile uncontrollably crept onto the corners of his mouth.

He looked up and met the girl's bright, kind gaze, and nodded gently again.

This time, the girl didn't bother him anymore, and lowered her head to continue reading her book. But a silent, friendly understanding seemed to permeate the air.

The sunlight moved slowly, casting long shadows on the table. Each was immersed in their own world of reading, occasionally lifting their heads to stretch their necks. Their eyes might briefly meet in the air before quickly parting again, undisturbed by each other, yet sharing the tranquility and peace of this corner.

Only when the sky outside the window gradually turned orange-red did the girl close the book and begin to quietly pack her things.

She carefully packed her books and stationery into a canvas backpack that looked quite spacious, then slung it over her shoulder. Her small frame, carrying such a large backpack, made her look exceptionally well-behaved and adorable. She stood up, glanced one last time in Qi Shuo's direction, gave him a farewell smile, and then quietly walked away.

After a while, Qi Shuo checked his phone, estimating that Sister Jin and Qin Zhou should be back soon, so he packed up his things, put the books back in their places, and left the library.

I hopped on my bike and rode towards the direction I called "home," facing the cool evening breeze.

On that quiet afternoon in the library, the girl's adorable profile and her grateful smile were like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating barely perceptible ripples in his tranquil heart. They were light and subtle, yet they added a unique touch to this ordinary weekend, a touch imbued with the air of books and the warmth of sunshine.

Unbeknownst to him, in another corner of the library reading room, Tan Huaiyu, dressed in a gray turtleneck sweater and black coat, was coldly staring at the spot where Qi Shuo and the girl had just been, slightly lost in thought.

He lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought, his hand gently stroking the psychology book on the table.

This is such a hassle.

He clicked his tongue lightly and curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

But it's not bad.

Tan Huaiyu slowly got up, put the car back in its original position, packed his things and left. The Maybach drove on the street, and when it passed through the old town, he asked the driver to stop the car.

The car window slowly rolled down, and he stared blankly at the alley, at the building, and in the direction of Qi Shuo's house.

The words Teacher Jin had told him not to come again still echoed in his ears. He pursed his lips in disappointment and instructed the driver to continue driving.

Brother Qi Shuo, we'll meet again, right?

Yes.

He asked himself the question and answered it.