A turning point under the rain
In the days following Jiang Chen's departure, Lin Wanxing's life seemed to return to its previous routine. She attended classes, graded papers, and researched materials, spending afternoon after afternoon in the quiet of the library. However, she didn't throw away the pink sticky note left on her desk. Instead, almost inexplicably, she tucked it into a thick reference book, as if to seal away that absurd episode completely.
However, the ripples in her life did not subside because of her deliberate attempt to ignore them.
On Friday afternoon, the sky was terribly overcast, with leaden clouds hanging low, and the air filled with the damp, earthy smell of an impending mountain rain. Lin Wanxing had just finished a lecture on "Emotional Imagery in the Book of Songs" when her phone vibrated in her trench coat pocket. The word "Mom" appeared on the screen, and her heart tightened slightly; a strange premonition crept over her.
Sure enough, the voice on the other end of the phone was her mother's usual tone, filled with unquestionable concern: "Wanxing, are you off work? Don't forget what I told you. Your Aunt Zhang's nephew, Chen Ming, is already here, waiting for you at 'Time Cafe' near your school. He's a very reliable young man, works in IT, and has a bright future ahead of him..."
The sound from the receiver was like a distant, muffled rumble of thunder, buzzing and humming. Lin Wanxing leaned against the cold wall of the corridor, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the rough strap of her canvas bag. Outside the window, the first raindrop pounded heavily on the glass, leaving a murky water stain. Then, the second, the third… In an instant, the rain curtain formed a continuous line, rushing and enveloping the entire world.
Another blind date. She understood her mother's anxiety, but couldn't convince her own dormant heart. Each such occasion felt like a public inspection of her inner wounds, forcing her to perform a "I'm trying to get better" act in front of strangers. Exhaustion washed over her like a tide, more suffocating than the rain outside the window.
"Mom, I know." She interrupted her mother's nagging instructions, her voice slightly hoarse. "I...I'll be right there."
Hanging up the phone, she gazed at the torrential rain outside the window and suddenly realized that she hadn't brought an umbrella again. This similar sense of helplessness, of being toyed with by both the weather and fate, almost made her laugh coldly. She took a deep breath of the crisp, misty air, raised her canvas bag above her head, and prepared to rush into the rain.
The moment she stepped out of the porch of the School of Arts, a figure appeared silently to her side, as if he had been waiting for her, blocking her from the torrential rain.
He was still wearing that slightly worn gray knit sweater and dark jeans, but now he had a thin-looking black jacket over it, a small patch of dark fabric already damp from the rain. It was Jiang Chen. He held a dark blue long-handled umbrella in his hand; the sturdy ribs and wide canopy contrasted with his slightly thin frame.
“Teacher Lin,” he said, his voice less hesitant than a few days ago, but with a calmer, more resolute tone, “the rain is heavy.”
Lin Wanxing stared at him in astonishment, her hand holding the backpack frozen in mid-air. Rain splashed onto her shoes and trouser legs, bringing a cold touch. How could he be here? A coincidence? Or…
"You..." She was momentarily speechless, her mind racing, trying to find a reasonable explanation for his appearance. Yes, he said he was a senior at the university. His presence near the School of Humanities at this time meant he might be looking for a professor, or perhaps handling graduation-related matters? This guess eased her tension slightly, but the strange feeling in her heart didn't completely dissipate.
Jiang Chen didn't explain his appearance. His gaze swept over the canvas bag she held above her head, which was clearly no match for the heavy rain, and then landed on her slightly furrowed brow, a knowing glint in his eyes. He didn't press her about where she was going, nor did he bring up the failed "job interview" from a few days ago. He simply raised his umbrella slightly, his tone a perfectly timed and unobtrusive suggestion:
Where are you going? I'll give you a ride.
His attitude was as natural as if they were just teacher and student who had met by chance. Lin Wanxing looked at his rain-soaked shoulders, then at the rain outside that showed no signs of letting up. The words of refusal rolled in her throat, but she ultimately didn't say them. She really needed an umbrella, and besides, running in the rain to a blind date would be far too embarrassing.
“…Thank you,” she whispered, her voice almost drowned out by the rain. She put down her backpack and subconsciously tidied her wind-blown hair, a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment in her movements.
Jiang Chen opened the umbrella. The deep blue canopy snapped open with a "bang," like a small, tranquil patch of sky suddenly rising, shutting out the noisy rain. He stepped forward and gently sheltered her under the umbrella.
The space under the umbrella was smaller than she had imagined. To avoid getting wet, the two had to stand very close. Lin Wanxing could clearly smell the faint scent of him, a mixture of sun-dried cotton and refreshing soap, with a hint of the slightly astringent smell of old book pages. This clean scent strangely soothed her slight anxiety.
They walked side by side into the rain. Raindrops pounded against the umbrella, playing a hurried melody. Their footsteps sounded muffled in the splashing water. They walked in silence, the atmosphere subtly hovering between unfamiliarity and familiarity.
As they neared the school gate, Lin Wanxing seemed to finally make up her mind. She stopped and turned to look at him. The umbrella stopped immediately as she paused. He lowered his eyes slightly, quietly waiting for her to speak, his gaze focused.
“Jiang,” she called out somewhat awkwardly, “I…I really need your help.” She paused, struggling to find the right words, her cheeks flushed, “I agreed to your request…I’m going to meet someone later, someone arranged by my family. Could you…temporarily pretend to be my…boyfriend? Just for a little while, and I’ll make him back down.”
After saying this, she almost dared not look him in the eye. This request was even more absurd than his "job interview" that day. She awaited the expected surprise, the questioning, or at least the hesitation.
However, Jiang Chen blinked very quickly, his long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. A complex emotion, which she couldn't decipher, seemed to flash deep in his eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that she thought it was an illusion. There was no sign of offense or amusement on his face, but rather a calm that was almost like "I knew it," even carrying a sense of "finally getting the mission."
"Okay." He answered without the slightest hesitation, his voice steady and firm. "What do I need to do?"
His straightforwardness stunned Lin Wanxing. All the explanations and statements she had prepared stuck in her throat. "You...you're not going to ask about the specifics? Or...do you find this strange?" she couldn't help but press.
Jiang Chen's lips seemed to twitch slightly upwards, forming a gentle arc that wasn't quite a smile. "In the job requirements that Teacher Lin wrote the other day, the fifth requirement was 'possessing the ability to handle various emergencies, from repairing home appliances to dealing with pressure to get married.'" He accurately recited what she had written, his tone devoid of teasing, only serious and matter-of-fact. "This should be within the scope of the job responsibilities."
Lin Wanxing was speechless. Looking into his calm eyes, she suddenly realized that this seemingly down-on-his-luck boy was far more perceptive and... unpredictable than he appeared.
The "Time Cafe" was right in front of me. Through the misty glass window, I could see a man in a suit, looking somewhat reserved, sitting alone by the window, glancing at his watch from time to time—that must be Chen Ming.
Lin Wanxing took a deep breath, as if she were heading to battle. "Just follow me, no need to say anything more," she whispered.
Jiang Chen nodded, indicating that he understood. He stepped forward and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the coffee shop for her, the wind chimes on the door making a crisp tinkling sound.
Upon seeing Lin Wanxing, Chen Ming immediately stood up, a polite smile plastered on his face. However, when his gaze fell upon Jiang Chen, who had followed Lin Wanxing in and naturally folded his umbrella and placed it in the umbrella stand by the door, his smile instantly froze, becoming somewhat stiff and confused.
"Mr. Chen, I'm sorry, it was raining too hard on the way, which caused a slight delay." Lin Wanxing tried her best to make her voice sound natural. She turned to the side and gestured to Jiang Chen beside her. "This is Jiang Chen, my... boyfriend." When she said those three words, her heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously avoided Jiang Chen's gaze.
Jiang Chen took a half-step forward at the opportune moment, not exactly beside her, but in a subtle, protective position. He faced Chen Ming, nodded slightly, and a polite, impeccable smile appeared on his lips: "Hello, Mr. Chen. I often hear Wanxing mention you; thank you for your concern for her."
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant. He said "I often hear Wanxing mention you" with utmost naturalness, as if he had rehearsed it a thousand times. In an instant, he placed himself in the position of "one of us" and kept Chen Ming in the category of "outsider." He didn't even make a gesture of shaking hands; he just stood there, relaxed, yet exuding an invisible aura.
Chen Ming's expression shifted from surprise to embarrassment, his gaze darting back and forth between Lin Wanxing and Jiang Chen, as if trying to find some flaw. But Jiang Chen's performance was too natural; the naiveté between youth and student hadn't completely faded, yet he possessed a maturity beyond his years, creating a contradictory charm that made him seem very real.
"So...so Teacher Lin has a boyfriend..." Chen Ming forced a smile, his eyes filled with disappointment and a hint of annoyance at being teased. "The matchmaker didn't explain clearly either. Look at this...I'm really sorry to have bothered you."
After a brief, almost awkward exchange of pleasantries, Chen Ming almost impatiently made an excuse, hurriedly paid the bill, and left, his figure disappearing into the rain with a hint of panic.
Watching Chen Ming leave, Lin Wanxing's tense nerves finally relaxed, and she let out a long sigh of relief. She turned to Jiang Chen and said sincerely, "Thank you... for your help earlier. You did a great job."
Jiang Chen stood by the window, gazing at the still-torrential rain outside. His profile, illuminated by the warm, soft lights of the café, appeared distinct and remarkably serene. Hearing her words, he turned back. The gentle smile he had previously used for "performance" had faded, replaced by his usual calm. However, there seemed to be something indescribable, tenderness in his eyes.
“Of course,” he said flatly. “It’s my…job.” He seemed to hesitate slightly on the word “job.”
Work. This word instantly struck a chord in Lin Wanxing's mind, causing her previously steady composure to waver. Though it didn't topple her, it left a small, lingering tremor. Yes, this was just a transaction, a performance she had orchestrated to appease the outside world. But why did that momentary sense of relief she felt when introducing him just now feel so real?
The rain gradually subsided, changing from a downpour to a fine drizzle. The two walked out of the coffee shop, and Jiang Chen once again opened his dark blue umbrella. On the way back to school, the atmosphere was even more silent than before, yet strangely, it wasn't awkward. A subtle, almost tacit understanding, akin to "accomplices," quietly blossomed in the silent sound of the rain.
By the time I reached the foot of the School of Arts building, the rain had almost stopped. On the western horizon, the dark clouds had parted slightly, allowing a struggling, weak yet golden ray of the setting sun to shine through, illuminating the wet cobblestone path and the dew-laden grass and trees. The whole world seemed to have been washed clean, fresh, bright, and imbued with a tranquility born of sorrow.
"Thank you so much for today." Lin Wanxing stopped and thanked her again. She took out her wallet from her canvas bag, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill and handed it over, "This is today's... reward."
Jiang Chen looked at the banknote offered to him, but didn't immediately reach out to take it. His gaze shifted from the banknote to her face, his eyes filled with complex emotions, as if he were struggling with something. He frowned slightly, a faint furrow that made his face appear even more defined. Finally, he gently pushed her hand away, his movement carrying an undeniable resolve.
“Teacher Lin,” his voice was particularly clear in the fresh air after the rain, “I am very grateful that you agreed to my absurd job application. Today is not a formal job, just consider it as…” He paused, as if searching for the right word, and finally said, “Just consider it as a friend helping out.”
Friends? Lin Wanxing pondered the word. Were they friends? A teacher and a graduating student? An employer and a stranger applying for a "boyfriend" position?
"That won't do," she insisted, "we made a promise..."
Jiang Chen shook his head, interrupting her. He took out his phone from the inside pocket of his jacket; it was an old-fashioned smartphone with even minor scratches on the edge of the screen. "Since you've decided to hire me," he said, operating the phone, his tone calm yet firm, "why don't we exchange contact information? Next time... if you have similar needs or other matters to handle, feel free to contact me anytime."
His insistence made Lin Wanxing give up. Perhaps, deep down, she also felt that measuring the timely "help" that had just alleviated her great predicament with money was somewhat too harsh and cold. She put away the money and took out her phone.
They added each other on WeChat. Jiang Chen's WeChat profile picture was a deep, star-studded night sky, and his WeChat name was very simple, just the character "Chen". Like his temperament, it was concise, silent, and carried a certain mystery.
"Then I'll be going now, Ms. Lin." He nodded to her, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing. He turned around, his footsteps disappearing quickly into the twilight at the end of the campus path.
Lin Wanxing stood there, the air filled with the unique scent of post-rain earth, grass, and damp trees—fresh with a hint of coolness that seeped into her lungs. She looked down at the new contact on her phone screen; the starry-sky profile picture lay quietly in the list.
That strange feeling resurfaced—as if a living fish, its tail swaying gently, had been thrown into a life as calm as stagnant water. Ripples were spreading outwards, and the underwater ecosystem seemed to be subtly changing.
She glanced up in the direction Jiang Chen had disappeared. Twilight was falling, and the streetlights were coming on one by one, casting a dim, yellowish glow on the wet ground. That slender figure in an old jacket, holding a dark blue umbrella, seemed to carry a sense of destiny, etched into this rainy dusk.
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