Chapter 3
The sun was shining brightly in the office on Thursday afternoon.
After Chen Yan placed his phone upside down on the table, he didn't look at it again. He picked up the document at hand, his eyes fell on the densely packed clauses, but his thoughts drifted away.
He didn't know whether Lin Qi would agree.
This invitation seemed like a natural coincidence, but in reality, it was a carefully prepared test. He remembered every detail she mentioned at the dinner, which in itself was a signal. He wanted to see if she could receive it and give the response he expected.
Time ticked by. The internal line on his desk rang twice, and he dealt with two urgent emails. Just when he thought he wouldn't get a reply that day, the phone, lying upside down on the desk, finally vibrated quietly.
Somewhere in his heart, there was a slight movement.
He didn't pick up the phone immediately. Instead, he finished the documents at hand, took a sip of the already cold coffee, and then slowly turned the phone over.
On the screen was Lin Qi’s reply.
[Lin Qi: Okay, then I'll benefit from following you.]
Refreshing, straightforward, with just the right amount of playfulness.
The word "take advantage of someone's opportunity" was used very well. It instantly turned a slightly formal invitation into a relaxed sharing among friends, dissolving all possible pressure of being invited.
Chen Yan looked at the line of words, and the faint smile at the corner of his lips finally became clearly visible.
He replied almost immediately.
【Chen Yan: Good.】
[Chen Yan: I hope you enjoy this light.]
He followed her joke and threw away his cheerful mood. Then, he naturally got down to the specific implementation.
Chen Yan: Saturday or Sunday afternoon, whichever time is more convenient for you? We can meet directly at the exhibition hall entrance.
Giving the other party the right to choose is basic respect.
Lin Qi’s reply was equally efficient, saving us the trouble of going back and forth for discussion.
【Lin Qi: Sunday afternoon, 2 o'clock is okay?】
【Chen Yan: Yes.】
[Chen Yan: Then we'll meet at the exhibition hall entrance at 2:00 PM on Sunday.]
All the information had been confirmed, and he seemed to appreciate it. In order not to disturb her work, he took the initiative to end the conversation.
[Chen Yan: I won't bother you for now. I wish you a happy weekend in advance.]
[Lin Qi: I also wish you a pleasant visit to the exhibition in advance.]
Seeing the cheerful "ha" at the end, Chen Yan knew that this agreement had a very comfortable ending.
He didn't reply, but simply put down his phone. Everything was settled, and all that remained was a meeting in two days.
The screen went dark, the dialog box stilled. This time, there was a subtle hint of anticipation in the silence.
Sunday arrived as promised.
At 1:50 p.m., Chen Yan had already arrived at the entrance of the exhibition hall. He arrived ten minutes earlier than the agreed time.
Today he was dressed more relaxed than at the dinner party, wearing a clean white shirt with a well-tailored dark blue casual suit over it. He had no tie and his cuffs were casually rolled up to his forearms. In the warm winter sun, he looked clean and upright.
At exactly two o'clock, Lin Qi appeared at the street corner on time.
She was wearing a beige high-necked cashmere sweater with a camel-colored long coat today. Her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders. She had no makeup on her face, only a layer of lip balm, which made her look soft and warm.
When she saw Chen Yan, her eyes lit up and she walked over quickly.
"Good afternoon." Chen Yan nodded slightly at her, his voice a little deeper than in WeChat.
"You're here on time." Lin Qi said with a smile.
"You too." Chen Yan's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then naturally turned towards the entrance of the exhibition hall, "Let's go in."
The commemorative exhibition of Fan Ho's work showcased a collection of his most classic black-and-white photographs. The exhibition hall was silent, with only the carefully subdued footsteps of visitors and the subtle click of shutter buttons.
A vast expanse of black and white light and shadow depicts the life of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s. Narrow alleys, women in cheongsams, and tram tracks stretched across the shadows create a bygone world that feels both alienated and brimming with the mundane.
They walked side by side in front of the pictures and at first just looked at them in silence.
Later, Lin Qi spoke first, pointing to a photograph of light and shadow in an alleyway in the early morning, and said softly, "I really like the way he uses light. It feels like the light itself has become the protagonist of the photo."
Chen Yan nodded, his eyes fell on the photo, and he offered his own opinion: "He uses subtraction. He removes all unnecessary elements, leaving only the purest light, shadow and lines. That's why it looks so high-end."
He didn't talk much, but he always got to the point, and his occasional comments were insightful.
They talked about composition, atmosphere, and a bygone era. The whole process was quiet but comfortable.
After the exhibition, it was still early, just after four in the afternoon.
As they walked out of the exhibition hall, Chen Yan naturally suggested, "There's a nice cafe nearby with a quiet environment. Do you want to go sit in for a while?"
Lin Qi smiled and nodded: "Okay."
They sat by the window in the cafe, the afternoon sun slanting in, the air filled with the rich aroma of coffee. The topic also extended from photography to each other's work and life.
The atmosphere that afternoon was gentle and relaxed, like a soothing piece of pure music. There was no forced flattery, nor was there any uncomfortable silence; everything was just right.
Fast forward to Monday evening, a little after ten o'clock.
They didn't contact each other all day, as if by some tacit agreement, each dealing with the inevitable Monday rush and chaos.
Until this moment, when it was late at night and everything was calm, Lin Qi's mobile phone screen quietly lit up.
It is a Shenyan.
[Chen Yan: It's Monday, so work should be very busy, right?]
A very considerate opening line. Then, he sent a second message, which surprised Lin Qi.
[Chen Yan: After seeing the exhibition yesterday, I came back and looked up some information and interviews about Fan Ho.]
Lin Qi was stunned by the message. She had assumed it was just a normal weekend date, polite and pleasant, and that would be the end of it. She hadn't expected him to take their common topic so seriously, even taking the time to do further "homework" after the date.
This seriousness gave her a subtle feeling of being valued.
【Chen Yan: I hope I didn’t disturb your rest.】
He was, as always, considerate and thoughtful.
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