Chapter 4
She had thought that Sunday afternoon tea was the end of that pleasant date. Most interactions between adults were brief, and a pleasant experience was a rare blessing. She had never imagined that this date would have such an unexpected "echo."
He actually took a topic they casually chatted about so seriously.
This seriousness, across the cold screen, was like a warm current, silently soothing her fatigue from the whole day.
She smiled, with a hint of joy at being cherished that she hadn't even noticed, and replied to him frankly.
Lin Qi: You're thoughtful enough to even look up the photographer's profile. I only look at the pictures and don't get to know the person personally. It's like listening to music and only listening to the melody, not the lyrics.
This was the complete truth. She had always been like this, appreciating everything intuitively, never delving into the underlying stories or interpretations. Some of her friends considered this "crude" and "uncultured," and she had even experienced a moment of self-doubt.
She didn't know what Chen Yan would think of this "pure laziness".
In the study, Chen Yan looked at the reply she sent, thoughtfully.
"Just listen to the melody, not the lyrics..." He repeated this sentence in a low voice, as if savoring the artistic conception.
He did not think this was rough, on the contrary, he felt that it was in line with his feeling about her when he first met her - quiet, pure, and untainted by dust.
In this age of information overload, everyone is eager to interpret, analyze, and assign profound meaning to everything. Being able to cast aside all backstory and establish the purest connection based solely on first impressions is, in itself, a truly valuable skill.
He appreciates it very much.
[Chen Yan: This is good, more pure.]
[Chen Yan: Often, knowing the background story can actually limit our initial impressions.]
He spoke his thoughts frankly, and then analyzed himself in a self-deprecating tone.
[Chen Yan: It might be my professional habit, I always want to understand the whole story.]
[Chen Yan: You're right, just like lyrics will frame the imagination of the melody.]
He did not just agree perfunctorily, but carefully analyzed the value of her appreciation and compared it with his own habits. This was not a condescending judgment, but an equal and sincere communication.
What he didn't expect was that his words seemed to touch a soft spot in her heart.
Lin Qi: You're the first one to agree with me. My friends always diss me for this crude "appreciation." It makes me doubt myself.
Seeing this message with a hint of self-mockery and grievance, Chen Yan on the other side of the screen was silent for a moment.
He could sense that this was not a simple joke, but rather the confusion and misunderstanding she had truly experienced. He could even imagine the feigned toughness and indifference on her face when she called herself "rough."
His response did not follow her words to blame her friend, but instead brought the focus back to her.
[Chen Yan: Aesthetics is a very personal matter, there is no standard answer.]
[Chen Yan: Being able to set aside all context and connect based solely on first impression is inherently valuable. It demonstrates your keen sense of perception.]
[Chen Yan: This is not crudeness, it is purity. There is no need to doubt yourself in order to meet other people's standards.]
He typed each word slowly and steadily.
He wanted her to know that her specialness was a gift, not a flaw.
Lin Qi looked at the messages sent by Chen Yan and stood there in a daze for a long time.
“It’s not rough, it’s pure.”
“There’s no need to doubt yourself in order to meet other people’s standards.”
These words, like a gentle yet firm beam of light, instantly penetrated the hard shell she used to protect herself, and accurately illuminated the sensitive and soft corner deep in her heart that even she was about to forget.
She had always thought she hid it well. She was used to facing the world with optimism and cheerfulness, used to laughing off those moments when she wasn't understood.
But this man, whom she had only met twice, had easily seen through all her disguises through the distance of the Internet. And, when she self-deprecatingly called herself "rough," he gave her the highest definition - "pure."
This feeling of being completely "understood" made her eyes warm without warning.
Lin Qi: Thank you for your guidance and recognition. It's rare that you can tolerate preferences that differ from your own.
Chen Yan calmly accepted her thanks and praise. To him, respecting differences was perfectly normal and not something that deserved such solemn thanks.
[Chen Yan: This is not rare, it should be so.]
[Chen Yan: If everyone had the same preferences, that would be boring.]
He seemed not to be ready to continue on this topic, as he had already said everything he needed to say. He checked the time and, as was his habit, considerately ended the conversation at the natural end of a topic.
[Chen Yan: It's getting late. Don't dwell too much on your friends. Go to bed early.]
Lin Qi: Okay, you should go to bed early too. Good evening.
Seeing this reply, Chen Yan knew that tonight's communication had come to an end.
He didn't reply with "good night" or any expression, but just looked at the screen quietly for a while.
Tonight's conversation was deeper than any previous one. He saw some of her uncertainty and vulnerability, and she also felt his stability and tolerance.
Some things are changing quietly.
He locked the screen and the phone went dark. The night outside the window was quiet and the moon was gentle tonight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
