Chapter 6
Those two roasted chestnuts, like a small but precise key, gently turned on the tightly closed door of Lü Xiaoyan's heart.
After sending the word "thank you," he stared at the smiley face that quickly replied on the screen, his fingertips lingering on the cold phone case for a long time before finally turning off the screen. A strange, warm feeling spread through his chest, dispelling the chill of the autumn night.
Since that night, the subtle boundaries between the two have become blurred. Lü Xiaoyan no longer deliberately avoids the darkroom, and sometimes, in between developing photos, she would subconsciously glance at the door with a hint of anticipation that she herself was unaware of.
Qiu Yayu still comes, and seems to be coming more frequently. She no longer needs to find excuses like "admission fee" or "sharing snacks"; her presence itself seems to have become a perfectly natural reason.
She would bring him small, insignificant things that were full of life—a strangely shaped red maple leaf, pressed flat between the pages of a book and given to him: “Look, doesn’t it look like a burning little hand?”; a pack of band-aids with childlike patterns, because he had accidentally cut his finger while mixing medicine; or even just a childish little poem she had written on a sticky note in her elective modern poetry class, about autumn and light and shadow.
Lu Xiaoyan remained a man of few words, but he began to respond with actions. He would clean the bar stool she often sat on beforehand; he would quietly turn the only heater in the darkroom toward her when she came; and when she asked about photography techniques with curiosity, he would explain more patiently than usual, and even occasionally pick up the camera to demonstrate for her.
The red light in the darkroom bears witness to a silent understanding quietly growing.
That day, Lü Xiaoyan needed to go to the old town in the west of the city to shoot a series of videos about everyday life. He habitually planned his route and time alone. However, the night before, as he was packing his camera bag, his phone screen lit up.
It was a message from Qiu Yayu.
"Senior, do you have any plans for tomorrow, the weekend?" was followed by a cat peeking out emoji.
Lu Xiaoyan paused for a moment, then replied, "Let's go take pictures in the old town."
"Is it the old town to the west with its many old streets and alleys?" she replied quickly.
"Um."
"I'm free tomorrow! Can... I go with you?" This was immediately followed by, "I promise I'll follow quietly and won't disturb your work! I can even help you carry the reflector! (Although I don't know how to use it yet... but I can learn! How about it, senior? Is that okay?)"
Looking at the words on the screen, and the slightly pitiful "You can learn, you can come with me," Lü Xiaoyan could almost picture her holding the phone, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. He should have refused. He was used to creating alone and didn't like being disturbed.
But after his fingertips hovered over the keyboard for a moment, what he typed was:
"Meet at the school gate at 8:00 AM tomorrow."
The moment he sent the message, he was even a little stunned, not understanding why he would make such a decision that went against his habits.
The screen immediately filled with "Typing..." followed by a string of cheerful emojis and text: "I'll be there on time! Thanks, senior!"
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On a crisp autumn morning, the golden sunlight bathed everything in a warm glow. When Lü Xiaoyan arrived at the school gate, carrying her heavy camera bag, Qiu Yayu was already waiting there.
Today she wore a warm orange knitted cardigan, paired with jeans and canvas shoes. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her look exceptionally refreshing and neat. Her face was filled with irrepressible excitement, like a little sparrow preparing for an autumn outing.
"Good morning, senior!" She jogged up to greet him, her smile brighter than the morning light.
"Good morning." Lu Xiaoyan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before quickly shifting away. His voice was as calm as ever, but the lines of his taut jaw seemed to have softened slightly.
The bus to the old town wasn't crowded. Qiu Yayu sat by the window, watching the street scenes rush by, occasionally letting out a soft gasp of amazement at a building steeped in history or a strangely shaped old tree by the roadside. Lü Xiaoyan sat next to her, wearing headphones but not playing music; he simply listened quietly to Qiu Yayu's occasional murmurs, feeling the lively energy emanating from her.
The old town retains traces of time's slow passage. The cobblestone streets are smoothed by the years, the walls are mottled and covered with withered vines, and from the depths of the alleys come the soft sounds of opera from an old man's radio, as well as the steaming heat and aroma of food from breakfast stalls.
Upon entering, Lü Xiaoyan automatically switched into work mode. His eyes sharpened, his pace slowed, and like a leopard hunting its prey, he keenly observed every possible moment and glimpse of light.
He squatted at the alley entrance, waiting for a cyclist to cross the boundary between light and shadow; he looked up and photographed a birdcage hanging under the eaves, inside which a thrush was chirping melodiously; he focused on an old man sitting on the doorstep, squinting in the sun, his face covered with wrinkles...
Qiu Yayu kept her promise and quietly followed behind him, trying her best not to make a sound. She watched his focused profile, how he composed the shot, how he waited for the light, and how he pressed the shutter without hesitation. For the first time, she felt so directly the charm of his immersion in creation, a state of selflessness that radiated a strong attraction.
She carried the spare lens for him and handed it to him according to his brief instructions when he needed it. She learned quickly and moved nimbly.
During a rest stop, the two sat on a stone bench under a large locust tree. Qiu Yayu took out a bottle of water from her backpack and handed it to him.
"Are you tired?" Lü Xiaoyan asked, taking the water from him. This was the first time he had spoken to her today.
"Not tired!" Qiu Yayu immediately shook her head, her eyes sparkling. "Watching you take pictures is very interesting. It's like... you're rediscovering the world through your eyes."
Lu Xiaoyan paused, his hand twisting the bottle cap. It was that precise, insightful understanding again. He took a sip of water, offering no response, but a flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.
Sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves of the locust tree, casting shimmering spots of light on her face. She looked up at the sky, exhaled, and her breath turned into a small puff of white mist. "The sky here seems bluer than the one at school."
Lü Xiaoyan followed her gaze and looked at the vast, azure sky cut through by the eaves of the old houses. Then, almost unconsciously, he raised his camera, without any deliberate composition, simply adjusted the focus, and pressed the shutter while she was looking up at the sky.
Click.
The crisp sound of the camera shutter brought Qiu Yayu back to her senses, and she looked at him in surprise.
Lü Xiaoyan had put down her camera, her expression returning to its usual calm, as if her sudden action just now was merely her imagination.
"I'm leaving." He stood up, slung his camera bag over his shoulder, and continued walking forward.
Qiu Yayu stared at his retreating figure, momentarily stunned, then an uncontrollable smile crept onto her lips as she quickly followed. She didn't ask why he had taken her picture; her heart, however, felt sweet, as if it had been filled with honey, a sweet sensation that spread throughout her.
She knew that for someone like Lü Xiaoyan, actions always had more power than words.
And this autumn day, full of the warmth of everyday life, became exceptionally long and heartwarming because of his casual snapshot and her careful following.
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