Yan Ming's Residence
The hustle and bustle of the city steamed a hundred meters below, as if separated by a thick layer of glass. The light, not from the blazing sun, but from the thin, cool, yet exceptionally bright sunlight of a northern autumn afternoon, poured in through an unobstructed floor-to-ceiling window, filling the apartment.
This place feels less like a home than a model apartment, one that hasn't been occupied yet, or is about to be moved out. The walls are a moodless white, the floors a pale, natural wood, barely worn. The furniture is sparse: a low, plain sofa, a single chair of the same material, and a long table that looks like it's been constructed from old door panels slapped onto a metal frame. There's no television, no bookshelves, no decorative paintings. The only thing that truly "occupies" the space is the light itself, and the millions of dust particles dancing silently within it.
Ye Shu sat in that light, on the edge of the sofa, like a still life temporarily placed there.
He wore off-white linen trousers and a matching crew-necked shirt, his feet bare, his ankles clearly visible. His frame was thin, yet not fragile, rather like a plant long grown in a windy, barren landscape, possessing a restrained resilience. His hair was light blue, with a hint of white at the ends, flowing softly, a few strands framing his forehead. His face was calm, almost selfless, his features like pebbles polished by years of flowing water: without sharp edges, yet hardly leaving a deep impression.
What caught my eye most was his eyes. Their color was extremely pale, almost a rare amber, and they gazed out the window at the distant skyline, seemingly unfocused on any particular object. There was a penetrating clarity in his gaze, yet at the same time, a sense of boundless distance. It was as if he wasn't observing the scenery, but rather the underlying laws, imperceptible to ordinary humans.
There were only the slightest sounds in the air—his own almost inaudible breathing; the faint background noise of the city in the distance; and the almost non-existent rustling of a tiny flying insect crawling across the leaves of a small pot of green ivy on the windowsill.
Suddenly, the insect flapped its wings, trying to fly, but it crashed into the bright glass with a slight sound. It fell dizzy and spun around in vain on the windowsill.
Ye Shu's gaze finally shifted, retracting from its infinite distance to rest on the insect. He stared for a few seconds, then very slowly extended his hand. His fingers were long, their joints distinct, and his movements had a strange rhythm, neither fast nor slow, just as the insect attempted to take flight again, his fingertips lightly brushed the edge of the windowsill.
The little bug was carried by this weak airflow, flew over the aluminum alloy edge of the windowsill, fell into the free air outside the window, and disappeared in an instant.
He withdrew his hand, his fingertips shimmering in the light, leaving no trace. The whole process was silent and emotionless, like leaves falling in the wind or clouds rolling and unrolling.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
It's not just one sound, but a continuous "Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong" with an indomitable vitality.
The sound rudely tore through the absolute silence in the apartment.
Ye Shu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly, like a ripple on a calm lake disturbed by a speck of dust, which then subsides in an instant. He did not move immediately.
A clear and somewhat noisy male voice came from outside the door, penetrating the door: "Ye Shu! Open the door! I know you are at home! Don't pretend you are not at home! I smell the fragrance of tea!" - This is pure nonsense, he hasn't made tea today.
Ye Shu sat quietly for another two seconds, as if waiting for this sudden interruption to disappear on its own. But the doorbell and shouting continued, as if they would ring forever unless the door was opened.
He finally stood up, still moving slowly, and walked barefoot across the cool floor, heading for the door. Without looking through the peephole, he reached out and opened the door.
Outside the door, what suddenly came in was not only sound, but also a vigorous energy that was almost tangible.
Chen Xu was wearing a bright blue sweatshirt and had a dazzling smile. He was holding a takeout paper bag with an exaggerated logo printed on it. He looked like a sun that had just jumped out of the horizon, instantly lighting up the dim light in the corridor.
"Haha! You're home after all!" He was very proud. Without waiting for an invitation, he squeezed in sideways and bent down to change his shoes with familiarity. "I almost broke your doorbell. You should get a sturdier one next time."
The scent he brought instantly invaded the area of the entrance hall - the smell of sweat, the aroma of takeout food, and his unique smell, like sun-dried cotton.
As Ye Shu squeezed in, he took a half step back to make room for him, and subconsciously kept a little distance. He didn't say anything, just watched Chen Xu busy himself.
"Look what I brought you?" Chen Xu changed into slippers and held up the bag in his hand, as if presenting a treasure. "A new product from Sweet Star! Exploding Chocolate Lava Cake! I waited in line for half an hour! It's said to be so delicious it can make you forget your worries!"
A rich, sweet smell emanated from the paper bag, clashing fiercely with the cold, bland air of the apartment.
Ye Shu's gaze lingered on the fancy paper bag for a moment, then shifted back to Chen Xu's face, which was flushed with excitement. His voice rang out, like a pebble dropped into a deep pool, light, slightly cool, and barely causing a ripple:
"Sugar. Fat. Trans fatty acids. And...artificial flavors."
He paused, looked at Chen Xu's mouth which dropped a little, and added the last two words:
"a lot of."
The bright smile on Chen Xu's face froze for a moment, like a popped balloon, but it immediately bounced back with even greater resilience. He tutted and placed the paper bag on the old door-panel table with a muffled "thump."
"Comrade Ye Shu, could you please have a little fun with life? This is dessert! It's happiness! It's an energy bomb!" He said as he unceremoniously pulled the beautifully packaged small box from the bag and ripped it open, revealing the dark, truly "explosive" cake inside. "Try it, just one bite! I guarantee you'll see the world through a filter after you finish it!"
He picked up the included spoon and scooped a large spoonful. The rich, almost liquid chocolate sauce trembled on the tip of the spoon, and once again tried to pass it to Ye Shu's mouth. His eyes were eager, full of anticipation that could not be refused.
Ye Shu looked at the spoonful of the nearly black, sweet substance, then at Chen Xu's startlingly bright eyes. The cold, clear air in the apartment seemed to be thickened and warmed by the cake and Chen Xu's enthusiasm. He remained silent, his silence like a thin, yet resilient membrane, slightly shielding him from the outside noise and heat.
After a few seconds, he took a barely audible breath, like dust falling into an ancient well, extremely light, yet it broke the absolute calm. He slightly opened his pale lips and accepted the spoonful of cake.
Sweet. Greasy. A heavy aroma of cocoa and syrup instantly overwhelmed the palate, followed by a more complex, artificial flavor derived from industrial flavorings. Ye Shu's face remained expressionless, neither a trace of enjoyment nor a frown of disgust. He simply chewed and swallowed calmly, as if completing a necessary procedure.
"How is it?" Chen Xu stared at him and asked impatiently, his hand holding the spoon still suspended in mid-air.
Ye Shu picked up the glass of cold water on the table and took a sip. The clear water slightly diluted the sticky feeling in his mouth.
"Sweet." He gave the same single evaluation as before, without any emotional inclination.
"Right! I said it was delicious!" Chen Xu automatically translated this word into the highest level of praise. Satisfiedly, he took back the spoon and stuffed it into his mouth without any hesitation. He chewed exaggeratedly and let out a satisfied sigh, "Mmm! Absolutely amazing!"
Ye Shu stopped looking at him and turned to the small, open kitchen area. He pulled a plain ceramic teacup from the cabinet, placed a handful of unassuming, dry-leaf wild tea in it, and then filled the electric kettle with water. The sound of running water was particularly clear in the overly quiet room.
Chen Xu ate cake while pacing in the living room, his eyes sweeping across the empty room, finally landing on the pot of green ivy on the windowsill.
"Hey, your green ivy seems to be growing well. The leaves are a little greener than last time." He leaned over and fiddled with the leaves with his fingers.
"It's just alive." Ye Shu turned his back to him, watching the heating indicator light on the electric kettle gradually light up, and his voice came flatly. The kettle began to emit a low hum.
"It's good to be alive!" Chen Xu shrugged, turning back to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. "Your place is truly amazing, but it feels... too bright, and too empty. Do you want to buy some curtains? Or hang some paintings? I know a friend who does decorative painting. I can get you a couple of paintings."
"The light doesn't need to be blocked," Ye Shu replied. The hum of the kettle grew louder.
"That's so dazzling..." Chen Xu muttered, and suddenly saw a small cloud floating in the sky in the distance outside the window. "Oh, looks like the weather is going to change? It was sunny just now."
"Just passing through." Ye Shu's voice remained flat. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the electric kettle tripped with a click, and the humming of boiling water abruptly ceased. He picked up the kettle and poured boiling water into the teacup. The dried tea leaves instantly activated, expanding and emitting an extremely light, slightly astringent tea fragrance, which quickly and silently countered the lingering cake sweetness in the air.
Chen Xu sniffed, attracted by the tea aroma, and came closer: "What kind of tea is this? It smells weird, like... grass."
"Wild tea." Ye Shu carried the teacup and walked back to the living room, but he didn't sit down. Instead, he stood at the intersection of light and shadow, sipping the scalding hot tea. The mist blurred his overly clear and calm features.
Chen Xu looked at him and suddenly sighed, his tone half-serious and half-false: "Ye Shu, seriously, you stay alone in this empty house all day, staring at the light, drinking this tasteless grass leaf water, aren't you bored? Aren't you bored? Why don't you go downstairs for a walk, see some people? Or find a girlfriend?"
Ye Shu blew away the hot air from the edge of the cup, his eyelashes drooping as he watched the leaves floating in the cup.
"I've seen too many people," he said, taking a sip of tea. His voice was slightly dampened by the hot water, but still clear and simple. "I prefer plants and water."
Chen Xu choked, rolled his eyes, and decided to give up on his lecturing. He finished the rest of the cake in a few bites and clapped his hands. "Alright, alright, you're a master. By the way, weekend! Are you free this weekend? I found a fantastic hiking trail. It's uncrowded, the scenery is beautiful, and the air is fresh! It's definitely perfect for a... uh... nature lover like you."
Ye Shu cast his gaze out the window. The cloud was indeed just passing by; the sky remained as azure as ever. The sounds of the city permeated faintly.
"Too many people." He gave the default answer.
"I guarantee there won't be anyone there! That place is quite remote! It's a deal! I'll pick you up Saturday morning!" Chen Xu made the decision without giving the other party a chance to refuse, as if it were just a notice. He knew that this "forced sale" was the only way to deal with Ye Shu.
Ye Shu held the teacup, neither confirming nor denying. He drank his tea in silence, a silence that seemed like tacit agreement, or perhaps simply too lazy to argue.
When Chen Xu agreed, he was in a good mood and started humming a tuneless song. He swiftly put the cake wrapping paper into the takeaway bag and tied a knot.
"It's done, the happy feeding is over! I'm leaving! There's still a game to go on!" He walked hurriedly to the door, put on his own shoes, and opened the door.
The noisy atmosphere of the human world poured in again.
"Let's go! Remember Saturday! Seven o'clock in the morning! No sleeping in!" He waved towards the house and slammed the door.
All sound and energy were instantly cut off.
Absolute silence returned to the apartment, leaving only the eternal city noise outside the window and a stubborn, discordant sweet aftertaste in the air, which was being swallowed and purified by the bitter fragrance of tea.
Ye Shu stood there, not moving. The tea in his cup was half gone, and the temperature had dropped slightly.
He raised his eyes and looked at the distant skyline outside the window again, his gaze blank, as if all the noise, sweetness, and passion that had just intruded upon him were just an insignificant episode that had not left any real trace in his silent divine realm.
Only on the floor, where Chen Xu had just stood, was there a very faint shoe print with dust from outside.
Ye Shu lowered his gaze to the shoe print and looked at it for a moment.
Then, he moved very slowly to the kitchen, took out a slightly damp rag, returned to his original place, squatted down, and wiped off the shoe print carefully and silently in the most economical way.
It was as if wiping away a grain of dust that accidentally fell into the pure land.
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