Chapter 35 Jiang Yi Returns to China
When Li Li heard Su Nian's words, tears instantly filled her eyes, and her originally bright eyes seemed to be shrouded in thick fog.
She subconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes, her fingertips turned white, her shoulders trembled slightly, and finally she lowered her head dejectedly, her long hair falling to cover the red corners of her eyes.
The girl next to her put down her coffee cup with a clang, the bottom of the cup making a crisp sound when it hit the table. She didn't even care about the few drops of brown liquid that had spilled. She looked up at Su Nian anxiously, her voice filled with incredible panic: "Boss, why is it so sudden? Did you...did something happen to you?"
The sweet aroma of the biscuits slowly drifts through the bookstore over time, mixed with the unique smell of ink from old book pages, creating a soothing atmosphere.
But at this moment, the familiar aroma made people feel nervous. Several regular customers put down the books in their hands and gathered around the bar without any prior agreement.
The boy in the plaid shirt unconsciously stroked the spine of the book with his fingers, and the aunt with glasses placed a half-knitted sweater on her legs. Everyone had the same look of confusion and reluctance on their faces.
For so long, they have regarded this bookstore hidden in the corner as a small home where they can relax.
On a sunny afternoon, the spots of light coming through the floor-to-ceiling windows will slowly move across the floor; on rainy days, the sound of rain hitting the glass interweaves with the rustling sound of turning pages to form the most gentle melody.
Here, they can read leisurely, chat with strangers sitting next to them about a good book, and there is also Su Nian, who always has a smile on her face, and the caramel-colored cookies fresh from the oven.
Here they can temporarily forget the pressure of work and the troubles of life, and just relax quietly and enjoy a moment of peace.
"Boss, why? Is there any difficulty? Or are you joking?" The boy in the plaid shirt raised the book in his hand. It was "The Little Prince" that he had borrowed here three times. There was an imperceptible tremor in his words, and the ending tone rose slightly, as if he was still expecting a negative answer.
Su Nian still had a gentle smile on his face, but there was a hint of unspeakable melancholy in his eyes. He shook his head gently, his eyes swept over the familiar face in front of him, and said softly but firmly: "It's just time to leave."
The oven made a crisp beep at the right time, breaking the stagnant air in the bookstore.
Su Nian seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw and didn't want to talk about this sad topic anymore. She turned around and walked quickly to the oven, taking out the baking tray while wearing heat-insulating gloves.
Golden cookies were neatly arranged, their edges slightly puffed. The aroma of butter and sugar filled the air with steam. "Here, freshly baked cranberry cookies. Eat them while they're hot."
But everyone just quietly looked at the cookies that were emitting an enticing aroma, and no one touched them.
Su Nian smiled helplessly, picked up two pieces and handed them to Li Li and the girl next to her, gently touching the back of their hands with her fingertips: "Eat it. I don't know when I can make it for you next time."
Li Li took the biscuit mechanically. When her fingertips touched the warm touch, tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably.
She slowly put the biscuit into her mouth, and the crispy texture bloomed on the tip of her tongue. The richness of butter and the sour and sweet taste of cranberries were intertwined. The biscuit was fragrant but not that sweet. However, Li Li felt that this was the bitterest biscuit she had ever eaten. The bitter taste spread from the tip of her tongue to the bottom of her heart.
Memories flooded back like a floodgate. She still remembered the first time she came to the bookstore. It was a rainy day in midsummer. She had a big fight with her mother and slammed the door and ran out of the house, soaked to the skin. She hid under the eaves of the bookstore, shivering in fear.
It was Su Nian who opened the door, walked out holding an umbrella, and asked her to come in, without a trace of disgust. He did not laugh at her face, which was dirty from tears and rain, nor did he look at her soaked school uniform skirt with strange eyes.
He simply turned around and pulled out a clean towel and a cup of steaming ginger sugar water from behind the bar, and said softly, "Wipe it off, and drink something hot to warm yourself up."
It was the same back then. There were people sitting in the bookstore in groups of three or four reading books. They were talking in low voices with relaxed smiles on their faces.
That day, Su Nian also baked cookies in the afternoon and distributed them to everyone in the bookstore on small plates. When Li Li took the first bite, the sweet fragrance mixed with the warmth in her heart made her feel the unreserved tenderness from a stranger for the first time.
Later, she would come to the bookstore whenever she had time. Even if she did nothing, she would feel extremely at ease as long as she stayed in this space surrounded by the fragrance of books and sweet aroma.
Her footprints are left in every corner here. There is a small mark she carved on the back of the chair by the window, and there is a recommended book list she secretly hid on the bookshelf on the third floor of the bar.
But now, this place where she could rest in peace was about to disappear. She thought about never being able to smell the aroma of Su Nian's baked cookies again, or hear the relaxed conversations of her regular customers.
Li Li couldn't hold back her tears any longer and they fell onto the table, creating a small stain on the light wooden table and ruining her delicate makeup again. The black mascara flowed down her cheeks like two shallow tear marks.
No one spoke in the bookstore, only the aroma of cookies filled the air silently, as if saying a final farewell.
The bookshelves that were originally filled with books gradually became empty, revealing the clean wooden backboards, and there were no more corners where a thin layer of dust accumulated.
The originally strong scent of ink in the air gradually faded, replaced by the increasingly distinct sweet aroma of biscuits, which made one's heart suffocate and eyes sore. Su Nian leaned against the bar, looking at the silent crowd, and the smile on her face could no longer be maintained.
"Dear passengers, our flight has landed smoothly. Thank you for choosing our flight and we hope you have a pleasant and comfortable journey. Now, please collect your belongings and prepare to disembark."
A sweet electronic female voice, carried by the cool air in the cabin, brushed past Jiang Yi's ears. He subconsciously clenched the leather passport holder in his hand, and the metal buckle hurt his palm.
The sunlight outside the window splashed onto the tarmac like melted gold foil, making the glass curtain wall of the terminal in the distance glow with a dazzling white light.
Jiang Yi took off his noise-canceling headphones, his ear bones still numb from the ten-hour flight. The passenger in front of him stood up, knocking over the bottle of mineral water he had placed on the tray table. The clear liquid formed tiny streams on the carpet, like a metaphor.
He looked at the familiar shadow of the sycamore tree swaying in the wind outside the window, his Adam's apple rolling as he swallowed the sourness - those memories that had been deliberately sealed away were rushing back at him the moment the cabin door opened, carrying with them the unique sultry air of early summer.
The sound of cicadas chirping filled the air from the green belt outside the airport, even louder than he remembered. Jiang Yi looked up at the clear sky and said, "He's back again. This time, it really should end."
He took out his cell phone and sent a message to his father, then got in a taxi and drove towards his home which he had not seen for a long time.
Ling Shen sat in his office. After several months of hard work, the project had finally come to a successful conclusion. He could finally relax, and thinking of the surprise he had planned, Ling Shen's heart leaped with joy.
He wants to confront Su Nian tonight and tell him that he likes him, not because of a contract or anything else, but because he wants to be with him forever.
Suddenly, muffled thunder sounded outside the window. Ling Shen looked at the sky which was gradually getting darker, his heart beating violently uncontrollably.
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