Answer to the warm winter
The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year.
Beijing was enveloped in the unique atmosphere of the pre-holiday season. The air was chilly, yet bustling with activity thanks to the red lanterns everywhere and the crowds of people shopping for New Year's goods. Lin Zhiyi and Lu Shixu walked side by side on the road leading to her mother's apartment complex. In her hands, she carried carefully selected gifts—a set of fine writing implements for her mother and a box of top-grade pre-Qingming Longjing tea for Lu Shixu.
The closer Lin Zhiyi got to that familiar apartment door, the more she could feel the slight dampness in her palms. She secretly glanced at Lu Shixu beside her. He was wearing the dark gray cashmere coat she had chosen for him, which made his figure look even more slender. His face was still calm as usual, but the tightly pursed lips betrayed a hint of tension that was not easily detected.
She understood his nervousness. Today's meal was less a simple meeting and more a silent "test." The examiner was her mother, a meticulous high school teacher for half her life. The test concerned him as a person, but even more so, their shared future.
"Don't be nervous," Lin Zhiyi gently touched the back of his hand and whispered, "My mom may look serious, but she's actually very soft-hearted."
Lu Shixu turned his head to look at her, his gaze calm, and softly hummed in agreement, then took her hand in his. His fingers were slightly cool, but his grip was steady. This gesture strangely calmed Lin Zhiyi's somewhat turbulent heartbeat.
It was Lin's mother who opened the door. She was wearing an apron, her hair was neatly combed, and she had her usual slightly reserved smile on her face. Her gaze lingered on Lin Zhiyi's face for a moment before falling on Lu Shixu. Her scrutiny was gentle, yet extremely sharp, as if trying to pierce through the skin and reach the inside.
"Hello, Auntie. I am Lu Shixu." Lu Shixu bowed slightly, presented the gift with both hands, and spoke in a clear and respectful voice.
"Oh, alright, please come in." Lin's mother accepted the gift and stepped aside to let them in, her tone polite and considerate. "You've come all this way, why bring anything? It's too much trouble."
The room was nicely heated, filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals. The living room was spotless and tidy, reflecting the owner's meticulous lifestyle. An unavoidable sense of awkwardness, a tinge of first meeting, pervaded the atmosphere.
After taking their seats and exchanging the usual pleasantries, the focus of the conversation naturally shifted to Lu Shixu.
"I heard from Zhiyi that you run your own watch shop, Xiao Lu?" Lin's mother asked casually, holding her teacup, but her eyes were full of inquiry.
"Yes, Auntie. We mainly repair old clocks and watches," Lu Shixu replied clearly and concisely, sitting upright.
"Repairing clocks? This job requires a lot of patience and focus." Lin's mother nodded. "There aren't many young people these days who can settle down and do this."
"Yes, it takes time to get used to them," Lu Shixu replied, without exaggerating his skills, his attitude humble.
Lin's mother then changed the subject, as if casually mentioning, "Owning your own shop gives you more freedom in terms of time. But you have to take care of everything yourself, it must be quite tiring, right? Can your body... handle it?"
This question, though seemingly ordinary, precisely hit the nail on the head. Lin Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Lu Shixu.
Lu Shixu showed no panic or evasion. He met Lin's mother's gaze, his eyes sincere, his tone calm and normal: "Thank you for your concern, Auntie. It is more mentally taxing than regular work, so I need to pay more attention to balancing work and rest. As for my health, I have some old ailments that require long-term attention," he paused, then continued in a statement of fact, "and I am managing and adjusting them regularly, trying my best not to let them affect my normal life and... the people who care about me."
He neither concealed anything nor exaggerated anything, nor did he reveal the slightest bit of self-pity. This honesty and calmness, on the contrary, had a reassuring power.
Lin's mother looked at him, silently took a sip of tea, and remained noncommittal.
At that moment, her gaze was drawn to the old-fashioned grandfather clock in the corner of the living room. The clock was quite old and had never been very accurate, requiring manual adjustment every so often.
"This clock is old; it slows down by a few minutes every now and then," Lin's mother casually complained, as if she had found a lighthearted topic.
Lu Shixu followed her gaze, observed the rhythm of the swing for a few seconds, then stood up, walked to the clock, and bowed slightly: "Auntie, if you don't mind, I can take a look for you."
Lin's mother was somewhat surprised, but nodded.
Lu Shixu didn't use any tools. He simply reached out and gently opened the glass door of the clock case. His fingers subtly moved a few key adjustment knobs, his movements precise and steady, with a flowing, graceful beauty. His entire attention was focused on the subtle sounds of the pendulum and the movement, as if everything outside had ceased to exist.
Lin Zhiyi and her mother watched him quietly.
After only a minute or two, he gently closed the glass door and took a step back. The pendulum continued to swing regularly, but upon closer listening, the ticking sound seemed more steady and resolute than before.
"I just did a simple calibration of the hairspring length and fine-tuning of the pendulum," Lu Shixu explained. "It's old, and the gears are worn, so it can't be completely precise, but it should be better than before."
Lin's mother walked to the clock, looked at the second hand that had started moving again, and then looked up at the slender and calm young man in front of her. His focused expression, his steady and precise movements, and his respect and understanding for old objects were all silently imprinted in her eyes.
At the dinner table, the atmosphere became noticeably more relaxed. Lin's mother stopped pursuing those sensitive topics and instead chatted about funny things that happened at school and embarrassing incidents that Lin Zhiyi had when she was little. Lu Shixu didn't say much, but he listened attentively throughout, occasionally responding with a few words, his manners impeccable and revealing his good upbringing.
After the meal, Lu Shixu even took the initiative to get up and help clear the dishes. Although his movements were not very skillful, his attitude was sincere.
When they left, Lin's mother saw them to the door. She looked at Lu Shixu, her smile much more genuine than before.
"Xiao Lu, come back for dinner with Zhiyi whenever you have time." As she spoke, she stuffed a jar of pickled vegetables she had made into Lin Zhiyi's hand. "Here, you can have it with your porridge in the morning."
This sentence, simple and ordinary, is like a formal acknowledgment, a warm signal.
Walking back to Anping Lane, the streetlights were just coming on, and the cold wind still blew, but Lin Zhiyi felt warm all over. She held Lu Shixu's hand tightly, and the heavy weight in her heart finally settled down.
"See, I told you, my mom is actually very easy to get along with." Her tone was light, filled with a relieved joy.
Lu Shixu looked down at her, the streetlights dancing in his clear eyes, reflecting gentle glimmers. He took her hand in his and whispered:
"Yes. Auntie is very well."
He knew that behind this "very good" was a precious acceptance he had earned through his honesty, composure, and undisguised focus and respect for things and people.
This winter feels especially warm because of this successful "test". The road ahead may still be unknown, but at least they have successfully overcome this important hurdle together.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
