Mother's call
Over the next few days, Lu Shixu's body recovered at a slow but steady pace. That "sleep attack cluster" was like a stern warning from his body, making both him and Lin Zhiyi more clearly aware of the existence of "boundaries." He no longer poured all his energy into his work endlessly as before, but began to consciously reserve more buffer and rest time for his own "time zone."
Lin Zhiyi's book project has also entered its final, intense phase. With Mr. Lu Qingming's manuscript as a solid academic and spiritual foundation, the entire team is brimming with confidence. She still frequently visits "Time Sequence," sometimes with proofs to check, sometimes simply to find the calming atmosphere. They each occupy a corner of their workbench; he fiddles with his gears and springs, she reviews her text and layout, undisturbed yet their presence intertwined, creating a harmonious and peaceful scene.
After work that day, Lin Zhiyi came to the shop as usual. Winter days are short, and by just past five in the afternoon, the sky had already darkened, making the warm yellow lights in the shop seem especially inviting. Lu Shixu was cleaning an old-fashioned alarm clock that a customer had brought in. Seeing her enter, he looked up and gave her a gentle glance, a gesture of greeting.
Lin Zhiyi sat down in her usual spot opposite him, and just as she took out her laptop to deal with a few emails, her phone rang. She took it out and the name flashing on the screen made her pause slightly—
**Mother. **
Her relationship with her mother wasn't exactly distant, but it certainly wasn't close either. After her parents divorced, she lived with her mother. Her mother was a strict high school teacher who had dedicated most of her life to the classroom and her students. She was always more demanding than loving towards her daughter, and their conversations mostly revolved around "serious matters" like studies, work, and future plans. It was rare for her to receive a phone call like this on an ordinary evening, not during a holiday.
Lin Zhiyi mouthed an apology to Lu Shixu, then took her phone and walked to a relatively quiet corner in the back of the store to answer the call.
"Hello, Mom."
"Zhiyi, are you off work yet?" Her mother's voice came through the receiver, carrying her usual, slightly rigid concern.
"Yeah, just got off work. What about you? Have you eaten?"
"Not yet, just got back from get out of class. How have you been lately? Are you busy with work?" the mother asked, as usual.
Lin Zhiyi gave a brief update on the project's progress, omitting the crises it had encountered and only mentioning that it was going smoothly. The mother and daughter's conversation was as usual, tinged with a subtle politeness and distance.
Just as Lin Zhiyi thought the phone call was about to end with the usual exchange of well wishes, her mother subtly changed the subject, her tone carrying a seemingly casual inquiry:
"By the way, I ran into your Aunt Zhang a few days ago. She told me... she saw you walking with a man on some old street. They looked... quite familiar?"
Lin Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers gripping the phone tightened unconsciously. Aunt Zhang was her mother's old colleague, who lived in the western part of the city. She must have been spotted there when she went to Anping Lane.
She subconsciously looked up at Lu Shixu behind the workbench. He was bending over, carefully cleaning the dust from the alarm clock's movement with an extremely fine brush, his profile quiet and focused under the light. She suddenly realized that her mother's seemingly ordinary phone call might actually be for this purpose.
She paused for a few seconds, neither denying nor rushing to explain, but simply admitting in as calm a tone as possible, "Yes, I made a friend."
"A friend?" The mother's voice held a hint of scrutiny. "What does he do? How old is he? Is he reliable?"
A series of questions, carrying a mother's worry and an unavoidable concern, also reflected Lin Zhiyi's familiar and persistent pursuit of "stability" and "reliability".
Lin Zhiyi took a deep breath. She knew that she would have to face her mother sooner or later regarding Lu Shixu, especially his health condition. She couldn't hide it, nor did she want to.
“His name is Lu Shixu. He owns a watch repair shop in Anping Lane.” She chose to start with what she was sure her mother would approve of: “He is a very good person, very calm, and very talented.”
"A watch repairman?" A hint of surprise flickered in her mother's voice; the profession seemed beyond her expectations, but it at least sounded like a "respectable trade." "And your age?"
"thirty."
"So... how's your health?" The mother's question finally got to the heart of the matter. "Running your own shop is hard work. Your health is your capital, so you can't be careless."
On the other end of the phone, Lin Zhiyi's heart tightened slightly. She looked at the slender figure not far away; he was raising his hand and gently pressing his temples—a subtle gesture that revealed his persistent fatigue, which did not escape her notice.
She spoke into the microphone, her voice not loud, but exceptionally clear and firm:
“His health… isn’t very good; he has a chronic illness that requires long-term management.” She didn’t elaborate, but she pointed out the key point: “But, Mom, he’s the strongest and gentlest person I’ve ever met. I feel very safe with him.”
There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone. Lin Zhiyi could imagine her mother's brows furrowing and the surge of worry that welled up inside her when she heard the words "chronic disease."
“Zhiyi,” her mother’s voice rang out again, her tone noticeably heavier, “Do you know what you’re saying? Life isn’t a game! What does a chronic illness mean? It means a burden for the future, it means countless uncertainties! You’ve always longed for stability since you were little, and I know that better than anyone! How could you…”
“Mom.” Lin Zhiyi interrupted her softly, her tone still calm, but carrying an unprecedented strength—a strength forged after experiencing hesitation, struggle, and finally making a firm choice. “The stability I crave is not an empty shell without any waves. Rather, it’s having someone by my side who can give me peace of mind, even knowing that there may be storms ahead, giving me the courage and security to walk together.”
She paused, then continued, "He's a good person, and he's good to me too. That's enough."
There was another long silence on the other end of the phone. Finally, the mother just sighed heavily and said in a complicated tone, "...Think it through yourself. Find some time...to bring him back for a meal."
There was neither explicit opposition nor enthusiastic welcome, only a reserved and resigned acquiescence.
"Okay, I understand. Mom, take care of yourself too." Lin Zhiyi hung up the phone, stood there, and breathed a slight sigh of relief. Her palms were slightly damp from nervousness.
She turned around and found that Lu Shixu had stopped what he was doing and was quietly watching her. His eyes were clear, with a hint of inquiry, as if he had sensed something from her brief response and expression.
“It’s my mother.” Lin Zhiyi walked back to her workbench, not hiding anything, and smiled easily. “She seems to have… heard about you.”
Lu Shixu's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't speak immediately. He put down the small brush in his hand, remained silent for a moment, then looked up at her earnestly and asked softly:
"Is there anything I can do?"
His question was simple, without unease or hesitation; he calmly inquired about how he needed to cooperate and how to face the situation.
Looking into his eyes, filled with complete trust and openness, Lin Zhiyi felt the last ripple of unease caused by her mother's call subside. She shook her head, her smile becoming warm and genuine.
"No need. You just need to... eat on time, get enough rest, and be yourself."
Outside the window, night had completely enveloped the old street.
Inside the store, under the warm lights, they looked at each other, their eyes reflecting each other's image and a silent understanding of facing the future together.
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