Silent Waltz
Life seemed to have returned to the track it was on before the trip to Lingshan, flowing gently and uneventfully. But some changes, like spring rain nourishing all things, were happening quietly.
Lin Zhiyi noticed that the corner of Lu Shixu's workbench, which used to be his alone and filled with various precision tools and parts waiting to be repaired, had quietly made room for her. There, she always kept her usual white porcelain teacup, a few of her favorite colored markers, and sometimes a book or two that she was reading.
This was a silent declaration, an acceptance deeper than any words. His world, that once clearly defined and intricate realm inaccessible to outsiders, had now been completely opened to her, allowing her presence, her traces, to coexist with his gears and clockwork.
Lin Zhiyi also got used to handling non-urgent work emails or reading during the "Time Sequence" period. She no longer felt like a visitor who needed to be careful, but rather as if she were in her own territory. She would quietly refill his cup of hot tea when he was focused on his work; she would put her phone on silent when he leaned back in his chair to rest for a while due to fatigue.
They seemed to speak less, yet the density of the space between them seemed to increase. A deep, almost instinctive understanding flowed between them.
That afternoon, Lu Shixu was repairing an extremely rare dual-track pocket watch, requiring him to simultaneously calibrate the time in both Paris and Beijing time zones. This demanded an exceptionally high level of concentration and a steady hand, allowing no room for distraction. His entire focus was on his fingertips, and he even breathed very softly.
Lin Zhiyi was replying to emails; the sound of her typing was soft, but still clear in the extremely quiet environment. She glanced up at him and noticed his slightly furrowed brow, a sign that he was entering a state of deep concentration.
Without the slightest hesitation, she gently closed the laptop.
She picked up the half-read collection of essays beside her and, using a simple pen, made very light notes in the margins. Or, she would simply hold the book and read quietly. Her presence was like a gentle background color, no longer producing any noise that might disturb his "conversation."
Time passed in absolute silence, with only the extremely subtle meshing of gears inside the pocket watch movement and the barely audible clatter of his tools occasionally touching metal.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Shixu let out a soft sigh and slowly put down the tools in his hands. The intricate pocket watch, with its two slender blued steel hands, was precisely pointing to two different time zones, running smoothly.
He succeeded.
He subconsciously reached for the teacup beside him, only to find it full and at a pleasantly warm temperature. He paused slightly, then turned his head away.
Lin Zhiyi was looking at him, a faint, knowing smile on her face. She didn't ask anything, but her eyes clearly said, "Is it done?"
Lu Shixu nodded, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. The warm tea soothed his throat and his heart, which had become parched from intense concentration. He looked at her, at the laptop she had closed so as not to disturb him, at the pen in her hand that replaced the sound of the keyboard, and the lake of "understanding" in his heart rippled gently.
He didn't need to say "thank you," and she didn't need to ask "did it go smoothly?"
All the support and understanding, all the comprehension and gratitude, were exchanged and confirmed in this silent gaze and in that perfectly brewed cup of hot tea.
As the sun sets, golden rays stream through the window, elongating the shadows of the two figures and casting them onto the floor covered with clocks, where they intertwine with the regular shadows.
They remained silent.
He continued to examine the newly completed masterpiece with a gentle gaze.
She turned her computer back on and continued working on the tasks that had been interrupted.
Inside the store, only the tireless ticking of the clocks provides a silent waltz called "Understanding," playing an eternal and peaceful accompaniment.
Some companionship needs no fanfare.
Silence itself is the deepest expression.
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