Chapter 14
As autumn deepened, the sky outside the window grew higher and farther. Ever since her unexpected reunion with Ling Peng on Teacher's Day, Zhao Jinglu felt as if a corner of her heart had been quietly illuminated, and everything she saw seemed to be more pleasing to her eyes.
She quickly imported the photos she had taken that day into her computer, carefully selecting a few that showed Teacher Wang smiling brightest and Ling Peng looking his brightest. Then, she clicked on the newly added □□, which still had the system's default dolphin profile picture.
"Senior Ling Peng, I've sorted out the photos and sent them to your email address. :)"
The message was sent successfully, and she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little bit of anticipation in her heart.
While waiting for a reply, she maintained a cheerful mood. Perhaps because she had finally gotten over a worry, or perhaps because that secret happiness was still brewing, she became more cheerful and proactive at school.
Surprisingly, Fan Chen seemed to have sensed this change, or perhaps he had also come out of his awkward mood. During breaks, he began to poke her arm with his pen cap as before, sharing new funny jokes or complaining about the math teacher's catchphrases.
"Hey, Zhao Jinglu, look at this problem. Can we use your 'rogue solution' again?" Fan Chen pointed to a complicated geometry problem in the exercise book.
Zhao Jinglu leaned over to take a look, her eyes lighting up: "It's really good! As expected of a gangster leader!"
"Of course, those who are close to pigs get fatter." Fan Chen raised his eyebrows proudly.
This long-lost feeling of relaxed interaction made Zhao Jinglu feel that life was really getting back on track, even better than before. Although the shadow of Gao Xin's departure was still there, it no longer weighed so heavily on her heart.
About two weeks later, after returning home from a typical evening study session, Zhao Jinglu turned on her computer and logged into her computer as usual when she suddenly heard a crisp "beep!" sound. It was the dolphin avatar beating.
She was moved and quickly clicked it.
Ling Peng: "I received the photos. They were taken very well. Lao Wang smiled so hard that his eyes disappeared. Thank you^_^"
Ling Peng: "Sorry for replying so late. I've been stuck on a project for the past two weeks and have been stuck in the lab every day."
Even through the screen, I could seem to sense his tiredness and cheerfulness as he just took a break from his busy schedule.
Zhao Jinglu looked at the cute smiley emoji and found it hard to imagine someone like Ling Peng would send that. The corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously, and she quickly replied, "It's okay. Studies are more important. So is the problem solved?"
Ling Peng: "Not yet. I'm stuck on simulating material fatigue. It's frustrating."
She replied, "Such difficult vocabulary... What kind of major is this? It's so brain-wracking."
Ling Peng: "In the future, people in mechanical manufacturing may just be draftsmen or workshop masters."
Zhao Jinglu: "Mechanical manufacturing? Is it like making cars and airplanes?"
Ling Peng: "It's pretty much the same. It has some connection to precision instruments and automation equipment."
Zhao Jinglu: "That sounds really interesting. Being able to create something tangible—isn't that what every kid wants to be when they grow up?..."
The two chatted back and forth. Ling Peng seemed happy to have someone listen to his complaints and share some basic information about his field. Although Zhao Jinglu didn't understand much of the terminology, she could sense his love-hate relationship with his profession in his words. This kind of focus and passion, in her opinion, was inherently attractive.
It was a beautiful weekend. Zhao Jinglu and Xu Linjie made an appointment to visit her favorite "treasure trove"—an independent bookstore hidden in an old residential building. The bookstore wasn't large, but it had a rich collection, especially the latest foreign books and academic journals. The owner had excellent taste; she had read Harry Potter there before it became so popular.
Xu Linjie likes the quiet atmosphere here very much. The two of them often pick a book each and spend an entire afternoon quietly there.
Zhao Jinglu wandered through the familiar bookshelves, her fingers skimming the spines of the books. Suddenly, the title of a beautifully bound English journal caught her eye: "Journal of Materials Processing Technology." She remembered Ling Peng's mention of "material fatigue" a few days ago, and a slight stir struck her.
She pulled out the thick magazine and flipped through it curiously. It was filled with complicated charts, formulas, and professional discussions, which she couldn't understand at all.
"What are you looking at? You're so focused." Xu Linjie's voice came from behind. He was holding two books on music theory in his hands.
Zhao Jinglu raised her head and answered naturally, "Oh, nothing. I saw a magazine that seemed to be related to Senior Ling Peng's major, so I took a look."
The smile on Xu Linjie's face faded a little. He walked over, glanced at the magazine in her hand, and looked at her again: "Why are you so interested in what he is studying?" His tone sounded as casual as possible, but there was still a subtle hint of tension in his voice.
Zhao Jinglu didn't think too much about it and said frankly: "Last time he said he was stuck on a project problem. I just happened to see this. I don't know if it will be useful. Can I take a picture of it and show it to him?" As she said that, she took out her mobile phone and took a few photos of the cover and table of contents of the magazine.
Xu Linjie looked at her profile as she concentrated on taking pictures. He was silent for a few seconds before saying calmly, "Their school library must have these kinds of professional magazines. And the latest ones require a paid subscription. This is probably an outdated issue."
"Really?" Zhao Jinglu finished taking the photo and put away her phone, not paying much attention to Xu Linjie's words. "I've already taken the photo, so I might as well send it to him. Just in case it's useful."
Xu Linjie didn't say anything else. He just turned around and put the book in his hand back on the bookshelf. His tone returned to his usual gentleness, but a little less warm: "Well. What else do you want to read? It seems that there are some new novels here."
After returning home, Zhao Jinglu sent those magazine photos to Ling Peng via □□.
"Senior, I saw this magazine in the bookstore today. I wonder if it will be of any use to your project? :)"
She sent the message, thinking it was a small favor, and didn't notice the subtle atmosphere in the bookstore that brief afternoon. She also didn't know that this kind, subconscious sharing might be seen by another person as a sign of concern and closeness.
The river of life seems to flow forward calmly, but the undercurrents quietly gathering underwater may inadvertently change all established courses.
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