The night sky hung with a bright moon, a detail Chi Shuo only noticed as she descended to the ground floor of her apartment complex.
The moon shone with a silvery-white light, casting dappled shadows among the trees onto Chi Shuo’s head, shoulders, and the concrete path she walked on.
Midnight. Many apartment lights had already been extinguished, leaving only a few still glowing.
She didn’t encounter anyone on the path. The only sound was the chirping of crickets in the garden, carried by the wind. The quiet made Chi Shuo press her lips together and unconsciously quicken her pace.
The complex wasn’t without streetlights, but they weren’t very effective. Chi Shuo had to turn on her phone’s flashlight to illuminate the path ahead.
It took her about five minutes to reach the complex gate, slower than usual. She had hesitated at her doorstep for a while after leaving her apartment, only venturing out after confirming there were no traces of tears on her face.
Chi Shuo had changed into a long-sleeved shirt, but she still felt cold walking along the path. She rubbed her arms several times before the chill subsided slightly.
She wondered what He Lindi was wearing. A dress? If so, wouldn’t she be freezing?
With this thought in mind, Chi Shuo finally reached the complex gate.
Residents could only enter and exit through here. There was a large gate for vehicles and a smaller one for pedestrians.
The lights at the gate were much brighter than inside, attracting a few insects that buzzed and circled the light source. Fortunately, they weren’t swarming; otherwise, Chi Shuo would have gotten goosebumps.
But the main point wasn’t the insects; it was that He Lindi was nowhere to be seen. Chi Shuo frowned slightly, pressed the button to open the pedestrian gate, and stepped out.
The moment she did, a voice called out “Ha!” from beside a nearby pillar, followed by the sudden appearance of He Lindi, a wide smile on her face.
Chi Shuo: “…”
He Lindi stood before her, her eyes curving into crescents. She asked, “Surprised? Unexpected?” Then she said, “I was just cosplaying an emoji—’Suddenly, a cutie appears.’ Seems the cosplay was successful.”
The corners of Chi Shuo’s lips lifted slightly. She nodded, offering her assessment. “Successful, just a bit spooky in the middle of the night.”
He Lindi clicked her tongue, rubbed her exposed arms, and said, “Hurry and let me in, it’s cold out here.”
He Lindi wasn’t wearing a dress tonight, but a simple T-shirt and jeans, looking refreshingly casual.
Chi Shuo quickly swiped her card to open the gate and led her inside.
Just as they entered, He Lindi shoved a bag she was carrying into Chi Shuo’s arms, her tone slightly forceful and dismissive. “Hold this.”
Chi Shuo froze for a second, then realized it was a birthday gift. She smiled. “Okay.”
He Lindi turned to look at her, curious. “What’s so funny?”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “Nothing to say.”
“It’s fine to say it. I’m also happy when I receive birthday gifts.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Birthdays are perfect opportunities to receive gifts openly.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
Chi Shuo shook her head again. “Nothing.” She changed the subject. “Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”
They were almost at her building. He Lindi touched her stomach, her lips turning down slightly. “Hungry. Ate at home tonight, a belly full of air.”
Chi Shuo vaguely understood the implication of “a belly full of air,” but wasn’t entirely sure if He Lindi meant “I’m so angry I’m full.” She thought for two seconds and decided not to ask. “Let’s order takeout when we get upstairs. How about some barbecue? It’s late.”
“Sounds good.”
Out of the elevator, enter the passcode, open the door, turn on the lights.
“Do you have guest slippers?” He Lindi asked, looking at the shoe cabinet in the entryway.
Chi Shuo opened the shoe cabinet and took out a pair of disposable slippers she kept there. “These.”
He Lindi smiled upon seeing them. “Why are you like a hotel, keeping these kinds of slippers?”
Chi Shuo smiled too. “It’s good enough I have them.”
He Lindi entered the living room and asked again, “Where’s the bathroom? I need to wash my hands.”
“There.” Chi Shuo pointed.
While He Lindi was washing her hands, Chi Shuo went back to her bedroom. She turned on the main light, only to look in the mirror and confirm there were no traces of tears before finally relaxing.
She didn’t want to appear vulnerable in front of He Lindi.
Perhaps she had taken too long. He Lindi called out from the living room, “Chi Shuo, where are you?”
Chi Shuo turned off the light, left her bedroom, and said, “Here.”
“Let’s order takeout.” He Lindi, seeing her emerge, sat down on the sofa without any hesitation and poured herself a glass of water, looking completely at ease.
Chi Shuo held her phone, sat on the other sofa, opened the takeout app, and started browsing seriously.
“How much is your rent here? Let me, the daughter of a real estate tycoon, take a wild guess. 2500 to 3000 yuan a month.”
“The decor is alright, location’s not bad either, but not worth that price.”
“Chi Shuo, were you ripped off?”
Chi Shuo: “…”
He Lindi’s guess was almost spot on. Her rent was 2800 yuan a month. Back then, when she moved out in a hurry, she didn’t have much time to look around and ended up getting scammed.
Chi Shuo looked up at her. “How do you know all this?”
“When I was little, I used to cling to my dad, but he was busy, always going out for business, and couldn’t take me.”
“Later, I’d throw tantrums and insist on going with him. I’ve been to so many apartments in different locations.”
Chi Shuo continued browsing the takeout app. “So you’re experienced.”
“Yeah, just listening to my dad and those uncles and aunties talk about real estate. Heard it enough, and you can guess the price based on location and decor.”
Chi Shuo’s gaze remained on her phone, but she gave a thumbs-up. “The Oil Seller, 2018 real-life edition.”
The corners of He Lindi’s lips lifted slightly, but she didn’t say anything. She just scooted closer to Chi Shuo, leaned over, looked at the takeout page, and voiced her preferences. “Fish fillet, chives, small steamed buns, and eggplant are must-haves for me.”
“Okay, got it.”
He Lindi swayed her head and sat back in her original spot.
Takeout delivery fees were always higher in the evening, but who cared at this hour? Chi Shuo ordered generously, then went to the refrigerator to get some fruit and drinks.
“So, do you have any plans for today?” He Lindi asked before taking a sip of the Sprite she had just opened.
Chi Shuo hummed. “Plans?” She answered truthfully, “No, unless sleeping counts.”
He Lindi choked slightly at her words, quickly put down the Sprite, grabbed a tissue, and turned to wipe her mouth.
Her smile widened. “That definitely doesn’t count!”
Chi Shuo shrugged, indicating her lack of plans was indeed the case. “This is how I’ve spent the past two years.”
Before she dated Shen Qu, Chi Shuo still celebrated her birthdays, even though her parents had already been divorced for several years, and she hadn’t received their blessings for a long time. But she still had friends. Later, she went to the distant city of Lu Cheng for university, and her friends weren’t there. She hadn’t become close enough with new friends to expect them to care about her birthday.
People tend to grow more indifferent with age.
Chi Shuo could clearly remember many classmates’ birthdays in high school. Later, in university, they gradually lost contact. She’d rack her brain trying to remember birthdays but couldn’t, eventually just commenting “Happy birthday” on their WeChat Moments posts when they announced their age.
Happy? Perhaps.
“Not this year,” He Lindi raised an eyebrow. “This year, you have me.”
Chi Shuo paused, then slowly asked, “Why?”
“Why what?” He Lindi finished speaking and then understood her meaning, so she replied, “Because we’re friends, not just ordinary colleagues.”
The corners of Chi Shuo’s lips curved. She heard He Lindi continue, “I’m not asking you to treat me to the same birthday meal as He Xiuqi, but we can’t skip barbecue.”
Chi Shuo responded with an “Mm.” She said, “Got it.”
The barbecue arrived around 1 AM. Perhaps because it was her birthday, Chi Shuo ordered even more extravagantly than before.
He Lindi was shocked at the amount of food on the coffee table. “Chi Shuo, I’m not a pig.”
“…I thought you were.”
“…”
They both fell silent.
He Lindi took out her phone, signaling Chi Shuo to wait. “Let me take a picture before we start. It’s a ritual, letting the phone eat first.”
Chi Shuo looked at He Lindi seriously finding an angle to take pictures, her mind full of question marks. “There’s such a ritual?”
She had just finished asking when He Lindi was done. “Let’s eat.”
As expected, don’t overestimate girls’ appetites. They had already had drinks beforehand. After eating for a while, they were full.
…
It was already very late. He Lindi wasn’t going back tonight. Chi Shuo gave her a set of pajamas she had bought but hadn’t worn yet, then started clearing the coffee table and went back to her bedroom.
He Lindi knocked on her door. She said, “Remember to open your gift.”
Chi Shuo looked at the bag lying on the chair. “Got it.”
This bag seemed to be from the same factory as the one He Lindi used to give her the three photos, lacking any brand logo but sturdy enough to carry a gas canister.
Chi Shuo licked her lips, a bit nervously placing her hand on the bag.
She was guessing what was inside. While carrying it earlier, she could feel its weight, but there were so many kinds of gifts in the world; Chi Shuo felt she was torturing herself.
She stopped hesitating, taking out a box from the bag. The box was wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper. Chi Shuo continued unwrapping until a black box was revealed.
It felt heavy.
Chi Shuo coughed nervously, then, without further hesitation, opened the box, revealing the gift—a small, exquisite mirrorless camera.
A greeting card lay inside. The handwriting on it was much more elegant than Han Yu’s: Forget the free photography lessons, the teacher even gives a camera. Chi Shuo, you’re making bank.
Chi Shuo, looking at this line, her smile widened.
The night deepened, but Chi Shuo wasn’t sleepy at all. However, He Lindi had already fallen asleep in the guest room. Chi Shuo, with no other choice, closed her eyes, forcing herself to sleep. After a while, it had some effect. Close to 4 AM, Chi Shuo finally fell into a deep, even sleep.
On normal weekends, if Chi Shuo slept late, she would also wake up late. But perhaps because it was her birthday, she naturally woke up at 9:30 AM. She lay in bed, dazed for a few minutes, then suddenly remembering something, threw off the covers and got out of bed.
She stood before the guest room door, but only stood there. After two minutes, she finally slowly lifted her hand, placed it on the doorknob, turned it, and opened the door a crack.
She didn’t intend to peek at He Lindi, just wanted to confirm if she was still there. If He Lindi was still asleep, this gentle action wouldn’t wake her.
The door opened a sliver. Chi Shuo saw the lump under the blanket and closed the door.
He Lindi was still there. Chi Shuo breathed a sigh of relief, went to wash up, then after a while, went to the kitchen to make porridge.
He Lindi woke up not long after Chi Shuo finished cooking. Seeing He Lindi’s sticking-up cowlick and dazed expression, Chi Shuo said, “There’s a disposable toothbrush.”
“Okay,” He Lindi replied, but she didn’t head towards the bathroom. Instead, she stumbled to the kitchen doorway, leaning against it, her eyes still sleepy as she looked at Chi Shuo. “Give me a smaller portion this time, I’m really not a pig.”
“Got it.”
After breakfast, He Lindi asked, “How about I take you out for photos today?”
“Huh?”
“It’s the weekend, and you have the equipment now.” He Lindi said, “I was afraid you’d think a DSLR was too expensive and wouldn’t accept it, so a mirrorless camera is more suitable, especially since you’re a beginner.”
Chi Shuo didn’t hesitate. “Okay, let’s do it today.”
She had nothing else planned anyway, and with He Lindi there, sleeping in seemed unrealistic.
September had arrived, bringing autumn. The sun’s ferocity had finally subsided. Chi Shuo felt much better when she went out.
He Lindi yawned, looking at the navigation on her phone. “Let’s go to a photography exhibition first, get some inspiration. Any objections?”
A photography exhibition? Chi Shuo thought of the time she got scolded for going to an exhibition of He Lindi’s work.
But she didn’t show any trace of that on her face, just nodded repeatedly. “No objections.”
He Lindi took out her car keys. “You drive. Any objections?”
“Yes.”
“Please elaborate, student.”
“It’s my birthday.”
“I’m the teacher.”
“…” Chi Shuo took the keys.
Only after getting into the car did she hear He Lindi’s reasoning. “I was punished with kneeling again recently, plus I stand a lot for work, so my knees aren’t great. Can’t drive too often.”
Chi Shuo, holding the steering wheel, froze. She frowned, puzzled. “You’re already this old, why do they still punish you like that?” A hint of concern crept into her tone. “My mom hasn’t treated me like that for a long time.”
She paused. “Maybe also because she barely contacts me anymore.”
Last night before bed and this morning after waking up, Chi Shuo hadn’t received any messages from her mother, not a single one.
He Lindi shook her head, not responding. Chi Shuo turned on the navigation and started the car.
While driving, Chi Shuo thought for a moment and asked, “So, that week before last at the hotel, the reason you had that nightmare was because it happened again recently?”
He Lindi hummed an “Mm.” Chi Shuo could clearly sense the shift in her mood and didn’t say anything more.
They arrived at the photography exhibition half an hour later. He Lindi took out tickets from her bag, gave one to Chi Shuo, and they entered.
It was the monthly “Yuncheng Photography Exhibition.” Because it was held so frequently, even on a weekend, there weren’t many visitors.
The exhibition hall was in a quiet corner, with well-placed decor and lighting.
After entering, Chi Shuo was also affected by the atmosphere and stood silently beside He Lindi.
The photographs displayed were of a high enough caliber to be featured in a city-named exhibition; otherwise, it would damage their reputation. Chi Shuo didn’t know much about photography or how to appreciate it, but being here, her mind inexplicably calmed down. Some of the works were truly stunning.
After viewing several pieces, He Lindi stopped before one photograph, no longer moving forward.
This photo depicted a young boy eating. Judging from the background, he was in the countryside, sitting on a ridge between fields. The hands holding the bowl and chopsticks were calloused, and there was visible, still-damp mud on his hands and arms. His skin was tanned, and he looked at the camera with a childlike innocence mixed with wariness towards strangers.
Chi Shuo asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“This photographer is my friend.”
“A former friend.”
“…”
After viewing two more pieces, He Lindi seemed to remember her current role and started explaining the photos. “Look at this one. The composition uses…”
By the end of the exhibition, Chi Shuo’s phone was filled with notes. He Lindi spoke, and she typed.
After the exhibition, He Lindi took her to a nearby square to practice photography. Time flew by, and it was almost 5:30 PM when they got back in the car.
He Lindi brushed her hair back, sitting in the passenger seat. She said, “Okay, work’s done.”
Chi Shuo smiled. “Thank you, Teacher He.” She said, “Then I’ll drive you back.”
“Okay.”
The drive to He Lindi’s place was a bit further. Plus, it was rush hour. An hour later, Chi Shuo finally pulled up to the intersection before He Lindi’s complex.
At the familiar red light, Chi Shuo irritably scratched her hair. She turned to look at He Lindi, who was playing on her phone, pursed her lips, and said, “Thank you.”
This “thank you” wasn’t the same as the one to Han Yu. It was to thank He Lindi for spending her birthday with her.
“You’re welcome,” He Lindi understood her meaning.
Then He Lindi asked, “I’ll pick a few of the photos you took and post them on Weibo, okay?” She smiled. “You’re my first student. I’ve never taught anyone before, at most just shared some insights like at the recent seminar.”
The title “first student” was thus bestowed upon her. Chi Shuo, a bit embarrassed, scratched the back of her neck. “Are you sure?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” He Lindi opened her camera, found an angle, and took pictures of the photos Chi Shuo had taken.
It was clear she was indeed “choosing.” Chi Shuo had taken many pictures, but… her skills hadn’t improved much. He Lindi could only pick out the decent ones.
After about ten seconds, He Lindi smiled. “Done.”
She was about to open Weibo when someone called.
Chi Shuo didn’t know who the caller was, but she saw He Lindi’s expression change instantly, and the words she spoke made Chi Shuo’s heart clench—
“Kneeling again? Grandpa, what did I do wrong this time?”
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