He Lindi was back. The indoor temperature wasn’t low, but she wore a coat, still carrying a chill from outside.
Her beautiful features seemed tinged with the wind’s breath, making Q Ge’s heart clench.
He quickly shook his head. “Didn’t say anything. I’m not happy.”
He Lindi walked over to stand beside Chi Shuo, bent slightly, placed her camera on the desk, and asked with a slight lift in her tone, “Is that so?”
Q Ge picked up his cup and stood up. “I’m going to get some water.”
Chi Shuo was puzzled again. “Can’t the milk tea on the table quench your thirst?” She was completely unaware she was fanning the flames. “I’ll get you a different flavor next time.”
Q Ge’s face fell. “Chi Shuo, stop talking.”
Sure enough, the next second, He Lindi reacted again. She glanced at the milk tea on Q Ge’s desk and chuckled. “Q Ge, is it good?”
Under their combined gazes, Q Ge chose not to answer, taking his old-man thermos cup to the break room for hot water.
In the break room, another photographer was getting coffee. Seeing Q Ge’s flustered state, he asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Did Teacher He catch you doing something again?”
Q Ge sighed deeply. “I shouldn’t have agreed to teach Chi Shuo photography.” He regretted it immensely. “If time could rewind to last night, I definitely would have refused.”
“Hahaha, you’re brave.” The other photographer was enjoying this. “Even though Teacher He and her don’t seem to get along, you really shouldn’t mess with that person.”
“Mess with what?” Q Ge slapped his shoulder. “Watch your words! If Little Teacher He hears, won’t I be finished?”
The photographers at Xiyu had a large group chat, which was quite active. Last night, He Lindi had announced that if anyone from the company downstairs asked to learn photography, it was best to let her teach, because that person was already her apprentice.
Everyone didn’t know who it was, but since He Lindi said so, they naturally agreed.
But Q Ge usually muted this group, only occasionally checking it. Last night, he had already agreed to Chi Shuo before seeing the lively chat and clicking in.
Seeing it was one thing, but the shock was another. He immediately wanted to message Chi Shuo back saying he couldn’t teach her, but that seemed dishonest. He could only tremble and wait for Chi Shuo to arrive the next day to resolve it.
Unexpectedly, Chi Shuo was so obedient. She said she’d buy milk tea and really did, even getting his favorite flavor. Who could resist such temptation? Q Ge trembled again as he drank the milk tea.
But now, he just wanted to jump off the building, if only he could go back in time like in a novel.
Back in the photographers’ office area.
With Q Ge gone, his seat was empty. Chi Shuo instinctively wanted to stand up and give He Lindi the chair, but He Lindi refused.
She gently pressed Chi Shuo’s shoulder. “Just sit here.”
The pressure was light, but Chi Shuo felt sealed in place, unable to move. She pressed her lips together and asked, “What about you?”
He Lindi tugged at the cuff of her coat, then pointed to Q Ge’s seat. “I’ll use his.”
“Doesn’t he need it too?”
“No, he’s going out for a shoot later.”
“Okay.” Chi Shuo stopped struggling and picked up the notebook in front of her again, starting to read.
But she couldn’t calm down. He Lindi was sitting right beside her. Even in silence, her presence disturbed Chi Shuo.
After two minutes, Q Ge indeed returned, grabbed his camera, and left, leaving the milk tea behind.
He Lindi felt hot indoors and had already taken off her coat. She wore a blue hooded sweatshirt, looking like a university student again.
She had quieted down, her fingertips tapping incessantly on the keyboard. Chi Shuo glanced over and saw she was chatting with someone, immediately averting her gaze.
Looking at someone else’s chat was bad manners.
Chi Shuo refocused on the notebook, ignoring He Lindi’s movements beside her.
It was still working hours. The loudest sounds in the office were mostly the clicking of keyboards.
Amidst the rhythmic keyboard sounds, Chi Shuo grew increasingly absorbed in the notebook. But she needed time to digest the information and practice with her camera.
After reading another important point, she picked up the mirrorless camera she had brought, turned it on, wanting to find something to photograph, but unsure what.
Her lens swiveled around and landed on He Lindi, who was looking slightly down at her phone.
He Lindi’s eyelashes were lowered, a few strands of hair covering her ear, her lips slightly pursed. She looked as beautiful as a painting.
Driven by some impulse, Chi Shuo pressed the shutter, capturing that image.
After the “click,” Chi Shuo realized what she had done. She swallowed, looking at He Lindi, who had already turned her head, staring straight at her with a puzzled expression.
Chi Shuo forced an awkward smile. “The camera’s pixels are good.”
He Lindi raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” She glanced at the camera in Chi Shuo’s hand. “Were you taking a picture just now?”
Chi Shuo hesitated, then nodded. “Mm…” She confessed, “Took one of you.”
The photographers’ office area was different from other departments. It was like the back row or corner seats for underachievers or tall students in school—slightly removed and secluded. As long as voices weren’t too loud, other departments could barely hear.
But Chi Shuo still instinctively lowered her voice slightly, showing He Lindi the photo she had just taken. “Just this one.”
He Lindi leaned closer, her head also moving nearer. She looked at the picture of herself Chi Shuo had taken, a small smile curving her lips. “Too beautiful.”
“Eh? Was the shot that good?”
“I meant me.”
“…”
Chi Shuo took back her camera, replied with an “Oh,” and said, “Impressive.”
He Lindi chuckled softly. “Isn’t it the truth?”
“It is.” Chi Shuo continued looking at the notebook. “Narcissism is also the truth.”
He Lindi pursed her lips at her words, then added, “The shot is also very good.”
Finally receiving He Lindi’s praise, Chi Shuo suppressed the urge to smile, glanced coolly at He Lindi, and replied, “Mm.”
They fell silent again, each occupied with their own tasks. Chi Shuo didn’t continue flipping through the notebook but started again from the first page, consolidating the knowledge she had learned today.
Time flew by, reaching 4:30 PM. Chi Shuo felt tired. She leaned back in the comfortable chair, lifted her head, and rubbed her eyes.
He Lindi hadn’t stayed beside her the whole time. Chi Shuo didn’t know what she had gone off to do, but it seemed like a while had passed, and He Lindi hadn’t returned.
Chi Shuo messaged Q Ge: 【Q Ge, will you officially start teaching me tomorrow?】
She faintly felt her teacher had changed, but wasn’t entirely sure.
Q Ge replied instantly: 【What’s there for me to teach? Teacher He is teaching you.】
Q Ge added: 【My skills are leagues below hers. Learn from her, and you’re guaranteed success.】
Chi Shuo looked at his reply, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. She typed: 【Okay.】
Just as she finished replying to Q Ge, He Lindi pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. Chi Shuo immediately closed her phone and sat up straight.
He Lindi said nothing, continuing to tap away at her keyboard.
After a while, Chi Shuo couldn’t hold back anymore and asked, “Teacher He, does class officially start tomorrow?”
She essentially repeated the question she had asked Q Ge.
He Lindi hummed softly. “Yes.” She sounded extremely serious. “Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll take you to a shooting site.”
Chi Shuo nodded. “Okay.”
He Lindi called her name. “Chi Shuo.”
Chi Shuo looked at her, her eyes filled with confusion, unsure why He Lindi had suddenly called her.
Chi Shuo asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Including drawing, I’ve taught you two things now.”
“But I haven’t had any milk tea.”
He Lindi raised an index finger as she spoke, looking pitiful. “Not a single cup.” She finished speaking and glanced at the unopened pearl milk tea on Q Ge’s desk.
Chi Shuo suddenly understood. “Apprenticeship fee!” Her heart pounded as she maintained a calm expression. “I’ll arrange it for you tomorrow.”
He Lindi shook her head. “But I don’t want milk tea.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Just say it, I’ll buy it for you.”
Taking a class outside was extremely expensive, whether for drawing or photography. Chi Shuo had learned so much from He Lindi without paying a cent; she had truly lucked out. Besides, He Lindi was highly professional.
Under Chi Shuo’s smiling gaze, He Lindi gave her answer. “I don’t want anything.” Her expression turned slightly sorrowful. “Just drive me home.”
Chi Shuo didn’t refuse. “Okay.”
He Lindi’s legs weren’t convenient for driving in winter. Since it was just driving her home, Chi Shuo wouldn’t refuse.
It was just that she suddenly understood why He Lindi always asked her to drive her home—she really did lack a driver.
Time quickly reached 5:30 PM. Chi Shuo first went back to Xinyue to get her bag, then returned to Xiyu to leave work with He Lindi.
The receptionist girl was surprised to see Chi Shuo return. “Shuo Shuo, didn’t you already leave? Your company gets off at 5:30.”
Her tone held envy. Chi Shuo curved her lips and replied, “I need to take Teacher He home, came back to wait for her.”
She finished speaking and entered Xiyu again.
At 6 PM sharp, Chi Shuo finally welcomed liberation, stretching lazily.
The winter sky darkened too early. Outside, it was already gray and dim, making Chi Shuo feel like it was about to rain.
He Lindi wasn’t in a rush to leave. She never liked squeezing into elevators and always left a bit later. Chi Shuo knew this habit, so she waited beside her.
Ten minutes later, the two left Xiyu Company together. On the way, they ran into Hu Bo, who was working overtime. Hu Bo’s eyes widened upon seeing Chi Shuo. “Shuo Shuo, what are you doing here?”
Chi Shuo was also surprised. “I’ve been here all afternoon.”
“I didn’t even know.”
“Your company is too big.”
“True enough.”
They chatted briefly. Hu Bo finally got to the point. “Wait, are you waiting for Didi to get off work?”
“Pretty much.” Chi Shuo answered naturally. “You could say that.”
He Lindi didn’t offer any explanation. Chi Shuo pointed towards the door. “We’re leaving first.”
Hu Bo’s face fell. “Okay, I’ll keep working overtime.”
Leaving Xiyu Company, Chi Shuo tightened the collar of the coat she had retrieved downstairs. “I feel like I haven’t seen Hu Bo in a long time.”
“Is that so?” He Lindi walked beside her.
“Yeah.”
“Feels like two or three months.”
He Lindi asked again, “Then… did you think about him during that time?”
Chi Shuo answered honestly, “Not really, maybe not at all. Only when I see him do I feel it’s been a long time. After all, I’m not that close to him.”
Before the elevator doors opened, He Lindi asked softly, “What about me?”
Chi Shuo didn’t react immediately. “What?”
He Lindi didn’t repeat herself, stepping into the elevator and standing towards the back. Chi Shuo stood beside her.
Chi Shuo was still carefully pondering the specific meaning of He Lindi’s “What about me?” She seemed to have grasped the true meaning, yet also seemed not to, because she didn’t dare confirm.
Didn’t dare confirm if He Lindi was asking if she had thought about her during these same two or three months.
Reaching B1, Chi Shuo took He Lindi’s keys. After opening the car door and getting in, she asked, “Then who usually drives you to work?”
“My dad’s driver.”
Chi Shuo held the steering wheel, murmuring, “You don’t lack a driver…”
“I don’t.”
“Then why ask me to drive you?” Chi Shuo asked, then found the answer herself. “What’s wrong with my brain? This is the apprenticeship fee.”
He Lindi just hummed softly, then leaned her head to the side and closed her eyes.
Chi Shuo was already familiar with driving He Lindi home. She remembered the route, didn’t even need navigation, drove steadily all the way. Just like before, while waiting at the last red light, she called out to wake He Lindi. “He Lindi, we’re almost there.”
He Lindi slowly woke up. The sky outside had completely darkened. The streetlights and car headlights shone on her face, reflecting in her eyes, gradually magnifying her dazed look.
She looked at Chi Shuo with those eyes again, her voice somewhat hazy. “Then are you going back?”
Chi Shuo held the steering wheel, her hands rubbing the cover twice. She replied, “Yes, I’ll go back after dropping you off.”
He Lindi slowly sat up straight. “Okay.”
The light ahead turned green, and the car continued forward.
A few minutes later, the car stopped in the parking lot beneath He Lindi’s building.
It was already cold in the summer here; now in winter, the feeling intensified.
Chi Shuo put on her scarf and gloves, fully equipped before getting out.
He Lindi, however, seemed completely oblivious to this concept. Perhaps still not fully awake, she didn’t even tighten her clothes.
Her blue sweatshirt had a relatively wide neckline, revealing her collarbones.
Chi Shuo looked at her bare neck and felt a chill invade her own body. After walking a few steps, Chi Shuo couldn’t help asking, “Why aren’t you wearing a scarf today?”
He Lindi yawned. “Forgot.”
Chi Shuo stopped walking and asked again, “Aren’t you cold?”
He Lindi also stopped and replied, “A little.”
Chi Shuo: “…”
In the dim parking lot, Chi Shuo couldn’t clearly see He Lindi’s expression, but the chill was palpable.
Chi Shuo walked closer, stopping in front of her. Then she took off her own scarf, draped it around He Lindi’s neck, and wrapped it twice.
He Lindi stood frozen, watching Chi Shuo’s actions. She heard Chi Shuo say seriously, “You can’t let your upper body get cold again.”
Chi Shuo’s own neck was now bare. She immediately felt a large gust of biting wind pour in, making her shiver involuntarily.
But she didn’t say anything, walking ahead first. “Hurry up.”
He Lindi remained standing there. She lifted her hand, touched Chi Shuo’s scarf, which seemed to still hold Chi Shuo’s faint warmth.
The next second, the corners of her lips curved. “Coming.”
Back home, it was already 7:30 PM. Chi Shuo ate dinner on the way back; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been this late.
Upon arriving home, Chi Shuo lay on the sofa for a long while before getting up, grabbing her pajamas, and heading to the bathroom for a shower.
At 9 PM, Chi Shuo punctually opened her iPad and WeChat, starting her drawing practice.
But she didn’t know what questions to ask He Lindi on WeChat. Her mind seemed to short-circuit for some reason. Looking at the drawing on her iPad, she couldn’t pinpoint any problems.
It wasn’t that she drew well, just that this time she really didn’t know what to ask. She felt that whenever she spent too long with He Lindi, she became like this.
The second hand on the wall clock ticked by. Chi Shuo stared at the chat dialogue with He Lindi, pondered for a long time, then prepared to type and ask about paneling.
This time, He Lindi beat her to it again. Chi Shuo received her WeChat message: 【Your scarf smells nice.】
After leaving the parking lot, Chi Shuo hadn’t asked He Lindi for her scarf back. Her scarf had gone home with He Lindi.
Chi Shuo looked at this line, pressed her lips together, and replied: 【Right? I really like that perfume.】
She had sprayed the perfume Han Yu gave her for her birthday.
He Lindi sent another message: 【Not the scent of perfume.】
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