Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 02
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There were not many cla.s.ses on Monday, only two common subject lectures in the afternoon.
Bo Ziren was jotting down notes when Zhu Mingwen, the one next to her, poked her arm with a pen, then whispered in a low voice: ”Your photo has been taken in secret.”
”What does that mean?” Bo Ziren asked in return.
”The second row from the back, the man is sitting near the window wearing gray Adi sportswear. Since a few cla.s.ses back, he has been secretly taking your photos.”
Bo Ziren seriously asked: ”Why does he secretly take my pictures?”
”I heard, people said he fell in love with you at first sight. He even approached our female cla.s.smates to ask if you're local here.”
Hearing this explanation, Bo Ziren turned her head over, and coincidentally, her sight met with the young man wearing a gray Adi sportswear. The other side had not expected she would suddenly turn around, so he quickly put down his mobile phone, pretending as if nothing happened.
”He's quite good looking, it's just his sense of fas.h.i.+on is bad. The entire season back and forth, yet it's always the same two sets of gray and white sports wears. Not only that, from time to time he would match them with bright red socks.”
On this matter, Bo Ziren zipped up her lips.
Zhu Mingwen officially concluded: ”Judging from your expression, I bet he doesn't have even an iota of a chance.”
Seeing Bo Ziren showed no other response, Zhu Mingwen pursed her lips and unenthusiastically let the matter go.
After cla.s.s, Bo Ziren bought a box of biscuits from the campus' supermarket. When she lined up to pay, a voice came from behind her.
”You also liked lemon flavored sandwich biscuits?”
Bo Ziren turned around and saw a clean and neat square face.
”I'm sorry, I've bothered you during cla.s.s.” The Adi sportswear man smiled embarra.s.sedly, ”I'm called Fangzheng. I'm in the third year.”
Bo Ziren was somehow slow-witted in reply: ”h.e.l.lo.”
”I noticed you from the first day of school, but didn't get the chance to talk with you until now.” Fangzheng probed, ”It seems you always moved around alone.”
”En? En.”
”But you are very smart! It makes me admire you more.”
Bo Ziren was dumbfounded; she wanted to reply with a 'thank you' but the words were stucked at the tip of her tongue. In the brief moment of silence, it came to her turn to pay. She then hurriedly settling the goods and left the supermarket. No more than a dozen steps, Fangzheng already caught up to her, one of his hands waved at the empty s.p.a.ce at her back, he asked: ”Are you heading to the cafeteria?”
”No,” Bo Ziren replied honestly, ”I'm going to the lecturer's office.”
”Then I won't take more of your time, let's talk again next time.”
After Fangzheng left, Bo Ziren went on to meet Lecturer Fu He and helped tidied up some data as well as some miscellaneous ch.o.r.es. At the end of the day, she brought back a bunch of exam related questions back to her dormitory.
Back in her dormitory, she took off her outer coat and was surprised to find a piece of paper in one of the pockets. It was a letter.
Cla.s.smate Bo,
I presumed that you've already heard something about me from some other people's mouths, and they are right. I like you. Please forgive my awkwardness for some words are hard to express face to face, so I can only confess to you through a letter. I know not flowery words, and what I wished to convey is very simple.
From the first day of University when I met you, it gave me a different feeling. After these days of struggle and deep thinking, it made me realized that I've fallen in love with you at first sight. I look forward to catching a glimpse of you every single day, even more, I hope to be close to you. If you are willing, I hope we can start by being friends. Below is my phone numbers; I await your reply.
Lastly, I hope you can believe me when I say I'm a good person.
Bo Ziren read the letter twice, back to back, to make sure this letter was really intended for her. The content rendered her speechless.
She had never received letters similar to this and so was not sure how she should reply. At first, she decided to throw it away but it struck her that this represented a grown man's sincerity. To show respect, she folded it and placed it on top of a dictionary in the bookshelf.
Then, she proceeded to take the exam papers from Lecturer Fu, and a pen out. Lowering her head, she began to focus on the questions. After finis.h.i.+ng a page of them, her thoughts wandered off, and the tip of the pen unwittingly slanted off from the answer sections. Ten seconds had pa.s.sed when she looked down and realized, subconsciously she had written four words there--Love at first sight.
A wisp of hair fell over her face. Though she felt slightly irritated, she only brushed them away gently.
Inexplicably, she felt like this Monday was particularly long.
The feelings still shadowing her even two days after. She wondered if it was due to the cold weather that caused the blood flow to slacken, reaching the point of stagnation, and affecting her concentration.
Till Friday came.
Bo Ziren sat alone on the first floor of Lighthouse Café, flipping the book in her hands. Other than the soft music accompanying her, the surrounding atmosphere was peacefully quiet. Truth to be told, this café's interior design's layout was exquisite, the bright wallpapers made the place looked clean, every gla.s.s and cup were polished till they sparkled, and not a drop of grease stains could be spotted on the tables. Other than an old-style green-colored gla.s.s lamp, there were no other unnecessary decorations placed on the tables such as candles, lucky signs, and those kinds of extra fluff were not used here to display cuteness like many people did.
Especially the s.p.a.ce in the first floor. It was wide and s.p.a.cious, the solitude here was suitable for an afternoon reading.
Half an hour later, a small noise breached her focus.
Bo Ziren raised her head and looked towards the staircase where someone was coming down from the second floor. As the person came closer, she took a better look at him. Right, it was him. The man she had encountered last Friday.
Today, it was twelve degrees outside but he only donned in a dark-colored s.h.i.+rt and casual pants. Holding something in his hands, he casually walked down and took a quick glance over the first-floor area.
He saw the s.p.a.cious area only had one lamp on where a female student in a black sweater who sat at one of the corners. Next to her hand were a gla.s.s and book. The scene seemed to be very peaceful. It actually had him surprised, and coincidentally, at that very second, the female student looked up. Their gazes instantly met. At that moment, it was as if he was caught in an illusion, the s.p.a.ce between them turned into a vast ocean, and she was the solitary, lonely island.
His steps halted for a while before he resumed it and walked towards the switches. Switching on the two lights above her, he turned around, preparing to leave. But, he heard her voice: ”Excuse me, can I ask if you are here to join the Friday Book Exchange Club meeting?”
He turned around and answered: ”No.”
”No? But I see you're holding a book in your hand.”
”En, this is teaching materials.” He gave a single sentence explanation.
”Oh, I was mistaken, sorry.” She felt her own abrupt attempt of striking a conversation was seriously lacking in skills, so she swiftly retracted her gaze.
Out of her expectation, he voluntarily walked in her direction till he stood beside her, but still maintaining a respectable amount of s.p.a.ce between them. His eyes quietly fell on the book next to her, a book with blue and white cover, as if he was looking at something nostalgic. The angle of the light illuminating his pretty eyes. In the quiet, secluded corner, a long shadow of a slender silhouette was pinned onto the wall. She could vividly feel warm, gentle breaths fanning her clothes.
He slowly placed the book he was carrying down onto the table and took a seat opposite her. Stringing mild, well-thought words, he politely commented, ”The truth is, I didn't expect the recent Book Club Exchange would be so deserted, only one person attending. No matter what, thank you for joining.”
Bo Ziren thought for a moment before she said, ”I feel the atmosphere here is very good, and the location is also convenient. It's close to my dormitory.”
”You are studying nearby?”
”Yes, I'm attending my first year at Technical University.”
He smiled faintly, but there was no sign of inquiring about her further. Instead, he brought the topic back, ”What do you like to read in your free time?”