After dinner, the two of them strolled along the Wen River.
One mouth, one pair of eyes, chatting very harmoniously.
A phone rang from the bag, it was a ringtone specially set for Tian Lijun by Su Yao. She coughed lightly and her voice changed when she answered the phone: “Tian Manager.”
Liang Chuyuan stopped too, leaning on the railing, watching the surging river below the bridge. On the other end of the phone, Su Yao spoke in a businesslike tone, she spoke very little, mostly just responding.
He absentmindedly thought, Su Yao in work mode, cautious and nervous, not as relaxed as when chatting, as if the boss on the other end of the phone was a fierce beast.
She probably doesn’t like this job.
After more than a minute, Su Yao hung up the phone.
“Sorry.”
Work-related?
“Yeah, my boss…” It was too trivial, Su Yao felt a bit embarrassed, “She asked me to cancel the movie tickets I booked a couple of days ago, said she had something and couldn’t go.”
What movie?
Su Yao mentioned the name, explaining: “It was an arthouse film showing recently. My boss has a friend visiting Wencheng who’s into art, she specifically arranged it. I don’t know what happened, she suddenly wants to cancel… Oh, and also, she just told me, about the painting she picked at the Century Building—”
Are you resting this weekend?
Suddenly a voice came into her ears, Su Yao’s words took a turn halfway, “Yes, I’m resting, why?”
Are you interested in that arthouse film?
Su Yao’s breath paused for a second.
She heard herself say, “I quite like the female lead in that movie.”
Liang Chuyuan nudged his nose with his finger, looking a bit guilty: Maybe we can take advantage of your boss’s situation.
After dinner, just a glass of soda, Su Yao looked at Liang Chuyuan with misty eyes, as if intoxicated.
She blinked, “Okay, sure.”
What time is the movie showing?
“It seems to be at six in the afternoon.”
Shall I wait for you downstairs at your place?
Almost being pushed along, Su Yao’s heart was pounding like a drum. She lowered her head and said, “Okay.”
They arranged to meet again like this.
Not seeing Liang Chuyuan’s eyes, Su Yao felt much calmer. Suddenly she remembered she hadn’t finished her previous words, so she raised her head and continued, “Oh, my boss just told me that her friend really likes that moonlight painting. I thought, since you helped me decide on it, otherwise I might have been indecisive for a long time, so… thank you.”
That moonlight painting?
“Yes.”
But Liang Chuyuan’s mouth drooped with concern: Actually, the moonlight painting isn’t good enough, there was a part where I pressed too hard.
Su Yao: “…”
*
During the weekend, before meeting Liang Chuyuan, Su Yao went to the bookstore to find Guan Ting.
“You’re looking pretty good, like you’re glowing.”
Su Yao tossed a tissue over, “Can you stop talking!”
Guan Ting chuckled, “Isn’t it true? Have you encountered something good lately? Or is Tian the culprit traveling again?”
“Neither.”
Su Yao took out a thermos from her bag, filled with hot tea she brewed before leaving home. She didn’t know the variety, it was a gift from Tian Lijun, smelled fragrant, and tasted smooth without bitterness.
“Do I?” Su Yao touched her face, thinking of a coincidence, so she lifted the thermos, “Maybe it’s from drinking too much hot tea.”
“Nonsense.” Guan Ting leaned on the wooden table, her chin pressed against it, her voice popping, “Yao Yao, my brother asked about you again the other day.”
Su Yao shrugged, “Why did he ask about me? Planning to buy a crane for our company?”
“I’m serious with you. You know, ever since he met you in his freshman year, he’s been obsessed with you. It’s been almost ten years, it takes a lot of infatuation for that! Are you going to consider him?”
Su Yao calmly replied, “But I’ve seen him with his girlfriend for the past ten years.”
Guan Ting assured her with a smirk, “If you two get together and he dares to mess around, I’ll break his legs!”
“So, are you determined to send me into the fire?”
Guan Ting fell silent. She knew her brother’s character very well. Setting Su Yao up with him was just to give Su Yao more dating experience. She couldn’t really insist on being single forever, could she?
Seeing her dejected, Su Yao lifted her face and gently pinched her cheek, “Don’t overthink it. Your brother will definitely find someone better suited for him than me.”
“Who cares about him! I’m worried about you, okay?”
Su Yao raised her hands in surrender, “My bad, my bad. I wrongly accused the beautiful Guan sister.”
Guan Ting chuckled, half jokingly and half complaining, “It’s really strange. You’re so pretty, why are your romantic encounters so poor?”
“Who said my romantic encounters are poor?”
Su Yao gestured toward her mouth.
Guan Ting didn’t understand.
“Silly.” Su Yao tapped her head, “Do you remember that handsome guy you mentioned with aphasia?”
“Aphasia? Oh, you mean the one who likes to drink coffee at my place? What about him?”
Su Yao cleared her throat and slowly said, “That would be me, Su Yao. Tomorrow, I’m going to watch a movie with him.”