In the days following, I rushed to the shop right after class and was always the last to leave, afraid I might miss him. But for several days, there was no news at all.
"Zhao Kai, has anyone come to the shop recently to look for something?" I finally couldn't hold back and asked the young man who had welcomed me to the shop that day.
"Hmm? Looking for something? I don't know. No one has asked me."
"What do you mean by 'no one has asked you'? Have you taken time off recently?"
"Oh, I'm just like you, not a full-time employee."
"Oh..." I realized that even though I had known him for a while, I still didn't know much about him.
"What's up? Did someone leave something here? I told you before, just leave it in the bar's storage compartment for the owner to retrieve."
"Yeah..." I responded absentmindedly.
"Oh, by the way, I haven't formally introduced myself," he said, straightening up. "Hi, I'm Zhao Kai, a sophomore at Shan University, and a part-time waiter here at Love Coffee, just like you." He extended his hand and added, "So, now we officially know each other. Let's shake hands?"
I looked at him, finding him rather amusing. After a brief hesitation, I felt too shy to extend my hand.
Seeing that I didn't respond, he awkwardly rubbed his hands together and said with a mock angry expression, "Hey, don't be so stingy. It's just a handshake."
"I, I, I..." I tried to explain, but after struggling for a while, I couldn't think of anything to say, my face turning red.
Seeing my embarrassed expression, he burst into laughter. "Why are you so serious? I was just joking. Look at how anxious you got! Hahaha. Hey, are you still a minor? Have you never been in a relationship? Hahaha."
His laughter made me even more embarrassed. I hurriedly explained, "No, no, please don't misunderstand. I just, I, well..."
My stammering only made him laugh harder. After he finally stopped laughing, he said, "Alright, it's your turn to introduce yourself now. I already did mine, no cheating."
"Oh, sorry. I'm Li Xinyi, a freshman at Shan University."
"Oh, you're a freshman! We're at the same school. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me," he said proudly.
"Okay, thank you," I replied.
"By the way, what did someone leave behind?" he asked, turning to check the storage compartment at the bar.
By then, it was too late for me to stop him. He took out the wallet from the compartment, looked at it, then put it back without saying anything.
Seeing that he didn't ask further, I went back to work. But still, he didn't come back to retrieve the wallet. Expectation gradually turned into disappointment, and disappointment finally gave way to calm.
Sometimes, I even hoped to see the girl who was with him that day. I didn't know why. I was so jealous of her then, even harboring a bit of resentment, thinking she didn't deserve him. But now, I yearned to see her. Maybe if I saw her, it would mean he hadn't forgotten this place or me, who was somewhat associated with it.
Student life was monotonous and uneventful. My routine was school, coffee shop, and back again. I studied hard, worked hard, and saved money. I couldn't say exactly why. Was it for the broken home I left behind? No, it was a place I never wanted to return to. Except for my mother, I had no attachments there. And I wasn't foolish enough to send my hard-earned money back home for my stepfather to gamble away. My mother was helpless in front of him. So why? Was it for him? That lofty, unattainable man I had only met once? To be worthy of him? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. No, that's impossible. How could I ever be worthy of him? People are strange like that—resenting the girl with him, thinking she didn't deserve him, but knowing deep down I was even less worthy.
I was lost in thought when I heard that warm, sunlit voice again, "Yes, long time no see!"
My hands paused, and I looked toward the voice. It was him! He was talking to me? I was about to greet him when I saw he was looking in another direction.
Another man walked briskly toward him. "Hey, it's been a while. What have you been up to lately?" It turned out the owner was chatting with him. So he knew the owner? Right, he mentioned being a regular and knowing the owner when he gave me the tip. But judging by their close relationship, it seemed deeper than that.
The two of them talked as they walked inside. Whether intentionally or not, he sat at the same spot I had taken him to last time.
Standing at the bar, I felt restless, wondering how to return his wallet. Would it seem too deliberate to mention it in front of the owner? I was thinking when the owner called out, "Xiao Li, Xiao Li?"
"Yes, coming, boss!"
"Get this gentleman a steak, and bring me a salad and two mojitos."
"Okay." After taking the order, I hesitated, then carefully said, "Sir, you left something here last time. Please remember to collect it from the bar before you leave."
The owner wasn't in the shop the last time he visited, so he didn't know about this.
The owner's face darkened with surprise. "What did he leave? Why don't I know about this?"
I was about to explain when he said, "This girl is very attentive. I came here a few months ago, and Zhao Shu wasn't here." He spoke with a smile, seemingly to both me and the owner.
Hearing this, the owner's expression softened. "Well done, Xiao Li. Make sure to keep the guests' belongings safe. It's important for the shop's reputation."
"Got it," I replied softly, turning to leave.
He suddenly called out to me, "This is for you." He handed me a small, exquisitely wrapped gift box. I didn't dare to take it. I glanced at the owner, then at him. What did this mean? We had only met once, and he was giving me a gift? Inside, I was thrilled, eager to see what he had given me, but I didn't dare to accept it in front of the owner.
The owner, seeing my hesitation, said, "Since it's from Mr. Gu, take it. Consider it a thank you for keeping his belongings safe."
With the owner's approval, I no longer refused. I stammered my thanks, my voice trembling. I didn't know if he noticed.
I took the gift, feeling it hot in my hands. I held it tightly, afraid it might fall. I kept my head down, not wanting them to see my face. I felt like I might fly away from excitement. I clutched the gift, walking mechanically back to the bar. Once there, I quickly put the gift in my bag, hiding it deep inside to keep it safe from being taken or accidentally lost.
Meanwhile, by the floor-to-ceiling window, their conversation continued.
"Mr. Gu knows my Xiao Li?"
"Hey, I recently went to Southeast Asia and brought back some local trinkets. I also got some for Zhao Shu's staff. They're just small things, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to make them happy since I often come here."
"Hey, you brat. I thought you wanted to pick more goods from my shop."
"Zhao Shu, I'm serious about this relationship! Hahaha."
"Tsk, I know you too well. But be careful not to let your little princess find out. Her family isn't easy to deal with. Don't drag me into trouble."
"Don't worry, Zhao Shu. You know my choices."