Life continued as usual in the days that followed. I wore the bracelet he gave me every day, feeling a warm glow in my heart. However, because I frequently dreamt of him, I often found myself distracted during classes.
At school, I had few friends. I was afraid that if people got too close and learned about my circumstances, they would look down on me. Zhang Ying, who also came from a rural background, was my only true friend. We lived in the same dormitory, and our hometowns were quite close. Unlike me, Zhang Ying was outgoing and energetic, never shying away from mentioning her rural origins. Many years later, I would learn that Zhang Ying's village was a nationally recognized model village, where every household had a neat, well-kept home, each with its own small two-story house. Fate can be so unfair.
At the time, I didn't know any of this. I just thought she was like me, with a similar family and background. Zhang Ying was popular at school and had many friends, so I was likely just one of many to her.
Recently, Zhang Ying seemed to notice my odd behavior. Since I was often distracted during class and frequently daydreamed, I had to rely on her for help with understanding the lectures and assignments. I could tell she often wanted to say something but stopped herself.
One afternoon, after class, the teacher kept us late, and most students had already rushed to the cafeteria. Only Zhang Ying and I remained in the classroom. She suddenly said, "Xinyi, we rural kids who make it to college should cherish this opportunity even more." I nodded, though I didn't understand why she brought it up.
She watched me for a while before saying, "It's late. Let's go eat."
"Sure, I need to hurry. I have to work tonight," I replied, starting to pack my things.
As I finished, I looked up to see her staring at me. Feeling self-conscious, I asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
"Oh, I just zoned out," she said lightly, though her expression seemed briefly unnatural.
As we approached the cafeteria, she suddenly said, "You seem different since you started your part-time job." It was as if she was talking to herself more than to me.
I quickly tried to brush it off. "No, I've just been tired lately."
She looked at me but didn't say anything more.
I had considered telling her about my feelings, but what was there to say? That I met a handsome customer at the café, and I liked him? That he gave me a gift, and I wondered if he liked me too? That he was the assistant to the chairman of some company, which sounded so impressive? That I was jealous of his girlfriend? And that I had only seen him twice and exchanged less than ten sentences? How would she react? Would she think I was foolish and shameless? I didn't know what was happening to me. Falling for someone after seeing them once—was that something a sane person would do?
Seeing me lost in thought, Zhang Ying switched to a lighter tone. "You've finished eating, right? Hurry up, or you'll be late for work!"
Her voice snapped me back to reality. I checked the time—5:45! I really was going to be late!
There wasn't time to go back to the dorm to change. Since meeting Gu Shijie, I tried to dress neatly for work. I didn't have many clothes, but I wanted to make a good impression. Today, there wasn't time. I took off my school uniform and asked Zhang Ying to take it back to the dorm for me.
"No problem, but next time I come to Love Coffee, you owe me a discount!" she teased. She always helped others but liked to joke about getting something in return. She knew I couldn't give discounts, but it was her way of making light of things.
I smiled and nodded. Taking off the uniform jacket left me in a short-sleeve white shirt tucked into my pants, which looked a bit thin in the late autumn evening. To cover my school pants, I untucked the shirt. It was old, and though clean, the fabric was yellowed. It was a gift from my stepfather on my mother's wedding day. I cherished it because I had never owned a white shirt before.
As I hurried to the café, I was lost in thought and didn't notice the traffic light. I heard a screech of brakes and turned to see a small silver car inches from me. The driver, a familiar face, called out, "Are you okay? Why aren't you watching where you're going?"
It was him! Gu Shijie!
He recognized me and joked, "Are you trying to scam people by pretending to get hit by cars?"
Shocked and overwhelmed by emotions—fear, relief, joy, and shyness—I stammered, "Scam?"
I had never heard the term. Did he think I was a bad person? Tears welled up and spilled down my cheeks.
Seeing me cry, he seemed flustered. "Don't cry. I was just joking. You scared me by running into the street like that."
He took a jacket from his car and draped it over my shoulders. It was warm and smelled like him.
He guided me to the café entrance. "Wait here while I park the car," he said.
I stood there, tears still on my cheeks, as he parked the car neatly in front of the café. He walked back and smiled gently at me.
"Are you in shock?" he asked softly.
I avoided his gaze and nodded.
He put his arm around my shoulders and led me inside. I followed him, feeling small and insignificant.
Inside, Zhao Kai saw us and looked surprised. He quickly said, "Go change and get to work. You're late today."
Before I could respond, Gu Shijie said, "I almost hit her with my car outside. She's a bit shaken. Can she rest a bit before starting?"
Zhao Kai's expression turned to concern. "Xinyi, are you okay?"
I nodded, unable to speak. I wanted to refuse, knowing how much I needed the money, but my heart told me to stay with Gu Shijie a little longer.
Zhao Kai nodded and pointed to a table. "Jessica is already here, waiting for you," he said to Gu Shijie.
I glanced over and saw the girl in the white dress from before. Her long hair glistened under the café lights. I felt a pang of discomfort.
Without a word, Gu Shijie led me to the table. Each step felt like an eternity, and my heart pounded with every step. He walked me to the table but didn't let go of my shoulder.
The girl was staring out the window, lost in thought. "What are you thinking about?" Gu Shijie asked with a hint of coldness in his voice, though it might have been my imagination.
The girl turned and saw us, her expression changing to surprise. She glanced at me and then at Gu Shijie, who released me and sat next to her, his arm around her shoulders.
"I almost hit her with my car. She seemed scared, so I brought her in to calm down," he said with a warm tone, a stark contrast to his earlier coldness.
He looked at me and said, "Can you take our order? I've heard you don't need to write it down. Is that true?"
I was confused. "Didn't you say I should rest?" I thought.
Seeing my hesitation, he repeated his request.
"Oh, okay," I replied quickly.
He ordered the usual items, and the girl asked for a cola instead of alcohol.
"That will be 396 yuan," I said.
He handed me five 100-yuan bills. "Keep the change," he said.
"No, I can't. It's too much," I protested, feeling overwhelmed.
The girl looked at him curiously. He smiled and said, "Consider it compensation for scaring you."
Seeing his firm expression, I reluctantly accepted. His words confused me. Did he want me to forget about today? To stay away from him? My heart felt heavy.
As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.