Waking up from her nap, Alice Jones lazily lit a cigarette to wake up.
Dropping the lighter, there happened to be a new message on her mobile phone on the bedside table. Her university roommate Anna sent a message, 'Alice, got an appointment this afternoon?'
With a cigarette in one hand, Alice slowly picked up her phone and replied, 'Date for what?'
'A date.' Anna sent a voice message with flirtation in his tone, 'You're known by everyone at North City University as a beautiful woman, and you're still short of boys to date?'
Alice happily held down the voice button and said, 'Don't you know that I'm with boys all day now?'
Anna laughed out loud, 'I know, I know, I miss that handsome boy in your house. The Little kid is on his summer holiday, right?'
'A few more days.' Alice bends her eyes, exhales smoke after an unhurried drag, and asks, 'What's it to me?'
Anna, 'Oh, if you're free this afternoon, drive a car to the school and help me move my dormitory stuff out of the rental.'
Alice said, 'I'm free, but why are you suddenly moving dorms? Is the Doctorate building uncomfortable to live in?'
Anna is her roommate in college, the two of them were also together when they were studying for masters, and they graduated this year, but Anna is still continuing to study for her PhD.
Anna quickly came back: 'Rudolph House is going to be demolished, it has been raining since summer this year, the roof seems to have some water seepage, and the school is so generous that they are going to rebuild the whole building. You know the Doctor's building isn't far from there, it's going to be so noisy with all the clunking machines, I've decided to move out early.'
Alice Jones listened as she reached for the ashtray and lit the ashes, understanding.
Rudolph House is indeed one of the oldest libraries, that place ... still has a lot of memories of her and her ex-boyfriend.
When studying in college, Alice Jones had a boyfriend called Victor Miller, a year older than her; then he studied abroad, she did not go, so they broken up.
Forget about it, it's been four years since the breakup.
At the same time another message from Anna came in on her phone, and she said, 'By the way, where's the kid when you're out? It's the weekend. Anyone with him?'
Alice Jones says, 'There's someone at home.'
'Nice. I was thinking if no one can take care of Lucas you can bring him along to school as well.'
Alice Jones agreed casually, but she didn't want to bring Lucas to school during the day because people may see him and wonder how she got the kid if she wasn't married.
Putting her mobile phone down, Alice finished that cigarette unsteadily and got up.
She applies some makeup first, then goes to the wardrobe to select a white shirt hanging over the black suspenders, and finally grabs the car keys from the bedroom.
Alice lives in the north of the city, not very far to the school, a few minutes away.
On a weekend afternoon, the campus avenue was filled with students in twos and threes, all relaxing and chatting under their parasols, and there was no shortage of couples walking openly, holding hands.
As Alice watched through the windscreen, many memories of her years with Victor drifted inexplicably through her mind.
Victor was a well-known figure in the school at that time, with impeccable features from head to toe, and a charm that even the professors couldn't help but admire.
When Alice entered her freshman year, she developed a crush on Victor, who was a sophomore back then. After a year of pursuit, she finally managed to win over the seemingly uninterested Victor in her sophomore year.
He was truly exceptional. During those intense and widely known pursuit days, even his professors would jest with him, saying, "You're almost there, give the campus beauty some face."
Eventually, he did give her face and they got together.
However, Alice always assumed that with his close relationships with the professors, he would stay at the school for postgraduate studies.
She never thought his aspirations were abroad.
Similarly, Victor presumed that with her affluent background and carefree nature, she wouldn't mind studying abroad, envisioning them continuing their adventures overseas together.
But one day, when the topic unexpectedly surfaced, they both revealed their hands, leaving them both a bit stunned.
Because she didn't intend to go.
Initially, Alice was indifferent about studying abroad, but during that time, her father fell ill and was hospitalized, making her unable to leave the country.
If he went abroad, they would have to endure a long-distance relationship.
And this long-distance relationship would span several years, with the prospect of only seeing each other at most once a year.
In the end, they parted ways amicably.
Well, not entirely amicable; there was some lingering resentment.
They broke up a year after being together, during Victor's junior year, once they understood each other's perspectives. So, during his senior year, they had an on-again, off-again relationship with frequent entanglements.
...
Alice parked the car downstairs near the doctoral building and went up to the dormitory.
Upon pushing open the dormitory door, she finds the room in disarray.
Anna is carrying a few books and places them on the table. After catching her breath, she looks up and said, "You're here, sis. I am just about to return these books to the library that I borrowed before."
Alice glances at the books and then surveyes the mess in her unfinished dorm room. The single room is already cramped, and there is hardly any space to move during the move.
Alice decides, "I'll go. You continue to tidy up. I feel like I won't even be able to get in."
"Sure, thank you," Anna nods.
Alice picks up the books and heads back downstairs.
The Library of Rudolph was not far away. After a short walk, an old-fashioned building came into view, with green tiles on the roof and red bricks on the exterior walls. One side of the wall facing west was covered in ivy, adding a touch of charm. It was a popular spot due to its beauty.
Alice and Victor used to meet here frequently back in the day.
Their conversations from those days were quite intriguing. Victor had a reserved demeanor, not one to talk much, and he didn't appreciate excessive chatter. The more straightforward the rejection, the better.
After pursuing him for a year, Alice had figured out his temperament.
So, when she made plans with him after they got together, she never said, "Victor, would you like to watch a movie with your girlfriend today? Then we can stroll down the street, I want to buy clothes."
She would simply send him a message saying, "Bro, Library of Rudolph."
Nothing more needed to be said.
She would then wait downstairs for him. Before long, a tall and slender young man would appear, wearing a black T-shirt, casually holding a phone, strolling leisurely from the direction of the dormitory or the academic building.
His features were lazy and unrestrained.
When they met, as their relationship was unknown to others at school, they wouldn't embrace or talk under the Library of Rudolph. They would simply pass by each other, their gazes silently touching and intertwining in the air.
In his eyes, as dark as ink, a faint, almost imperceptible smile would slowly overflow, then he would casually tilt his head and walk ahead.
Next, he would let her go wherever she wanted.
He never refused.
...
Alice sighed, realizing that Victor back then was truly aloof and difficult to handle; however, she had a penchant for conquering such challenges, making him irresistibly attractive to her.
This allure eventually led to her still having some... feelings for him even after their breakup.
Entering the building, Alice found the place to return the books, but it was deserted.
Next to her was a promotional poster, announcing an afternoon lecture by a school postdoctoral fellow on the third floor.
She wondered if the person had gone to attend the lecture.
Alice turned around, leaning against the counter, and waved her hand to cool herself down. It was hot after a few steps in this season, and there was no air conditioning here.
Fortunately, as she fanned herself a few times, someone hurried down from upstairs to help her return the books.
As she was busy, Alice inadvertently noticed two men coming out from the elevator not far away, with one of them seeming to cast a glance in her direction.
The tall and erect figure exuded a sense of indescribable familiarity.
Alice couldn't help but glance over. At the same time, the man slowly averted his gaze.
Then, the person next to him spotted her, nodded in greeting, and said, "Alice, there you are."
Alice and Mike nodded in acknowledgment, and then her gaze swept over the man beside him, who slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at his phone.
Alice was surprised; she hadn't expected to meet again after four years, and especially not at school.
Mike was Victor's college roommate, and they had both gone to Cambridge after graduation.
He was the only person beside Victor who knew about her child with Victor. Thus, over time, he would occasionally share some news about Victor with her.
When she snapped back to reality and looked again, the two men had already turned towards her direction.
It seemed like Mike deliberately walked towards her, while Victor appeared nonchalant as he followed.
A faint smile flickered in Alice's eyes.
After returning the books, she turned around and leaned back against the counter, reaching back to tuck away the strands of hair falling on her face to get a better look at the man she hadn't seen in years.
Victor is tall, dresses in a light white T-shirt and black trousers in the peak of summer. His short black hair had a few strands falling over his forehead.
As he approached closer, the slightly raised corners of his eyes and a teardrop-shaped mole under his eye added a touch of allure to his already impeccable facial features.
With a sudden glance, he seemed not much different from before, exuding a casual and lazy aura with a hint of shining radiance, still resembling the twenty-year-old university student who was once the campus heartthrob.
Alice recalled her freshman year when the girls in the dormitory enthusiastically discussed helping the senior students during orientation, mentioning how good-looking they all seemed.
At that time, upon hearing this, a senior sister who came to check the dorms smiled knowingly and said, "Perhaps you've heard of Victor?"
Everyone asked who he was.
She replied, "A deity, a perpetual spring light at North City University."
Though the seasons changed, Victor remained steadfast in his demeanor.
Even though four years had passed, he appeared to have no connection with time.
As Alice lowered her hand, Mike, not far away, spoke first, "What are you doing here, Alice? Alone?"
Alice casually replied, "My roommate moved dorms, so I came to return her books. How about you guys?"
Mike pointed to the promotional poster beside her, "Our university roommate's lecture. We have nothing to do, so we thought we'd listen in."
"Ah," Alice glanced again at the poster and realized that the postdoctoral fellow giving the lecture was indeed another one of Victor's former roommates.
She looked up and, facing the person who had now approached her, said, "I forgot that Bob was also your dorm mate back then. You guys were all talented in your dorm."
Mike chuckled and glanced back at Victor, "Where's the courtesy in that, does it count?"
At this remark, Victor halted beside him, raising his eyelids slightly.
Alice and his gaze intertwined at a distance of about a meter.
Meeting again after four years, in the man's still captivating eyes, his expression on this scorching summer afternoon was noticeably aloof and cool.
It was as if he no longer recognized her.
Alice curved her lips into a smile and took the initiative to speak to him, "Long time no see."
Victor nodded slightly, "Hmm."
His demeanor, just like when she first started pursuing him, was cold and distant, filled with an arrogant air of indifference.
Alice wasn't surprised by this at all; everyone in the school knew Victor's character. When he wasn't familiar with someone, he tended to be quite untidy.
She continued nonchalantly, as if she had no idea about his situation, and asked him, "Why did you return to the country at this time?"
"Graduation," he replied.
"Oh, so soon."
Mike's gaze shifted between the two for a few seconds. Seeing that Victor didn't seem inclined to continue the conversation, but noticing that Alice had initiated twice already, he casually tried to liven up the atmosphere and asked Alice, "Are you graduating, Alice?"
"I'm graduating this year, just getting my master's," she nodded, then felt her phone vibrate, glancing down.
Her roommate messaged her, saying they had returned the books and were getting bubble tea.
Realizing there wasn't much left to discuss with Victor at the moment, she looked up and said to Mike, "You guys carry on, I have something to attend to."
"Sure."
Alice's gaze returned to Victor, she smiled and said, "Goodbye."
Unexpectedly, the usually expressionless man glanced at her at this moment and even inquired, "Are you in a hurry?"
Alice didn't understand what he meant, "What's up?"
He stared straight at her, "If you're not in a hurry, I have something to ask you."