Outside the window, the sky was gray and gloomy.
Xiao Qi got up, opened the window, and a gust of cool air rushed in, instantly improving the air in the room and waking her up a bit.
Lin Qingqing was still curled up in the corner with a quilt. She had come back with a quilt to sleep here last night.
Now she was sleeping soundly. Her parents didn't even notice that their daughter wasn't sleeping in her own room.
Xiao Qi went out to wash up and saw Lin Min's mother making pancakes in the yard. She greeted her.
Lin Min's mother scolded "Damn girl" under her breath, but then awkwardly said, "Sorry for the trouble. I didn't disturb you, did I?"
Xiao Qi smiled and shook her head. After a while, she saw that Lin Min's mother had brought a few hot pancakes over and put them on her table.
She didn't know what kind of flour was used to make these pancakes. They weren't very oily either and didn't have much in them, just some sesame seeds sprinkled on top. They were a little salty with a crisp outside and soft inside. Xiao Qi had eaten them once before and found them quite tasty, but since the neighbor sold them, she was too shy to go buy them herself. She had only tried them when she was out with classmates.
It was still early so she reviewed what she had studied the night before.
She was mainly going over her New Concept English, all four textbooks of which she had completely finished.
For some reason, she felt like her English skills had been unleashed, and she probably wouldn't do too badly on an English exam now.
On the gaokao, she had made a lot of mistakes in English and Math. She got just over 110 in English and only 99 in Math. Fortunately her Chinese and liberal arts composite scores hadn't completely tanked.
After Xiao Qi finished reviewing and made breakfast, by the time Aunt Xiao Qi came down to eat and clean up, Lin Qingqing had just opened her eyes. She was a little embarrassed, but normally she would sleep until after 11am since she was on break. So with the quilt rolled up, she went back to her room to sleep.
When niece Su Simei heard that the girl had come to sleep with her last night because she was scared, she just laughed and didn't say anything.
Her own daughter was around the same age as Lin Qingqing, but the two girls didn't get along well. Whenever her daughter came over, she wouldn't even say hi, and she also liked to sleep in late, never getting up before noon.
After breakfast, Xiao Qi went to the library. She had a tutoring session in the afternoon and needed to prepare lessons in the morning. Her swimming was arranged for the evening.
Since she had started planning her learning, she found that she had less and less time. When she didn't have much of a plan before, she had time to read extracurricular books, daydream, and chat with friends. But now she felt like she didn't have as much time for those things.
On her way now she would also listen to some Japanese audio, simple daily phrases, as well as the dubbing from Japanese anime, which helped reinforce what she learned and get a sense of the language.
She sat in her usual spot at the library.
This was the third class. Xiao Qi now felt more relaxed. Grasping each student's learning progress and explaining lessons interchangeably wasn't actually that hard.
She was also planning to prepare today's lesson at the library and then look for some Japanese learning materials.
She had just started learning Japanese and had ample enthusiasm for it. What's more, Japanese gave her the illusion that it seemed rather easy to pick up.
Whether that was an illusion or not, she wanted to learn as much as she could while interested.
Interest was the best teacher and made everything twice as easy.
As for Qi Wei, who wanted a summer romance this vacation, he didn't even dare to approach anyone let alone flirt. Instead, he shamefully picked up a watch someone had dropped and even dug through the trash. He felt this was the most humiliating he had ever been in his life.
Feeling dejected for a while, his buddies brought up adventures from the past and suggested going on a trip around Japan.
Shen Hao, who was in the UK, also said he would meet them there in Japan.
Qi Wei decided to go clear his head. It was inconvenient to fly from Lvshan City though, so he would have to take a bus to the Fucheng airport first to catch the evening flight to Japan.
Even though he had decided to go and would probably be away for half a month, only coming back when school started, he figured the librarian girl would be gone by then since she had already graduated high school and would start university in the fall.
It was Thursday today so that girl would definitely show up at the library.
He hadn't intended to come, ready to just leave, but he dragged his feet organizing his luggage and getting ready to head out. Yet, he still came to the library, using saying goodbye to his mom as an excuse even though she wasn't there today because of a meeting.
Qi Wei had dressed up a bit for his Japan trip, wearing a white T-shirt, nice sneakers, athletic pants, a jacket. He looked fresh and handsome with a smart watch on his wrist.
That morning he had looked at himself in the mirror many times before leaving the house and checked himself out in the lobby mirror when he entered the library too. He did indeed look quite attractive—over 6 feet tall with long legs.
But when he got to the door of the reading room, he choked up.
His heart was pounding rapidly. This was the first time he had a crush on a girl.
Truly.
At school, he felt girls and guys were the same—all just animals, no difference.
But here it was different.
Because every time he came to this reading room, he felt a sense of ritual, like it was especially formal.
Even if that girl wasn't there.
Now, even just walking up the steps to the library entrance, his footsteps felt different.
This feeling was a bit expectant, a bit thrilled, but mostly empty and sour.
He really wanted to come but didn't dare to come. He dragged his feet until it was almost noon.
By this time, Xiao Qi had already prepared her lesson and was looking at Japanese learning materials.
Qi Wei didn't even know what mindset he entered the reading room with—hoping she would be there yet hoping she wouldn't be.
If she wasn't there, then after he got back from Japan and school started, maybe he would have forgotten all this.
If she was there...what could he even do?
It was entirely one-sided pining.
It didn't even count as a secret crush. There was no intersection whatsoever.
Lost in these random thoughts, he walked into the reading room. As expected, no one was at that table and he breathed a sigh of relief followed immediately by an immense feeling of loss.
His whole being felt empty. It was like going to Japan no longer held any meaning.
Just then his phone rang.
"Qi Wei, where are you? Weren't we meeting for lunch?"
"I'm at the library."
"Still going there? Don't tell me you can't let it go yet?"
"No, I'm going to Japan soon. You dimwits don't even know Japanese. I came to the library to find some Japanese language materials to make an itinerary. What would you guys do there every day otherwise—just stay at the hotel playing games?" Qi Wei laughed mockingly.
"Alright, the itinerary is in your hands then. Wrap it up and come eat. Lvshan Restaurant. Hurry up." Da Dong hung up.
Qi Wei smiled bitterly and went to the reading room. He found the Japanese section and checked out a Japanese travel guide to read on his way to kill time.
He slowly made his way to that section and then froze.
In front of the long bookshelf, the girl was on her tiptoes, reaching up for a book.
Her hair was a bit messy with a little ponytail at the back of her head.
She was slightly taller than he had imagined.
She was so beautiful, just standing there.
