The café near the hospital was almost empty on that Wednesday night.Outside, the city had already slowed down. The streetlights reflected on the glass window, and the steam from the cups rose like a warm breath between the two friends.
Yuyan held her cup of tea with both hands. Her loose hair fell naturally over her shoulders, as if she were too tired to control anything other than her own heart.Across from her, Xiaoqing noticed that the silence was different this time—denser, as if words were waiting for permission to exist.
— You called me here with that dramatic face… and still haven't said anything — she teased.
Yuyan slowly lifted her gaze. There were no tears, but hesitation.— I wanted to show you something.
She picked up her phone, opened a conversation, took a deep breath, and turned the screen toward Xiaoqing.
Yuyan,I was invited to close the Interdisciplinary Academic Conference on Health and Applied Research this Friday, at 6 p.m., in the university auditorium.If you can—and would like to—attend, it would be an honor to have you there.Afterwards, if you're available, I thought we could have dinner. Nothing formal. Just a quiet conversation, like the one at the tea house.No rush.— Wen
Xiaoqing leaned back in her chair, reading more than once. She placed the phone down carefully.— He wrote "no rush"… but you're clearly panicking.
— I don't know what to reply — Yuyan admitted.
— Afraid?She nodded.— I don't know what this means… what he expects. Or… what I expect.
Xiaoqing placed her hand over Yuyan's.— You've spent your whole life taking care of others. It's not wrong to let someone invite you in. Or to let someone see you.
— And if it goes wrong?— Then I'll be at the auditorium door with hot chocolate and a plan B.
They both laughed, but Yuyan still hesitated.— Do you want to go?Her answer came without sound—just a small nod. But complete.
After a few seconds staring at the screen, Yuyan typed:
I'll try to go. Thank you for the invitation. And… for the gesture.
Xiaoqing burst out laughing.— "For the gesture"? That sounds like you're thanking someone for a blood donation.— I don't know how to flirt over text.— That's not flirting, that's diplomatic protocol.
Yuyan handed her the phone.— Then write it for me.— "Professor Wen, I'll be at your highly relevant lecture accompanied by my lovely colleague. And afterwards… I'll go alone to dinner, because I plan to confess with sophistication."— Ridiculous.— True. But fun.
Yuyan smiled, thought for a moment, and retyped:
Thank you for the invitation. I accept.
She showed it to Xiaoqing, who nodded with an affectionate smile.— Perfect.
The message was sent.— It's official now — said Xiaoqing.
— You have a date with Professor Serene.— It's not a date…— Of course not. Just a lecture with romantic tension and a symbolic dinner.
Yuyan laughed and looked away.— Xiaoqing… could you help me with something?— I could. But now you've made me curious.Yuyan just smiled, not answering.
Later, at the restaurant near the university
The air inside carried the warmth of freshly cooked rice and aromatic broths. Wen and Lin dined in silence, as they had many times before — a friendship built on quiet spaces.
In the middle of a conversation about classes, Wen's phone vibrated. He read the notification and smiled — small, but whole.
— What is it? — Lin asked.— I invited Yuyan to attend the closing lecture. And… to have dinner afterwards. She accepted.
Lin blinked a few times. Then, with a faint smile:— Since college… I haven't seen you like this.
— Like what?— The kind of "like this" that can't be explained. But you know it when you see it.
Wen didn't reply. But the smile remained.And Lin, without admitting it, smiled too.