The sound of applause still filled the auditorium as Wen Zhaonan stepped down from the stage.A few students approached him, eager, firing quick questions or asking to take pictures. He answered with patience, but without lingering too long — his gaze, though attentive to each face, seemed to be searching for another point in the room.
Leaning against the side wall, Yuyan watched.There was something in his posture, in the way he listened to each question with calm, that held her attention more than she cared to admit.
At the same time, she felt the faint warmth in her cheeks — an involuntary memory of the moment he caught her taking a photo of him… and smiled.Lin, beside her, was saying something about university colleagues, but she couldn't fully focus.
And then, without warning, Wen appeared.He didn't hesitate, didn't make detours. He walked straight toward them.Upon arriving, he stopped in front of Lin, leaned slightly, and said something in a low tone that made the professor smile in mild surprise.
Then, his eyes turned to Yuyan.— I really enjoyed your lecture — she said, keeping her voice steady despite the quickening of her heart. — Not just for the content… but for the way you spoke.
There was a brief silence.Just long enough for her to wonder if she had said something too forward.His gaze, however, softened.
— I'm glad you came — he replied, in a tone almost intimate, as if it were a thank-you meant only for her.
The foyer beside the auditorium smelled strongly of freshly brewed coffee.On the long table, black cups were lined up like small sentinels beside trays of biscuits and fruit.Yuyan held hers with both hands, more to occupy her fingers than for the warmth of the drink. Around them, groups formed and dissolved, exchanging greetings and comments about the lecture.
Wen stood a few steps away, speaking with two foreign professors.He spoke fluent English, calm in tone, his posture slightly inclined to listen attentively. Now and then, he gestured discreetly, as if every movement was also considered.
Yuyan didn't understand all of the conversation, but she noticed something in their expressions — that mix of respect and genuine curiosity. One of them even jotted something down on his phone while Wen explained a point.
— He's always been like that — said a voice beside her. It was Professor Lin, holding a coffee identical to hers.
— It doesn't matter if he's speaking to a hundred students or two colleagues: he talks as if he's planting an idea. And in the end, you find yourself thinking about it for the rest of the day.
Yuyan allowed a small smile, keeping her eyes on him.— You can tell… — she replied.
When Wen ended the conversation and approached, the faint gleam in his eyes suggested he'd noticed she was watching him.— Enjoying the coffee? — he asked, almost as if to fill an interval of silence.
He held her gaze for a moment, as if wanting to keep that phrase, then smiled faintly.— Then let's keep the standard and go for dinner before it gets cold — he said, offering his arm in a simple but assured invitation.
When he finished his coffee, he set the cup back on the table and straightened his blazer with a quick gesture.— Ready? — he asked, looking at Yuyan as if the question were more an invitation than a formality.
She nodded, adjusting her bag strap on her shoulder.Wen made his way through the groups, and Yuyan followed, aware that a few glances trailed after them. Professors paused conversations to watch discreetly; some students exchanged quick whispers, trying to guess who the young woman leaving at his side might be.
There was curiosity in the air — the kind that isn't voiced aloud, but hangs there all the same.
Farther back, Professor Lin observed the scene with a half-smile. He took his phone from his pocket, framed the two from behind — her with a measured step, him slightly leaning to say something along the way — and snapped a photo.
The caption he typed was short: I think we have a new chapter in your novel.
He sent it to Xiaoqing, who replied within seconds with a string of wide-eyed and heart emojis.Lin pocketed the phone and let out a brief, almost inaudible laugh.
There was no need to say anything — the image already spoke for itself.
Outside, the night carried a fresh air that contrasted with the gentle warmth of the auditorium.Streetlights reflected in the puddles left by the evening drizzle, and the distant sound of a street saxophone mingled with the city's low murmur.
Wen walked beside Yuyan, keeping a pace comfortable for her.The silence between them wasn't heavy — it was the kind built when there's no hurry to fill the spaces.
They arrived at a discreet restaurant with a dark wooden façade and gold-brushed lettering. Inside, the tables were small, the lighting low and warm, and soft instrumental music filled the air with serenity.
They sat by the window, where the street outside was quiet.The simple, well-organized menu revealed first impressions: Yuyan preferred light dishes, especially with fish and vegetables; Wen, on the other hand, had a taste for handmade pasta and rich broths.
— So, nothing too spicy? — he asked after hearing her choices.— Not too much… — she smiled.
— But if there's chrysanthemum tea, it's always a yes.
He nodded slightly in approval.— Chrysanthemum tea… I guessed as much.
Yuyan raised her eyes, curious.
— What do you mean "guessed"?
Wen leaned back slightly, folding his hands on the table.— Because I've already read you.
She blinked, confused. — Read me?— Your writing. — His tone wasn't accusatory nor overly curious; it was almost… respectful.
— I came across it by chance. And since then… I haven't been able to stop.
Heat rose to her face.— I… didn't know you…— Don't worry. — He smiled faintly.
— It was like finding a bottled letter. And suddenly recognizing the handwriting.
For a moment, she looked away to her teacup, taking a deep breath.Since Xiaoqing, no one had crossed the walls she kept firm. But there, with that gaze that didn't demand, only waited, she found herself opening a small gap.
She spoke about her childhood in Hengdian, her mother, the path to nursing. Not everything — but enough to feel that something inside her was shifting.
When the food arrived, a slow melody began playing in the background — piano and strings, with a sweetness that seemed to suspend time.For a minute, neither spoke. They just listened, and in that silence, something made them think of what they wouldn't dare say aloud.
He stirred his tea; she watched the light reflected in the surface of her soup.And somehow, both knew that this minute wasn't only about music.
When the last cup of tea was emptied, Wen rested his chin on his hand for a moment, as if weighing something.— It's still early — he said, calmly. — Would you have time to walk along the bridges?
Yuyan took a second to answer, but her light smile was enough to say yes.— I would.
They left the restaurant, and the night breeze wrapped them in a gentle freshness. The streets toward the river were quiet, lit by lanterns reflecting on the dark water.
They reached the first bridge. The sound of the current was low, almost a whisper. On the horizon, the moon hung over the waters like an old beacon.Wen rested his hands on the railing and looked upward.— There — he pointed toward the sky.
— Do you see that brightest star, close to the moon?
She followed his gaze.
— Yes.— Do you know why it looks brighter? — He kept his eyes fixed on the luminous point.
— Because it's in the right place to shine… even surrounded by so much dark space.
Yuyan didn't answer immediately. There was something in his voice — not in the phrase itself — that made her understand this wasn't just about astronomy.
They kept walking. The silence between them felt more and more comfortable, almost intimate.
Suddenly, a colder gust swept across the bridge, making her draw her shoulders in slightly.Wen noticed. Without a word, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
The fabric still held the warmth of his body.— That's better — he said simply.
She held the lapel of the coat, feeling a warmth that didn't come only from the wool. It was different. Almost as if that gesture had lit something beneath her skin, something she wasn't sure she wanted — or could — name.
The moon reflected on the river. And for a moment, Yuyan wondered if the night wasn't already writing a chapter she would never forget.
The street was calm, lit only by the streetlamps and the moon's soft glow. Wen parked in front of Yuyan's house and turned off the engine. Neither was in a hurry to get out. It was as if the night had found its own rhythm here.
They walked side by side to the gate. Stopped in front of it, facing each other, as if there was something both wanted to say… but no words seemed enough.
— Thank you for tonight… — Yuyan said softly, her eyes glancing away for a moment before returning to him.— I should be thanking you… — Wen replied, in a low tone, heavy with meaning.
— It was… more than special.
There was a brief silence, and then he stepped forward. His eyes searched hers for a second, as if asking permission. Then he leaned down and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.
Yuyan felt the warmth of the touch spread — warmth that didn't come only from skin.— Good night, Yuyan. — His words sounded like a secret.
She took a deep breath, trying to hold on to the moment. She opened the gate slowly, but before going in, looked over her shoulder.
Wen was still there, with a half-smile, raising his hand in a calm wave.She returned the gesture, then went inside, closing the gate softly — as if knowing that, somehow, the night would stay alive inside her.
Once inside, Yuyan leaned the door shut quietly, as though any noise might break the silence she still carried from the street. She took off her shoes, set her bag on the chair, and went to her room.
She sat on the edge of the bed without turning on the light. The room was steeped in shadow, lit only by the distant glow of the street through the window. She stayed there, still, feeling her heartbeat slow, as if she wanted to relive every moment of the night: the shy dinner, the music, the walk on the bridge, the moon… and his touch on her forehead.
Her phone vibrated. She picked it up, the screen lighting to reveal a string of messages from Xiaoqing.
Xiaoqing: "Lin sent me a photo 👀👀👀"Xiaoqing: "YOU TWO TOGETHER! I knew it!"Xiaoqing: "You're smiling in that photo, don't even try to deny it…"
Yuyan let out a silent laugh, shaking her head.Yuyan: "Good night, Xiaoqing."
Before turning off her phone, she looked once more at the last message received. A small smile escaped her. She set the phone on the nightstand, lay down, and stared at the ceiling, feeling that the night had left something new in the air — something she didn't yet know how to name, but was already part of her.