Chapter Four: First Encounter with Lin Shuo
The taxi driver was a kind man. Noticing Xiaoxiao’s pallor, he offered her some candy. She glanced at it quickly but declined; once bitten by a snake, one shies away from ropes for ten years. Back in middle school, during a history class, she had secretly eaten a hard fruit candy and accidentally lodged it in her throat. She had broken out into a sweat, forced to endure the pain in silence until the candy slowly melted down her esophagus, easing the discomfort at last. Only then did she understand what it meant for sweetness to turn to sorrow. Since then, she had rarely touched hard candy, and if she ever did, she would chew it into pieces before letting it melt in her mouth—she was genuinely afraid.
That night, she was haunted by old dreams and, in her sleep, encountered Lin Shuo. It had been a long time since she’d dreamed in such vivid color. In her dream, she found herself in Shangri-La, basking with Lin Shuo in the passionate sunlight of the plateau, wildflowers blooming everywhere in the gentle breeze. She nearly woke up smiling, but once reality set in, the smile faded, impossible to conjure back. He had promised to take her backpacking from Kunming to Shangri-La, to show her the vanishing horizon. Who would have thought, before the backpacks were even packed, they would part ways without warning.
The rest of the night, she spent tracing the story’s beginnings, all the way back to the mock job fair in the second semester of her junior year. The chaos of that day was hardly less than what she’d just experienced.
The night before, Xiaoxiao had worked through the night on a design, arriving at the venue that morning with dark circles under her eyes. After much effort, she finally found the interview room, only to discover her number had already been called. She hurried but was still late. Unwilling to leave just like that, she peered sneakily through the crack in the door, only to be startled by a pair of large, bright eyes suddenly appearing on the other side. The door swung open, and there stood a young man, their eyes meeting.
He was strikingly handsome, tall and upright, his British-style casual jacket fitting him with effortless grace. He stood so close that his eyes seemed exceptionally large, clear as spring water, untouched by the dust of the world. She met his inquisitive gaze without flinching, and, even in that tense moment, found herself blushing.
“Miss, interviews are in progress inside; please leave if you’re not involved,” he said, not bothering to soften his tone. Xiaoxiao quickly explained, “I’m not just anyone—according to the schedule, I’m number twenty-nine.”
“You’re Ni Xiaoxiao?” he looked her up and down. “No wonder no one answered when I called.” She was about to explain, but he cut her off decisively, “I don’t care what your reason is. If you miss your turn, you can’t disrupt the interview process.” With that, he started to close the door. Xiaoxiao, quick as lightning, thrust her hand into the gap. Her silly, almost absurd move caught him off guard; though he stopped in time, her fingers still got pinched. For a few seconds, the dull pain left her stunned, and when she realized what had happened, she was too embarrassed to cry out. Enduring the pain, she shamelessly pleaded, “Could you give me another chance?”
Curious glances came from all around. The young man frowned. Perhaps out of sympathy, or maybe guilt, he relented and agreed to her unreasonable request, placing her in the next group. Not long after, they met again inside. The young man sat among the interviewers, his expression stern. They engaged in a professional discussion, with Xiaoxiao responding fluently and confidently. But when it came time for feedback, his attitude shifted dramatically. Smiling, he said, “Your professional skills are quite good, but unfortunately our company won’t be offering you any position.”
Lonely Times, Don’t Talk of Love 4 — Chapter Four: Meeting Lin Shuo for the First Time, complete.