Chapter 06 Hawaiian Coffee

Lin Xiejun nodded without surprise and said, "Alright"

Li Junmo has always been accustomed to burying her head in the sand. She secretly admires herself; after eating too much hot pot with Sichuan pepper, her tongue can become numb. She thinks that if she pretends to be completely oblivious, she can truly numb everything.

On such a night, under the heavy dusk, the words exchanged between the two were merely superficial, as if they were casually brushing over the only intersection between them—Li Junmo. Yet, they calmly let this name pass, as if merely mentioning a passerby. Until the very end, when the last trace of moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, and a streetlight that had been shining above flickered and went out with a "pop," Han Ziyang turned his face to look at him: "Are you back for her?"

Where is it still the same? Clearly, it has gained a natural scholarly atmosphere. You smiled and said: "Hmm, forever youthful."

The coffee beans from Kona, Hawaii, subtly conceal a nutty aroma—memories that are exceedingly precious, and in this moment, they intertwine with reality

She walked to the front desk, just as she was about to inform the supervisor to clean the room, she placed the book in Han Ziyang's room. The automatic door of the lobby opened silently, and she momentarily lost her focus, picked up the book again, turned around, and smiled at Han Ziyang: "Mr. Han, I have brought you a book."

Do not concentrate too hard, she felt as if she had a piece of green tea in her mouth, the extremely faint bitterness slowly permeating between her lips and teeth. She hurriedly lowered her head, and for a moment, felt as if her eyes were blurred by white mist. This meal was eaten with great reluctance; she had not wanted to come, but in the end, she was urged to the point where she had no choice—she steeled her heart and resolved to remain silent, listening to the old gentlemen's witty remarks, her mood growing increasingly despondent: it turned out that these things were truly so distant from her, those once familiar dynasties and figures could only be seen in poorly made historical dramas. This meal was eaten with great reluctance; she had not wanted to come, but in the end, she was urged to the point where she had no choice—she steeled her heart and resolved to remain silent, listening to the old gentlemen's witty remarks, her mood growing increasingly despondent: it turned out that these things were truly so distant from her, those once familiar dynasties and figures could only be seen in poorly made historical dramas. It turned out that this world, the world she once knew, had not changed at all, yet only she had changed.

All those present were elderly professors, and they did not stay for long. After the organizer's representative hurriedly expressed gratitude for Ruiming's sponsorship, everyone quickly dispersed. Junmo and Mingwen went out together, and after exchanging a few pleasantries with Ma Chujing at the door, Junmo smiled and said to Lin Xiejun: "Senior brother, I will take my leave now." Without even considering the etiquette of waiting for the guests to leave first, they hurriedly departed.

I still remember giving Mingwen a nudge: "Are you signing in to the forum? Did you go?"

His expression was somewhat solemn, exuding an imposing aura. He slightly raised his chin towards the venue and then shifted his gaze to Jun Mo's face. Jun Mo hesitated; logically, she could not refuse the client's request, but now, stepping through that large door seemed as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Lin Xiejun finally added a sentence: "It is really too late." This carried a hint of despondency, causing Han Ziyang to slightly furrow his brows. They were both intelligent individuals, and there was no need to spell anything out. He did not even ask why, letting out a barely audible sigh. Yet, even he could not deny that there was a subtle joy in his heart, slowly seeping from the depths of his soul—this joy held no malice whatsoever. He had always been a person of swift decisions; since the past had been severed, he did not mind intervening in her life in another way.

Jun Mo truly felt as if she had been granted a great pardon, letting out a long sigh of relief, and said with a smile, "Yes, then I will go and get busy." She lifted her foot and was about to leave when the door of the conference hall was pushed open by a staff member, and faintly, one or two sentences drifted out. Jun Mo heard them and turned her face away in a daze; the voice was so familiar, intimate as if it were a whisper—her footsteps quickened, and without looking back, she walked out.

The two stood quietly, and it was Han Ziyang's phone that broke the silence. His secretary called to inform him that the matter regarding the house had been settled. He responded with a brief acknowledgment and hung up the phone. Suddenly, he softly said to Lin Xiejun, "What a pity." His tone was sincere, tinged with regret. Lin Xiejun turned to walk back, the corners of his mouth gently curving upward: "The night breeze is indeed a bit chilly."

The second day is when scholars from various places come here to report. There are quite a few senior scholars at L, many of whom were once Junmo's teachers. Lin Xiejun arrived a day earlier and went to the airport to pick up guests. Junmo was engrossed in work, staying confined in the office, yet still encountered several elderly gentlemen resembling professors during the morning inspection, who seemed to favor the Zhongshan suit and had elegant gray hair. She inexplicably felt that Lin Xiejun, when he grows old, will inevitably be like this: someone who makes students feel approachable yet commands their respect.

Jun Mo slightly shook her head, smiling with a hint of detachment: "It has been so long since graduation, and I have returned some things to the teacher, how could I still have the face to go back?" Her words seemed to carry a sense of self-mockery, and her complexion appeared somewhat listless; even with more blush applied, it could not conceal the faint fragility that lingered.

There was a hidden meaning in his gaze. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "I want to go take a look." Jun was momentarily taken aback, and only then did he react, a look of panic rising in his eyes: "Where to?"

You should not smile and ask in return: "Which one is more handsome?"

Ma Chujing responded, "Oh, Lin Xiejun. I heard he is Manager Li's senior. " He said casually, "I was just planning to call out to Manager Li, so everyone can have a more harmonious meal.

Dinner was still arranged at Nantai. Han Ziyang pushed the door open and entered the private room, casting a faint glance around. Jun Mo was seated beside Lin Xiejun, gently toying with the glass wall of a cup of hot tea. Ma Chujing introduced him one by one until they were seated and the dishes were served. He leaned in to converse with the elderly gentleman beside him for a few moments before finally directing his gaze across the table. Beside Jun Mo sat a young girl, and the two were quietly conversing, both wearing smiles—yet her posture was clearly stiff, seemingly making a deliberate effort to maintain distance from the man next to her

Han Ziyang raised his eyebrows, waiting for his next words

The residences of each person are somewhat dispersed. Lin Xiejun lives alone in Building 4, so he walks with Han Ziyang. They are not very familiar with each other, so they engage in casual conversation. As they turn a corner, their residences are not far away. Han Ziyang suddenly stops: "Mr. Lin, would you like to go for a walk by the lake together?"

Han Ziyang waved his hand slightly and found a seat in the last few rows. He did not quite understand the academic discussions, his gaze only directed towards the man on the stage. With just one glance, it was not difficult to recognize him as the man from last night. His fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair, and suddenly recalling Li Junmo from last night, he felt that the air conditioning in the conference room was indeed too strong, prompting him to loosen his collar. That man, even from his perspective, truly deserved the description of being warm and refined. He stood up intending to leave, but after taking just a few steps, he bumped into Ma Chujing, who greeted him with a chuckle: "Boss, what brings you here? Shall we have dinner together tonight? It's just a few esteemed old professors." He was merely joking and did not take it seriously—yet he was interrupted by Han Ziyang's question: "Who is the person on stage?"

It is now too late for her to return. His tone was calm, devoid of any ripple—he had once thought that if three years could not allow him to achieve a state of tranquility, then the so-called cultivation of character was nothing but nonsense—yet when brushing past these deeply buried memories, he ultimately could not help but wear a self-mocking smile

In the afternoon, the forum commenced, and Jun Mo did not attend. Suddenly remembering that he needed to deliver a book to Han Ziyang, he hurriedly organized a few and, during the lunch break, held the book in his hand and walked alone to Building 4. The ground floor of Building 4 housed the largest conference room in the hotel, and at this moment, the door was closed, which made Jun Mo feel considerably more at ease

It truly perplexed Mingwen, and she smiled: "In terms of feelings, I certainly have more faith in my senior brother—however, President Han is also a remarkable person of great talent and virtue." She smiled helplessly and couldn't help but raise her eyes to look at Han Ziyang, an exceptionally outstanding man—indeed, he would always be the center of attention wherever he went. Perhaps he noticed her gaze, as he gently lifted his eyes and smiled at her, but she did not return the smile and turned her gaze away.

Han Ziyang let out an "Oh," then turned back to look at the banner he was holding, which read in white letters on a red background, "Welcome Scholars and Experts from All Regions," with a Ruiming logo at the top. "Is it today?" He gestured for her to walk with him, then slowed his pace, seemingly casually asking, "Aren't you going to take a look? Many of them are your alumni, right?"

Han Ziyang silently nodded, but what floated in his mind was only Jun Mo's expression. Her gaze seemed to only falter and evade when she saw the man beside him—wanting to get close, yet fearful and hesitant to approach.

The waiter beside could not help but glance over, and Jun was both surprised and delighted, unable to suppress a smile: "What brings you here? You're not on the list!"

Han Ziyang stood in place, his tall figure elongated by the sunlight, casting a shadow on the wall. He called over a waiter and whispered a few words. The young waitress, blushing, led him into the conference hall and quietly asked him: "Mr. Han, do you have any further instructions?"

Han Ziyang stood up to toast each person present. Jun Mo did not raise his head. Both of them had bright eyes, and their figures were similarly slender and tall. Their gazes lightly brushed against each other in the air, seemingly creating transparent ripples. The deep red liquid in the cup gently swayed under the light, reflecting a glimmer of brilliance. This had already prompted Mingwen to whisper in Jun Mo's ear: "Your job is just too good, you get to have meals with handsome guys every day!"

Li Junmo was taken aback when he saw Mingwen, who had not changed at all. She still wore that cheerful smile and immediately exclaimed upon seeing him: "Junmo!"

I have seen your photo before, quite a long time ago, right?" Han Ziyang seemed to be asking him. After a moment, he added, "At Manager Li's place.

In the hall, as Han Ziyang watched the tall and slightly thin figure walk away, he suddenly felt as though he had witnessed a parting. He had never imagined that there could be such a sense of emotional helplessness in the world that made him feel heavy—yet this heaviness subtly made him sense the flowing water beneath the thin ice, which only needed an opportunity to perhaps break through the ice.

"At the entrance of L, right?" Lin Xiejun's smile softened his expression somewhat, perhaps he was unaware of it, as even his tone gradually slowed down, "That year she was in her second year of university."

After a moment of confrontation, Han Ziyang suddenly chuckled, took the book from her hand, and his expression seemed to brighten as if touched by a spring breeze. His sparkling gaze appeared to soften in an instant, and he naturally changed the subject: "Well, it must be time to work, right? I won't disturb you any longer"

Han Ziyang looked up at the stage with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly squinting, and with great interest asked: "Where have you made dinner reservations?"

He has no intention of tracing back to the past; it seems that in his mind, he merely allows these memories to slowly fade away, flowing smoothly like a prose poem

Mingwen was taken aback for a moment, then immediately smiled brightly: "Could you sign on my behalf?" Both of them laughed, as it turned out that everyone remembered that period of time so clearly.

On the road, hotel staff members were encountered one after another. According to the regulations, they should step aside, allow the guests to pass first, and only after greeting them with a smile can they leave. Han Ziyang and Lin Xiejun stood side by side, their statures similar, exuding an elegant demeanor like tall jade trees in the wind. In the night, the tones of both men were as light as a gentle breeze.

Lin Xiejun was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and put his hand in the pocket of his windbreaker: "It seems that saying yes or no is not quite right."

"My supervisor had something come up at the last minute, so the department asked me to come in." Mingwen sat down with her in the lounge, "You are getting more and more beautiful! Hehe, I still look the same, right?"

The elderly gentlemen present are all esteemed successors in the study of history, and one cannot help but feel as if they have returned to their university days, listening to professors discuss the research of their predecessors. Those elderly individuals who have traversed the mountains of books and seas of ink throughout their lives have accumulated the cultural essence of this nation bit by bit. During the gathering, many inquired about the health of Lin Xiejun's mentor, Mr. Zhang. He answered each question in turn. Mr. Zhang now spends most of his time in the hospital for recuperation; his eyesight is not convenient, so he can only listen to others read. However, he is quite willing to meet with young students frequently. The reason Lin Xiejun attended this forum as his student was primarily to discuss the forthcoming publication of his mentor's collected works.