Wen Qi is 22 years old this year. He has studied abroad for many years and has lived alone for many years. He is not good at dealing with people and has no one to talk to.
He studied for his undergraduate degree at Imperial College London. The main campus of the school is located in South Kensington, London, and there are three museums near the school. When he has nothing to do, he often goes to the museum for a walk alone, or sits on a bench on the street to feed a group of pigeons.
Wen Qi remembers that in the first month of his undergraduate studies, he often huddled with his classmates. Later, he gradually found that various social activities were boring, monotonous and redundant. During holidays, some students from various departments would upload their travel and dinner photos through QQ space to show their colorful extracurricular life. Those photos were similar - travel was blue sky and white clouds, sea castles, dinner was rice hot pot, home-cooked dishes, wontons and dumplings... Wen Qi's fingers quickly passed by, and he never left any comments.
When his classmates sent him messages asking him to attend a party, he would reply after a few days: “I’m studying, so I can’t go.”
As time went by, no one invited him anymore.
Instead he felt relieved.
He has completely adapted to a solitary life and is increasingly rejecting all group activities.
For him, socializing is an extra burden and being alone is a rare nourishment.
His classmates called him "elusive", and he used the excuse that he "loved to study" - which was actually a lie. Wen Qi knew that he didn't really love studying, and studying was just a form of entertainment when he was alone.
But he sometimes feels lonely.
Whenever this happens, he would post his homework and test scores on his QQ space.
His classmates were amazed that he could get such a high score. They all asked him for advice on how to study or directly asked him about his homework ideas. He would summarize his thinking patterns, and few people could understand him. Or, those who could really understand him would never send him such messages: "Big brother, please be kind and teach me how many test points there are and how to do homework?"
Fortunately, Wen Qi’s undergraduate grades were excellent.
It would be strange if he wasn't excellent—he reads from morning till night.
After completing three years of undergraduate studies, Wen Qi studied for another year for a master's degree in Cambridge and met his doctoral supervisor.
In the autumn of the following year, Wen Qi successfully evolved into a more lonely, introverted and solitary doctoral student.
Occasionally, he imitated normal people, laughed heartily, and tried to chat with others, but every time he failed.
In Wen Qi's research group, Lin Zhixia is recognized by everyone as a "kind, cute, talkative and gentle" girl, and all the senior students praise Lin Zhixia highly.
Even so, Wen Qi and Lin Zhixia could never chat for more than five sentences - after five sentences, the conversation would inevitably become dull.
Korean senior Yin Xiuen didn't know Wen Qi's true character. She boldly invited Wen Qi to a dinner party. Wen Qi wanted to refuse her, but later, for some reason, he agreed.
However, this banquet tonight almost cost Wen Qi his life.
Alumni from various companies took turns to ask him about his well-being, and a Frenchman kissed him on the cheek. His social phobia reached its peak in an instant, and he was so nervous that he almost vomited. On the way to the bathroom, he accidentally bumped into Jiang Yubai's shoulder, which made his embarrassment exceed the critical point.
As the saying goes, "When it rains, it pours," Wen Qi has a deep understanding of this.
He brought a cigarette case but no lighter.
He couldn't relieve his psychological stress by smoking.
Of course Jiang Yubai didn't have a lighter either.
Jiang Yubai walked around Wen Qi and went straight out, passing through a light-shadow junction. His friends were all waiting for him. He integrated into his own circle, still standing in the center, like a moon surrounded by stars.
Wen Qi glanced at Jiang Yubai from a distance.
Suddenly, a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he heard a girl's voice: "Are you Wen Qi?"
Wen Qi turned around and saw a girl wearing a laurel leaf hair ornament. The girl introduced herself as Miao Danyi, who was born in Myanmar, grew up in Malaysia, and lived in Hainan Island for a period of time.
They all hid in secluded corners - a blind spot from everyone's sight.
The light was dim, but her eyes were bright.
Wen Qi thought that this girl was avoiding the socializing at the dinner party just like him. He did not speak to her. But he took out his cell phone and exchanged contact information with her.
It was a little after ten o'clock in the evening. The night was as dark as ink, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, and drops of rain were hitting the windowsill.
Lin Zhixia hugged a strawberry pillow and sat quietly on the bed, still in a state of meditation. She sorted out her thoughts and a new inspiration came to her. She opened her eyes and lay down relaxed.
Before going to bed, she sent a text message to Jiang Yubai: "Jiang Jiang Jiang Jiang Yubai, are you home?"
After several minutes, Jiang Yubai replied, "I'm back, Linlinlinlin Zhixia, did your meditation go well?"
Lin Zhixia called him directly. She said: "The meditation went very well. I sorted out a lot of questions. I will write an email to my supervisor tomorrow morning, and I will write the first draft of the paper next week... How about you, did your dinner go well?"
"It's okay." Jiang Yubai described briefly.
Lin Zhixia wanted to hear more details. She also wanted to discuss the steps and benefits of meditation with Jiang Yubai. She and Jiang Yubai made an appointment that Jiang Yubai would come to her dormitory to play with her tomorrow morning, and she would treat him to breakfast.
The next morning, the sky cleared up, the grass and trees looked fresh, and the wind was filled with the coolness after the rain.
Lin Zhixia walked to a nearby Tesco supermarket. She bought a lot of vegetables, fruits, snacks and drinks, filling two large plastic bags. She returned to the dormitory with the plastic bags, and her hands were left with red marks. But she was full of energy and did not feel tired or exhausted at all.
She quickly prepared bread, ham, fried eggs and fruit salad.
Not long after, Jiang Yubai arrived downstairs of her house.
Lin Zhixia happily ran to greet Jiang Yubai. She held his wrist and led him into her room.
With the sound of the door closing, the dormitory became a closed space. The curtains blocked the outside view, and the sweet smell of juice wafted in the air.
"Please sit down." Lin Zhixia greeted warmly.
It was mid-October, with wind and rain and low temperatures, but the dormitory was warm. Lin Zhixia was wearing a navy blue dress. When she sat down, the hem of her dress lifted slightly, revealing her snow-white and slender legs. She put her knees together, tugged at the hem of her dress, and said, "This dress shrinks more and more every time I wash it."
Jiang Yubai's eyes were not on Lin Zhixia at all.
Lin Zhixia placed all the plates on the desk. Jiang Yubai faced the desk and whispered, "You look good in anything you wear."
Lin Zhixia leaned sideways and leaned on his shoulder: "I think you look best in formal clothes and swimsuits. Although I have never seen you in a swimsuit, I can imagine it."