After eating, Sheng Tang rested in her room for a while, then practiced a segment of her performance by herself and recorded it with a camera to watch.
She finished today’s practice, which took about an hour.
Then she changed her clothes and shoes, planning to go out for a run.
Just as she walked out of her room, she saw Cheng Lichuan holding a trash bag, about to go downstairs to throw out the garbage.
"Brother, give it to me, I’ll take it down," Sheng Tang said.
Cheng Lichuan replied, "I also need to go downstairs for a run, I’ll be staying up late to write a paper tonight, need to recharge myself first."
He always used running to recharge, it’s always been this way.
Sheng Tang went down the elevator with him.
In the elevator, Cheng Lichuan asked her again, "Did you have a fight with Jiahuai?"
"No." Sheng Tang was surprised, "Did he say something?"
"Just saw the two of you being overly polite with each other, I thought maybe you’re having a quarrel," Cheng Lichuan showed his concern.
He genuinely cared.
This cousin of Gu Jiahui, he’s somewhat like a father, never running out of concerns for the child.
Sheng Tang laughed, "Really, no, brother. It’s just that we haven’t seen each other for over a year, we became somewhat distant inexplicably. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine in a few days."
"When you’re distant, you should spend more time together," Cheng Lichuan advised, "Why don’t you ask him out for a walk?"
"Alright, I’ll make time," Sheng Tang agreed readily.
Downstairs, she and Cheng Lichuan separated to run, both of them liked to think while running, thus needing relatively solitary space rather than sticking together.
Sheng Tang ran to the left along the community.
The community was quite large with spacious open spaces, there were always some people running in the evening.
Sheng Tang had just run a few steps when she suddenly realized that not far away, next to a car, there stood a person who had been watching her the whole time.
She was sensitive and looked back immediately.
Upon looking back, she stopped her steps and slowly stood there.
She saw Gu Shiting under the streetlight.
The amber light stretched his shadow long, he stood there, his face against the light, his expression unclear.
Recalling their encounter at the airport yesterday when he said nothing, Sheng Tang wondered what he was doing here today. Furthermore, she didn’t leave her address with Song Chen.
This meant that Gu Shiting had always known where she was, who she was with, and what she was doing.
She didn’t move, and neither did Gu Shiting.
They stood like that for almost five minutes until a couple came downstairs for a walk and greeted Sheng Tang, waking her from a trance.
She walked forward a few steps.
As she moved, Gu Shiting also took steps, walking into the bright light.
He had indeed changed a bit.
He was wearing dark trousers and a grey shirt, with sleeves rolled up, showing his muscular forearms; his features hadn’t changed much, but his jawline tightened, forming the contours of a grown man.
There was no trace of boyishness on his face anymore.
Seeing this, Sheng Tang realized that five years had truly passed.
"Is it this late, and you’re here to see me?" She took the initiative to speak.
Her voice was calm and emotionless, like a casual greeting.
Gu Shiting’s throat was hoarse, low and slow: "Yes."
"Is there something?"
Gu Shiting fell silent again.
He just looked at her, his gaze somewhat evasive.
Seeing this, Sheng Tang asked him, "Are you still afraid of the dark?"
He seemed shaken, and shook his head: "No, I’m no longer afraid, I’m alright now."
Sheng Tang wanted to smile, but only managed a futile twitch of her lips, unable to smile: "That’s good."
She didn’t really have anything to say to him.
It seemed she hadn’t thought much about their reunion. She inexplicably felt she would never encounter him again as if she had never rehearsed it in her mind.
In the extremely awkward atmosphere, Gu Jiahui came downstairs, standing at the unit entrance: "Tangtang?"