"He's gone."

　　Ling Hanlu read the three words sent by Xu Shuping. For this vague "he," her fingers moved faster than her mind, instinctively typing "Who?" But she deleted it before sending.

　　Who else could it be but him?

　　"I'm coming over. Send me the address."

　　---

　　The meeting place was familiar. A teahouse in a complex. She had been here more than six months ago, also with Xu Shuping.

　　That night, for the first time, Ling Hanlu heard Xu Shuping showcase her talent. She couldn’t discern sadness in "Nocturne." But Liang Chen, with no musical training, sensed it just by feeling from the other side of the door.

　　Xu Shuping had embraced this destiny. Of course, her restrained and introverted manner always kept her grounded. "Staying within bounds" gave her peace of mind.

　　"Where did he go?" Ling Hanlu looked around the teahouse interior, noticing subtle changes, though nothing obvious. Much like Xu Shuping sitting across from her now.

　　"To City E. He said a friend registered a company there and invited him to invest. He's gone to check it out in person."

　　"Does that mean he left with your money?" Ling Hanlu instinctively adjusted her posture, sitting up straighter.

　　"Hanlu, I know what you're worried about. That money won't affect my life right now. It’s been sitting idle for years, waiting for the right moment. Clearly, it found Liang Chen. I'm willing to take the gamble." As Xu Shuping mentioned Liang Chen's name, she unconsciously turned her head toward the dimly lit side. But the blush creeping up her cheeks couldn't be hidden. It spread all the way to her ears.

　　"I don’t know if you got swindled out of your money. But have you been, you know, seduced?"

　　"...Let me ask you this first—do you really think someone like me, getting involved with a young, handsome guy like Liang Chen, is a loss for me? Be honest!" Xu Shuping leaned back in her chair, her elbows resting on the armrests, adopting a slightly relaxed posture as if to match the topic of their conversation.

　　"Physical feelings are your personal business. Any regret, guilt towards your family, or moral self-reproach after the fact is yours alone to bear. Shuping, I hope you don't have any of that. Being rational doesn’t mean being conservative. Knowing you’re headed for future harm and still stubbornly going forward—that’s not you. Or at least, it shouldn’t be you at this point in your life."

　　"Hanlu, we truly are kindred spirits. I thought the same thing at the time."

　　"Did he make the first move?" Ling Hanlu raised an eyebrow, a rare expression for her, laced with some indescribable emotion.

　　"Yes, he did. That day, he said he was leaving and asked me to help him pack. Ha, he's in his twenties, been living on his own since school—he hardly needs me to pack for him. I had a feeling, you know? When he asked, there was definitely something behind it. I hesitated for a long time but eventually went."

　　"Curious? Couldn’t let go?"

　　"Both. Heh, when I got there, he was waiting downstairs. His hair freshly cut, looking particularly sharp. When he saw me, he came running up from afar. Can you believe it? I felt like I was twenty again, running over to him. Once inside, I saw his bags were all packed. The single bed was neatly made. There were flowers on the nightstand."

　　"Roses?"

　　"Carnations. I asked him if he knew what they symbolized. He said he did. He said they made him feel calm." Xu Shuping's fingers brushed over her knee, a subtle gesture to soothe the emotions rising in her chest and throat.

　　“People crave what they lack.”

　　"I asked him, 'You’ve already packed everything up, so why did you need me here? I’ve got two kids at home waiting for their mom to come back.' He said he needed me too."

　　Xu Shuping recounted how Liang Chen had asked her to sit on the edge of the bed while he knelt beside her, resting his head on her knee. This young man shared many stories from his childhood, both joyful and embarrassing. After each story, he’d look up, as if seeking confirmation that someone cared to share his memories. He stroked Xu Shuping's hand and promised to protect them, saying that when he succeeded in his business and returned to repay her with interest, he wanted to hear her play the piano for him again.

　　"And what did you say?"

　　"I didn’t say much. He looked at me and asked if there was anything he could do for me right now. At first, I didn’t get what he meant. I just told him not to worry about paying me back—it's not like I need the money urgently. Then he clarified, saying he meant physically. He admitted he wasn’t exactly experienced but would try his best."

　　"So what happened?"

　　"I stood up to leave, but he pushed me down on the bed and asked what position I preferred. I slapped him and asked if he knew what he was turning himself into by doing this. He said he did and just wanted to give me something I needed before he left, since he thought I had everything else."

　　"He thought you lacked a man."

　　"He said when he heard me playing *Nocturne* through the door and saw it was a middle-aged woman when he opened it, he figured it out." Xu Shuping covered her face with her palm, tilting her head back and laughing, her body shaking with each chuckle.

　　"He understood the sorrow of a middle-aged woman. So, did you two…?"

　　"We just lay there for a while, talking. He leaned on my chest and said he liked the smell there. I told him I wasn’t wearing any perfume. He said that’s what he liked."

　　“Breasts... the scent of motherhood. How long has Liang Chen been gone?”

　　“Less than a week. Honestly, I didn’t plan to meet up just to talk about this, but I can’t shake this sadness. When he was lying next to me, the feel of his skin, the smell of his hair—God, the scent of youth, it’s almost overpowering. I felt like I was brushing up against my own lost youth, but it was just a fleeting dream.”

　　“Did you feel anything?” Ling Hanlu’s eyes glinted with a subtle wistfulness as she probed.

　　“What?” Xu Shuping tilted her head, blinking in confusion.

　　“Your body. Did you have any reaction?”

　　“Oh... yeah, I did.”

　　“Your body’s honest, but your mind stayed cool. If you’d lost your cool, it might've hurt more. Shuping, it’s not as bad as you think.” Ling Hanlu reached over and gently patted her friend’s shoulder.

　　“Exactly. In the end, what we need in life is sustenance, not just medicine. Medicine can alter your state, but take too much and it can be lethal. Sigh, Hanlu, let’s talk about you! How's your young friend doing these days?”

　　“He’s been attending a few of my classes—very diligent and eager to learn. His cooking skills are impressive, and with a few more years of practice, he could easily become a head chef. It feels like he’s grown even taller. How long do boys keep growing? Till they’re thirty? He’s only twenty now. If he keeps this up, he’ll be a giant!” Ling Hanlu’s pace quickened as she spoke about him, her words becoming more trivial, as if trying to distract herself from the fact that she increasingly sees him as a man.

　　“Are you interested?” Xu Shuping teased, knowingly.

　　“No, I just worry about him. He got a cut on his forehead and a bruise near his eye. He cooked a meal and brought it to me, trying to hide the injuries. When I put some ointment on him, it reminded me of you and Liang Chen.”

　　“You’re different from me, Hanlu. You’re free. Everything’s possible for you.”

　　“I get what you’re saying.”

　　“By the way, how long have you known each other?”

　　“Almost a year now. It feels like I’ve watched him grow up right in front of me. I can sense it—he's not just trying; he’s pushing himself so hard to grow up fast.”

　　“And isn’t it all for you?”

　　“I know he’s trying to make himself worthy. He said he wants me to stay by his side.”

　　“Then stay with him. The truth is, you don’t want him out of your sight, do you?” Xu Shuping poured more tea for Ling Hanlu and then placed her warm hand, heated by the teapot, over her heart.

　　"Sometimes, I wonder if what I feel is just the bridge effect. We first met on Children's Day last year. I was shopping at the mall and ran into my ex-husband’s sister. She started yelling at me, humiliating me in front of a crowd. And then, out of nowhere, Gu Pan showed up. I mean, literally, he appeared out of nowhere. He threw his coat over me and pulled me away. My heart was pounding, easily over a hundred beats per minute…"

　　"Hanlu, I think all this analysis is just you fooling yourself. You’re avoiding the truth. You tie yourself up in knots and then hide away. The smarter and more rational a woman is, the more she sets these limits for herself. Is that what you’re doing?" Xu Shuping tugged at her sweater's collar, feeling increasingly confined by the air conditioning and their intense conversation.

　　"Limits?"

　　"Yes. What do you really feel?"

　　"I feel like it's unreal. First of all, his appearance is so surreal. Can you imagine? He shows up like an angel whenever I least expect it. And he’s so young and beautiful, yet he's so devoted to me. He’s unwavering. If it were you, would you believe it?" Ling Hanlu spread her hands wide, expressing her long-standing confusion with her gestures. She hoped Xu Shuping, who perhaps had more life experience, could shed some light, even if she too was lost in her own uncertainties.

　　Xu Shuping, usually quick with her responses, took a moment of deep reflection for this question. Just as Ling Hanlu was about to give up on an answer, she looked at her earnestly and asked, “But, is he real to you?”

　　"Absolutely. To my mortal eyes, it seems incredibly real."

　　"Hanlu, what you're talking about sounds like those romance stories I used to sneak a peek at when I was about ten. No wonder you find it unreal. But you know, us regular folks deserve serendipity and coincidences too, right? Don't trap yourself in rigid expectations. If you're free-spirited, you should embrace it."

　　"Heh." Ling Hanlu chuckled bitterly. She understood well the burden that came with such freedom.

　　On the small tea table in front of them, a glass teapot gently warmed fruit tea. Both Ling Hanlu and Xu Shuping held small, transparent cups filled with the same unusual bluish-purple liquid. The flavors of mint and assorted fruits danced on their tongues, each savoring it in their own unique way, each with their own tale to tell.