When Tao Ling checked his phone, he saw that Xia Chaoyang had messaged him, asking, “Shidi, would you like to have a meal with me after work?”
“I’m already meeting with someone.”
A moment later, the other end said: “I have something to ask you.”
“What kind of question does Mr. Xia have? You can ask me right now.” Tao Ling gazed towards the flower shop entrance while he replied thoughtlessly.
He dared not to be so thoughtful.
When he left the window and walked towards the stairs, he got another message: “Nothing, we can discuss it next time. I need to leave tomorrow.”
“Have a safe trip.”
As he got closer and closer to the flower shop, Tao Ling could confirm his judgement from before. The flowers on the flower stands were indeed different than those from two days ago. However, the layout was the same. The rows in the middle were still daisies, though the only difference was that they were all in light green.
The flowers were densely crowded in one place, filling up a wide space into a lively yet dull appearance.
When Tao Ling arrived at the doorway, Wen Qingying was in the middle of handing over a flower bouquet to a customer. He could tell that the latter had worked very hard in the wrapping process and was now better at it than several days ago.
The customer thanked him, and Wen Qingying bowed slightly, with a very faint smile on his face.
It didn’t show his eye eyeteeth
Tao Ling cleared his throat, and arrived in front of the flower stands. He wanted to pick out a bundle of daisies. However, the flowers in fact all looked about the same, and each bundle had an equal amount of daisies.
He extended his hand as he looked to the side, and just happened to see Wen Qingying putting on the same smile as before.
It was also the same politeness. So polite that it didn’t look like a smile.
Tao Ling averted his eyes, and unconsciously pursed his lips. He grabbed two bouquets out of randomness.
Just when he was about to go scan the QR code, Wen Qingying, however, dashed in front of the glass door. He took the flowers in his hands, and untied the string that was loosely tied around the stems.
Tao Ling did not rush him either, and simply watched in silence.
A minute later, Wen Qingying handed over the re-tied flower bundle to him. The smile on his lips suddenly opened, exposing the unique vigor he had.
“What is it?” Tao Ling asked, bemused.
His doubtful expression was very obvious, and therefore Wen Qingying raised his right index finger.
“Pfft!” Tao Ling burst into laughter, thinking aloud, “Just like I said, it will only be a matter of time until this flower shop of yours gets closed down. How can you gift flowers to people every day? Don’t you have to make up for it now?”
He fished out his phone. Wen Qingying then stepped aside and dropped his gaze to look at him.
When making the payment, his hands suddenly froze. Tao Ling raised his head, and saw the anticipation spread upon Wen Qingying’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he only paid for one bundle of flowers.
He raised his hands to take the flowers – fingertips touching fingertips – Wen Qingying retracted his hand. Tao Ling grasped tightly onto the stems. His eyelashes quivered for a split second; somehow invisible to the human eye.
He typed on the notepad: “Why are the flowers today only in one color?”
Wen Qingying picked up his phone to reply. His fingers bounced on the screen, looking extremely agile: “The boss I replenish my stock from said that there were only light green ones left. I didn’t go to the flower market today. They were delivered to me after I sent him a message. I feel that these are very pretty too. Mister, do you like other colors? I can choose different colors the next time I replenish stock.”
Tao Ling shook his head.
The business of the flower shop was exceptionally good today. They had only exchanged a few words, yet new customers were already popping up next to them. Wen Qingying had no choice but to resume work. By the time he’d finished handing over the flowers to the customers, he realized that Tao Ling was already gone as soon as he turned around.
He carried a bouquet of dried flowers with him to the side of the street. After looking around, however, that man’s figure was nowhere to be found.
Wen Qingying stood unmoving for a while. Then, he turned around and got inside the shop.
Half an hour had passed. Wen Qingying was on the verge of tieing up a bundle of roses he’d ordered when Tao Ling suddenly came in.
The latter pushed a cup of fruit juice in front of Wen Qingying, and then sat on the chair aside.
Wen Qingying blinked in slight astonishment. However, Tao Ling simply drank his own cup of juice without looking at him. He then touched the flower bouquet aside in an idly manner.
The roses were paired with gypsophila flowers. It was a very minimalistic and classic style. Everything was still going very well when Wen Qingying first planted the flowers in the soil. But as soon as the wrapping papers came into use, he began to flurry again.
After a moment of watching, Tao Ling let out a chuckle. He pressed down the papers for him so that he could tear the tape empty-handed.
“Ai, I have seen those in other flower shops before. Aren’t all tape cutters used with only one hand?” asked Tao Ling.
Wen Qingying furrowed his eyebrows, not knowing what the other party was saying, and only casted his attention upon the wrapping papers.
Tao Ling took a glance at him before continuing, “Were you in a great hurry when you opened this flower shop? You decided to open one before even getting handicrafts mastered. Are you perhaps making business as you’re learning?”
Wen Qingying was still silent. Tao Ling on the other hand chuckled.
Upon finishing tying a ribbon after much struggle, Wen Qingying carried the flowers to a side stand. After getting his hands washed, he saw that the juice had already been inserted with a straw.
“Thank you, mister. ” He grabbed the paper and pen, and drank some only after expressing his thanks.
Tao Ling watched him. However, he did not receive the expression he was looking forward to.
Although there was no added sugar in the passion fruit juice, Wen Qingying didn’t seem to taste the sourness in it. When he looked up and saw Tao Ling’s curious expression, he smiled and revealed his eyeteeth again.
Dammit.
An inexplicable irritation surged inside Tao Ling’s heart. After sitting for two minutes, he got up and was preparing to leave.
Before he could even move his feet, a voice was suddenly heard from outside, “Boss, how much are these flowers? Are there other colors available?”
Tao Ling turned his head. Unexpectedly, the person standing at the entrance was Xia Chaoyang.
Both parties just happened to meet each other’s eyes. Xia Chaoyang spoke in astonishment, “Tao-shidi?”
The hand that held the flower stems loosened, and the daisies were resting on the table again. He replied, “How coincident, Mr. Xia. Are you here to buy flowers? The ones in your hands are ten yuan for a bundle.”
“Is it your shop?” Xia Chaoyang asked.
Wen Qingying stood up with him. Tao Ling weakly pointed behind. “It’s my friend’s shop.”
Xia Chaoyang softly laughed. “No wonder you said you were already meeting with someone.”
Tao Ling simply curled his lips without giving another reply.
When Xia Chaoyang picked out two bundles of flowers, Tao Ling and Wen Qingying pointed simultaneously at the QR code on the door.
However, Xia Chaoyang didn’t leave after finishing paying. Instead, he stood still as if he was hesitating in saying something. Wen Qingying was also standing at the side. The three men were separated in a triangle, and the quietness inside the shop had reached its peak.
A moment later, Tao Ling asked, “Mr. Xia, do you still need something else?”
The other shooked his head. “I’m fine.”
After a long time, he finally asked, “Tao-shidi, is your brother… at the western suburbs?
Tao Ling replied with an “en.”
“See you next time,” said Xia Chaoyang.
Before turning around, he took a deep look at Tao Ling with extremely gentle eyes. Wen Qingying saw clearly his face. However, he felt that there was a layer of mist on his eyes.
Just as if he wasn’t looking at Tao Ling.
A while after the other party left, Tao Ling then grabbed the flowers and bid farewell to Wen Qingying.
The shop was now completely quiet. Wen Qingying held that cup of juice and drank two more mouthfuls before furrowing lightly his eyebrows.
A gust of strong wind blew past the shop, making the scattered leaves on the curb rustle in a mess. After a short while, they gathered together and whirled around an invisible center.
It looked like a wild dance performance. As though performing a sacrifice.
Wen Qingying got up and walked towards the door. Leaning beside the flower stand, he looked up and saw a cloudy sky that was accumulating dark clouds.
After this rainstorm tonight, starting the next day, the weather will abruptly become colder. Wearing only nothing but a long-sleeved shirt in the office will be barely enough.
Half a week had passed. The big bundles of daisies that have been collected twice were finally starting to show a sign of decaying. After that, they will dry up rapidly and die within two days.
Surprisingly, that pot of Chinese roses still seemed healthy. They were not withering, and therefore there were always flowers to look at.
On Saturday morning, Tao Ling woke up very early.
Today was Tao Jun’s passing anniversary. As such, he needed to go to the cemetery.
He walked on the road he usually used for work. Turning to the street corner, he saw from afar a sports car parked on the street. It was exactly facing in front of the flower shop. He originally didn’t think of Wen Qingying, but he soon got closer to the shop. Tao Ling then saw an unfamiliar man inside the shop.
That man was decked in a black suit, his back facing the entrance. He was currently making gestures to Wen Qingying.
Wen Qingying had his lips tightly pursed, brows knitted slightly, appearing somewhat agitated.
When the man stopped moving, he made some gestures as well. Just as the man was about to go on with his turn, Wen Qingying swiftly pushed him outside.
If Tao Ling wasn’t mistaken, the meaning of this move should be refusal.
When Tao Ling checked his phone, he saw that Xia Chaoyang had messaged him, asking, “Shidi, would you like to have a meal with me after work?”
“I’m already meeting with someone.”
A moment later, the other end said: “I have something to ask you.”
“What kind of question does Mr. Xia have? You can ask me right now.” Tao Ling gazed towards the flower shop entrance while he replied thoughtlessly.
He dared not to be so thoughtful.
When he left the window and walked towards the stairs, he got another message: “Nothing, we can discuss it next time. I need to leave tomorrow.”
“Have a safe trip.”
As he got closer and closer to the flower shop, Tao Ling could confirm his judgement from before. The flowers on the flower stands were indeed different than those from two days ago. However, the layout was the same. The rows in the middle were still daisies, though the only difference was that they were all in light green.
The flowers were densely crowded in one place, filling up a wide space into a lively yet dull appearance.
When Tao Ling arrived at the doorway, Wen Qingying was in the middle of handing over a flower bouquet to a customer. He could tell that the latter had worked very hard in the wrapping process and was now better at it than several days ago.
The customer thanked him, and Wen Qingying bowed slightly, with a very faint smile on his face.
It didn’t show his eye eyeteeth
Tao Ling cleared his throat, and arrived in front of the flower stands. He wanted to pick out a bundle of daisies. However, the flowers in fact all looked about the same, and each bundle had an equal amount of daisies.
He extended his hand as he looked to the side, and just happened to see Wen Qingying putting on the same smile as before.
It was also the same politeness. So polite that it didn’t look like a smile.
Tao Ling averted his eyes, and unconsciously pursed his lips. He grabbed two bouquets out of randomness.
Just when he was about to go scan the QR code, Wen Qingying, however, dashed in front of the glass door. He took the flowers in his hands, and untied the string that was loosely tied around the stems.
Tao Ling did not rush him either, and simply watched in silence.
A minute later, Wen Qingying handed over the re-tied flower bundle to him. The smile on his lips suddenly opened, exposing the unique vigor he had.
“What is it?” Tao Ling asked, bemused.
His doubtful expression was very obvious, and therefore Wen Qingying raised his right index finger.
“Pfft!” Tao Ling burst into laughter, thinking aloud, “Just like I said, it will only be a matter of time until this flower shop of yours gets closed down. How can you gift flowers to people every day? Don’t you have to make up for it now?”
He fished out his phone. Wen Qingying then stepped aside and dropped his gaze to look at him.
When making the payment, his hands suddenly froze. Tao Ling raised his head, and saw the anticipation spread upon Wen Qingying’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he only paid for one bundle of flowers.
He raised his hands to take the flowers – fingertips touching fingertips – Wen Qingying retracted his hand. Tao Ling grasped tightly onto the stems. His eyelashes quivered for a split second; somehow invisible to the human eye.
He typed on the notepad: “Why are the flowers today only in one color?”
Wen Qingying picked up his phone to reply. His fingers bounced on the screen, looking extremely agile: “The boss I replenish my stock from said that there were only light green ones left. I didn’t go to the flower market today. They were delivered to me after I sent him a message. I feel that these are very pretty too. Mister, do you like other colors? I can choose different colors the next time I replenish stock.”
Tao Ling shook his head.
The business of the flower shop was exceptionally good today. They had only exchanged a few words, yet new customers were already popping up next to them. Wen Qingying had no choice but to resume work. By the time he’d finished handing over the flowers to the customers, he realized that Tao Ling was already gone as soon as he turned around.
He carried a bouquet of dried flowers with him to the side of the street. After looking around, however, that man’s figure was nowhere to be found.
Wen Qingying stood unmoving for a while. Then, he turned around and got inside the shop.
Half an hour had passed. Wen Qingying was on the verge of tieing up a bundle of roses he’d ordered when Tao Ling suddenly came in.
The latter pushed a cup of fruit juice in front of Wen Qingying, and then sat on the chair aside.
Wen Qingying blinked in slight astonishment. However, Tao Ling simply drank his own cup of juice without looking at him. He then touched the flower bouquet aside in an idly manner.
The roses were paired with gypsophila flowers. It was a very minimalistic and classic style. Everything was still going very well when Wen Qingying first planted the flowers in the soil. But as soon as the wrapping papers came into use, he began to flurry again.
After a moment of watching, Tao Ling let out a chuckle. He pressed down the papers for him so that he could tear the tape empty-handed.
“Ai, I have seen those in other flower shops before. Aren’t all tape cutters used with only one hand?” asked Tao Ling.
Wen Qingying furrowed his eyebrows, not knowing what the other party was saying, and only casted his attention upon the wrapping papers.
Tao Ling took a glance at him before continuing, “Were you in a great hurry when you opened this flower shop? You decided to open one before even getting handicrafts mastered. Are you perhaps making business as you’re learning?”
Wen Qingying was still silent. Tao Ling on the other hand chuckled.
Upon finishing tying a ribbon after much struggle, Wen Qingying carried the flowers to a side stand. After getting his hands washed, he saw that the juice had already been inserted with a straw.
“Thank you, mister. ” He grabbed the paper and pen, and drank some only after expressing his thanks.
Tao Ling watched him. However, he did not receive the expression he was looking forward to.
Although there was no added sugar in the passion fruit juice, Wen Qingying didn’t seem to taste the sourness in it. When he looked up and saw Tao Ling’s curious expression, he smiled and revealed his eyeteeth again.
Dammit.
An inexplicable irritation surged inside Tao Ling’s heart. After sitting for two minutes, he got up and was preparing to leave.
Before he could even move his feet, a voice was suddenly heard from outside, “Boss, how much are these flowers? Are there other colors available?”
Tao Ling turned his head. Unexpectedly, the person standing at the entrance was Xia Chaoyang.
Both parties just happened to meet each other’s eyes. Xia Chaoyang spoke in astonishment, “Tao-shidi?”
The hand that held the flower stems loosened, and the daisies were resting on the table again. He replied, “How coincident, Mr. Xia. Are you here to buy flowers? The ones in your hands are ten yuan for a bundle.”
“Is it your shop?” Xia Chaoyang asked.
Wen Qingying stood up with him. Tao Ling weakly pointed behind. “It’s my friend’s shop.”
Xia Chaoyang softly laughed. “No wonder you said you were already meeting with someone.”
Tao Ling simply curled his lips without giving another reply.
When Xia Chaoyang picked out two bundles of flowers, Tao Ling and Wen Qingying pointed simultaneously at the QR code on the door.
However, Xia Chaoyang didn’t leave after finishing paying. Instead, he stood still as if he was hesitating in saying something. Wen Qingying was also standing at the side. The three men were separated in a triangle, and the quietness inside the shop had reached its peak.
A moment later, Tao Ling asked, “Mr. Xia, do you still need something else?”
The other shooked his head. “I’m fine.”
After a long time, he finally asked, “Tao-shidi, is your brother… at the western suburbs?
Tao Ling replied with an “en.”
“See you next time,” said Xia Chaoyang.
Before turning around, he took a deep look at Tao Ling with extremely gentle eyes. Wen Qingying saw clearly his face. However, he felt that there was a layer of mist on his eyes.
Just as if he wasn’t looking at Tao Ling.
A while after the other party left, Tao Ling then grabbed the flowers and bid farewell to Wen Qingying.
The shop was now completely quiet. Wen Qingying held that cup of juice and drank two more mouthfuls before furrowing lightly his eyebrows.
A gust of strong wind blew past the shop, making the scattered leaves on the curb rustle in a mess. After a short while, they gathered together and whirled around an invisible center.
It looked like a wild dance performance. As though performing a sacrifice.
Wen Qingying got up and walked towards the door. Leaning beside the flower stand, he looked up and saw a cloudy sky that was accumulating dark clouds.
After this rainstorm tonight, starting the next day, the weather will abruptly become colder. Wearing only nothing but a long-sleeved shirt in the office will be barely enough.
Half a week had passed. The big bundles of daisies that have been collected twice were finally starting to show a sign of decaying. After that, they will dry up rapidly and die within two days.
Surprisingly, that pot of Chinese roses still seemed healthy. They were not withering, and therefore there were always flowers to look at.
On Saturday morning, Tao Ling woke up very early.
Today was Tao Jun’s passing anniversary. As such, he needed to go to the cemetery.
He walked on the road he usually used for work. Turning to the street corner, he saw from afar a sports car parked on the street. It was exactly facing in front of the flower shop. He originally didn’t think of Wen Qingying, but he soon got closer to the shop. Tao Ling then saw an unfamiliar man inside the shop.
That man was decked in a black suit, his back facing the entrance. He was currently making gestures to Wen Qingying.
Wen Qingying had his lips tightly pursed, brows knitted slightly, appearing somewhat agitated.
When the man stopped moving, he made some gestures as well. Just as the man was about to go on with his turn, Wen Qingying swiftly pushed him outside.
If Tao Ling wasn’t mistaken, the meaning of this move should be refusal.
