Zoe held her chin up, her eyes curving as she surveyed her, "Mom's been talking about you a lot, 'Our Sunflower's coming,' 'Sunflower's going to love it here,' so I've been wanting to come for a long time.you to come."
Shen Rihui lowered her eyelashes, her cheeks colored a faint red.
She lowered her head to pick the fresh lilies on the shelf, her fingertips unintentionally brushing against the slightly cool leaves, but her heart felt like it had been gently touched by something.
"Thank you."She said softly.
"Would you like me to pick out some bread for you?"Zoe popped to the side and pulled out a bag of freshly baked country bread, handing it to her like a treasure, "This one just came out of the oven this morning!There's also honey, it's super delicious!"
Shen Riqiu took it and her fingertips encountered a trace of warmth.
She curved her eyes, "I'll take them all then, thank you."
At this moment, a light cough came from beside the shelves.
Simon, Zoe's older brother, was leaning against the shelves and flipping through the ledger, and when he saw Shen Riqiu surrounded by her sister, he lost his smile and shook his head.
"Don't disturb people."He said lazily.
"It's not going to be noisy!"Zoe huffed and turned back, "Sister Sunflower loves to be noisy, right?"
Shen Rihui couldn't help but smile.
This natural, clean enthusiasm made her feel as if she had really become part of this town.
After paying the money and carrying the hot bread and a small bunch of lilies, Shen Riqiu pushed open the door of the grocery store and walked back into the alley.
The sunlight was right through the branches and leaves, sprinkling a field of broken gold on the stone road.
The wind was soft and the world was slow.
She thought that maybe a little bit of gentle strength could grow every day here.
Shen Rihui put the bread and flowers away, changed into a clean light blue cotton and linen dress, put the painting kit on her back again, and went out the door.
The sunlight of the town through the clouds, gentle as if through a layer of gauze.The streets were lined with old white walls and gray tiles, and occasionally cats jumped over the roofs, leaving tiny paw prints.
She walked aimlessly.
Sometimes she stopped by the side of the road and squatted down to look at a cluster of unknown wildflowers, sometimes she was attracted by a slowly crawling snail at the corner of an alley.
The sketchbook in her hand is opened from time to time, and she records these tiny beauties with a pencil: an orange cat basking in the sun; an old man pushing a cart, walking slowly across a long street; a tiny rosebush blooming just right in the corner after a rainy day.
These paintings, seemingly fragmentary, are the softest things in Shen Rihui's heart.
She knows that these are all part of the future painting exhibition.
She wants to do an exhibition called "Borrowed Light", borrowing the light of the town, borrowing the tenderness of everyday life, giving the world a gentle, warm embrace.
As light rain began to fall in the late afternoon, Shen Riquelme went to Lin Yu's cafe again.
She sat down by the window and spread out her new sketchbook.
Outside the window was a drizzle, and the osmanthus trees swayed gently in the wind, as if whispering.
Lin Yu came out from the bar and brought her a cup of hot cocoa, and drew a small sun pattern on the top of the cup.
"What did you draw today?"He asked with a smile.
Shen Riqui looked up, her eyes clear: "Today ... I drew the cat sunbathing on the side of the road, and a small rose that I met unexpectedly."
Lin Yu couldn't help but bend the corners of his mouth, "Sounds warm."
Shen Riqiu lowered her head, her fingertips gently touching the edges of the sketchbook.
She suddenly had some desire to tell him what she was drawing for.
But then again, she felt that there was no hurry, every thing, should be done slowly, like rain, quietly falling into the heart.