"He actually said you're his type?!"
Lan's voice was barely above a whisper, yet still couldn't hide the excitement in her tone.
She leaned in close to Di, her "bestie radar" fully activated, practically bursting with gossip mode energy.
—
Just a few minutes earlier, after Lin got off the train, Di had looked up and waved toward Jie and Lan, who were standing not far away.
Jie noticed the empty seat next to Di, paused for a second, then turned to Lan and said, "Go ahead and sit."
Lan nodded, and as she made her way over and sat down, she immediately sensed something was off.
Di still hadn't fully returned from the emotional ripple of that earlier moment. He looked like someone just waking from a soft, hazy dream.
—
"I'm just saying," Lan whispered, "your face was red all the way to your ears. Who was that guy? Do you know each other?"
Di slipped his phone into his pocket, unable to suppress a smile. His gaze darted slightly, evasive yet amused.
"He was in the same club back in high school… my senior. Long-distance running club. Lin Zian."
"Lin Zian?!" Lan's voice jumped up before she quickly covered her mouth. "The one who broke the 10K school record?!"
"You know him too?"
"Of course I do! He was a legend in the club. Good-looking, smart, and totally poster-boy material. His photo used to be pinned up in the hallway! And you're telling me you knew him?!"
"Not that well… We only saw each other at orientation events. He left the club early to prep for exams, and we didn't keep in touch."
—
As Di spoke, a soft, shy expression crept over his face, unintentional but unmistakable.
"He said the first time he saw me back then… he thought I was kind of cute."
"And then?! And then?!" Lan was almost pressed against him now.
"Then he said I was his type… and gave me his contact so we could keep in touch."
—
"…You couldn't write this in a novel," Lan muttered, eyes sparkling. "And you're telling me you felt nothing? Your face earlier was screaming 'crush.'"
Di hesitated for a beat, then gave a small, helpless smile. "I didn't say I felt nothing… He's really gentle. And honestly, easy to talk to…"
Before he could finish, he instinctively glanced through the glass door.
Outside, Jie was still standing by the aisle rail, head lowered, deep in thought. The sunlight stretched his silhouette long across the floor, separating him like a scene from a different world.
—
Lan noticed where he was looking, and instead of asking further, she lowered her voice.
"So… will you reach out to him?"
—
Di didn't answer right away.
He turned to the window, watching the scenery blur past outside. His gaze softened.
"I don't know…"
"It's just… it feels like someone's already moved into my heart."
"And slowly, there's just no space left for anyone else."
—
Lan stayed silent.
She looked at her friend's expression—quiet, distant, yet oddly tender.
Eventually, she leaned back in her seat, gave his hand a gentle pat, and said, "Alright then. Rest for a bit."
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the train, Jie still stood in place.
He didn't speak. Didn't turn around.
The train rocked gently. Sunlight filtered in through the window, resting at his feet.
His back remained straight as always—yet something about it felt like he was waiting for something wordless to happen.
—
In that moment, something inside him might have stirred.
But he didn't say it.
He just stood there.
—
Quietly.
And still.