Waiting for you at the place where you are reborn

Wu Linxi suffered from insomnia and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Today's experience made her feel as excited as the graduation trip four years ago.

She believes in fate, but her best friend Jiang Li says that fate is written in novels.

Jiang Li is a science student and a police officer, so it is normal for her not to believe it.

For so many years, Wu Linxi has been waiting for something.

Many people like her. From college to work, she has always been an ideal partner in the eyes of boys. Beautiful and simple, with a cheerful personality, Jiang Li said that the love letters Wu Linxi received could be compiled into a "Love Letter Appreciation Collection".

But Wu Linxi said that her fate has not yet arrived.

"That kind of heart-throb doesn't happen to everyone. It may be just one glance, and it will last a lifetime." Wu Linxi said to Jiang Li.

"I think you've become stupid because of your major," Jiang Li said, "Fate is metaphysics. What you said is simply impossible to achieve in real life."

"If I believe it, it will come true." Wu Linxi said to Jiang Li.

The moment she opened her eyes and saw Qi Xiangtian today, she believed what she said.

Wu Linxi opened the closet and took out the dress that she had treasured for four years. She spread the dress on the bed and folded it carefully, making sure there were no wrinkles and straightening out the edges of the shoulders and collar.

Then he opened the drawer, took out the panda keychain, and put it in his clothes pocket.

"It's been four years. Finally, you found your master." Wu Linxi said, feeling sweet in his heart.

At around eight o'clock in the morning, Wu Linxi opened his eyes and saw the message and location sent by Qi Xiangtian.

"See you at 111 o'clock in private room of Xishang Tea House."

She jumped out of bed and started to wash. After she was done, she took out a few skirts to choose from, blue, green, white, purple... She wondered if she should wear something more plain and elegant, or put on some light makeup.

"Aren't you going to rest? Don't you have to sleep until eleven o'clock before getting up?" Yu Huanmei asked.

"Something happened. I need to go out for a while." Wu Linxi smiled.

"What are you doing?" Wu Cheng walked out of the kitchen. Apart from working, he rarely saw his daughter getting up so early on weekends. "Want to have breakfast?"

"Eat, what's for breakfast?" Wu Linxi asked.

"Steamed buns, eggs, fried dumplings, sweet potatoes, black rice porridge." Wu Cheng said, "What do you want to eat?"

"Just eat a sweet potato, it's a whole grain and low in calories." Wu Linxi reached out and took a sweet potato and put it in his mouth.

"Don't you have to eat a lot to feel full?" Yu Huanmei sat at the dining table and looked at her daughter.

"Oh, Mom, girls need to lose weight. They can't eat as much as they want, right?" Wu Linxi said.

Yu Huanmei nodded and exchanged glances with Wu Cheng who was sitting opposite her. They both shook their heads to express that they did not understand why their daughter was acting abnormally today.

At ten fifty, Wu Linxi arrived at the Xishang Tea Garden.

Looking up, I saw that the decoration of this place was simple and quaint, with bamboo and wood as the main materials. As soon as I entered the door, I could smell the refreshing fragrance of tea.

When I walked into the private room, Qi Xiangtian was already seated.

"I thought I arrived early, but I didn't expect you to be earlier than me." Wu Linxi put her bag on the table at the entrance.

Qi Xiangtian stood up and pulled out a chair for Wu Linxi. After she sat down, he said, "The time I arranged is a bit wrong. It's too late for dinner and a little early for tea."

"It's okay. We just had breakfast, so it's just right to have some tea. No need to be so strict." Wu Linxi said.

"I don't know if you like green tea or black tea. I ordered Mingqian Longjing and Jiuquhongmei." Qi Xiangtian sat down opposite Wu Linxi.

"I personally prefer green tea, but I'm not averse to black tea either," said Wu Linxi.

"I like green tea, just like your personality."

"why?"

“It has a refreshing and sweet taste and a clear and transparent color.”

"Am I like this?" Wu Linxi asked, "How long did it take you to know me and understand me?"

The waiter knocked on the door and came in to serve tea.

Qi Xiangtian poured Longjing tea into a glass and handed it to Wu Linxi.

"What a nice smell..." Wu Linxi held up the cup with both hands and sniffed it, saying, "Longjing tastes bitter at first, but has a sweet aftertaste."

Qi Xiangtian looked at Wu Linxi with a smile. She was wearing a blue and white striped mid-length skirt with a waist, a white jacket, her hair draped over her shoulders, and light makeup. She always had a smile on her face. Looking at her, you would be infected by her happiness.

Qi Xiangtian said to her: "I'm very sorry for yesterday, especially for you."

"You don't have to apologize anymore. Manager Liu apologized a lot yesterday. This was an accident and no one expected it." Wu Linxi said, "But - why would someone set a fire? So arrogant, like a gangster."

Qi Xiangtian sighed lightly, "I don't know how to tell you, my father's affairs are complicated. I haven't been to his places for a long time, and I don't know much about him."

Wu Linxi's face was full of doubts, but he didn't ask any more questions.

"I'll tell you slowly later," Qi Xiangtian said.

"Later?" Wu Linxi smiled faintly. She didn't quite understand what Qi Xiangtian meant by "later". "I want to ask another question. Yesterday, when I came out of the bathroom, how did you know it was me?"

Qi Xiangtian added tea to Wu Linxi's cup, "Of course I know. I didn't just get to know you yesterday."

Wu Linxi inadvertently watched him holding the teacup, with his index finger slightly raised and his middle finger and thumb circling the cup. She asked, "When did you meet me?"

"Four years ago, on the bus for the graduation trip, you introduced yourself very seriously, Lin as in forest, Xi as in stream. You also bandaged me with your silk scarf." Qi Xiangtian said seriously.

"It was pretty stupid back then." Wu Linxi couldn't help laughing, "What happened later? How did you know I was going to do a column at Dolio Bar?"

"I came back to China two years ago and listened to your program by chance. Later, I would listen to your program whenever I had time. A few days ago, Manager Liu told me that you were going to do a column on red wine in a bar."

Wu Linxi was stunned. She was surprised that Qi Xiangtian had known about her for the past four years. She immediately stood up to get the bag on the table, took out the going-out dress from the bag and handed it to Qi Xiangtian, "This should be returned to its original owner."

Qi Xiangtian looked at the clothes in her hand in surprise. Zhang Lang searched the carriage up and down but couldn't find it. The reason he wanted to find this piece of clothing was because there was a keychain left by his mother in it.

"There's also a panda keychain in the bag." Wu Linxi said, "Take a look, is it correct?"

Qi Xiangtian reached into his bag and took out a keychain. Yes, it was a panda keychain, a souvenir his mother bought for him when she took him to visit the panda base when she was still alive.

Qi Xiangtian asked, "Why are the clothes with you? We thought we lost them and couldn't find them anymore."

Wu Linxi said: "It was very late when we returned to the city. Everyone got off the bus and went back to school. Your clothes were left on the seat. I took them away because I was afraid they would be lost. Later I wanted to return them to you, but you had already left for the United States."

"Thank you..." Qi Xiangtian had a faint smile on his face, "The clothes are in your hands, maybe it's destined."

"Destined—what does that mean?" Wu Linxi looked straight at Qi Xiangtian.

Qi Xiangtian looked back at Wu Linxi, "It's been four years. The lost clothes and the people I missed are all there."

Wu Linxi pretended not to understand what Qi Xiangtian said. She asked, "It's been so many years since you graduated with a Ph.D., have you started a family?"

Qi Xiangtian still looked at Wu Linxi, "It's easy to start a family, but it's not easy to wait for someone who shares the same ideals with you."

Wu Linxi lowered her head to drink tea, her heart filled with joy. She heard Qi Xiangtian ask her, "What about you? You haven't gotten married in four years since graduation?"

Wu Linxi looked up at Qi Xiangtian and said, "I believe in fate, and in the person I fall in love with at first sight."

Qi Xiangtian's phone rang. He checked the caller ID and answered it. Then he said in fluent English:

"Hello, Mr. James, what's going on?"

"Miss Song, Song Qiaoran——" Qi Xiangtian looked very surprised, "She came to Lincheng to see me?"

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for telling me. I will find a way to tell her father."

After hanging up the phone, Qi Xiangtian said to Wu Linxi: "I'm sorry, an American teacher."

Wu Linxi shook her head to show that she didn't care. She liked to see Qi Xiangtian speaking English fluently. "Is there something wrong with you? I seemed to hear someone coming to see you."

Qi Xiangtian said hurriedly: "Not now, my American teacher told me that someone will come to Lincheng from the United States to find me."

Wu Linxi nodded, and she subconsciously looked at her watch. It was four minutes to twelve.

"Is there something wrong?" Qi Xiangtian asked.

Wu Linxi shook his head, "No, I'm taking a rest today. I'll be fine all day."

"If you're free, let's have lunch together. The Cantonese food and snacks here are pretty good," Qi Xiangtian said. "In the afternoon, let's go to the school to have a look, okay?"

Wu Linxi tried his best to hide his inner joy, "But we just met today."

Qi Xiangtian smiled and said, "That's not right. We have known each other for four years."