Chapter 66 Couple Outfits
Li Yan woke up exceptionally early today. As soon as the alarm went off, he rolled out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom to wash up.
Once finished, he pulled open the wardrobe and selected a casual Chanel outfit.
A simple white shirt paired with black casual trousers.
He casually ran a hand through his hair in front of the mirror. Today was the final day of his piano challenge; he had to master the beginner version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" by noon, otherwise the past three days of effort would go to waste.
Slinging his backpack over his shoulder and taking his sheet music, Li Yan stepped out the door.
A five-minute walk outside the residential compound led to plenty of restaurants, so breakfast was never an issue.
However, since this was an upscale neighborhood, the kind of gritty, hole-in-the-wall eateries that Li Yan favored were somewhat scarce.
Skipping his morning run today, Li Yan planned to finish his task first.
At a little past seven in the morning, the weather was not yet hot, though the sky looked rather overcast. Li Yan hailed a taxi, intending to grab some breakfast first.
The breakfast spot was a popular local eatery in Shuandu that he had come across on Douyin last night, and he wanted to give it a try.
It wasn't far. After a ten-minute ride, the car arrived at the destination.
The storefront was small and looked quite old, but it was packed with customers.
With no seating left inside, most people chose to eat while sitting on small stools by the roadside or squatting on the curb.
After waiting for a moment, Li Yan ordered a bowl of Dan Dan noodles. Topped with a generous layer of vibrant red chili oil and chopped scallions, it looked instantly appetizing.
A northerner's breakfast—or at least Li Yan's usual breakfast back home—typically consisted of soy milk, deep-fried dough sticks, and baked sesame cakes.
This was his first time trying something as oily and rich so early in the morning, a habit unique to Shuandu.
Holding his half-eaten bowl of Dan Dan noodles, Li Yan stood by the roadside and looked at an old phoenix tree across the street.
Underneath the shade, a few elderly people sat in loose groups, gently waving cattail-leaf fans while leisurely chatting about neighborhood gossip.
Occasionally, someone would get up for a stroll, carrying freshly bought vegetables or a weathered bamboo woven basket, exuding a slow-paced and relaxed demeanor.
In a flash, he was reminded of certain online jokes about this city, which perhaps vividly mirrored this very scene.
Taking a closer look at the street stalls, a vendor selling deep-fried pastries chatted cheerfully with neighbors at the next table, while thick, fragrant clouds of steam billowed from a hot pot restaurant, instantly whetting the appetites of early risers.
Li Yan raised his spoon and took a bite of the noodles. The numbing and spicy flavors rushed over his palate, and the chewy texture of the noodles left his tongue glowing with warmth.
Someone behind him shouted, "What are you up to, man?" making him pause for a second before he remembered it was the local dialect, roughly meaning "What are you doing?"
No matter how thick the local accent, one could always sense a genuine sincerity in their tone.
Thinking of the small taverns at night, accompanied by singing voices that were either soft or rugged, made the city's inclusivity and warmth all the more palpable.
Regardless of how many internet tropes there were—debates about feminism, or jokes about the city being a haven for gay men—what he encountered in reality were leisurely old folks, middle-aged uncles out for strolls, and cheerful, enthusiastic young people. The local customs and human touch were entirely unpretentious.
As Li Yan watched the bustling, stop-and-go street market, a bowl of noodles went down his stomach, leaving a thin layer of sweat over his body and strangely instilling a deep sense of relaxation.
Perhaps the city possessed a natural rhythm that was half a beat slower: nothing required rushing, panic was rare, and people always maintained a peaceful composure when facing matters.
In northern cities, a fast pace and hurried rush had become the norm;
Yet in Shuandu, from whatever angle one looked at it, there seemed to be an extra layer of tolerance and ease.
Perhaps this was the inner meaning behind the saying, "The young should not enter Shu, the old should not leave Chuan."
He slurped up the remaining noodles in his bowl in a couple of bites, put the bowl down, and glanced at his watch. Having finished his breakfast, his mind felt as though it had been smoothed over by the city's gentle breeze.
Thinking that he still had to hurry to the practice rooms to continue his intense three-day training task, he felt a momentary daze: no wonder many people said that living here could smooth away one's impatience.
Li Yan thought to himself that once the task was completed, he should perhaps join some friends for an authentic Sichuan spicy hot pot, followed by a trip to a small tavern for a drink, just to see if late-night Shuandu possessed an even more cozy charm.
...
It was around 8:30 when he arrived at the tutoring center.
The center seemed to have just opened. The receptionist was wiping down the desk, and as Li Yan stepped inside, he also caught sight of Wang Wanjun's striking figure.
Wang Wanjun looked somewhat different from yesterday today, her attire carrying a softer aura.
She wore a light blue shirt with the cuffs rolled up to her elbows, revealing her slender and fair forearms;
Her lower half was clad in black denim shorts, which accentuated her already long and straight, well-proportioned legs.
What caught the eye most, however, were the white sneakers on her feet, paired with white mid-calf socks. The tops of the socks hugged her calves slightly, making that expanse of skin look even smoother and fairer, almost emitting a faint glow.
Her overall appearance was quite tall, and the advantage of her slender legs was displayed to perfection.
As she walked down the corridor of the piano practice rooms, her steps were light and carried a gentle aura. The color contrast between the light blue shirt and the black shorts made her look neither overly flashy nor lacking in a refreshing, clean vibe.
Xi Qingyan glanced sideways at the combination of white sneakers and white mid-calf socks, inevitably stealing a few extra glances. The shirt fabric swayed slightly with her steps, exuding a gentle and youthful energy.
While the outfit might not be described as stunning, the soft temperament radiating from within was palpable.
As Wang Wanjun walked down the corridor with her head slightly bowed, the blue at her cuffs and the white of her sneakers resembled color blocks evoking summer coolness, their simple palette perfectly matching the colors of summer.
Seeing Li Yan walk in, the receptionist waved cheerfully and greeted him.
"Morning!"
Ever since yesterday's incident, the receptionist clearly held Li Yan in even higher regard.
It wasn't that she harbored any romantic intentions, but rather an instinctive respect for such a young man.
In this society, not just anyone was willing to step forward and right a wrong.
Meanwhile, Wang Wanjun's eyes lit up the moment she saw Li Yan walk through the door.
Ever since she returned home yesterday and told her best friend Liang Meng about what happened, Liang Meng's reaction had been even more exaggerated than her own.
"When you meet someone like that, shouldn't you marry him right away?!"
Seeing Li Yan enter now, dressed in his white shirt and black casual trousers, Wang Wanjun suddenly felt, for some inexplicable reason, that the two of them looked somewhat like they were wearing a couple's outfit?
"Hey? The two of you are dressed so matching today~"
The receptionist looked at the incoming Li Yan, then glanced at Wang Wanjun beside her, her eyes suddenly revealing an amused, matchmaker-like smile.
Li Yan remained unfazed, and Wang Wanjun seemed equally calm on the surface, except for the crystal-clear earlobe partially hidden behind a strand of hair, which was now tinged with a faint blush.