Chapter 8: Quiet Days, Shared Steps
Summer deepened in Nanjiang Town.
The heat wasn't suffocating like the cities. Here, it came in long stretches of warm mornings, buzzing cicadas, and golden afternoons softened by riverside breezes.
For Lin Mu, each day passed like a page turned in a quiet book — no rush, no noise, just the steady rhythm of life, business, and careful cultivation.
And now, there was company in that rhythm.
Xu Qingling had begun stopping by more often. Not always with a reason. Sometimes just with an extra drink in hand. Or a new book she thought he might like.
She never overstayed.
But her presence lingered long after she left.
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One morning, she arrived carrying a box.
Inside were small, square paper cards — each hand-illustrated with soft ink sketches of herbs, fruits, or brewing steps. A few had delicate watercolor accents.
"I made these," she said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I thought… maybe they could go with your packaging. Something simple."
Lin Mu flipped through them carefully.
Each card had his blends drawn with care. Mint-lemon. Dried plum and chrysanthemum. Jasmine-pear. At the back of each, she'd added a little brewing instruction or poetic line.
"They're beautiful," he said.
She smiled, a little shyly. "I wasn't sure. You don't have to use them."
"I will," he said firmly. "They're perfect."
She looked relieved.
Then added, "If you want, I could help design the entire label series. Maybe even a logo."
Lin Mu hesitated.
"I… never thought about branding too much."
"You don't have to make it loud," she said gently. "Just yours. Honest. Like your tea."
He nodded slowly. "Let's try it."
---
That afternoon, they sat on the porch and sketched. She brought her tablet and stylus. He brought a notebook with hand-written tea recipes and drying techniques.
Together, they designed a tiny plum blossom logo — five petals, ink-style, minimal.
Inside the petals: 林 (Lin).
And below it, in delicate font: "Grown in stillness. Brewed with care."
They didn't talk much while working.
They didn't need to.
It was the kind of silence that warmed, not strained.
---
Meanwhile, the portable world expanded again.
With every small real-world success, the system seemed to reward Lin Mu with new opportunities:
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[New Function Unlocked: Rest House Pavilion (Scenic Module)]
• Location: Select area near water
• Capacity: 4 persons
• Bonus: +Mood recovery, +Guest Affection
→ Would you like to build?
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Lin Mu chose a quiet corner beside the pond.
The system constructed a graceful wooden pavilion with a tiled roof, soft curtains, and space for a tea table. He added a few clay lanterns and scattered lotus petals in the nearby water.
It was the kind of place he imagined bringing someone — her — when the time was right.
---
That weekend, Lin Mu hosted his market booth again.
This time, Xu Qingling came early.
She wore a soft brown linen dress, her hair pinned up, and a thin notebook tucked under her arm.
"I made a simple catalog," she said. "We can put it on the table. That way people can read while tasting."
He nodded gratefully.
The morning passed like sunlight through leaves — busy, but gentle.
They talked to customers, offered samples, and quietly exchanged glances whenever someone smiled after sipping.
By noon, Xu Qingling sat beside him, brushing hair from her face. "You're getting better at this," she said.
"At what?"
"Letting people enjoy what you do."
Lin Mu looked around — the small crowd, the warm feedback, the quiet hum of the market.
And then at her.
"Maybe because someone made me realize I don't have to hide it."
---
That evening, after they packed up, she didn't leave right away.
Instead, she stood at the edge of the path near the river, watching the sun sink behind the hills.
Lin Mu stood beside her.
After a moment, she spoke. "I used to think I'd live in a big city. Noise. Fast pace. Crowds."
She paused. "But lately… this place feels enough."
Lin Mu didn't respond immediately.
He just watched the river flow, then said, "There's peace here. And room to grow."
She turned to him.
"And… people who grow slowly," she added softly. "But beautifully."
Their eyes met — not urgently, not dramatically. Just steadily.
Like two rivers flowing side by side.
---
That night, under the artificial stars of his secret world, Lin Mu sat in the pavilion, sketching plans for the next planting phase.
But his mind kept drifting.
To her laugh.
To her touch on the paper cards.
To the way she looked at his garden — not as a customer, but as if it belonged to her too.
And for the first time, he wondered:
If this portable world — this sanctuary of time and growth — could one day hold two hearts, not just his.
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End of Chapter 8