The Change (Between Us)

Today, Wei Chen had made up his mind to return to the Chuan Jie restaurant once more, determined to taste the soup that had been haunting his mind for days.

The memory of its rich flavor lingered in his thoughts, an elusive puzzle he couldn't shake off. This time, he hoped the taste would match the one that had sparked something in him, something he couldn't quite place.

The late morning sunlight of Sunday filtered through the leaves beginning to change color, while the cool breeze of early winter carried a refreshing chill through the morning air. The Chuan Jie restaurant was already bustling, cars parked in rows along the street, leaving barely any space to spare.

Wei Chen parked his car in an alley not far from the restaurant, wearing a white crew-neck t-shirt and dark gray long pants. His look was more casual than usual, a stark contrast to his usual business attire. He walked toward the entrance, where a staff member was standing.

"Excuse me, sir, all tables are full right now. We'll have availability around 3 PM. If it's convenient, you can reserve a table in advance," the staff member said politely as soon as Wei Chen approached.

Wei Chen glanced at his wristwatch, 11:15 AM. Another four hours.

"Alright, reserve it" 

With the reservation settled, Wei Chen returned to his car. Instead of starting the engine, he sat quietly, hands resting on the steering wheel, his fingers tapping lightly as if lost in thought.

Time seemed to stretch on, and just when he was about to start the car, a petite woman in a white t-shirt, with a pale yellow cardigan thrown over it, stepped out of the restaurant.

Both of her hands carried several bags of food, and she walked down the alley to deliver them to nearby customers.

Wei Chen froze. He recognized her instantly. Ning An, the daughter of the Chuan Jie restaurant owner, the same woman Lu Jiu had pointed out to him a few days ago.

She passed right in front of his car, her small figure walking briskly, her head down as she focused on carrying the heavy load.

Wei Chen remained still, his eyes following her every move. There was a hint of surprise on his face, as if he was wondering why someone like her had to deliver food by herself, carrying so many bags.

"Wasn't there anyone to help her?"

Not even fifteen minutes passed when Ning An returned. But instead of going back into the restaurant, she turned toward the convenience store at the corner of the street.

At that exact moment, Wei Chen was about to start his car when a new message popped up on his phone.

He glanced at it for a moment, read it, then opened the car door. With a slow, unhurried pace, he walked over toward the convenience store. Inside, Ning An was sitting near the window, eating her noodles.

She held the chopsticks with ease, lifting the noodles from the bowl. A warm steam rose gently from her cup, but when she looked up, her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Wei Chen standing outside the window, his attention focused on his phone.

She froze. The chopsticks paused in midair, her mouth almost choking on the noodles as she stared at him.

"What is he doing here again?" Ning An's mind raced.

She continued to watch him from behind the glass, her heart pounding. She wanted to know if he would glance in her direction, but he never did.

He remained absorbed in whatever he was typing, his face neutral and distant, as though nothing in the world could pull his attention away from the screen—even her.

Ning An couldn't tear her gaze away. Despite trying to stay composed, her heart raced faster than usual.

A few minutes later, Wei Chen finished typing on his phone, locked the screen, and tucked it into his pocket. He turned and walked away, heading back to his car without sparing a single glance at the restaurant or the window where she sat.

Ning An lowered her head, slowly bringing a bite of noodles to her mouth, though she still felt the rapid beating in her chest.

The sound of his car engine starting up reached her ears, and soon, his car was driving away. She had watched him leave without him ever knowing she was watching.

Wei Chen's car headed toward the city center, toward a café, not far from his penthouse.

When he arrived at the café, he parked and entered the warm, fragrant space. The scent of freshly baked cake filled the air.

He looked toward the table by the window where a woman sat, waiting. She wore a soft, cream colored dress, layered with a knitted cardigan that gave her a gentle, delicate aura, one that seemed unfamiliar, even to him.

Shen Shen looked up and smiled at him. But this time, her smile was wider than usual, more inviting, warmer. It wasn't the polite smile she usually offered strangers.

"You actually came. Thank you for taking time to be with me," Shen Shen greeted.

Wei Chen returned her smile with a slight nod, taking his seat across from her.

"I don't have much going on today," he replied, settling into the moment.

"Would you like to order something else?" Shen Shen asked, sliding over a chocolate cake decorated with fresh red berries.

"You once mentioned how much you liked the cake here,," she said with a soft smile.

"I happened to pass by your penthouse area," she continued, her voice almost wistful,

"and I thought of you. So, I decided to stop by... I wanted to invite you to eat with me."

Wei Chen's gaze lingered on Shen Shen, who sat across from him. Her smile, softer than usual, and the gentleness in her voice made something shift inside him. It was as if the woman before him wasn't the same one he had known before.

"You're different today," he said quietly, a thought he didn't quite understand yet swirling in his mind.

Shen Shen's smile deepened, and for a brief moment, he saw a flicker of shyness in her eyes. Had his words affected her?

"I just want to spend time with you... outside of work," Shen Shen replied, her voice uncharacteristically tender.

The change in her words struck a chord in his chest, and his heart skipped, though he tried not to show it.

Wei Chen nodded slowly, his thoughts turning inward.

"Yes... sometimes, nothing stays the same," he murmured, the weight of the unspoken truth hanging between them.

He could feel it deep inside, this shift, this change, but he couldn't quite name it.

Shen Shen's smile deepened, her voice almost a whisper, the vulnerability she had never shown before shining through. Wei Chen's heart skipped a beat. Is this the same person?