For a whole week, the same man appeared at Gu Wanqing's wonton stall every day.
He arrived around 7:40 each morning, wearing different clothes but all in dark colors, looking low-key but of excellent fabric. Each time he ordered one bowl of wontons with extra scallions, sitting in the same spot, eating slowly.
Gu Wanqing was busy and had no time to chat with him. But she noticed how carefully he ate. Not like someone in a hurry, but rather like someone genuinely savoring something precious.
On the eighth day, he came again.
But today he didn't order wontons. Instead, he stood at the stall for a while, watching her wrap wontons.
"Not eating today?" she asked.
"I am." He paused. "But today I want to sit a bit longer. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is."
She boiled him a bowl of wontons, then continued her work.
When he finished eating, she was wiping down tables. He walked up to her and took a business card from his pocket.
"I'd like to ask you for a favor."
She took the card and looked at it.
The card was very simple, with only a name and phone number, no company name, no job title.
**Lu Jingchen**
"What kind of favor?"
"My mother isn't feeling well lately, and she's been craving wontons." He said, "But she lives out of town, and with my work, I can't travel to see her often. I was wondering... could I trouble you to teach me how to make them?"
She was stunned.
"You mean, you want me to teach you to make wontons?"
"Yes." His expression was very serious. "I can pay tuition."
She looked at him, finding it somewhat amusing.
"Mr. Lu, at your age, why learn this? You don't look like someone who cooks."
He took off his glasses and rubbed his brow.
This was the first time she really saw his face clearly—around forty years old, deep features, temples touched with gray, fine lines at the corners of his eyes, but not looking old. Rather, he had a steadiness that came from years of experience.
"When I was a child, I ate wontons made by someone," his voice dropped. "They were very delicious. I want to learn to make them for her myself."
She looked at him and suddenly felt this person was different from the rest.
There was something familiar in his eyes. Loneliness, and also obsession. The kind of calm that only comes after experiencing something significant.
"Does your mother... know you've been looking for me for so long?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she愣了一下ed herself.
She didn't know why she said that.
Lu Jingchen also froze.
The two of them locked eyes, and something strange filled the air.
"...No." He finally said. "She only knows I've been searching."
Gu Wanqing didn't push further.
She lowered her head in thought, then said:
"Alright. Come tomorrow morning and I'll teach you."
A light flashed in his eyes.
"Really?"
"Why would I joke about it?" She lowered her head again, wiping the table. "But I should warn you, tuition isn't cheap."
"How much?"
"One bowl of wontons a day."
He smiled.
This was the first time she'd seen him smile.
"Deal."