A Special Day, a Boy's Longing

[ Cancer men are especially honest and introverted boys. Though they want something, they're always too shy to ask, and often miss fleeting chances at happiness. Today is my birthday, and 622 is my lucky number. I really hope I get 622 monthly votes as a birthday present today! (▽) ]

Shen Qi and Cao Fan came near the service desk and watched discreetly.

A man over 1.9 meters tall, with a conference badge hanging around his neck, bowed ninety degrees to the committee staff. "I'd like to get Professor Shen Qi's paper. Please!"

The staff member checked the man's conference badge again and said apologetically, "Mr. Tachibana, I'm very sorry, but you're too late. All of Professor Shen's papers have been taken. Tomorrow morning at nine, Professor Shen will give a talk in the main conference hall, and copies of his paper will be available there as well. I suggest you go to the main hall early tomorrow so you can get one."

The man bowed again. "I'm very sorry I was late. I don't know how to get Professor Shen Qi to provide more copies of his paper, but I still want to get one today. Please!"

The committee staff member was still quite polite. "We really don't have any of Professor Shen's papers left. You must have academic friends who came with you, right? I suggest you ask one of them to lend you a copy."

The man bowed a third time. "I came to China alone. I don't have any friends here. Please help me. I'm begging you! I have to get Professor Shen Qi's paper today. Please, you must help me!"

The attendee had East Asian features, and he and the staff member were speaking Chinese. He spoke it quite fluently, though with