Before she knew it, Tián Tián had grown used to living with the old man.
But one day, even though it was already time, the old man didn't come.
Tián Tián stared at the shop's entrance for a long, long time.
From sunrise to dusk, the door that should have been opened long ago remained completely still.
The old man... hadn't come.
The shop was dim and quiet.
In the enclosed space, the scent of paper and books grew richer and more pervasive.
It smelled wonderful.
It should have made Tián Tián drool.
But she realized she missed the sweet taste of honey water.
Tián Tián lay on the counter, the spot closest to the entrance.
She judged the time by the light coming through the gap beneath the door.
The next afternoon, Tián Tián, feeling rather listless, heard a sound from the entrance.
She immediately sat up, her eyes shining.
But after waiting for a while, she realized the person outside had left.
And then it dawned on her: no, that wasn't the old man's footsteps.
After spending years together, Tián Tián knew the old man far better than she'd imagined.
For the next few days, there was no more sound from the entrance.
All Tián Tián heard was the muffled noise of traffic outside, filtering through the door.
People came and went, but none of them was the one she was waiting for.
"Rattle~"
The rolling shutter outside was pulled up.
The sudden noise made Tián Tián jump. Then sunlight poured in, making her squint.
Fresh air surged inside, carrying with it... the scent of a stranger.
Tián Tián's eyes widened.
Someone she didn't know.
But... he looked a little like the old man.
Was he the old man's child?
Though she usually stayed