I think I'm about to fall in love

"That's all for my class, see you next week."

It was already five in the afternoon when Shan Ye finished teaching. Only after all the students had left did he leisurely pack up his lesson plans.

His phone chimed.

He picked it up and saw a message from his blind date that morning.

"Shan Ye, I hope I didn't offend you with what I said this morning? Zodiac signs don't really matter, anyway. I'm pretty happy with what you have to offer, and I think we could still give this a shot. What do you think?"

Shan Ye stared at the screen and raised an eyebrow.

This morning, you said a Rooster and a Dog would never have a moment's peace together. Now you're saying it doesn't matter.

Did you really think you could lead me around like a dog?

He tapped out a reply, deleted it, typed another, then deleted that too.

In the end, he replied, "I think you made a good point. If we got together and spent all our time fighting like cats and dogs, that wouldn't be great."

A rejection, perfectly clear and perfectly polite.

After sending it, he slipped his phone into his pocket and instinctively reached for his car keys, only to come up empty.

Then he remembered his car was still at the café.

The corners of Shan Ye's mouth lifted. He was going back to the café to see him. He grabbed his bag and headed out.

The café wasn't far from the school, so he walked, thinking along the way about what he would say to Fan Jin.

When he reached the entrance, he didn't see his car. It must have been taken in for repairs.

He pushed the door open, and the wind chimes rang.

The same young guy was at the counter. He smiled when he saw him. "You're back!"

Shan Ye scratched his head. "I came to pay. I was in such a rush at lunchtime that I forgot." He took out his phone and opened his payment code.

The server waved his hands. "No, no, it's fine. The owner said he accidentally hit your car, so there's no charge."

"Those are two separate things." Shan Ye insisted on scanning the code and paying.

Once he had paid, he glanced behind the counter. There was no one behind the curtain.

"Your boss isn't here?"

"He went out to take care of something."

"Oh..." Shan Ye nodded, then asked with studied casualness, "By the way, what was your boss's name again? He told me this morning, but I forgot."

"Fan Jin. Fan as in 'cage,' and Jin as in 'ashes.'"

Shan Ye repeated it twice in his head, then nodded. "Fan Jin. Boss Fan. Nice name."

The server blinked at him.

His gaze left Shan Ye feeling a little guilty, and he hurried toward the door. "I'll get going, then. See you next time."

At the entrance, he doubled back. "Does your café have a WeChat group? You know, the kind... where you announce new menu items?"

The server paused. "Yes."

Shan Ye scanned the code, joined the group, and left thoroughly satisfied.

It didn't matter that I hadn't gotten his personal WeChat. Joining his group was as good as getting a foot through his front door.

One step at a time. Good things couldn't be rushed.

He took a taxi home. The moment he stepped through the door, his mother came over. "Well? Well? Did that young guy get in touch with you?"

Shan Ye changed his shoes. "What young guy?"

"The violin teacher! I told him you have a lovely temperament and wouldn't argue with him."

Shan Ye stopped, looking utterly resigned. "Mom, did you go and say something to him?"

"I just put in a few good words for you."

"Mom, your son got rear-ended, and you don't even care. All you care about is my love life, huh?"

"Rear-ended? What do you mean?"

"My car."

His mother gave him an exasperated smack. "What did you do about the car?"

"The other guy took it to a garage to get it fixed."

Mother Shan heard the car was fine and immediately slumped back onto the sofa. "Who knows when you'll finally bring me home a daughter-in-law. Your Aunt Chen's son likes men too, and he's already happily coupled up. How lovely."

Shan Ye peeled a tangerine and handed it to her. "Soon. You're about to have a daughter-in-law."

Mother Shan abruptly sat upright. "What do you mean? You've got someone in mind? The violin teacher?"

"Not him. Someone I met today."

"How did you meet?"

Shan Ye's lips curved upward. "You might not believe this, but he's the one who rear-ended my car."

Mother Shan's eyes widened. "That... that works too? So you both know the other likes men?"

"No."

"Well, you at least have his contact details, right?"

"Not those either."

Mother Shan fell silent.

Then she smacked him on the head. "Nothing's even happened yet, and you have the nerve to tell me 'soon'!"

Shan Ye had no classes the next day and slept until broad daylight.

He had a dream in which Fan Jin handed him a coffee. Their fingertips brushed, and the other man's skin was scorching hot.

After waking, he even touched his own fingers.

...I was done for.

He lay there for a while, then checked his phone. It was ten in the morning.

Had Boss Fan gone to the café yet?

He rolled out of bed. While washing up, he looked in the mirror and noticed that the tips of his ears were still a little red.

It was just a dream. Was this really necessary?

He patted his cheeks, changed into a light-colored shirt and cream casual trousers, ran his fingers through his hair, and headed out.

The café wasn't far from his apartment complex. He deliberately took a detour down a side street, dawdling his way to the entrance.

He pushed the door open. As the wind chimes rang, his eyes went straight to the counter. Great, Fan Jin was there.

Fan Jin wore a gray cardigan that day, its sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and was grinding coffee beans. Hearing movement at the entrance, he looked up and saw Shan Ye, then lowered his head again as though he hadn't seen him at all. He might as well have been a leaf that had drifted in from outside.

The server, on the other hand, was enthusiastic. "You're back again!"

What did he mean, again? I'd only been here twice.

Shan Ye walked over and leaned on the counter. "Good morning, Boss Fan."

Fan Jin gave a "Mm." Just one syllable.

He was ridiculously aloof.

But Shan Ye liked a tough nut to crack. The harder it was, the more interested he became.

"What would you like?" Fan Jin asked.

"An Americano. Iced."

After ordering, Shan Ye didn't go find a seat. He stayed leaning against the counter, watching Fan Jin make his coffee.

He watched him wash his hands, sanitize, measure out the beans, and grind them.

Fan Jin grew a little uncomfortable under his gaze and turned his back to get some water.

Shan Ye's eyes followed him.

Finally, Fan Jin couldn't take it anymore. He turned his head toward him. "Don't you have anything to do?"

"I do," Shan Ye said, perfectly unabashed. "I'm waiting for my coffee."

Fan Jin glanced at him without a word and pushed the finished Americano across the counter.

Shan Ye picked it up and took a sip. It was chilled just right.

"Thank you, Boss Fan."

He took his coffee to a seat by the window, drinking as he looked at his phone.

He sent his good friend Tan Yi'an a message: "I think I might be about to fall in love."