His hands were so beautiful

Tan Yi'an replied instantly: "What's going on!!? Is something happening??"

The corner of Shan Ye's mouth lifted, and he replied, "I've found someone I like."

Then he set his phone facedown on the table and propped his chin on his hand, watching Boss Fan make coffee.

He counted how long Fan Jin spent washing his hands. "26, 27, 28..." He stopped at thirty seconds.

Fan Jin washed his hands thoroughly, even between his fingers. His fingers reddened from the rubbing, yet the sight was inexplicably sensual.

Shan Ye watched for a long time, until even he felt like a creep. He had only just fallen for someone; he couldn't go scaring him away.

After so many years in the military, Fan Jin had long since noticed someone staring at him. He glanced toward the window.

Shan Ye immediately looked away. He had almost been caught sneaking looks.

Fan Jin paid him no mind and went behind the curtain to get on with his work.

By the time Fan Jin finished and came back out, the seat by the window was empty.

"Mr. Shan left after a little while," Zhang Nan said.

Fan Jin leaned against the counter, toying with the car keys in his hand. They belonged to Shan Ye.

Seeing him lost in thought, Zhang Nan remembered what day it was and ventured, "Fan Jin, are you... still going to the cemetery today?"

Fan Jin came back to himself and looked at him, his gaze ice-cold.

Zhang Nan quickly lowered his head and returned to his work. "I shouldn't have asked."

On his way back from the cemetery that evening, Fan Jin decided to walk all the way home. Out of habit, he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and lowered his head to light it.

Smoke curled around his lips. He had started smoking after leaving the military, though he wasn't much of a smoker.

It was exactly nine when he got home. He lived alone in a two-bedroom apartment, neither large nor small, which he had bought with a mortgage using his discharge pay. After showering, he lay in bed and, unsurprisingly, couldn't sleep again. This was his eighth consecutive day of insomnia. Business at the coffee shop was getting better and better, and a whole day of work had left him exhausted, yet he felt no sleepiness at all once he lay down.

A face suddenly surfaced in his mind. Why did he come to the coffee shop again today? How strange.

The next morning, Shan Ye got up bright and early.

He checked his phone. It was only eight thirty. The coffee shop opened at nine. He washed up and changed, and it still wasn't nine when he headed out.

When he reached the coffee shop, it wasn't open yet.

Shan Ye waited outside for ten minutes before he saw Fan Jin coming down the street.

Fan Jin wore a black jacket that day, his features sharply defined, and carried a bag of things. His steps faltered when he saw Shan Ye standing outside.

"Why are you here so early?" Fan Jin came over to unlock the door.

"I couldn't sleep." Shan Ye followed him inside. "Boss Fan, are you here this early every day?"

"Mm."

Fan Jin turned on the lights first, then tied on his apron and began grinding beans. His practiced movements flowed seamlessly from one to the next.

Shan Ye found a seat by the window. He had learned his lesson and brought his laptop today. Before, he had nothing to do at the coffee shop and couldn't stay long before he had to leave. He had no classes today, so he planned to spend the whole day grading assignments here.

"What would you like?" Fan Jin didn't look up.

"An Americano. Iced."

Fan Jin said nothing and started making the coffee.

Shan Ye opened his laptop, his eyes fixed on the screen while his peripheral vision kept drifting toward the counter.

Fan Jin looked good making coffee. Washing his hands, sanitizing, measuring out beans, grinding, pulling the shot-every step was clean and efficient. Shan Ye stared at his hands for quite a while: well-defined knuckles, long, slender fingers, and blue veins on the backs.

When the coffee arrived, Shan Ye quickly lowered his head and pretended to look at an assignment.

"Thanks, Boss Fan."

Fan Jin gave a quiet "Mm," then turned back to the counter.

After grading for a while, Shan Ye looked up at Fan Jin again. Fan Jin was polishing cups, wiping each one until it gleamed and arranging them neatly.

"Boss Fan," Shan Ye called, leaning over the table, "is your shop always this quiet?"

"Mm."

"Don't you get bored?"

"No."

Shan Ye smiled. "Then you're pretty good at handling solitude."

Fan Jin didn't answer.

Shan Ye wasn't annoyed. He lowered his head and continued grading. After a while, he looked up again. "Boss Fan, do you listen to music? I can connect to Bluetooth."

"No need."

"Then what do you usually do here? Just make coffee and polish cups?"

"Mm."

"How many cups can you polish in a day?"

Fan Jin finally looked up at him.

Shan Ye blinked innocently.

"...Have you finished your work?" Fan Jin asked.

"Not yet."

"Then why aren't you working?"

Shan Ye laughed and obediently lowered his head to carry on grading.

Not long afterward, Zhang Nan arrived for work too. He spotted Shan Ye by the window right away and greeted him.

He began making desserts and said quietly to Fan Jin, "Mr. Shan got here really early."

Fan Jin was silent for two seconds, looking a little resigned. "He was here before the shop opened."

Just before noon, a little girl suddenly ran in.

With little braids in her hair and a stuffed rabbit in her arms, she skipped inside and called, "Daddy! Daddy Fan!"

The hand supporting Shan Ye's chin gave a sudden tremor.

The little girl slipped through the gap in the counter and reached up for Fan Jin to hold her. Fan Jin washed his hands, then scooped her up.

"Did you come by yourself?" Fan Jin gently brushed her nose with his finger.

Shan Ye stood up, his gaze blank.

Fan Jin smiled. It was the first time Shan Ye had seen him smile, and it was genuine happiness, even the corners of his eyes crinkling.

Shan Ye's heart lurched.

He stared at the little girl. She looked three or four, and there was a slight resemblance to Fan Jin around her eyes and brows.

His daughter? He had a daughter?

Was he already married?

Shan Ye rose to his feet without realizing it.

Noticing Shan Ye's movement, Fan Jin set the little girl down and took a dessert out of the refrigerator for her.

"Go find somewhere to play."

The little girl took the dessert and looked around. Seeing Shan Ye watching her, her eyes lit up, and she ran over. "Can I sit across from you?"

"Of course." Shan Ye smiled gently, though inside he was reeling.

The little girl climbed into the seat across from him and set her stuffed rabbit on the table.

Shan Ye glanced at Fan Jin, who had gone into the kitchen. He lowered his voice and asked, "Are you Boss Fan's daughter?"

The little girl tilted her head. "He's Daddy Fan. He's my second daddy!"

A second marriage!?

Shan Ye's heart sank. "Then where's your mom?"

"Mommy left," the little girl said matter-of-factly, lowering her head to fiddle with her stuffed rabbit.

Shan Ye opened his mouth, unsure what to say.

Zhang Nan came over with milk tea. "Yaoyao, here's your milk tea."

The little girl smiled, shallow dimples showing. "Thank you, Nan!"

Shan Ye seized the chance and asked Zhang Nan quietly, "Is this little girl Boss Fan's daughter?"

Zhang Nan smiled and shook his head. "No, she's his friend's daughter. She comes here to play a lot."

Shan Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

He rubbed his nose. Thank goodness. I still had a chance.