Chapter 42: Impermanence

“Let’s head over to Dingsheng first…”

Lin Xinyuan murmured, making plans for this outing.

He decided to check out the nearby Dingsheng Mall first, then pick up some laundry detergent on the way back.

Actually, small underwear could be bought online and would probably be much cheaper, but when it came to such intimate items, honestly… it was better to see them in person before buying, to avoid any major problems.

Just like the last time he bought that piece—because it was a bit small, it was uncomfortable to wear.

But back then, he just wore it to get by and didn’t think much about it…

Who would have thought he’d now have to make long-term plans and buy them himself…

Thinking this, Lin Xinyuan felt his face flush slightly, finding it hard to even talk about.

Oh well… with nothing else to do, and since he hadn’t been out for a while, it was a good chance to take a stroll and clear his mind without overthinking.

With that thought, the elevator chimed and its doors slowly opened. Lin Xinyuan hurried inside.

There were already two people in the elevator, a man and a woman, roughly his age—around twenty-four or twenty-five.

Judging by their attire, they seemed like office workers from nearby, possibly even from the same company, though the distance they kept made it clear they didn’t really know each other.

When Lin Xinyuan entered, both glanced at him briefly.

The woman paused for a moment, then went back to scrolling her phone.

The man took another quick look at Lin Xinyuan but then averted his eyes shyly.

Lin Xinyuan didn’t think much of it and kept his distance.

When the elevator doors opened, he was the first to step out.

He remembered there was a Shared E-Bike stand near the community’s front gate.

Sure enough, after exiting the front gate and walking a short distance to the right, he found what he was looking for.

There were quite a few people coming and going, and he saw only one or two bikes left.

Lin Xinyuan immediately stepped forward and scanned the code to claim an empty bike.

Meanwhile, Yu Lengxin and Gu Lin weren’t as lucky.

They were the man and woman Lin Xinyuan had just seen in the elevator.

Now, the two stood by the last remaining bike, looking at each other awkwardly, unsure what to do.

Lin Xinyuan glanced back at their awkward expressions and was glad he’d come early; otherwise, he’d have to wait for the bus.

Seeing Lin Xinyuan ride off confidently, the pair exchanged glances again before Gu Lin finally spoke, “Um, Senior… you can take the bike. I’ll wait a bit, or just catch the bus…”

Yu Lengxin replied calmly, “It’s almost time. Do you want to be late and get fined?”

“Ah…” Gu Lin looked troubled, scratching his head before reluctantly saying, “I don’t want to… but I can take the bus, probably…”

“Since you don’t want to, then you take it. It’s fine… I’ll sit in the back,” the woman cut him off.

Unlike ordinary Shared E-Bikes that only seat one person, Tianbei City has several pilot programs for tandem Shared E-Bikes, and this one was a double-seater.

“Oh…” Gu Lin was a bit dumbfounded and blushed slightly, clearly not expecting her to say that.

He knew she was one of the more popular women in their office.

She was also his senior…

Though not stunningly beautiful, she had a delicate, refined appearance.

Whether back in school or now, many had admired her.

In his male-dominated office, she was like a rare flower, though her cold demeanor usually kept most people at bay over time…

Truly, her personality matched her name.

Gu Lin felt happy she was willing to get on his bike.

Though a bit embarrassed, with the risk of being late looming, he had no choice but to scan the code quickly and hop on the bike.

Once Yu Lengxin got on behind him, they sped off.

However, he didn’t notice that Yu Lengxin was staring straight at him from the back seat.

“Dummy…”

Yu Lengxin muttered softly, secretly grateful to that pretty “young girl” in the elevator.

Though it made her a bit uncomfortable that the girl had caught Gu Lin’s attention just now, it had unintentionally created an opportunity for her…

She’d never been able to speak up before…

Thinking this, Yu Lengxin slowly wrapped her arms around Gu Lin’s waist, causing the young man to shiver and stammer, “Senior… you… what are you doing…”

“I’m a little cold… and the road’s bumpy; it shakes a lot. I’m afraid of falling off,” Yu Lengxin answered without emotion.

Gu Lin thought to himself as he drove.

He understood the cold, but the city roads were newly paved just a few years ago; how could they be so bumpy?

Then he realized something more.

Even though he was awkward, he knew this was unusual.

Could it be that Senior Yu had feelings for him?

They had been in the same club before, and he’d had a crush on this senior from his major but different year…

But because of his shy nature, he was terrible at expressing himself and feared rejection, so he’d been quietly admiring Yu Lengxin all this time without confessing.

He had assumed that after graduation, there’d be no chance to meet again, but unexpectedly, after switching from his internship company to his new job, he found out Senior Yu also worked there—in the same office, even living in the same community, same building, and same floor.

But even with this advantage, Gu Lin still fell into the same old university-era trap…

Did Senior Yu’s gesture mean she liked him too?

He wondered anxiously, afraid he was reading too much into it, but this time he wanted to seize the opportunity and not be so timid anymore…

Lin Xinyuan, of course, had no idea his unintentional act had sparked a relationship.

He was now riding the Shared E-Bike along the road. Since the mall wasn’t far—only five or six kilometers—it didn’t take long to arrive.

At Dingsheng Square, Lin Xinyuan parked his bike at a nearby shared parking spot and headed toward the plaza.

Songhe District used to be one of Tianbei City’s more economically underdeveloped areas, especially the outskirts.

But in recent years, the completion of the University Town’s planning and development, leveraging its advantageous location and policies, gradually formed a sizable commercial area based on nearby towns.

Initially, these areas primarily served the University Town.

However, with more enterprises collaborating with the universities moving in over the years, construction boomed.

Buildings rose one after another, gradually forming what is now distinguished from the Songhe District city center as the “University Area.”

Still, development was relatively new, and although rapid, the scale was much smaller compared to the city center. Nearby companies and real estate development were limited, and the population density remained relatively sparse.

With the morning rush hour almost over, despite being a commercial hub like Dingsheng Square, Lin Xinyuan felt the crowds were definitely not heavy, but not too sparse either…

This actually suited Lin Xinyuan’s preferences, as he didn’t like overly crowded places.

Without lingering, he headed straight to the Dingsheng Mall, entering through the revolving door.

The warmth of the indoor heating immediately made him feel much more comfortable.

The morning outside was especially cold.

Being a coastal city, Tianbei had strong winds that made it even more biting. While riding, he’d felt his hands and face growing numb.

Rubbing his palms and cheeks, Lin Xinyuan relaxed and then began to stroll leisurely.

Since there weren’t many people, he wasn’t as anxious.

Though he’d come here a few times with his roommates, the visits were rare, so he wasn’t very familiar with the layout.

He didn’t know where the small underwear section was, so he just followed the signs.

Taking the escalator to the second floor, various clothing brand stores came into view.

After wandering around for a while, he found the underwear section but suddenly felt hesitant.

It was kind of embarrassing…

When he was still fully male, he had actually been curious about places like this and wanted to go in, but obviously that would have made him look like a pervert!

Now that his wish was realized and he no longer had to care about others’ gazes, he was in a female form…

Life truly was unpredictable…