The 4:30 p.m. sunlight lazily filtered through the Classroom Building’s glass windows, casting long, skewed patches of light on the floor.
Yu Qing slung his Black Backpack, worn at the edges after three years of use, over his shoulder and shuffled out of the classroom with the sparse stream of people.
The final year of university felt like someone had pressed the fast-forward button on time, or perhaps something essential had been drained away, making everything feel unusually light—and unusually hollow.
Graduation, job hunting, thesis…
These words hovered like background noise deep in his mind, but more than anything, there was a sense of, “So, this is it?”
He couldn’t help but mock himself internally.
“Another uneventful day.”
Yu Qing habitually pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up.
Aside from a few Public Account pushes, there were no private messages.
Social Software was as silent as a morgue.
“All right, back to the Dormitory. Time to start my slacker mode and offer games and instant noodles as a sacrifice to my youth that’s about to be fed to the dogs.”
He yawned and was about to shove his phone back in his pocket when a new notification popped up—
[Rookie Post Station] You have a new package at the West District Post Station. Please use Delivery Code 19-5-1023 to pick it up promptly.
“Package?”
Yu Qing froze.
He didn’t recall buying anything recently.
He clicked on the details; the sender’s info listed his hometown address.
“Sent from home? Did Mom stuff more Canteen Sausage in for me?”
Thinking of those dog sons whose stench of grease couldn’t be washed away, Yu Qing smiled in resignation, accepted his fate, and turned toward the West District Post Station.
Well, it’s not like I have anything better to do.
The post station was always crowded, filled with the sound of tearing boxes and a bustling atmosphere.
Yu Qing squeezed through the crowd and finally found the not-so-big cardboard box using the Delivery Code.
He weighed it in his hands.
It wasn’t heavy and didn’t feel like food, either.
The sender was indeed Mom.
With a bit of insignificant curiosity, Yu Qing returned to his slightly messy four-person Dormitory.
Luckily, his roommates weren’t around, giving him a rare moment of peace.
Yu Qing used his keys to slice open the tape.
He opened the box, which was packed tight with old newspaper for cushioning.
He pushed the paper aside and revealed a deep brown, somewhat vintage hard paper box.
There were no modern trademarks on the box, only a line of faded gold traditional characters: “Old Camera”.
“What is this?”
Yu Qing muttered as he opened the box.
Inside, lined with soft, dark red velvet, lay a camera.
An old-fashioned Film camera.
The black metal body was scarred with the years, but it still felt solid and heavy, exuding a sense of craftsmanship.
The lens was round, with dials for adjusting aperture and shutter nearby, and an awkwardly protruding viewfinder on top.
Was this from Grandpa’s era?
Why did Mom send this antique over?
Cleaning out old things?
Yu Qing picked up the camera.
The cold touch seeped through his fingertips.
He turned it over and over; the brand logo was almost illegible.
The camera seemed well-maintained; the lens was clear, and the mechanical parts made a satisfying light click as they moved.
There were also several unopened rolls of Film in the box, though he had no idea if they’d expired.
“A Film camera… Really retro.”
Yu Qing had attended a photography club in high school, used a digital SLR for a while, and theoretically understood these old gadgets, but this was his first time operating one.
Since I’ve got nothing else to do, why not go for a walk?
It’s better than rotting away in the Dormitory.
Yu Qing chuckled self-mockingly.
A sudden, inexplicable impulse made him pick up the camera and load a roll of Film.
His movements were clumsy, but he barely managed.
The Campus took on a soft hue at dusk—a look unchanged over three years, but never dull to Yu Qing.
Camera slung around his neck, he wandered aimlessly.
He photographed the puddle reflecting the evening glow after rain.
He shot the Library’s red brick walls crawling with ivy.
He snapped the Fat Cat napping on a bench.
Occasionally, a breeze would lift a girl’s skirt, revealing slender white thighs.
Yu Qing discreetly hid his camera behind his back.
He was still young and had no desire to be turned into a social pariah.
Viewing the world through the viewfinder seemed to add a new filter to familiar scenes.
The crisp “click” of the shutter and the slight mechanical vibration brought a strange sense of satisfaction.
“Not bad… Actually?”
Yu Qing muttered to himself, feeling a bit lighter inside.
Just as he finished a roll and was checking how much Film was left, ready to head back, a clear, slightly urgent female voice called out from behind.
“Senpai? Yu Qing-senpai! It really is you!”
Yu Qing turned reflexively.
The golden glow of the setting sun fell perfectly on her face, gilding it with soft light.
The girl was tall, dressed simply in a white knit top and light blue jeans, yet her figure was graceful and poised.
She was slightly out of breath, cheeks flushed from exercise, and her bright eyes shone with surprise.
Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, swaying gently as she jogged over.
It was Fu Yi.
Yu Qing’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.
No helping it—the girl was too beautiful; his lower house wanted to rebel.
Fu Yi, a junior—a year below him—was a campus celebrity known to all.
Excellent grades, prestigious family, and stunning looks; rumor had it she’d been crowned “Freshman Beauty” by bored students as soon as she entered.
She was always at the center of the crowd, confident, cheerful, radiant.
Yu Qing himself was the type who, a few years after graduation, would be forgotten at class reunions.
Their only intersection had been during the second semester of junior year.
At that time, the school required everyone to participate in the “Freshman Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program”.
Yu Qing hadn’t paid much attention, and by the time the deadline approached, all the groups in his major were full.
He had no choice but to plead and join as an independent.
But fortunately, Fu Yi saved him.
She was from the School of Economics and Management.
It was fate she rescued him across colleges.
At least, Yu Qing saw it that way.
After all, she didn’t even take his money.
That night, Yu Qing bought two cups of milk tea to celebrate—one for himself, one to thank Fu Yi.
But since Fu Yi didn’t say she wanted it, and he hadn’t asked, both were his.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long.
Fu Yi was still slightly breathless from running over, cheeks glowing from exercise, making her skin look even more translucent.
“Senpai, long time no see!”
Her eyes curved in a crescent as she smiled, glittering with reflected light.
“I thought it looked like you from a distance, but I didn’t expect it really was!”
“Y-Yeah, what a coincidence.”
Yu Qing felt his tongue tie up, and instinctively hid the camera behind his back again.
The movement only drew Fu Yi’s attention.
“Eh? Senpai, were you taking pictures?”
She tilted her head curiously, her gaze landing on the old camera.
“Is that… a Film camera?”
“Ah, yeah.”
Yu Qing had no choice but to bring the camera out, a bit embarrassed.
“An old relic from home. Just messing around.”
“Amazing!”
Fu Yi’s amazement was genuine.
She leaned in, studying the black metal body closely.
“It feels so cool! Totally different from taking pictures on a phone.”
“It’s actually about the same, just more of a hassle…”
Yu Qing felt his ears turn red at her praise.
“No way! It seems super professional!”
Fu Yi waved her hand, her tone light.
“I don’t get any of this stuff. I just use the phone’s auto mode. Senpai, what were you taking pictures of? Scenery?”
“Just random shots… That cat over there, the evening glow…”
Yu Qing pointed at the Fat Cat still dozing not far away.
“Wow! Can I see? Ah, but you can’t see Film pictures right away, can you?”
Fu Yi looked expectant, then realized and stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
“Yeah, you have to develop them first.”
Seeing her small disappointment that quickly turned into understanding, Yu Qing felt his nervousness melt away.
She was always like this—able to express curiosity without making anyone uncomfortable.
“Such a shame,”
Fu Yi lamented, then smiled again.
“But I bet the pictures you take with that camera have a special vibe, Senpai! Those old cameras always give photos a unique atmosphere, right?”
“Maybe… lots of grain.”
Yu Qing relaxed, even making a joke.
“And it’s easy to take blurry shots. Saves on Photoshop.”
Fu Yi burst out laughing.
“That’s called artistic blur! Senpai, you’re so funny!”
They stood together in the deepening twilight, chatting idly.
Fu Yi seemed genuinely interested in the camera, asking many questions, mostly basic ones like “What does this dial do?” and “How many shots per roll?”
But she listened with such focus, her eyes shining.
Yu Qing found himself able to speak more smoothly than usual.
Maybe it was the way Fu Yi listened—her reactions and questions gently encouraging him to continue.
The atmosphere was so relaxed that Yu Qing almost forgot she was the untouchable campus beauty—she felt more like… a friend he could talk to easily.
The sunlight grew warmer and lower, the golden rays skimming across Fu Yi’s profile, outlining her delicate features.
Her long lashes cast tiny shadows under her eyes.
She was recounting a funny incident from her project group, her smile brighter than the evening clouds.
On impulse, before he even realized it, Yu Qing lifted his camera, adjusted the focus, and pressed the shutter toward that smile bathed in warm light.
“Click—”
The crisp mechanical sound broke the subtle stillness of dusk.
Fu Yi blinked in surprise, looking at Yu Qing through the lens.
Yu Qing snapped back to his senses, instantly panicking.
“S-Sorry! I…”
He had no idea what possessed him to take the shot.
But the displeasure he’d feared didn’t appear on Fu Yi’s face.
She only paused for a second before bursting out laughing, her voice teasing.
“Senpai, why the sneak attack?”
“I… um… the light was good…”
Yu Qing stammered, his ears burning red.
Fu Yi shook her head, smiling, not angry at all—instead, she looked even more interested.
“How did it turn out? Was my expression weird?”
“No! It was great!”
Yu Qing blurted, heart still racing.
“Just… really pretty.”
He ran out of words.
“Really?”
Fu Yi’s eyes curved even more.
“Then… can I see it after it’s developed? I’ve never been photographed with a Film camera before. I’m kind of looking forward to it!”
“Of course!”
Yu Qing agreed at once, an unexplainable happiness rising inside him.
“I’ll show you as soon as it’s done!”
“Deal, then!”
Fu Yi clapped her hands in delight.
“Thank you, Senpai! Oh, right—I need to meet up with my group. They’re waiting for me.”
She waved at Yu Qing, turned, and jogged away.
A few steps later, she turned and called back.
“Senpai, don’t forget the photo!”
Yu Qing stood rooted, watching the tall figure disappear into the twilight, gripping the camera tightly, his heart pounding.
His chest was filled with a strange, buoyant emotion.
The price was just sharing a photo after developing it.
Such a light price.
So light he couldn’t help but grin and start humming.
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