In the evening, the guests in the library gradually dwindled, and it didn't serve those who wished to read late into the night. If there was a book urgently needed for nighttime reading, it could be borrowed and taken home.

Cleaning and organizing the hall was Shi Chun's responsibility.

Miss Liang Ying was behind the counter fiddling with the abacus, doing the accounts.

Shi Chun gathered the books scattered on various tables and carried them upstairs in stacks.

Miss Dong Liangyu upstairs sorted the stacks of books delivered, returning the disheveled collection to its place daily.

This wasn't Shi Chun's job, but he considered it part of his duties. After putting down the last trip of books, he saw Liangyu holding a stack of books in one arm and placing them one by one with the other, struggling. Knowing she wasn't a monk, he quickly stepped forward to help, "Let me carry it."

This wasn't the first time he had helped like this.

Dong Liangyu was indeed struggling with the heavy stack. As she handed it over, it was a bit unstable, and Shi Chun's hand happened to meet her fair hands as he took it.

The man felt the delicate softness of the woman's hands.

The woman felt the masculine strength of the man's hands.

Instinctively, their eyes met.

The man suddenly realized the impropriety, as men and women should not touch each other, and quickly withdrew his hands.

The woman also realized the impropriety and almost let go, almost dropping the stack of books, before quickly stepping forward to hold them again.

The man realized that the books were about to scatter and quickly reached out to support them again.

Thus, they spent their efforts in vain. Shi Chun once again held the woman's hands, standing even closer this time, their bodies almost pressing into the stack of books, with their faces close enough to feel each other's breath.

If not for the books between them, their faces might have touched, or even been in each other's embrace.

This was the first time Shi Chun got a clear look at the details of Dong Liangyu's beauty mole between her eyebrows.

Upon realizing their situation, Dong Liangyu, stunned, lost her breath, her ears burning, and after exchanging a glance with Shi Chun, quickly averted her gaze and withdrew her hands from his.

Then she swiftly took a book from the stack Shi Chun was holding and went to find a place for it.

Shi Chun wasn't clueless, but he acted as if nothing had happened, following behind the young lady, Dong Liangyu, with the books as if it was the usual routine.

But unlike usual, after turning a few rounds among the bookshelves, Dong Liangyu couldn't find a place for the book in her hand, occasionally covering her mouth to cough lightly.

She had poor health, and a tendency to cough occasionally, more frequently when her emotions were intense.

Shi Chun, unfortunate enough to follow her in circles, felt it couldn't go on till darkness fell and spoke up, "Let me see; I might know where it is."

"Hmm?" Dong Liangyu, coming to her senses, blushed. Having grown up here, she knew the location of every book by heart. She had just been distracted and, upon regaining her composure, quickly found the location and put the book away.

Then, as usual, Shi Chun followed her with the books.

After placing a stack, Shi Chun went to get the second one, and by this time, their emotions had calmed down.

However, Dong Liangyu couldn't stop herself from reminiscing, recalling the time Shi Chun had served her food. She wondered if it was an implication or a straightforward declaration, this interpretation tormenting her for a long time.

The warmth of their recent handshake also imprinted itself in her heart, a memory that wouldn't be easily worn away like daily life stories shared by long-term couples.

When she suggested hiring him, besides practical considerations, she couldn't deny there was an element of personal attraction.

People like Shi Chun, who had experienced countless fights between life and death, now particularly wealthy, mingling among ordinary people, no matter how refined he pretended to be, or however modestly he dressed, some kind of bearing would occasionally reveal itself. If one paid attention, one could notice the self-restraint in his gestures, paired with his quite handsome appearance, compared to ordinary people, had a captivating charm.

Though her health was poor, she was a normal woman, physically and psychologically a twenty-six-year-old. No matter how many books were read, there was a longing to blossom, a desire inherent in human nature.

"What are your plans for the future?" Suddenly, Dong Liangyu, while returning books to their shelves, broke the silence.

Shi Chun paused, as they rarely chatted like this, and without much thought, he replied, "Take one step at a time."

Dong Liangyu: "You're not young anymore; don't you plan to settle down?"

When saying this, she mustered the courage, intending to probe.

Shi Chun's reply was straightforward, "No such plans."

Upon hearing this, Dong Liangyu realized that perhaps she overthought the dish-serving incident, but still pursued with a question, "Why?"

Shi Chun: "I don't want to harm anyone."

Dong Liangyu: "Is it because of money?"

Shi Chun, following behind step by step, said calmly, "Perhaps."

"Money is important, but it doesn't need to be regarded too highly. Like our family, my father has always stressed to us siblings that when finding a partner, character comes first..."

The young lady seemed to have lost her usual composure, rarely speaking so much, about not having seen much of the world outside and so on.

Shi Chun wondered why she suddenly said so much. Was it because of the earlier touch?

It wasn't until the next day, when a guest came to the library, that he vaguely understood something.

It was half-past the morning the next day, Dong Wenshu, who hadn't returned for several days, came back, still cheerfully, stroking his three strands of ink-like long beard as he entered the door.

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