Lin Mo liked mornings when nobody expected anything from him. Unfortunately, university mornings had never received this memo. His alarm rang at seven. He turned it off. It rang again at seven-ten. He turned it off. At seven-twenty, his phone vibrated. Gu Wen: You're going to be late. Lin Mo opened one eye. He typed: Lin Mo: I am spiritually on my way. Three dots appeared. Gu Wen: Your body should come too. Lin Mo stared at the message. Then buried his face in his pillow. “Why is everyone so demanding?” He arrived at class with three minutes to spare. Gu Wen looked at him. “You're late.” “I'm early.” “The professor isn't here yet.” “Exactly.” Gu Wen shook his head. Lin Mo dropped into the seat beside him. “Did you sleep?” “Yes.” “How long?” “Enough.” “That's not a number.” “It's a philosophy.” Gu Wen laughed. The professor entered before he could reply. Lin Mo immediately opened his notebook. He lasted twelve minutes before his attention wandered. Not because the lecture was boring. He was simply thinking about the bookstore. He hadn't expected to enjoy yesterday so much. It had been quiet. Simple. He liked that. Maybe he could go back sometime. Alone. Or— with Gu Wen. Lin Mo frowned. Why had he automatically thought of Gu Wen? He decided not to investigate. Some questions were unnecessary. After class, Gu Wen handed him a piece of paper. “What's this?” “The reading list for next week.” Lin Mo looked at it. “Why are you giving me this?” “You'll forget.” “I won't.” “You forgot last week's.” “That was different.” “How?” “I forgot it professionally.” Gu Wen laughed. “Keep it.” Lin Mo folded the paper and put it inside his notebook. “Fine.” They walked toward the cafeteria. Halfway there, Gu Wen stopped. “I have to go somewhere after lunch.” “Family?” “Yes.” Lin Mo nodded. He didn't ask more. Gu Wen looked at him. “You don't want to know?” “If you want to tell me, you'll tell me.” Gu Wen was quiet for a moment. Then smiled. “That's probably why I like talking to you.” Lin Mo blinked. “Because I don't ask questions?” “Partly.” “That's an excellent quality.” “Don't get too proud.” “I already am.” After lunch, they separated. Lin Mo returned to the dorm. He had planned to spend the afternoon playing games. Then his professor sent him a message. Professor Zhang: Lin Mo, can you come to my office? Lin Mo stared at the message. “No.” He typed the word. Then deleted it. Professor Zhang had been good to him. Lin Mo sighed. Lin Mo: Okay. Professor Zhang's office was quiet. When Lin Mo entered, the professor gestured toward a chair. “Sit.” Lin Mo sat. “I won't be asked to join another research team, will I?” Professor Zhang laughed. “No.” Lin Mo relaxed. “Good.” “I wanted to discuss something else.” Professor Zhang handed him a document. Lin Mo looked at it. It was a university technology competition. He immediately pushed it back. “No.” “You haven't read it.” “I know myself.” Professor Zhang smiled. “Your recent work has been practical. You might do well.” “I don't want to win anything.” “You don't have to win.” “Then why participate?” “Experience.” Lin Mo considered that. It was the sort of word adults used whenever they wanted students to do extra work. He pushed the document back. “Professor, I'm already experiencing university.” Professor Zhang laughed so hard he had to remove his glasses. “Fine. Think about it.” “I'll think about it.” Professor Zhang knew him well enough to understand that this meant probably never. Outside the office, Lin Mo checked his phone. There was a message from Gu Wen. Gu Wen: Are you free tonight? Lin Mo replied: Lin Mo: Yes. Gu Wen: Dinner? Lin Mo: Yes. Then another message arrived. Gu Wen: I might be a little late. Lin Mo: No problem. Lin Mo smiled. Dinner sounded much better than a technology competition. Across town, Gu Wen sat in the back of a car. His expression was calm. His phone was in his hand. He looked at Lin Mo's last message. No problem. He smiled faintly. The family matter wasn't serious enough to be dangerous. Just annoying. His father wanted him to attend a dinner with several business associates. Gu Wen had no interest in the discussion. But refusing would create unnecessary conflict. He looked out the window. He wondered what Lin Mo was doing. Probably eating. Or gaming. Or sleeping. For some reason, knowing that made him smile. At the same time, Shen Yichen was in a meeting. A report lay open in front of him. The topic was unrelated to Lin Mo. A potential business partnership. A technology acquisition. Nothing unusual. Until one name appeared in the documents. Mo Ren. Shen's expression changed almost imperceptibly. The room became quiet. “Continue.” The executive swallowed. “Mo Group has begun acquiring several smaller technology firms in the last three months.” “Why?” “We don't know yet.” Shen looked at the figures. Mo Ren rarely moved without a reason. And when he did, the reason usually became obvious much later. “Keep monitoring it.” “Yes.” Shen closed the folder. He didn't think about Lin Mo. Not this time. The two matters were unrelated. At least for now. At seven-thirty, Lin Mo sat in the cafeteria. Gu Wen was late. Five minutes. Ten. Fifteen. Lin Mo looked at the time. He wasn't angry. But he was hungry. At twenty minutes, he received a message. Gu Wen: I'm sorry. Something came up. Can you wait another half hour? Lin Mo stared at the message. Then replied: Lin Mo: Okay. He put down the phone. Five minutes later, someone placed a tray on the table. Lin Mo looked up. It was Chen Yu. “Can I sit?” Lin Mo glanced at the empty chair. “Sure.” Chen Yu sat. “You're waiting for someone?” “Yes.” “Gu Wen?” Lin Mo nodded. Chen Yu smiled. “You two seem close.” Lin Mo thought about it. “Yeah.” He said it easily. Without hesitation. Chen Yu noticed. “So you do have friends.” Lin Mo looked offended. “Of course I do.” “You're always trying to escape everyone.” “That's different.” “How?” “Friends are people I choose.” Chen Yu smiled. “That makes sense.” They ate quietly for a while. Then Lin Mo's phone vibrated. Gu Wen: I'm here. Lin Mo looked toward the cafeteria entrance. Gu Wen was standing there. Their eyes met. Gu Wen smiled. Lin Mo immediately stood. “Finally.” “Sorry.” “You owe me food.” “I'll buy dessert.” Lin Mo nodded. “Apology accepted.” Chen Yu watched them leave together. He smiled. There was something uncomplicated about their friendship. Something comfortable. Neither of them seemed to realize how rare that was. Outside the cafeteria, Lin Mo handed Gu Wen a drink. “You look tired.” Gu Wen accepted it. “Long day.” “Family problem?” “Something like that.” Lin Mo nodded. “If you ever need help carrying something, tell me.” Gu Wen looked at him. Lin Mo shrugged. “I don't know how to solve family problems.” “I know.” “But I can carry things.” Gu Wen laughed quietly. “I'll remember.” They continued walking. Neither noticed the university car passing slowly along the road. Inside it, a man briefly glanced toward them. Not Shen Yichen. Not anyone Lin Mo knew. Just another stranger passing through an ordinary evening. Lin Mo didn't notice. He didn't need to. His world was still small. And for now, that was exactly how he wanted it. But somewhere beyond that small world, separate pieces were beginning to move. The Shen family. The Mo family. The university. The technology project. And four people whose paths had not yet fully crossed. Lin Mo knew none of this. He simply walked beside Gu Wen, discussing whether tomorrow's cafeteria menu looked edible. For Lin Mo— that was enough.

The Kind Of Morning Lin Mo Liked