Li Ran, 35 years old, is an early investor in Bitcoin, worth over 100 million yuan. He is not the typical “cryptocurrency tycoon”, he does not have tattoos on his arms, and he does not like to wear trendy brands. On the contrary, he always wears a well-tailored suit and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking more like an investment bank elite. He lives an extremely low-key life, rarely appears on social media, and even rarely posts on WeChat Moments. But people who know him know that he is an extremely smart and good planner, especially when it comes to “pursuit”, he never plays by the rules.
This time, his target is Su Yao, 28 years old, an independent photographer with a cold temperament, who likes art and philosophy and is not interested in money and material things. She once met Li Ran by chance at an art exhibition, but the two did not have a deep exchange at the time. Li Ran fell in love with her at first sight, but he knew very well that the conventional “spending money” strategy was completely ineffective for Su Yao. So he decided to design an “atypical” date that would surprise her but not make her feel deliberate.
Li Ran knew that Su Yao would go to a niche cafe to write every Wednesday afternoon. This cafe is located in the old neighborhood of the city. The decoration is retro, and the walls are covered with old photos and oil paintings. The atmosphere is quiet and literary. Li Ran started to “scout” a week in advance and found out Su Yao’s habits: she always ordered a cup of hand-brewed coffee, sat in the corner by the window, and sat there for two or three hours.
On Wednesday afternoon, Li Ran showed up at the cafe on time. He did not walk directly to Su Yao, but chose a seat not far from her. He ordered a cup of American coffee, opened his laptop, and pretended to be working. His peripheral vision always paid attention to Su Yao’s movements, but he did not show any abnormality.
Half an hour later, Li Ran “accidentally” looked up and his eyes met Su Yao. He smiled slightly and nodded as a greeting. Su Yao also smiled back politely, but did not say much. Li Ran knew that the first step had been successful-he attracted her attention, but did not make her feel any pressure.
Li Ran had learned from Su Yao’s social media that she was recently preparing a photography exhibition on “city memory”. He brought a book about the city’s history with an old photo printed on the cover of the book, which was the old scene of the street where Su Yao’s cafe was located.
Sure enough, Su Yao noticed the book in his hand. She hesitated for a moment, but finally came over and asked softly: “Can I borrow this book…?”
Li Ran raised his head and showed a gentle smile: “Of course. Are you also interested in the history of this city?”
Su Yao nodded, took the book, turned a few pages, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: “This photo… is the street where I am?”
Li Ran nodded: “Yes, this is what it looked like in the 1980s. You see, the location of this cafe used to be an old-fashioned photo studio.”
The two chatted like this, from city history to photography art, the topic became deeper and deeper. Li Ran did not deliberately show himself, but communicated with Su Yao in an equal manner. He knew that what Su Yao hated most was the self-righteous “successful people”.
After chatting for more than an hour, Li Ran looked at his watch and said in surprise: “Oh, I almost forgot that today is the opening day of my friend’s gallery. Do you want to go and have a look? I heard that the works on display are very interesting.”
Su Yao hesitated, but Li Ran did not give her too much time to think. He stood up and said with a smile: “Just think of it as accompanying me for a walk. Anyway, you have nothing to do, right?”
Su Yao thought about it and nodded. She didn’t know that this “gallery opening” was completely planned by Li Ran. The owner of the gallery was his old friend, and the works on display were all selected by Li Ran in advance, with the theme of “city memory”.
When she arrived at the gallery, Su Yao was immediately attracted by the works in front of her. As she looked at them, she discussed with Li Ran, and the distance between the two of them was unconsciously shortened a lot. Li Ran was not in a hurry to show himself, but always accompanied her in a gentle and humble manner.
After watching the exhibition, Li Ran suggested taking a walk by the nearby river. The lights on the riverside at night were dim, and the breeze was blowing, and the atmosphere was just right. Li Ran suddenly stopped and pointed to an old bridge in the distance and said, “Do you know? My grandfather helped design that bridge.”
Su Yao was a little surprised: “Is your grandfather an architect?”
Li Ran nodded, with a flash of nostalgia in his eyes: “Yes, he always told me that architecture is not just cold steel and concrete, it also carries people’s memories and emotions. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten this now.”
Su Yao was silent for a while and said softly: “In fact, my photography works also want to express similar emotions. I want to record the changes of this city and those forgotten stories through the lens.”
Li Ran looked at her with admiration in his eyes: “Your works are very powerful, I believe they will definitely move many people.”
Su Yao smiled, with a flash of emotion in her eyes. She knew that Li Ran was not complimenting her, but truly understood her creative concept.
After the walk, Li Ran proposed to take Su Yao home. When they arrived downstairs of her house, Li Ran suddenly took out a small USB flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Su Yao: “I found this when I was sorting out my grandfather’s relics. There are some old photos and design drawings in it, which may be helpful for your photography exhibition.” Su Yao took the USB flash drive with surprise in her eyes: “This… is too precious, can I really accept it?” Li Ran smiled slightly: “Of course, I believe they will be more meaningful in your hands.” Su Yao looked at Li Ran, and a trace of complex emotions flashed in her eyes. She knew that this man was not only pursuing her, but also understanding and supporting her dreams with his heart. After returning home, Su Yao opened the USB flash drive and found that there were not only old photos and design drawings, but also a video.
In the video, Li Ran’s grandfather stood on the old bridge and told the story of the year. At the end of the video, Li Ran appeared in front of the camera and said with a smile: “Su Yao, I know you have been looking for the memory of this city. In fact, so am I. I hope these materials can help you, and I hope that one day we can create our own memories together.”
Su Yao looked at the screen with tears in her eyes. She knew that this “atypical” date had completely touched her heart.
