Ye Erlan still sometimes received messages from Lin Xian. For example, Lin Xian would tell him which city he had gone to for a variety show recording, or he would ask Ye Erlan what he had eaten that day and if anything interesting had happened.
Everything seemed rather harmonious, as if the little episode between them that day had never occurred. They were like good friends who had known each other since their youth, sharing their daily lives and inquiring about each other's situations.
Of course, this was only the case for Lin Xian, as if time had been peaceful. Ye Erlan, who received the messages, usually didn't reply. At most, he would just answer with a single "Yeah." But Ning Qian always said that she often saw Ye Erlan in a daze while looking at his phone. It was the first time in all the years she had known him that she had seen him in such a state.
It was a Saturday, and the weather was extremely fine. Ye Erlan was sitting on a hanging chair beside the bed, holding a collection of poems in one hand and a cup of scented tea in the other, swaying gently.
"Ding..." The sudden ringing of the phone broke the silence. Ye Erlan picked up the phone, took a glance, and then answered it unhurriedly. "Hello."
"Come out quickly. I'm waiting for you downstairs. I'll take you somewhere later."
Ye Erlan hung up the phone and looked out of the window. Sure enough, it was Xiao Mubai. Thinking that he had nothing to do that day, he decided to go out with him. With this in mind, Ye Erlan turned around and went back to his bedroom to change into a set of refreshing clothes.
Just as Xiao Mubai was starting to get impatient waiting, Ye Erlan slowly walked towards him. "Where are you taking me?"
"Come with me. I'm sure you'll like it." Xiao Mubai urged Ye Erlan to get in the car. After Ye Erlan got in, Xiao Mubai drove out vigorously. Fortunately, Ye Erlan was somewhat familiar with this guy's driving skills. His driving was in a complete mess, and Ye Erlan didn't know how he had managed to get his driver's license in the first place.
Finally, the car stopped outside a very secluded alley. Xiao Mubai led him inside. After making two turns, they stopped in front of a store named Elegant Pavilion. The signboard was made of a wooden plaque, and there were some vines hanging on the stone wall. The fragrance was not very strong; one could hardly smell anything. But it looked very artistic.
"What is this place?" Ye Erlan asked, somewhat puzzled.
Xiao Mubai pushed open the door and walked inside. "I know you like the traditional rose cakes. Coincidentally, this master moved to the imperial capital to take better care of his daughter and opened a small store in this alley. As soon as I found out about this place, I brought you here."
Ye Erlan rarely smiled. "I've indeed eaten some in foreign countries, but I always felt the taste wasn't quite satisfying. I'm going to have a good taste later. If it's not delicious, you'll have to foot the bill."
With that, he walked inside. After passing through a screen, he saw an old man with gray hair lying on a rocking chair, holding a big palm - leaf fan and fanning the wind.
"Uncle, we're here to buy rose cakes." Ye Erlan slowly walked up to him, his tone rather gentle.
The old man slowly opened his eyes, took a look at Ye Erlan, and then slowly got up. Then he walked towards the house. "Come with me. The rose cakes are inside." Seeing that the old man had some difficulty moving, Ye Erlan quickly stepped forward to help him.
After entering the inner room, the fragrance of roses suddenly assailed their nostrils. The old man asked him and Xiao Mubai to sit on one side, and then he walked towards a room behind a curtain. After a minute or two, he came back with a pot of brightly - colored rose tea and a plate of rose cakes that didn't look very delicate.
"You can taste them first. If you think they're delicious, then buy them." After the old man put down the things, he sat down next to Ye Erlan.
Ye Erlan thought the workmanship of the rose cakes was rather rough, but the fragrance was undeniable. Xiao Mubai didn't say a word on the side and just used his eyes to signal Ye Erlan to taste them first before talking about anything else.
Miraculously, the not - so - good - looking rose cakes tasted as sweet as nectar the moment they entered his mouth. He didn't feel腻 after eating one. It was truly a rare delicacy in the world. Just as Ye Erlan was about to sigh with admiration, Xiao Mubai handed him a cup of rose tea.
He took it and took a small sip. There was a fragrance of roses, but it seemed there was more than just the smell of roses. It went perfectly with the rose cakes just now, making him feel extremely relaxed and happy.
"How about it? Judging from your expression, I know I was right to bring you here." Xiao Mubai was also sipping a cup of rose tea, with a big smile on his face.
Ye Erlan said with a smile, "The rose cakes made by this old man are really amazing. It's the first time in my life that I've eaten such wonderful rose cakes. They're sweet but not cloying, and there's a refreshing taste."
The old man picked up his Pu'er tea and took a few sips. "Young man, you have good taste. I don't dare to say much about other things, but I've been dealing with roses for more than forty years. I make everything seriously and never let down a single rose."
"Uncle, how much are your rose cakes? By the way, I also want some of this rose tea."
The old man shook his head. "The price is about the same as on the market, but you probably won't be able to buy any today." After a pause, seeing Ye Erlan's puzzled expression, he continued, "I'm old, and I can't make many every day. All the customers are regulars. The remaining stock today is reserved for someone else."
Ye Erlan couldn't help but feel a bit regretful. Seeing his expression, Xiao Mubai sighed and then asked on the side, "Uncle, could you help me contact that person? I'll ask if he can sell us today's rose cakes."
The old man stood up and still spoke unhurriedly, "He won't sell them. He's my regular customer. Before I came here, he traveled a long way to find me. He doesn't really like these things himself. He said he was preparing them for the person he liked. I've never seen who that person is."
Just as Xiao Mubai was about to say something, Ye Erlan stopped him and gently shook his head. "Uncle, since it's reserved for someone else, forget it. I'll place an order with you now. Just let me know when you're done making them and I'll come to pick them up."
The two exchanged contact information. Ye Erlan casually ate the last rose cake left on the table and then slowly left with Xiao Mubai.
As soon as they left the yard, Xiao Mubai couldn't hold back his impatience. "Why didn't you let me ask further? It's just a pastry. I'm not afraid he won't agree to sell it if I pay more money."
Ye Erlan opened the car door and sat in directly. "You're so vulgar. Didn't you hear what the old man said? That person bought it for his lover. How can feelings be measured by money? It's just that I'll have to wait a few more days. It doesn't matter."
Seeing that he said so, Xiao Mubai didn't continue to say anything. He drove the car out in a hurry again.
Not long after Ye Erlan left, Elegant Pavilion welcomed a new guest. "Xiaolin, you're here. Sit down quickly."
The person who came was Lin Xian. Since he had just rushed back from the filming set, he looked a bit haggard. He still had his black mask on. "Uncle, I'm here to pick up the rose cakes."
The old man handed him a glass of water. "You wait a moment. I'll go to the back to get them for you." With that, he walked towards the back. When he came back, there were several very delicate paper bags in his hand.
Lin Xian took them and placed them beside the table. "Thank you, Uncle. I'll come as usual in the future. I may come to buy them once every half - month."
The old man was a bit surprised. This Lin boy used to come once a month. Why had it suddenly changed to once every half - month? "Are you going to give them to someone?"
"No. The person I like loves to eat them, so I'll buy more for him." There was an inexplicable joy in Lin Xian's tone. When you liked someone, just mentioning him would make you feel so sweet and content.
"Okay. Just come and pick them up when the time comes. Just now, another boy came to buy my rose cakes. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be an expert. That young man was also very good - looking, with clear and delicate features." For some reason, the old man suddenly mentioned Ye Erlan, thinking that this new customer really had a good appearance.
The old man continued to talk to himself, "Not many boys like to eat pastries. I originally thought he was just coming to try something new or buying them for his lover, but unexpectedly, he ate them himself. He was also a polite person."
Lin Xian wasn't really interested at first, but when he heard this, he inexplicably thought of Ye Erlan. When he first knew that Ye Erlan liked rose cakes, he had even rudely laughed at him. He thought that this was something only girls liked, and he couldn't believe that a grown man would treasure it like a precious thing.
After Ye Erlan left, he slowly found that there was less and less trace of him around. It was as if he was about to disappear completely. He was extremely panicked and afraid that in the end, he wouldn't be able to keep even a single trace of him.
He had asked many people and used many methods to finally find this old man. At that time, the old man was still living in the countryside of a small town, with his own small piece of land, living a very comfortable life.
It was then that Lin Xian tasted the rose cakes made by the old man. In an instant, it was as if he had returned to that afternoon in his freshman year of high school when Ye Erlan had held a rose cake and asked him if he wanted to have a piece. It was also a not - too - hot sunny day. The wind was gentle, the sky was blue, and Ye Erlan had always been by his side.
Fortunately, that person had now come back and appeared by his side again.
Lin Xian collected his thoughts and said to the old man with a smile, "I know a boy who also likes rose cakes very much. When I first knew about it, I was so rude as to laugh at him. Now when I think about it, I really regret it. Rose cakes are such delicious things, like the taste of first love."
"You boy, now you know how delicious rose cakes are. You should find an opportunity to let him come and taste the rose cakes made by this old man. I can also spare some of my rose tea for him. No one who has come to eat them has ever said they weren't delicious. You can use this to make up for rejecting his pastry back then." There was also a bit of a smile in the old man's words.
"Definitely. I think he will definitely like the rose cakes you make."
Now that Ye Erlan had come back, the rose cakes he bought were naturally for him. As long as it was something that person liked, he would surely do his best to give it to him.
The rose cakes were for him, and so was his love.