Cheng Xiaoshi is working at the photo studio, manning the front counter as always. Lu Guang is running errands, so it’s just him in the shop.
Door opens, and the chime rings true as ever. Cxs raises his head to greet the customer but is taken aback for a moment. Huh. The middle aged man in the store looks so familiar. But he never met him before. He looks strikingly like Lu Guang, but, well. The world often has doppelgängers.
Cxs asks the customer what he can do for them. The customer is very quiet and pensive, asks if cxs can develop some film. He keeps it in his pocket (a bit sacrilege to cxs but he keeps polite) and cxs says he can get to work, should be ready by the next day. The man stays to chat a little, asks cxs about his day and shop. Cxs chats bc he likes to chat , and the man is quiet but pleasant. He really does remind him of lg. he makes a mental note to ask lg if he has any relatives in guidu. When the man finally leaves, he gives cxs a huge tip. He says thank you for the good chat. He never comes to pick up the photos the next day.
This seems to happened every now and then. An older man—sometimes middle aged, sometimes elderly grandpa—will stop by for a photo developing job that he will never come pick up in time. But always stays to have long and deep conversation with cxs. Always seems so tearful when he leaves but also is so thankful for the conversation. Loves to hear about cxs’ day and shares a little about his own life, the hardships and celebrations he had ever since he became an adult past his twenties. Cxs wonders if they are missing family, and becomes like a surrogate son/grandson to them. They like to spoil him, and also QL if she’s nearby.
They all remind him of lg. he thinks about telling lg about hjm, but he hesitates in the last second. He begins to suspect, but won’t tell a soul. He wants to let the old gentlemen have this. He knows it’s important to them.
