Love in the Depths of Time (GL) - Chapter 8

Lin Xi’s life was always packed with activities. Besides her heavy school workload, she also worked part-time and spent the rest of her time learning programming. For her, programming was both a challenge and an exciting new adventure. She believed that mastering it would open new doors for her future.

Every night, as the city’s noise gradually faded, Lin Xi would sit in the school’s self-study room, turn on her computer, and dive into the world of programming. Her desk was piled high with textbooks and notebooks. Her eyes stayed fixed on the screen while her fingers danced quickly across the keyboard, lines of code flowing out from her fingertips.

Programming wasn’t easy, especially for a beginner like her. Lin Xi often encountered various problems, but she never gave up easily. Whenever she got stuck, she would pause, carefully check her resources, or search online for solutions. Sometimes, she would struggle with a problem for a long time, but when she finally solved it, she felt an indescribable sense of achievement.

Because of this, she and Jia Le had even less time together. Jia Le understood how hard Lin Xi was working and also knew how much she loved programming. They made a small promise—whenever Lin Xi visited Jia Le at the internet café, she would bring her a strawberry milk. It became their little secret and a small source of happiness in Lin Xi’s busy life.

The internet café was in a narrow alley near their school. Every time Lin Xi pushed open the door and walked in, she was greeted by the noisy sounds of games and the dim lights. She would see Jia Le sitting at a computer in a corner booth, focused on her game. The moment Jia Le heard Lin Xi’s footsteps, she would look up and flash a bright smile.

“Hey, I brought you strawberry milk.” Lin Xi took out a cup of strawberry milk from her bag and handed it to Jia Le.

Jia Le shook the cup gently, hearing the soft sloshing inside. She smiled warmly. “Thanks, Lin Xi.”

“Drink it before it gets cold,” Lin Xi said as she sat down at the computer next to Jia Le and started working. The dim lights of the internet café contrasted with the sweet scent of strawberry milk that filled the air, making the small corner feel warm and cozy.

Sometimes, when Lin Xi visited Jia Le, she would focus on her programming while Jia Le played games beside her. Even though they were doing different things, Lin Xi felt a sense of comfort in their companionship.

The world of programming was lonely, but Lin Xi never felt alone. She knew that no matter what difficulties she faced, Jia Le would always be there to support her. Their friendship deepened through these little moments. Lin Xi often shared her programming knowledge with Jia Le, while Jia Le told her funny stories about her gaming experiences. They grew closer as they spent more time together.

One night, Lin Xi encountered an especially tricky coding problem that she just couldn’t solve. She sat in front of the computer, frowning, her fingers constantly tapping the keyboard, but the screen kept showing error messages. Jia Le noticed her frustration. She stopped her game, walked over, and gently patted Lin Xi’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, take your time. You’ll figure it out.”

Lin Xi looked up and met Jia Le’s encouraging gaze. Her anxiety eased a little, and a few minutes later, she finally found the problem. She jumped up in excitement, and Jia Le cheered along with her. “I knew you could do it!”

At that moment, Lin Xi felt an unfamiliar happiness. She realized that it wasn’t just about solving the problem—it was about having Jia Le by her side.

The spring sun filtered through the windows of the internet café, casting dappled light on the floor. Lin Xi and Jia Le sat in front of their computers—one focused on coding, the other playing games. The faint scent of strawberry milk lingered in the air, making their little corner feel warm and full of life.

Even though Lin Xi’s life was busy, she never felt exhausted. As long as she had goals and the support of a friend, she believed she could keep moving forward on her programming journey. That cup of strawberry milk was like a small light, brightening every late night and making her feel less alone in the world of coding. Jia Le was always there, sitting beside her, playing games. Sometimes, when Lin Xi got too tired, Jia Le would invite her to play a round together or tell her funny stories from school.

Gradually, Lin Xi realized that her feelings for Jia Le had changed. She started paying more attention to her, liking the way Jia Le looked when she was focused on her game, enjoying the sound of her voice. She would steal glances at Jia Le between classes, watching her joke around with their classmates. A strange feeling stirred in her heart—one she couldn’t quite put into words. She started looking forward to their time at the internet café, treasuring every little moment they shared.

But Lin Xi knew she had to keep these feelings hidden. She was an orphan, working part-time to support herself, while Jia Le came from a wealthy family. Her father owned the internet café, and she was one of the most popular girls in school—cheerful, bright, and well-liked by everyone.

Between them, there was an invisible gap.

The spring of their second year in middle school arrived early, and the cherry blossoms outside the internet café were already in full bloom. Lin Xi pushed open the glass door and walked straight to their usual booth at the back.

“You’re here?” Jia Le greeted her without looking up. She was focused on her screen, fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. Lin Xi noticed that Jia Le’s hair had grown longer, with her bangs nearly covering her eyes.

“Yeah.” Lin Xi set down her bag and pulled out her textbooks and notebooks. She had a new school bag, a birthday gift from Jia Le, bought with her New Year’s money—a dark blue canvas bag with a small game character printed on it.

“Let me finish this round first,” Jia Le said, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Lin Xi watched as Jia Le played. Her eyes focused intently on the screen, her fingers moving swiftly. Lin Xi noticed how, under the dim lights, Jia Le’s eyelashes looked like little fans.

“I won!” Jia Le cheered, slapping the table in excitement. Then she turned to Lin Xi with a bright smile. “You came!”

“Of course.” Lin Xi pulled out a cup of strawberry milk from her bag and handed it to Jia Le. “Here, before it gets cold.”

Jia Le took the milk, shook it slightly, and grinned warmly. “Thanks, Lin Xi.”

“Drink it while it’s still warm,” Lin Xi reminded her before sitting down at the computer next to Jia Le and diving into her programming. The internet café was dimly lit, but the sweet scent of strawberry milk filled the air, making their small corner feel warm and cozy. Sometimes, Lin Xi came to the café not just to work, but also to do homework, while Jia Le played her games beside her. Even though they were doing different things, just being together made Lin Xi feel at ease.

The world of coding could be lonely, but Lin Xi never felt alone. No matter how difficult things got, she knew Jia Le would always be there for her. Their friendship deepened through these small moments. Lin Xi often shared her knowledge of programming with Jia Le, while Jia Le entertained her with funny stories about gaming, making their lives all the more vibrant.

One day, Lin Xi encountered an especially difficult coding problem that she just couldn’t solve. She sat at her computer, brows furrowed, fingers tapping the keyboard rapidly, but the screen kept showing error messages. Seeing her frustration, Jia Le paused her game, walked over, and patted Lin Xi on the shoulder gently. “Don’t stress. Take your time. You’ll figure it out.”

Lin Xi looked up and met Jia Le’s encouraging eyes. Her anxiety eased a little. Taking a deep breath, she examined the code again. A few minutes later, she spotted the issue. She jumped up in excitement, and Jia Le cheered alongside her. “I knew you could do it!”

At that moment, Lin Xi felt a happiness she had never experienced before. She realized it wasn’t just about solving the problem—it was about having Jia Le by her side.

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the internet café, casting soft golden patches on the floor. Lin Xi and Jia Le sat in front of their computers—one focused on coding, the other immersed in her game. The sweet scent of strawberry milk lingered in the air, making their little corner feel warm and full of life.

Even though Lin Xi’s life was busy, she never felt exhausted. As long as she had goals and the support of a friend, she knew she could keep going on her path of programming. That cup of strawberry milk was like a beacon, lighting up her nights and reminding her that she was not alone in this world. And Jia Le was always there, sitting beside her, playing her games—reliable, unwavering, and always ready to cheer her on.