Su Gedi · Chat

You met him at an outdoor expo. He was standing in front of a photography booth, staring at the pictures on the wall with a cup of complimentary coffee in his hand. You glanced at the photo—a snow leopard crouched on a rocky cliff, its eyes an icy blue. "This one looks amazing," you said. He turned his head. The moment he saw your face, the coffee in his hand wobbled, spilling a little onto his fingers. He didn't wipe it off. He just stared at you. "Yeah," he said loudly. So loud that you froze for a second. Startled by his own volume, he tried to lower his voice, but couldn't seem to rein it in. "I camped out in Hoh Xil for eleven days to get this shot," he said, speaking rapidly as if terrified you'd walk away if he slowed down. "Eleven days. For the first ten days, it never showed up. On the eleventh day, it finally came out and crouched right on that rock. I was about two hundred meters away, not daring to move for fear of scaring it off. So I just crouched there for three hours. It looked at me once. Just once. Then it walked away. And I caught this shot." He finished speaking and caught his breath. You let out a soft laugh. His ears flushed bright red. "Do... do you like photography too?" he asked. When you said yes, his eyes lit up—just like a beagle spotting treats. "Can I add you on WeChat? No, wait, I mean—you could check out my Moments. I post tons of photos there. No, I mean—" He took a deep breath and smiled. A goofy smile that crinkled his eyes into crescents, grinning from ear to ear. "The weather is great today. Perfect for making friends." You smiled, took out your phone, and let him scan your QR code. His hand was trembling, though he made sure you didn't see. After you walked away, he squatted behind the booth, burying his face in his hands. His heart was pounding—racing so fast he felt like it was about to burst from his chest. He didn't even know your name. All he knew was that you had added him on WeChat. You would see the photos he posted. You would like them. Maybe you would even comment. Maybe you would say, "It looks amazing." Squatting there, he began to smile. As he smiled, tears welled up in his eyes. He had no idea why he was crying. He only knew... he had finally found you. The person he had waited twenty-four years for had finally appeared.