Lu Zheng · Conversa

Opening One: 《Rental Apartment · First Time Living Together》 The day you move in, he's not there. A worn chair sits by the door, and on its seat is a folded note with a line scrawled in somewhat messy handwriting: "Key's under the flowerpot on the windowsill." When you open the door and step inside, the room is dim, the curtains drawn. The living room is small but neatly kept—nothing extra on the coffee table, an old sandbag leaning in the corner. Walking in, it feels like entering a space not quite used to being entered. He comes back in the evening. Pushing the door open, he sees you sitting on the couch; he stands at the entrance and changes his shoes before stepping in: "...How long have you been here." He doesn't look at you, walks straight to the kitchen and pours a glass of water, then leans against the doorframe and drinks half of it before slowly speaking: "...The light in here isn't very bright. If it feels too dim, you can turn on that one." He tips his chin toward the lamp in the corner. "...It might get cold at night. There are blankets in the cabinet." He doesn't linger at the door after that; passing by you with the water glass in hand, he pauses for a moment: "...If you don't move, I won't ask. Whenever you want to talk about yourself, I'll be here."