Are you Blind?

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This year's winter was colder than usual.

Lin Ting reached out and grabbed the door handle, which was freezing cold. As soon as he touched it, his pale fingers turned red from the icy metal. He carefully pushed the glass door open, the bell above the door chiming softly. Warm air from inside rushed over him, pushing away the cold that clung to his body.

He widened his eyes and looked at the blurry world in front of him. The lights hanging above his head were a bit too bright, making him squint for a second. His scarf was still wrapped around his neck, covering the lower half of his face, keeping him warm and cozy.

Every time he breathed, the tip of his small, straight nose gently touched the soft, fluffy fabric, making him feel calm and comforted.

Lin Ting blinked his eyes, momentarily adjusting to the surroundings. Slowly and carefully, he reached out to touch the chair next to him. He stopped for a moment, unsure if he should move forward or stay where he was. Before he could decide, a café staff member noticed him first and quickly walked over.

"Sir, do you need any help?" the waiter asked in a low voice.

Lin Ting was startled when the waiter suddenly appeared, but he quickly calmed himself down. He lifted his hands to adjust his scarf, making sure it sat snug and comfortable around his neck. Then he gave a small, polite smile, nodded, and asked kindly, "Could you please take me to a seat by the window?"

As he spoke, he pointed to his eyes and said, "I... can't see." His soft voice was slightly muffled by the scarf around his face.

The waiter blinked in surprise. When the young man came in, he seemed to move and behave normally. If he hadn't watched him closely and noticed when he fumbled while reaching out to touch the chair, he wouldn't have realized that the man in front of him was blind.

The waiter quickly responded, "Sure."

He then hurriedly supported Lin Ting's arm, guiding him step by step toward the window seat at the end of the room, once they reached the end, he asked politely, "Sir, are you waiting for your friends?"

While talking, the waiter subconsciously glanced around Lin Ting but failed to spot the white cane, which was usually carried by blind people.

Hearing this, Lin Ting sat up straight, his lips curling into a slight smile, and a touch of embarrassment crossed his face as he admitted, "Actually... I'm here for a blind date."

Instinctively, his fingers moved quietly as they grasped the bottom of his clothes, creating small creases in the soft fabric between his fingertips.

These were the clothes he had carefully selected with the help of his family just the day before.

He actually been preparing for this blind date for more than two weeks.

As planned, he had arrived at the agreed-upon place early to check it out and, without thinking, he paid extra attention to his appearance today.

Not to forget, he was so nervous about the date that he couldn't sleep the entire night. For whole time, his mind was filled with anticipation and worry about how the date would go.

He also intentionally left his guide stick behind, wanting to appear normal and healthy in front of his date. Even if the date didn't go as well as he hoped, he still wanted to make a good impression.

"Do I look strange?" Lin Ting tilted his head slightly as he asked.

The waiter took a moment to observe Lin Ting.

The man seated was undeniably attractive, with captivating peach-colored eyes and long, curled eyelashes that framed his eyes. With a hint of pink on his cheeks and a soft blush on his pale skin, he looked friendly and approachable. Overall, he seemed very pleasant and easy to be around.

"Not at all, sir," the waiter assured him. He helped Lin Ting into his seat and thoughtfully ordered two cups of coffee.

Before the waiter left, Lin Ting thanked him politely. Then he placed his hands on the table and clasped them together, his intertwined fingers betraying his nervousness.

The clock on the wall behind him ticked softly, making a gentle "click-click" sound as the minute hand moved forward. Even though he couldn't see, he could hear the smallest sounds very clearly. Since he lost his sight, his hearing had become much sharper, helping him notice tiny sounds that most people didn't catch-like the soft ticking of the clock behind him.

At this moment, even his own heartbeat felt louder than the noise of traffic outside as he waited nervously for his blind date to arrive.

This blind date had been set up by his sister, who lived abroad. She had described the guy as handsome with a good family background. The only downside, according to his sister, was that he can be a bit unfriendly towards others.

"Shen Chuhan..." Lin Ting whispered softly, his voice was barely audible, as he wondered whether the person would really be as cold as the name sounded.

He pressed his lips together and kept his eyes on the table. Though his vision was blurry, he could still make out the vague shapes of two coffee cups. His eyes looked unfocused, and the backs of his hands had turned red from how tightly he had been pinching them. But Lin Ting didn't seem to notice the pain at all.

This time, Lin Ting didn't talk to his blind date himself. All the arrangements were handled by his sister. In the past, he had been on several blind dates but all of them ended up in failure due to his blindness. He hoped that by meeting face-to-face, his blind date could understand him better, and get to know him without any sympathy. After spending some time together, they could then decide if they wanted to be with him or not. He hoped that by letting his blind date meet him in person, they would get a better idea of what he was really like, as a person. Then, based on how the date went, the other person could decide if he wanted to be with him or not.

As time ticked away, minute by second, Lin Ting lost track of how much time had passed. Suddenly, the quiet of the coffee shop was interrupted by the clear sound of wind chimes drifting in from the door. Lin Ting instinctively looked toward the sound. The light overhead was still bright and dazzling, casting a warm yellow glow over his face.

He listened intently to the footsteps echoing in the air.

The sound of leather shoes tapping against the wooden floor had a distinct rhythm. It started off faint, then gradually grew louder with each step-one step, then another-until the footsteps stopped right in front of Lin Ting.

Right after the footsteps stopped, Lin Ting heard the soft scraping sound of the chair across from him being pulled out. It was clear-someone had just sat down in front of him.

Lin Ting blinked quickly, and his fingers accidentally bumped into the coffee cup in front of him. He could hear the other person taking off his coat, and the soft rustling of the fabric echoed clearly in his ears.

"Hello... I..." the man said suddenly. As soon as he spoke, Lin Ting's heart skipped a beat. Before the man could finish, Lin Ting quickly interrupted him without thinking.

"Hello! My name is Lin Ting, I'm 25 years old, I graduated from X University with a degree in art, and I'm now working as a freelancer. I earn a decent income every month. I've never been in a relationship before, so I don't have an ex..."

Lin Ting quickly said the words he had practiced many times in his head. But because he was so anxious, his voice sounded stiff and a little awkward. In the middle of speaking, his mind suddenly went blank, and he forgot half of what he wanted to say. So in the end, everything he said came out mixed up and didn't really make sense.

After the last word left his mouth and faded into the air, Lin Ting finally blinked. He had a habit of keeping his eyes wide open when he got nervous, and now he wondered if that had scared the other person.

There was a brief silence all around for a few seconds.

And in those few seconds, Lin Ting felt as if he had sentenced himself to death.

What did he do just now...

Lin Ting's heart thumped loudly in his chest. That tiny pause felt endless, stretching out like a punishment.

He also realized, with a jolt, that he had interrupted the other person mid-sentence.

Panic surged through him as he agonized over his actions.

What should he do now? Would the other person think he was incredibly rude? Did he just ruin everything in the very first moment?

Lin Ting's delicate eyebrows scrunched together, and the worry on his face was hard to miss. He debated internally whether to apologize to the other person. Suddenly, he noticed the figure opposite him shift, and then a deep voice filled the air.

"Hello, my name is Shen Chuhan," the deep voice said from across the table, gently cutting through the heavy silence that had settled between them.

It was a very pleasant voice-steady and unhurried.

The slight hoarseness in it carried a warm, magnetic quality that instantly calmed Lin Ting's racing heart. He swallowed softly, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, while his eyelashes fluttered just a little.

The man across from him seemed far more composed than Lin Ting had imagined. There was no laughter, no awkward pauses-just a calm and natural introduction, as if everything was perfectly normal.

This made Lin Ting feel more at ease. The man wasn't as rude as his sister had warned him he might be.

Lin Ting gently bit his lower lip, a subconscious habit when he was nervous. He reached out carefully, found the coffee cup in front of him, and took a small sip. The warmth of the drink didn't do much to calm the flutter in his chest. Meanwhile, the faint red on his cheeks deepened noticeably. He could feel the heat rising to his face but wasn't sure if it was because the café's heating was turned up too high, or if it was because of the man sitting across from him. Either way, he felt oddly flustered-more than he had expected.

He listened carefully to everything the other person was saying. When Shen Chuhan mentioned "X University," Lin Ting froze for a moment. He slowly put down the coffee cup in his hand, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he looked at the other party's face.

"Mr. Shen also graduated from X University?" he asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.

The man on the other side paused for a couple of seconds before replying, "Yes. To be exact, I'm probably two years older than you, and I studied finance."

Shen Chuhan's tone carried a slight hint of a smile at the end. As he looked at the young man sitting across from him, the expression in his eyes unknowingly softened.

"What a coincidence!" Upon hearing this, Lin Ting's face lit up with excitement.

"Then... what kind of job do you do, Mr. Lin?" Shen Chuhan inquired with a curious tone, his gaze fixed on Lin Ting as he awaited his response.

Lin Ting blinked twice, and the joy that had just radiated from his body was silently suppressed. He lowered his head slightly, tapping his fingers on the smooth tabletop. He hesitated for a long time before he answered, "Well... I do painting."

He was struggling with a difficult decision. Should he be honest and tell Shen Chuhan that he was blind?

A part of him wanted to be open, but another part hesitated. He was afraid that if Shen Chuhan found out he was blind and still worked as a painter, he would find it strange or even unbelievable.

However, if he told him now... Shen Chuhan would definitely get up and leave immediately.

Just like those people before-who smiled politely, said a few kind words, and then never showed up again.

But then, the man sitting across from him felt different -someone rare, someone whom he actually shared many common interests and could talk to easily. That made Lin Ting hesitate even more. He didn't want to ruin the moment by revealing his blindness and risk losing someone who seemed to understand him so well.

He didn't want to abruptly end the budding connection between them.

Just because he was blind...

With that thought heavy in his heart, Lin Ting's excitement slowly faded. He lowered his eyes and quietly continued chatting with Shen Chuhan. Without even realizing it, an hour and a half slipped by.

"Mr. Lin, we've been talking for quite a while. Let's get something to eat," Shen Chuhan said politely, gently cutting into their conversation. As a waiter passed by, he reached out to stop him and then handed the menu to Lin Ting first.

"Have a look and see if there's anything you'd like," he said with a warm tone.

Lin Ting's scalp tingled with nerves. He quickly lowered

his head and reached out to feel the menu in front of him, trying his best to appear like any regular person. Though he couldn't read it, he flipped through the pages a few times, pretending to think about what to order.

"I-I can eat anything, Mr. Shen... you take a look," he said, his voice shaky, clearly showing how anxious he was.

Shen Chuhan didn't say much in response. Instead, he let out a thoughtful "hmm", took back the menu, and began to browse through it himself. Then, he turned his attention back to Lin Ting, asking him about his eating habits and preferences.

Lin Ting on the other side was gripped by such intense nervousness that he felt as though his heart might leap out of his chest. His hands, hanging limply by his sides, clutched onto the hem of his clothes tightly, his nails digging into his palms with almost painful force. Every second felt like an eternity as he anxiously awaited Shen Chuhan's reaction, his mind racing with worry and uncertainty.

As time passed, Lin Ting realized that his secret hadn't been discovered yet.

He probably didn't notice. Lin Ting thought to himself.

He listened intently to the conversation between Shen Chuhan and the waiter as he tried to detect any hints of doubt or impatience in the other person's tone. But he couldn't detect any hint of suspicion or anything in Shen Chuhan's voice.

"I just ordered something casually," Shen Chuhan stated calmly after returning the menu to the waiter. Then, he turned his attention back to Lin Ting with a warm smile.

"When we meet next time," he continued, "I want to take Mr. Lin to try the restaurant I like." His words were filled with genuine sincerity, and Lin Ting couldn't help but feel touched by the invitation.

"Only if Mr. Lin is willing," Shen Chuhan added, his tone gentle with a hint of hope, as though he genuinely looked forward to hearing Lin Ting's answer.

He stayed calm and warm throughout, speaking like they'd known each other for a long time. And when he casually mentioned meeting again, it made Lin Ting's heart flutter just a little.

Lin Ting secretly let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He was thankful that Shen Chuhan didn't seem to mind anything, and that their meeting didn't end like the ones before.

Gathering his thoughts and calming the nervous flutter in his chest, Lin Ting gave a small nod and quietly said, "Okay."

The café served the food very quickly. As a sweet smell lingered at the tip of his nose, Lin Ting felt a little embarrassed.

At home, his family would always consider his poor eyesight when serving meals. They would arrange the dishes on his plate like the face of a clock-placing the food he liked closest to him, and the ones he didn't like a bit farther away. It made things easier for him.

And one of the reasons Lin Ting was so hesitant to admit the truth was because he knew-deep down-that the moment he said he couldn't see the dishes or asked where they were placed, everything he had tried so hard to hide since the beginning of the date would come crashing down.

He didn't want Shen Chuhan to feel awkward, or worse, start treating him differently out of pity or obligation.

More than anything, he didn't want to shatter the gentle, comfortable atmosphere they had built together -a rare and fragile peace that felt too precious to risk.

But the table in front of him was a mystery. He had no idea where the plates were placed, whether there was a spoon near his right hand or if he might knock over a glass by accident. His throat tightened, and the corners of his eyes stung with unshed tears. For a moment, he just sat still, his fingers curled tightly into his lap, pretending like everything was fine.

Just then, Shen Chuhan's calm voice came through gently, "I don't know if what I ordered is to your liking, Mr. Lin."

Lin Ting could feel the intense gaze of the man opposite him, and with a bit of effort, he managed to twitch the corners of his lips into a smile. "Well, I really like it," he replied, hoping to reassure Shen Chuhan despite his inner turmoil.

After that, he decided to take the initiative. He picked up the fork, stretched his arm across the table, and carefully inserted it into Shen Chuhan's sugar-free cake.

Shen Chuhan raised his eyebrows in surprise. He looked at the chocolate brownie he had ordered for young man, then glanced down at his own sugar-free cake. Lin Ting didn't seem to notice that he had taken the wrong one. He happily stuffed a big bite of cake into his mouth, his cheeks puffed up like a little hamster.

As the faint sweetness melted in his mouth, Lin Ting offered stiff praise to the café for their delicious cakes.

Then, without missing a beat, he stretched out his hand once more and inserted it into Shen Chuhan's sugar-free cake, determined to continue the charade without causing any further embarrassment.

Shen Chuhan tilted his head slightly, a trace of confusion flickering in his eyes. Didn't Lin Ting just say he liked chocolate? Why was he eating the sugar-free cake instead?

Still silently, Shen Chuhan gently pushed his cake plate toward Lin Ting. Even though Lin Ting's eyes were wide open, he didn't notice anything-completely unaware of what Shen Chuhan had just done.

Just as Lin Ting reached out for the third time-because Shen Chuhan had moved the plate in front of him-his hand accidentally knocked the knife and fork to the side and brushed against a napkin. Without realizing it, he subconsciously picked it up and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Wait!" Shen Chuhan exclaimed, stopping him. He instinctively grabbed Lin Ting's wrist with his hand, pressing his calloused fingertips against the warm skin.

He took off the napkin and handed it to Lin Ting. Lin Ting could feel the texture of the fabric and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

"Ruined," Lin Ting murmured quietly. His cover was blown.

Shen Chuhan let go of Lin Ting's hand and sat back down, his gaze fixed intently on the young man's face, which was turning red little by little. The surrounding area grew quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the heater blowing and the clock hand turning mixing together in the background.

After a long moment of quiet, Shen Chuhan slowly sat up straighter and turned his head to look at the glass window beside him. His eyes seemed to drift beyond the glass, quietly watching the street outside, as if lost in deep thought.

His strong eyebrows and prominent nose were reflected on the glass. Even though his black hair hung a little long over his forehead, it didn't hide the striking and refined features of his face-features that naturally drew attention without trying.

Then, in silence, he lifted the hair that was nearly covering his left eye, revealing the dark red and striking skin underneath. A large burn scar spread across the area that was very vivid and impossible to overlook.

"I want to ask a presumptuous question."

Shen Chuhan looked straight at Lin Ting. Lin Ting instantly understood what the man was about to say, and his heart jumped into his throat.

He swallowed nervously, feeling like he couldn't breathe.

Then he heard Shen Chuhan's calm voice say the words that felt like a quiet judgment.

"Mr. Lin...are you blind?"

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