"At 'Little Chef' downstairs, by the bike parking.

　　"Hey there, kiddo, something good happen today?" Zhang Mo swung onto her electric bike, noticing Gu Pan's lack of response, so she honked her horn.

　　Gu Pan squatted, wrestling with a wad of gum stuck to his tire. He pinched it with a tissue, attempting to scrub away the messy blob, which turned into a sticky, stringy ordeal. Zhang Mo frowned deeply at the sight.

　　But Gu Pan looked up with calm eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. Instead of being repulsed, he seemed almost to relish the task.

　　Intrigued, Zhang Mo couldn't resist. She honked the horn again and maneuvered her bike closer.

　　"Hey, kid! You seem to be having a good time with that job!"

　　"Huh?" Gu Pan finally noticed the commotion beside him. He turned his head too quickly, his smile fading before fully forming, leaving behind a surprised grin shimmering in the afternoon light.

　　"I saw you laughing in class earlier, and you've been smiling ever since. What's got you so happy? Also, what was that song you were humming while chopping veggies? It sounded familiar."

　　Gu Pan paused briefly, contemplating before responding to the latter question: "It's a Taylor Swift song." He chose not to mention anything about his smile being related to Ling Hanlu.

　　"Oh, I see..." Zhang Mo sighed in response, taking a moment to digest his answer.

　　"Do you like her too?" Gu Pan's eyes lit up, thrilled to find a kindred spirit.

　　"Eh, she's alright. Someone at home used to love her music, always playing it."

　　"I see..." Gu Pan nodded and resumed cleaning the tire. Sensing Zhang Mo hadn't left immediately, he looked up again. "Zhang Jie, anything else?"

　　"Not really. I had a question, but I didn't want to pry too much." Zhang Mo leaned on her bike, hesitating to depart.

　　"No worries. Go ahead and ask!"

　　"Since you came down until now, I've noticed this scent lingering. It gets stronger when you're nearby. Are you using incense or something else?" Zhang Mo inquired, her nose instinctively searching for the source.

　　"Ah? A fragrance?" Gu Pan mused to himself, realizing that while he wasn't exactly living a rugged life, he wasn't particularly refined either. "I don't use that kind of stuff."

　　"But..." Zhang Mo persisted, finally pinpointing the source. Her gaze settled on the backpack slung over Gu Pan's shoulder. "Yes, it's coming from inside your bag!"

　　With the reminder, Gu Pan suddenly remembered the "oddity" in his backpack. It was something he had bought from a shop on a certain street during a detour on his way to "Little Chef."

　　Earlier that morning, Gu Pan had received a text from the shop owner, informing him that their store in City A was closing down. It had been a local fragrance shop operating for five years, specializing in various homemade perfumes and sachets. Gu Pan had purchased a relatively "slow-moving" wardrobe sachet from them.

　　The owner had told him, "This is the one you've always wanted. We have just two pieces left in stock. We won't be making more. If you're attached to it and can't bear to part with it, come by. I'll sell it to you at half price. But one of them got slightly damaged in the packaging when our staff was tidying up."

　　Gu Pan had picked up those two items and stashed them in his backpack, bringing them along to "Little Chef."

　　"Is that from your bag?" Zhang Mo grinned widely, clearly reveling in her victory.

　　"Yeah. Sister Zhang , you've got a keen nose!"

　　"Since you say that, let me flaunt a bit. I think it's from the white floral family, a sachet, not perfume." Zhang Mo leaned in closer to the bag to confirm her assessment.

　　"You can tell all that just from sniffing it? It sure is a sachet. But 'white floral'? I'm lost. All I know is it's called Night Blooming Jasmine..."

　　"Kid, Night Blooming Jasmine falls under the white floral category, quite classy and feminine. But hey, everyone has their own taste when it comes to scents, just like some prefer radishes over cabbage."

　　"You really know your stuff, Sister Zhang ."

　　"Eh, not really. Before switching careers, I did some beauty training for a while. Taught salespeople at makeup counters. Being around this stuff every day, my nose got better at picking out scents than most." Zhang Mo reminisced about her former profession and her once proud expertise, but there was no joy in her voice, just a sigh. "But you know, having a sensitive nose can be a pain sometimes."

　　Gu Pan glanced at Zhang Mo, sensing there was more to her words than she let on. He shifted the conversation back to work. "Sister Zhang, your previous job sounds fascinating. Why did you stop doing it?"

　　"Hey there, kiddo, you know, it all sounded so nice initially. But then, for various reasons, I changed careers. Still, focusing on the kids, it's a kind of fulfillment... Ah, why am I telling you all this."

　　"Um... let's just call it small talk, I'm cool with that." Gu Pan finally finished cleaning up the tires and stood up.

　　"Yeah, when you took it home, did you hang it in your own wardrobe?"

　　"Yes."

　　"But this scent isn't quite right for a boy. You might want to try something like bergamot..."

　　"I, uh, bought it for someone else." Gu Pan knew well that inside his backpack lay a commitment. Yu Yan had said, 'Until I can afford designer perfume, I want that store's fragrance in my closet.' She added, 'Little Pan, if I forget, you've got to remember for me!'

　　"Oh, so it's not for yourself. That makes sense. Must be helping out a girl."

　　"Yep."

　　"By the way, could you show me the sachet? I'd like to get a close look at it. It seems quite unique."

　　After Gu Pan rummaged and handed over the item to Zhang Mo, she then inquired about the exact location of the shop. Seeing her genuine interest, Gu Pan volunteered to guide her there by bike.

　　2

　　The shop owner, a sophisticated woman in her early forties, dressed with an artistic flair and carried herself with a cool, composed demeanor. Unlike some store proprietors, she didn't easily compromise her principles for the sake of sales.

　　She was genuinely surprised to see Gu Pan visit twice in one day.

　　"Mr. Gu, about that... We really only have those two left of your choice, and they're already reserved for you. Would you like to consider something else?" The boss gestured towards the now sparsely stocked shelves, a tinge of regret on her face.

　　"Oh, no, you've misunderstood. I brought a classmate here. She's interested in this place and wanted to have a look around." Gu Pan glanced over at his female classmate standing beside him.

　　The boss scrutinized Zhang Mo from head to toe, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes. "You two are classmates?"

　　"Exactly! Hehe, no wonder you found it hard to believe at first glance, given our noticeable age difference. I'm his cooking classmate," Zhang Mo interjected.

　　"I see."

　　"Yeah. Hello, boss. Are all the fragrances here homemade?"

　　"Absolutely. Small batches, homemade," the boss replied, crossing her arms, readying herself for what seemed like a discussion with a potential professional.

　　"In terms of sales, are wardrobe sachets more popular?"

　　"I would say so. Wardrobe sachets appeal to students with limited budgets but a desire for distinctive scents. Many purchase them to hang in their dorm closets or place directly in their wardrobes. Nowadays, young girls are concerned not only about matching clothes and shoes but also matching scents. So, they come here in search of their signature scent. It's not bespoke, but it helps them stand out."

　　"Ah, I see. By the way, do many people buy the Osmanthus sachets?"

　　"Hehe, I was just about to mention that. Your friend here," the boss glanced at Gu Pan, who was gazing out the window, "he's one of the few who has a soft spot for that scent."

　　"I know, but it's not for his own preference. He's buying it for someone else."

　　"Well, it's still a fragrance for women, you know. Before him, there was a girl who used to come here just for this scent. But in the past year or so, she hasn't shown up at all."

　　"You seem to remember her quite well?"

　　"To be honest, the ones who buy our Osmanthus fragrance are your classmate and that girl. I once joked with our perfumer that we still have some devoted fans. Haha!" The boss chuckled at her own joke, a rare moment of levity.

　　"What's that girl like, a student?" Zhang Mo lowered her voice, glancing at Gu Pan who appeared distant, making sure he couldn't hear.

　　"Oh, how can I describe her? Fair complexion, slim. Looks like a college student!"

　　"Is she pretty?"

　　"Well... beauty is subjective. I'd say she's decent, above average."

　　"Oh—then, do you still have her contact information?"

　　"Um... no. Why do you ask? Are you here today for...?" The boss's expression turned serious. After their conversation, she finally sensed something wasn't right. "Regardless of whether that girl left her contact information or not, even if she did, we wouldn't disclose it. That's our policy."

　　"You've got the wrong idea. Hehe, sorry to have kept you waiting. I'll take off now," Zhang Mo said as she turned towards the exit.

　　Meanwhile, Gu Pan, who had been waiting outside the gate, noticed Zhang Mo's complex and downcast expression. He approached her and whispered, "What were you talking about for so long? Why the somber mood now?"

　　"What somber mood? Just suddenly remembered something I need to take care of. It's nothing, just in a rush. Thanks for bringing me here. Let's go!" Zhang Mo hopped onto her electric bike, honking twice along the clear streets as if to shake herself awake. "Gu Pan, head back! I need to pick up my kid from the interest class..."

　　Her bike shot off into the distance. Gu Pan once again watched the young mother's departing figure. He thought of her "disappearing into the dust cloud". The emotions he sensed from her back were deeper than ever before.

　　Earlier, Gu Pan had tactfully waited outside the shop for about fifteen minutes. Zhang Mo appeared to be engaged in a pleasant conversation with the shop owner, and he didn't want to intrude. However, he noticed Zhang Mo didn't show real interest in the shop's products, as if her quest for fragrance was a pretext for something else.

　　The discussion downstairs at "Little Master Chef" and the visit to the fragrance shop prompted by "Osmanthus" helped Gu Pan understand Zhang Mo's previous occupation. Her comment about "a sensitive nose isn't always a good thing" clearly wasn't mere banter. She must have had a profound olfactory experience, something deeply memorable or even haunting. Once triggered, it rattled her memory to its core.