The crisp sound of a sugar cube falling into a coffee cup made Jian look up. Sunlight spilled across the tabletop through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the purple-edged leaf on the edge of her notebook trembled gently, as if brushed by an invisible draft. She reached out to touch the surface of the leaf, and a faint sensation of electricity pricked her fingertips—this tactile memory was all too familiar, yet as blurry as if seen through a layer of frosted glass.
"Your Blue Mountain coffee."
As the waiter set the cup down, Jian noticed a peculiar scar on the back of his hand—seven dots arranged like a miniature Big Dipper. When she tried to get a better look, the waiter had already turned and walked away, leaving behind only a vaguely familiar silhouette.
Chapter 35