Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 630 Seeing You Off Again

The young photographer's Adam's apple bobbed as he shoved the stack of photos into Zhan Mengyan's arms: "These are for you." The edge of the film grazed Zhan Mengyan's palm, leaving a slight sting.

Zhan Mengyan touched the photos in her hand. She liked every single one of them and couldn't bear to give them up. She then touched her pocket—the coins and bills combined were only enough to pay for the few that were initially agreed upon.

"Well... I'll keep these photos for now. Once I've saved up enough money, I'll pay you back for the rest of the photos. I'll give you an IOU first."

While Zhan Mengyan was speaking, she found a pen and paper.

“Mengyan, you already said it was a gift, so how could I charge you extra? I took the photos secretly, how could I ask you for money? Wouldn't that be forced selling? That goes against the principles of doing business. I'm giving it to you for free, just consider it a record of life's colors. You're being too polite. I took these photos to capture your natural self, so don't mention money again.”

The young photographer spoke in a relaxed tone, as if sharing a casual gift, and he snatched the paper and pen from Zhan Mengyan's hand.

Zhan Mengyan's cheeks flushed red, and she stamped her feet anxiously, "No! No! How can I take them for free? Rules are rules! This Guangming Photo Studio isn't yours to own. Even if it were, the photo paper, film, and developing fluid didn't just fall from the sky; they have a cost price. If you don't let me write an IOU, I won't take these photos today. I'll come back for them when I've saved up enough money."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, her stubbornness flared up. She put down the photo, her eyes resolute, as if she were defending some principle. She walked towards the entrance of the photo studio.

The young photographer paused for a moment, then shook his head helplessly, a resigned smile on his lips. He quickly blocked the doorway with his body, slowly handed Zhan Mengyan the paper again, and then handed her a pen: "Alright, alright, you stubborn little mule, write it down, Mengyan, I'll listen to you and let you write an IOU! But it's a promise, I will never chase you for the debt, just consider it... you owe me a story."

Zhan Mengyan smiled, lowered her head and wrote her name on the IOU. The young photographer took the opportunity to stuff the photo into Zhan Mengyan's arms, turned around and hummed a little tune as he went back to the darkroom, leaving Zhan Mengyan in the warm light, holding those "stolen memories," and smiling softly.

Dusk, like a soaked gray cloth, hung heavily over the small town. Zhan Mengyan walked back to school with the photos she had just retrieved. Looking down at the smiling faces of herself and her sister in the photos, a heavy weight pressed on her heart—how could she repay this debt? She pondered how to work part-time during the holidays to save every penny, determined to repay this favor.

Every glimmer of a possible way to make money flickered like a firefly in Zhan Mengyan's anxious thoughts, yet it couldn't illuminate the road ahead. The debt felt like an invisible thread stretching her, making her breath quicken.

Behind him, the darkroom door of the Guangming Photo Studio opened gently, and the young photographer walked out. The glass door of the photo studio slid open silently, and the young photographer leaned against the door frame, his hands still carrying the faint smell of developing solution. He watched Zhan Mengyan's slender figure gradually disappear into the distance, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up. He felt a sweet warmth in his heart, like holding a piece of melted candy. It wasn't because of the meager reward, but because he seemed to see a kind of stubborn and pure light in Zhan Mengyan.