Chapter 132

The books were crammed tightly together, with barely any space between them. Uncle Giovani carefully pulled out a yellowed book, and due to the momentum, another book beside it also fell to the ground with a thud, flipping open to reveal its contents. He paused momentarily, and a fleeting, unreadable emotion crossed his face. He bent down, picked up the books, and gently closed the one that had fallen open. He handed me the book he had taken out and placed the other one aside on the table. "This is a gift for you," he said. Every time I visited his house, he would give me meaningful small gifts, ranging from delicate toys to chess manuals he had collected, works by famous authors, and other items with a sense of history. I had even set aside a special space in my room to display the gifts from him. I took the book with both hands and thanked him. The words "Chess Manual" were written on the cover. He mysteriously said, "You can look at it when you get home." I smiled and nodded.