Chapter 1: Reunion ( Part 3)

Life in a bustling city can still be simple—work, eat, and sleep, that’s all. After a period of adaptation, life becomes a numb repetition.

“Ah Sheng, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

As soon as Mo Sheng stepped into the magazine office, she heard someone calling from a distance.

“Old Bai, what’s the matter?”

Lao Bai was actually quite young. He was another photographer at the magazine.

His last name was Li, but because he always said bai, everyone jokingly called him Lao Bai. He had a knack for coaxing celebrities, which made him the go-to photographer for the magazine’s cover shoots.

“My wife is about to give birth. Can I trouble you to take photos of the model for Ms. Xiao tomorrow?

“Xiao Xiao? Mo Sheng felt a little embarrassed. “I don’t mind, but I heard that Xiao Xiao has a strange temper. She won’t cooperate with anyone she isn’t familiar with.

“Lao Bai thought for a moment and said, “How about this—you give it a try first. If it doesn’t work, call me.

“The next day, when Mo Sheng saw the cool and stunning Xiao Xiao, she was completely taken aback. She wasn’t familiar with domestic celebrities and had never seen Xiao Xiao’s photos before. She had no idea that Xiao Xiao looked so much like her old college friend.

But how could that be? Her best friend had been a simple and clumsy country girl, while the woman in front of her now crossed her slender legs and smoked with an air of sophistication and charm.

Mo Sheng hesitated to recognize her. Maybe it was just a coincidence—a mere resemblance.

But Model Xiao squinted her eyes, glanced at her, then walked over with elegant strides and stopped right in front of her.”Why? You don’t recognize me?””…Shaomei?””Oh!” She let out a sarcastic chuckle. “That’s me.”

“Ah Sheng, you know Xiao Xiao? That’s great!” A colleague who had accompanied her said excitedly.

“She was my top-bunk roommate in freshman year.”

“College bunk beds create the best memories,” Xiao Xiao’s agent chimed in.

“Don’t you need to take photos? Hurry up and start!” Xiao Xiao said impatiently.

She had changed so much! Mo Sheng thought as she took the photos. The woman in front of her was no longer the cute and clumsy Shao Mei she once knew.

Or was she?

A good photographer can capture the soul of their subject, but Mo Sheng couldn’t seem to grasp Xiao Xiao’s essence. Maybe it was her own lack of skill. Or maybe there was simply no person beneath the lens at all.

Xiao Xiao felt empty. A kind of emptiness that made people feel hopeless and powerless. Perhaps it was that very emptiness that made her so popular.

After taking a set of photos, Xiao Xiao waved her hand dismissively.

“That’s enough for today.”

“But Xiao Xiao, there’s still more…” her agent protested anxiously.”I said that’s it.” Xiao Xiao was firm. Then, turning to Mo Sheng, she said, “Let’s go have a cup of coffee.”

“It’s been a long time since we last met. We should drink to that. Unfortunately, I’ve been having stomach issues lately, so I can only have coffee.”

“Well, coffee is good… or maybe you should have some milk instead,” Mo Sheng suggested awkwardly, not knowing what to say. She had so many questions, but she didn’t know where to begin.

“Health is important. Even dieting should be done in moderation,” she added, trying to make conversation.

“I never diet,” Xiao Xiao smirked. “I just drink too much.”

“Shaomei!” Mo Sheng was startled by the self-deprecating look in her eyes and instinctively grabbed her hand.

How did she end up like this?

Xiao Xiao reflexively shook her hand off. Mo Sheng froze. The atmosphere turned awkward and silent.

“You’ve changed a lot,” Mo Sheng finally said bitterly.

“Yes. Do you remember that I had a crush on someone during freshman year?” Xiao Xiao spoke indifferently. “One day, I confessed to him. He accepted it, but he didn’t love me. Then Shao Mei died, and now I am Xiao Xiao.”

A few simple words pierced through Mo Sheng’s heart. She felt a deep, indescribable pain and couldn’t bring herself to ask any more questions.

After a moment, Xiao Xiao sneered, “You haven’t changed much. You’re still as pretentious as ever. How could you bear to leave the glamorous United States and come back here?”

The remark stung Mo Sheng, but she knew she was in the wrong. She had left without a word, disappearing for seven years. She had abandoned their friendship.

“I left too hastily back then…”

“You don’t need to explain this to me,” Xiao Xiao interrupted coldly. “You should explain it to He Yichen.”

He Yichen? How was he involved in this? Mo Sheng thought back to the day she had last seen him with Yi Mei Li Ying. “I don’t think he cares…”

“Doesn’t care? Do you think everyone is as heartless as you?” Xiao Xiao’s voice rose in anger.

“In the days after you disappeared, he was almost going crazy looking for you! Later, he just waited outside the dormitory all day. And what did he get in return?” She glared at Mo Sheng.

“One day, some strangers came, packed up all your things, and told him—told us—that you had gone to the United States and might never come back.”