Chapter 1: Reunion (Part 1)

The next time I saw him was seven years later, in a crowded supermarket packed with people doing their weekend shopping.

Zhao Mosheng pushed the shopping cart alone, walking and stopping in the crowd with difficulty. She had just returned from abroad and was not used to such a crowded place. However, such a lively and friendly scene made her smile unconsciously, and she listened to the noisy hometown accent with gratitude. She didn’t know if others who had just returned to China felt the same way, but her excitement and joy were almost uncontrollable.

Seven years! It had been a long time!

”But how did I meet him right after returning to China? No, to be exact, it should be them.”

Mosheng silently looked at the couple standing in front of the vegetable rack and once again realized the wonders of fate. Seven years ago, it was them who had made her finally decide to go abroad.

Now, they were shopping together. So, in the end, they ended up together! Fortunately, I left quickly back then, she thought. Otherwise, I would have been even more hurt.

He Yichen, He Yimei.

She had been so stupid. How could she have thought that having similar names meant they must be brother and sister?

“We are not siblings at all. We used to be good neighbors. We both had the last name He, so the adults gave us similar names. Later, Yichen’s parents had an accident, so our family adopted Yichen.”

“Do you think you can compare to the twenty years of childhood memories Yi Chen and I share?”

“Today, I want to tell you that I love Yi Chen. I don’t want to love him in secret anymore. I want to compete with you openly.”

When she was 19, the day before Mosheng’s birthday, her good friend He Yimei, who had always been quiet and introverted, suddenly found the courage to declare this to her. Yimei, who had always been gentle and never fought for anything, had said these words—she must have loved him to the extreme.

But how could she compete with fate? The moment Yimei declared war, Mosheng had already lost.

So, she fled to the United States—for seven years.

He Yichen.

The memory of his cold eyes and heartless words that day resurfaced. A dull ache stirred in her heart—shallow, almost imperceptible, but still there.

They walked toward her, and Mosheng’s fingers began to turn white as she gripped the shopping cart. She almost wanted to turn around immediately. But the supermarket was too crowded, and she couldn’t turn back while pushing the cart.

In the next moment, she reconsidered. Why should I escape?

She should calmly say to them, “Hi, long time no see,” and then walk away gracefully, leaving them with a beautiful back view.

Besides, they might not even recognize her.

She had changed a lot. Her long, flowing hair was now short and neat. Her fair skin had been tanned by the California sun. She was wearing a loose T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. She looked completely different from before.

They approached slowly, step by step, and then… walked past her.

It’s not that I don’t feel heartbroken.

A faint voice was heard. “Would you like to buy some milk?”Yimei asked softly.

But the answer was unclear.

I miss Yi Chen’s deep, cello-like voice.

Even after all these years in a foreign country, it still echoed in her ears.

Feeling both disappointed and relieved, Mosheng lifted her head, which had been lowered the whole time, and took a step forward.

Bang! Her shopping cart crashed into a pile of discounted soaps, sending hundreds of boxes toppling to the floor in a spectacular scene.

Uh… can I just pretend I didn’t do that?

“Oh my God! This is the third time today!”

A supermarket clerk appeared out of nowhere, groaning in frustration.

So, it’s not my fault! Who would pile goods in the middle of the aisle?

Mosheng quietly stuck out her tongue and tried hard to put on a guilty expression.

The noise attracted the attention of those nearby, including He Yimei. She casually glanced in the direction of the commotion—and then froze.

It’s her. It’s really her!Yimei could hardly believe her eyes. She’s back?

“Yimei?”

He Yichen didn’t understand her reaction and asked while looking in the same direction.His tall, straight body instantly stiffened.

Zhao Mosheng!

The innocent-looking woman with her head lowered was Zhao Mosheng!

Her face was full of apology, but her eyes flashed with an unmistakable mischievous smile. From a distance, it was hard to see her expression clearly.

But Yi Chen knew it.

He had always known that she was like this—always stirring up trouble and then leaving irresponsibly,Willful, selfish, hateful.