Meng Meng knew I was coming home, and the first thing she said was:
“Isn’t dignity the most important thing?”
Meng Meng had just released her first major album, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. As a newcomer, her new song even reached the top of the radio charts. Every time I visited a record store, her songs were playing in the background.
Sometimes, I truly envied her. My envy grew so intense that, for a period, I didn’t want to see her or even contact her.
Once, I ran into Hu Tie Han at a record store.
“Here to buy Meng Meng’s album?” I teased him.
“No,” he replied shyly, “but Meng Meng did ask me the other day why you haven’t been in touch with her lately.”
“She’s busy with work, isn’t she? Do you even get time to meet up?”
“No matter how busy she is, she always makes time to see me,” he said, clearly content.
I noticed a red string on his left wrist, identical to the one Meng Meng wore. He was also wearing the military-style watch I had given him.
“Is it your turn to wear it today?” I asked.
He nodded.
Meng Meng had publicly admitted to reporters that she had a childhood sweetheart as her boyfriend and that she planned to marry him in the future.
As for me, with no romance in my life, I threw myself into work.
Meng Meng tried reaching out to me several times, but I always came up with excuses to avoid meeting her.
“What’s going on? Did I do something wrong?” she asked me over the phone.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s an honor to have you as a friend. What could I possibly compare to you?” I replied bitterly.
She hung up the phone.
She stopped reaching out to me, and I didn’t contact her either.
She had everything—money, fame, a man, love—while I only wanted one thing: Xiao Jue. Yet even he slipped away from me.
When has fate ever been fair to me?
One day, Meng Meng called my office. She said:
“I’m waiting for you downstairs at the café. If you don’t come, let’s not be friends anymore.”
With no other choice, I went to meet her.
“Why are you avoiding me?” she asked.
“I’m not avoiding you,” I replied.
“There’s no need to deny it. Did I offend you somehow?”
“You didn’t offend me. It’s just that happy women and unhappy women don’t mix well.”
“So that’s it.”
“I just didn’t want my sadness to affect you.”
“You never truly considered me a friend.”
“I did,” I said. “Because you’re my best friend, I feel ashamed in front of you. I compare myself to you, and I envy you deeply.”
I couldn’t help but cry.
She also began to cry.
Seeing her tears, I felt terribly guilty.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“You won’t know who is truly the happiest until the very end of life,” she replied.
That same day, Fang Yuan called me into his office.
“I have a new project for you,” he said.
“It’s a new client, a fashion retail chain. The owner’s daughter recently took over the marketing department and wants to rebrand the entire group, including changing their PR firm.”
“I’ll get in touch with her to understand her perspective,” I said.
“You’ve been working late a lot recently. Don’t you need to meet your boyfriend?”
“I don’t have one,” I said.
“Gao Hai Ming seems like a good guy.”
“I’m not good enough for him.”
“He seems to like you, though.”
“It’s better to rely on oneself,” I replied.
Fang Yuan chuckled.
I scheduled a meeting with Stephanie Cheng, the heiress of the fashion chain, through her secretary.
Their headquarters was in Cheung Sha Wan—a large space, with the marketing department occupying an entire floor.
“Miss Cheng is waiting for you inside,” her secretary said.
When I entered, I realized that Stephanie Cheng was actually Cheng Die’en. She was accompanied by a man and a woman who appeared to be senior staff.
“So, it’s you,” she said with a smile.
“I’m Qiu Huan’er from Yunsheng.”
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