Meng Ning was an excellent listener.
She never judged or asked questions, making her the perfect quiet sounding board.
Qi Xiao continued, “Back then, I was in my senior year of high school, and she turned me down flat. But as a kid, I had this inflated sense of myself—I figured if she was that nice to me, she had to like me. My mom found out quick, though, and wanted to transfer her to another school. I ran to my mom and threatened her: ‘She didn’t even say yes to me! This is abuse of power. If you do that, I won’t take the college entrance exam.'”
“My mom just gave me this cold laugh and said with my grades, even if I took the exam, I wouldn’t amount to much. She kept telling me that I only liked this girl to rebel against her. She said if I didn’t take the exam, she’d never speak to me again. So I listened, took the exam—and bombed it, just like she said.”
“I held back for a while, until she finished her master’s and got into a PhD program under some other professor. I went to confess again, and she shot me down. I was bold back then—got drunk and climbed into her bed. I got her drunk too, and she was a little out of it, but she’s got insane self-control. In the end, she just kissed me on the cheek. The next morning, sober, she told me to stop wasting my time—we’d never happen.”
“I wasn’t having it. I demanded to know why. ‘You’re not my mom’s student anymore, so no need to fear her. You always said you were poor, but now you’re in a PhD program—you’ll make good money after.’ She was quiet for a long time, then said it wasn’t about money.”
“I wouldn’t let it go, kept pushing for an answer. Finally, she said it was because of group deals. I was like, ‘What?’ She explained that whenever I came to see her and bought something, I’d never check the price—just whip out my phone and scan to pay. But not her. She’d always stand there first, pull up the app to see if there was a group discount. ‘Get it now, Qi Xiao? We’re just not from the same world.'”
Qi Xiao laughed through her tears again, blowing a huge snot bubble for the second time. “How ridiculous is that? I liked her for so many years, and I lost to freaking group deals.”
Qi Xiao let out three loud laughs. “Ha! Ha! Ha!”
Meng Ning sat beside her, gazing far out at the tranquil sea, so still it almost seemed like she was lost in thought. But then she asked, “And after that?”
“There is no ‘after that,'” Qi Xiao said. “Once I graduated college, I left the north.”
“Have you gotten over her?”
Qi Xiao flashed a grin. Meng Ning noticed that when people talked about things beyond their control, they really did default to smiling to hide their feelings—as if smiling was all they had left.
Qi Xiao went on, “All these years, I haven’t gone back north once. Even playing mahjong, when someone calls ‘north,’ my stomach twists. Have I gotten over her? She’s sick of me pestering, so I backed off. If a straight-up romance won’t fly, couldn’t I just pine for her in secret?”
Meng Ning wasn’t great at comforting people, so she just smiled along with her.
Qi Xiao nudged Meng Ning’s arm. “What about you? How’d you fall for her?”
“You remember when she came to the hotel last time.”
“Uh-huh.”
“She had a meeting with investors that afternoon. After changing into her suit, her updo was a little messy, so she asked me to fix it for her.”
“And then? You waved your nimble little hands, felt this irresistible urge in your chest, and planted one on her… smooch!”
Meng Ning shot her a look. Qi Xiao waved it off, quit joking, and burst out laughing.
“No kiss,” Meng Ning said. “I just redid her hair.”
“Ning,” Qi Xiao said earnestly, “you’re too damn honest for your own good.”
“It’s nice helping her with her hair,” Meng Ning said, staring out at the distant sea. “Did you know she uses exactly seven little clips for that updo? It’s pretty intricate. When I secured the seventh clip, I thought… I think I really like her.”
Qi Xiao blinked. “What the hell?”
Meng Ning’s lips curved up. “Because I realized I felt a spark of happiness. Just from ironing her suit or pinning her hair—these tiny little things bring me a bit of joy.”
She didn’t voice the second half: “I haven’t felt joy like that in a very, very long time.”
Something felt off to Qi Xiao.
Looking at Meng Ning, she realized it was her smile—different from usual.
Meng Ning smiled often, and it suited her pretty lips well. Just a slight lift of the corners softened her usual cool demeanor. Qi Xiao had never thought there was anything wrong with it—you couldn’t call it fake—but it was too…
Qi Xiao pondered how to put it.
Too casual.
Like a breeze brushing her lips could tug them up, making the smile feel light and weightless. Not like now. Before this smile, Meng Ning paused, as if her rational side wanted to fight it off, but her heart won out. It was a little heavier, a touch helpless, real for the first time.
Watching that expression, Qi Xiao said, “Meng Ning, you’re screwed.”
Meng Ning seemed perfectly at peace. “Yeah, maybe.”
“So what are you gonna do?”
“Do about what?”
“She leaves in half a month!”
Meng Ning nodded calmly. “We always knew that, didn’t we?”
“So you… you…” Qi Xiao stammered but trailed off.
Meng Ning said, “Nothing’s changed.”
Qi Xiao thought for a moment. “You’re not gonna tell her?”
“Tell her and then what?” Meng Ning sat quietly on the beach, knees slightly drawn up, hands resting on them as she idly toyed with her nail. “We’re even less from the same world.”
Qi Xiao wanted to say something.
But she was an adult now. Maybe she hadn’t gotten it when that girl first rejected her, but talking about Wen Zenian and Meng Ning—
It was a yacht party that raged all night.
Versus a cramped rental the size of a closet.
A helicopter whirring above flames like an evening gown.
Versus a rickety, overcrowded bus.
A dazzling life jetting around the world.
Versus a mundane routine in one little corner.
Growing up was probably realizing more and more that a lot of things weren’t about right or wrong.
She finally understood that old line: “We’re not from the same world.” Often, it wasn’t even about money. It was how your lifestyle shaped your views on money, the world, love—and eventually wore away all that initial spark until you drifted apart.
Qi Xiao looked at Meng Ning. “How are you so nonchalant about it?”
“Oh.” Meng Ning said, “Isn’t that just my persona?”
Qi Xiao laughed, then sighed. “So, you gonna keep your distance from her now?”
Meng Ning asked, “Why?”
“You’re into her! You know it won’t work, but you keep acting like it’s no big deal.” Qi Xiao knew the feeling all too well. “Isn’t that just grinding your heart into the dirt?”
Meng Ning smiled more easily than she did. “But my story isn’t finished yet.”
“What story?”
“Remember that sci-fi novel I borrowed from the library? It’s three volumes, but the last one never got written because sales sucked. She got in touch with the author, wrote the rest of the outline herself. Every time I ask, she gives me one more page.”
Qi Xiao couldn’t take it anymore and raised her voice. “Meng Ning, is this really about some stupid sci-fi story? Quit playing the big bad wolf!”
Meng Ning ducked her head and rubbed her nail again. “I just think… dreams wake up eventually anyway. Why not let this one last a little longer?”
In that moment, it clicked for Qi Xiao.
The clear-eyed fallen one.
Optimistic pessimist.
All those oxymorons fit only fools like her and Meng Ning, who threw themselves in headfirst.
Who was she to tell Meng Ning to snap out of it? She’d been dreaming for years herself.
Meng Ning held out her hand. “Give it to me.”
“What?”
“Don’t play dumb.” Meng Ning’s lips quirked. “The lighter.”
Qi Xiao fished the lighter from her pocket and handed it over. Meng Ning flicked it open with practiced ease and struck the flint. “How’d you know?”
“During sand volleyball this afternoon, I was subbed out for a break. I saw you bolt into the sea—thought something was wrong, was about to yell for the others. Then I saw Gwyneth pop up on the surface, and you swam over. You two vanished underwater for a few seconds.”
“Yeah.” Meng Ning released the flint, then struck it again. The tiny flame danced in the sea breeze, flickering on and off as it lit her calm face. “She pulled me under and kissed me.”
Qi Xiao stared for a beat, then swore. “Damn.”
Wen Zenian spun dreams like that—who could resist?
Meng Ning’s expression stayed too calm, like someone who’d seen the ending and accepted it.
Qi Xiao had cried, laughed, raged. On Meng Ning, “head over heels” looked this quiet.
She’d picked up the lighter on the beach while gathering Meng Ning’s gym clothes. Now she asked, “You’ve been carrying this lighter this whole time, hoping to give it to her?”
She should’ve realized sooner. When she’d suspected Meng Ning liked Wen Zenian because of the lighter purchase, Meng Ning had only ever argued why Wen Zenian couldn’t like her back—never denied her own feelings.
“Not giving it.” Meng Ning finally snapped the lighter shut and tucked it carefully into her pocket. “Keeping it for myself.”
Qi Xiao watched the motion. “Rare sight—you opening up to me like this tonight.”
She wasn’t blind. Over two years, she’d sensed Meng Ning always keeping that careful distance with people.
Meng Ning hadn’t expected to open up either.
People were greedy, after all.
Gazing at the vast sea before her, she thought having one more person know felt like gaining a witness for free.
She didn’t need Qi Xiao to remember deeply. She just hoped that years from now, passing some beach and hearing the waves crash, Qi Xiao might pause and recall—long, long ago, on a midnight shore, she’d cursed a fool who dove in headfirst.
That fool loved someone named Wen Zenian.
Duty called, so the island getaway lasted only two days and nights. They had to head back first thing on the third morning.
