When Zhang Meiwen walked out of the ward to go to the bathroom, she was attracted by the news on TV.
The news mentioned that too many college students have committed suicide recently due to stress and broken relationships. Just last night, such an incident occurred in a certain school. Now, the identity and time of death of the deceased are being gradually confirmed.
Zhang Meiwen stood in front of the TV in a daze, looking at the line of words below the TV. The school written on it was exactly the school that Shen Qianxue attended!
——So many people are dying, why don’t you die?
Zhang Meiwen vaguely recalled what she had said to Shen Qianxue yesterday. Waves of fear grew in her heart, and Zhang Meiwen began to regret saying such things to her daughter. Even if Shen Qianxue was wrong, she was still her daughter, her only relative now, but she had hurt and irritated her again and again.
"Qianxue, Qianxue." Zhang Meiwen suddenly became anxious. She hurried back to the ward and called Shen Qianxue on her mobile phone, but no matter how many times she called, there was only a busy tone on the phone.
Zhang Meiwen ran out of the hospital in a hospital gown.
The nurse shouted behind Zhang Meiwen: "Where are you going? You haven't completed the discharge procedures yet."
After Zhang Meiwen ran back home, she saw the suicide note on the coffee table, and she was filled with fear. She was sure that the person reported in the news was her daughter, and she felt a black screen before her eyes, and she fell on the sofa, crying bitterly.
Soon, Zhang Meiwen thought of contacting Shen Shaohai to help find her daughter, but the two had a quarrel over living expenses yesterday and Shen Shaohai did not answer her call. Zhang Meiwen hurriedly called the police station, but the police told her that a case could only be filed if an adult was missing for more than 24 hours.
"Qianxue, why are you so stupid? Why are you so stupid? Why are you going to die? If you die, how can I live?"
When Shen Qianxue walked back to the door of her house, she heard Zhang Meiwen crying and wailing. She was worried that something had happened at home again, so she hurriedly pushed the door open.
"Mom? What's wrong with you?" Shen Qianxue looked at Zhang Meiwen, who was crying, with a puzzled look on her face. This was the first time she saw her cry so sadly.
When Zhang Meiwen saw Shen Qianxue, she was stunned at first, then rushed forward and slapped her.
Shen Qianxue looked at the suicide note thrown in front of her, feeling indescribable. She didn't know what Zhang Meiwen was going to say next, and she was ready to be cursed. However, a tight hug replaced all the curses.
"Why are you so stupid? How could you die? What will I do if you die... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say those things to you... I just hate myself, hate myself for being incompetent, hate myself for bringing you into this world but not being able to give you a happy life... I'm a failure, I've been living in my own failure, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Zhang Meiwen hugged Shen Qianxue and burst into tears.
Over the years, she had never hugged her daughter like this. Since she was told that she could no longer have children, she put all the blame on Shen Qianxue. And what did Shen Qianxue do wrong?
"Mom knows you've been feeling bad these years, but Mom's heart is also suffering. Mom also hopes that one day you can be successful and happy, but Mom just can't control herself... Mom knows that it's wrong for Mom to always lose her temper with you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Shen Qianxue stood there in a daze, feeling Zhang Meiwen's tight embrace.
The words of apology and the grief that was difficult to express were transmitted to Shen Qianxue's heart. She had always known that her mother's life was not easy. Many times, Zhang Meiwen had to be strong, aggressive, and rely on herself to fight for the meager financial support. She was a person with such a strong self-esteem, but her self-esteem was trampled under the feet of the man she once loved deeply.
Many years ago, Zhang Meiwen calmly told Shen Shaohai that they wanted a household registration and a house in a big city, and that Shen Qianxue should study in a big city. At that time, Shen Qianxue should have known that her mother had always loved her. It was just that this love had not reached her heart until now.
"Mom, let's not quarrel anymore, okay? Let's just live a good life together, okay?" Shen Qianxue also hugged Zhang Meiwen tightly, tears streaming down her face.
After that day, the relationship between Shen Qianxue and Zhang Meiwen was no longer tense, but became as harmonious as a real mother and daughter.
After Shen Shaohai heard that Shen Qianxue was depressed, he also cared about them for a while. After that, every month, Shen Shaohai would regularly give them living expenses and told Shen Qianxue that she could always find him if she had any difficulties.
Shen Qianxue didn't remember the boy at the beach until a few days later. She tried hard to recall his phone number and added him on WeChat. The boy with the WeChat nickname "Ming" didn't post any Moments. Shen Qianxue tried to chat with him and told him everything in her life. Gradually, the two became friends who didn't meet.
Later, Shen Qianxue was hired by a book publishing company, and "Ming" was the first to congratulate her. In the third month of her internship, Shen Qianxue graduated. She invited "Ming" to attend her graduation ceremony. "Ming" rejected her, but sent a bouquet of flowers on the day when Shen Qianxue took graduation photos. There was a card in the flowers - "Happy graduation to Shen Qianxue", signed by "Ming".
On the day Shen Qianxue became a formal employee of the company, the boy named Ming suddenly could no longer be contacted.
That night, Ming posted a message on his Moments, which read: This WeChat account is invalid.
Ming didn't even tell Shen Qianxue what the new WeChat ID was. Shen Qianxue sent a text message to that mobile number, but the text message showed a red exclamation mark.
Shen Qianxue was a little sad, not knowing whether "Ming" didn't want to talk to her anymore or changed his phone number. She felt lost for a long time. During that time, she would often go to the beach, hoping to run into "Ming" again. But "Ming" never showed up again, as if the few months they spent together were just a dream.
Two years later.
Shen Qianxue, who is serious and responsible about her work, took the position of deputy editor-in-chief.
On a sunny afternoon, Shen Qianxue sat in the office typing on the keyboard. Perhaps she was tired, so she turned her chair and leaned against the glass window to look at the scenery.
The sunshine outside the window is warm, revealing the tenderness of a young girl. The fish-scale white clouds are like the skirt of the blue sky, slowly spreading in the wind. The high-rise buildings and the streets full of pedestrians are all coated with soft light from the sun. The wind blows the trees on the roadside, and the mottled shadows of the trees shake on the ground, like an undulating river. The bird landed on the street lamp, lowered its head to peck at its wings, and then spread its wings again to fly into the sky.
Shen Qianxue looked at the world of light and shadow, and immersed her heart in the warm sunshine. She felt that everything was beautiful. But such beauty was shattered by an emergency meeting.
The company's senior leaders suddenly called an emergency meeting, and Shen Qianxue hurried to the conference room. The conference room was full of heads of various branches, and the company's main person in charge was sitting in the front waiting for everyone to arrive for the meeting. This was the first time Shen Qianxue had seen such a large scene.
This meeting made adjustments to all employees and reorganized all departments. Shen Qianxue felt very strange and didn't know why the company suddenly had such a big change. What surprised her even more was that at the end of the meeting, the original editor-in-chief resigned and recommended Shen Qianxue to take over as editor-in-chief. The person in charge of the company agreed to the editor-in-chief's proposal and asked the editor-in-chief to complete all work handovers before leaving the company.
Before the meeting ended, the purpose of the entire meeting was revealed: the company was on the verge of bankruptcy due to long-term losses. A large group was planning to acquire the company, and the company's head had decided to transfer the company, and there would not be much change in the company's current employees.
When leaving the meeting room, Shen Qianxue still felt like she was in a fog. On the one hand, she felt that the editor-in-chief's position came too suddenly, but on the other hand, she felt happy.
When Shen Qianxue returned to the office, she was about to call Zhang Meiwen to announce the good news, but before the call was connected, the editors on the computer desktop had already started discussing.
"Have you heard that our company is going to be acquired?"
"It seems that the company that acquired our company is Xia Group. From now on, our company will be renamed 'Mingyu Publishing Company'."
"I searched on Baidu and found out that the person who came to take over our company is the only son of the Xia Group. What's his name?"
"It seems his name is Xia Ziming."
"Didn't the news say that the young master of Xiashi Group and the daughter of Che Group got engaged a while ago? I heard that the scene was very impressive. The entire hotel was booked, and a heart-shaped flower bed made up of thousands of red roses was specially made."
"How romantic! I really want a boyfriend like this."
The people in the group were discussing the company's acquisition. Those eye-catching names were like thorns that pierced Shen Qianxue's heart. It had been a long time since she heard those two names. Her originally peaceful life was suddenly shattered because of the appearance of these two names.
The stories that others were talking about were like accidents to her.
"Why would the editor-in-chief resign when he is doing well?"
"Maybe it's because the company is going to be acquired and he doesn't want to stay there anymore? After all, good companies need people, and the editor-in-chief has a lot of experience, so he can go to a better company."
"Yes, the company is going to change its boss, and there might be a major layoff at that time."
"Qianxue has been promoted to editor-in-chief, that's great."
"What's so good about it? I don't know whether it's true or not. Maybe the other party will have to change people after the acquisition. I think this matter is still hanging in the balance."
She had already started her new life, but she had to face her past failed relationship. Xia Ziming was such a strong person. If she continued to stay in this company as the editor-in-chief, would Xia Ziming target her? But now she resigned and left, she was really unwilling. Everything she had now was obtained through her own efforts. Why should she give up because of Xia Ziming?
After get off work, Shen Qianxue walked aimlessly on the street alone. She crossed the zebra crossing and walked past various shops on the street. She didn't know whether she should go or stay. It was ironic that she had just been promoted to editor-in-chief and had to face the question of whether to stay or go.
Shen Qianxue took a deep breath and looked up at the setting sun that was sinking into the horizon. The light of the setting sun had gradually faded, leaving only the loneliness before the night. In this loneliness, a trace of golden clouds remained, but it gradually became darker.
A gray figure passed by Shen Qianxue quickly, and the strong impact knocked her to the ground. When she came to her senses, the chain bag hanging on her shoulder had been pulled away by the man who had just run past. The gray figure rushed across the zebra crossing at a very fast speed and turned into the right street on the opposite side of the road.
"Stop, don't run, catch the thief!" Shen Qianxue was stunned for a moment, and then she remembered that her documents were in her bag. When she got up from the ground, she was already some distance away from the thief, but even so, she still chased in that direction.
Some shops on the street lit up their lights, and the sound of city horns blended into the noise. The hot wind blew across her cheeks, causing Shen Qianxue's long hair to fly back. Many people on the street watched her chase the thief, but most people just watched the excitement and did not intend to lend a hand.
Shen Qianxue chased after him for several intersections. As she was exhausted, she could only shout while running, hoping that passers-by could help her: "Give me back my bag!"
At the corner of the street, Song Yiming stopped near a newsstand while out shopping. He was still wearing a mask and sunglasses, and a black hooded windbreaker, which made the newsstand owner look at him twice, thinking that he was a big star. Just then, he heard a woman's shouting, and his eyes turned to the opposite side of the street.
A woman in a short skirt was chasing a man running towards him. The man looked back as he ran, without a trace of nervousness on his face. The man was holding a lady's crossbody bag, which seemed to be the spoils of today.
Song Yiming put away the books he had selected, put his hands in his pockets, and walked towards the thief who was running. At seven o'clock, the intersection was crowded with people. This was the time when most office workers went home after get off work, and it was also the time when most social parasites were active.
A gust of wind blew past Song Yiming, and Song Yiming grabbed the chain of his messenger bag and tripped. The thief had no time to react and fell headfirst onto the hard concrete road.
The thief who got up from the ground touched his bruised face and saw that the person who came to his rescue was a tall man dressed strangely. His expression changed, and he gave up the idea of ​​confronting him head-on and ran away.
Seeing someone bravely doing something righteous, Shen Qianxue stopped across the street to rest.
The billboards on the street lit up, and Shen Qianxue looked at the boy under the colorful lights. The boy's dress was very different from the people around him. He was dressed in black from head to toe, including a black long-sleeved hooded windbreaker, black sunglasses, a black mask, black trousers, and black Nike sneakers. Even the leather gloves he wore were black.
Although the light could outline his tall and thin figure, it was impossible to see his facial features clearly. He looked like a knight sculpture standing in the dark night. He raised the crossbody bag he had taken back and shook it at Shen Qianxue on the other side of the zebra crossing, indicating that he had taken it back.
Shen Qianxue breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time she felt that the man's attire was very familiar. While searching for relevant memories in her mind, she followed the bustling crowd across the street.
People were walking in the dimly lit street, and Shen Qianxue walked towards the man. The man seemed to be planning to walk towards her and return the bag he had taken back to her.
But at this moment, a shrill horn sounded . A car rushed across the road at the bend, and the light pierced Shen Qianxue's eyes. For a moment, Shen Qianxue felt that her feet had taken root in the same place. Before she lost consciousness, her mind was blank.
Song Yiming's hand holding the cross-body bag paused. He stopped in shock, and the next second he ran quickly towards the scene of the car accident.
The sound disappeared from this world, and what was left was a cold lake. Shen Qianxue felt that she was gradually sinking in this lake, and the surroundings were terribly quiet. Gradually, she heard some sounds again, the sound of an ambulance, the hurried footsteps of nurses, and the sound of the emergency room door closing.
The beating of the electrocardiogram and the sound of the surgical forceps falling were like a long thread, connecting Shen Qianxue in her dream. She could feel the drops of medicine flowing into her body, and she could also feel the needle and thread passing back and forth on her calves. She felt that she had no strength in her body and could not move. Suddenly, a voice sounded beside her, saying, "Shen Qianxue, if you die before me, you lose."
This voice is very familiar, as if I have heard it somewhere before.
When Shen Qianxue felt that voice, she felt her body sink to the bottom of the lake. The transparent glass at the bottom of the lake shattered, and she fell into a soft place again. This time, she opened her eyes and saw the sea.
The blue sky and the azure ocean. Sitting on the rocks by the coast is a young man, whose fluffy hair is blown back by the sea breeze. The warm light and the gentle wind gently caress his fair face. His eyes are bright gems, a universe full of stars, flowing with brilliance, clean and clear.
The boy stood up and opened his arms, shouting loudly in the wind like a free-flying bird.
Shen Qianxue walked towards him on the waves. The young man raised his eyebrows and said, "Hey, you lost."
"I didn't."
"Then why don't you wake up?" The young man raised his handsome eyebrows, and Shen Qianxue's appearance was reflected in his bright starry eyes.
Shen Qianxue was startled, and the young man in front of her disappeared in the blink of an eye.
A huge wave rose up on the sea and swallowed her. The huge wave rolled up her body. At that moment, the only thing in her mind was that she couldn't lose. She wanted to prove to him that she was no longer the coward who would commit suicide because of a little setback!
The moment she opened her eyes again, the white ceiling came into Shen Qianxue's sight. The room was so quiet that she could only hear her own breathing. The sun shone on the windowsill, emitting a soft golden light. Shen Qianxue moved her eyes away from the ceiling and slowly fell on her unconscious right leg.
Her right leg was in a plaster cast, hanging diagonally on the rack at the foot of the bed. In addition to her right leg, there were other places on her body that were very sore, but now she was wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown, so it was unknown where else she was injured.
Zhang Meiwen fell asleep beside the bed, looking exhausted. Shen Qianxue felt dry mouth and didn't want to disturb her sleeping mother, but because her hand was connected to the infusion tube, she woke Zhang Meiwen up when she raised her hand.
"Qianxue, are you awake? Do you want some water?" Zhang Meiwen was a little excited when she saw Shen Qianxue wake up. She brought the water to Shen Qianxue and smiled.
Shen Qianxue looked at Zhang Meiwen's tired and sunken eyes. Her eyes were a little red and swollen, and it seemed that she had been crying. At this moment, a trace of tears appeared in her eyes again.
"The doctor said that you are fine, just a fractured right leg and a slight concussion, you need to be hospitalized for a few days." Before Shen Qianxue could speak, Zhang Meiwen relayed the doctor's words to her. After a while, she seemed to remember something and mentioned the day when Shen Qianxue went to the hospital.
At that time, a boy with strange clothes brought her to the hospital. He stayed with her during the operation until dawn, when Zhang Meiwen hurriedly arrived and he left.
"He asked me to give this to you." Zhang Meiwen handed Shen Qianxue the stolen messenger bag to her. Shen Qianxue opened it and checked it, and nothing was missing.
"The boy said he was your college classmate, but he didn't leave his name. I thought, since he was your college classmate, you should know who he was, so I didn't feel comfortable asking him his name." Zhang Meiwen added, and muttered that the boy's dress was strange.
Shen Qianxue searched in her mind for the college classmate Zhang Meiwen mentioned. Finally, a boy emerged in her memory. The boy whose face was covered with all kinds of colors by her bottle of green tea, the boy who took her to run wildly to avoid the security guards. Shen Qianxue remembered that the boy also drew flowers on her white skirt...
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the corner of her lips. Shen Qianxue turned her eyes and looked at the faint golden light outside the window: "I don't know his name, but it seems that every time I am in danger, he will appear..."
Because of a broken bone, Shen Qianxue temporarily did not return to the company and took a month's leave.
When Shen Qianxue was in the company, she never felt that she was so important, but when she was really not in the company, her phone kept ringing. Many editors in the company needed to hand over work to her, and some authors who were originally scheduled to submit their manuscripts this month also kept contacting her. In the end, she had to work at home on her computer despite her "disability".
During the month she was at home recuperating, many things happened in the company. For example, the company really got a new boss, and the heads of many departments were also replaced. Many colleagues in the company said in the QQ group chat that the new boss was very handsome, but he just didn't care much about the company's affairs.
"The company's executive secretary has also been replaced. The current executive secretary seems to be Boss Xia's fiancée."
"She's pretty, like a Korean drama heroine, but she speaks in a coquettish voice, which makes her not very likable."
"It's fine as long as Boss Xia likes it. It has nothing to do with you whether you like it or not."
The editors were chatting animatedly in the group for a long time before an editor who had a good relationship with Shen Qianxue asked, "Qianxue, when will you be back? Everyone misses you."
Shen Qianxue had actually been "lurking". She looked at the chat window and didn't know what to reply for a moment. If this group of people knew about her relationship with her new boss , they would definitely not speak so freely. Her hands paused on the keyboard for a long time, deleting the words she typed again and again, and finally pretended not to see the group message and closed the chat window directly.
Shen Qianxue picked up the crutches beside her and limped to the refrigerator. She opened the refrigerator and saw a variety of vegetables. She pushed aside the vegetables and took out a bottle of yogurt to drink.
Recently, Zhang Meiwen followed an aunt in the community to join a square dance group. Her daily entertainment life is rich and colorful, and she feels younger. Shen Qianxue thinks this is a good thing, so she encourages her to get in touch with these groups more. But Zhang Meiwen is not at home these days. She has not yet removed the plaster, so she can only limp into the kitchen to find something to eat.
A month actually passed faster than expected. A month ago, Shen Qianxue was still thinking about how to get through this month, but now it’s only a few days away from a month.
Shen Qianxue supported herself with crutches with difficulty, licked the lid of the yogurt, and sat down carefully in front of the computer desk.
During the week she was in the hospital, Xia Ziming and Che Xiaoman also came to see her. At that time, they only knew that a company employee had an accident and was hospitalized. When they found out that the person was Shen Qianxue, they both came to visit.
"Qianxue, what a surprise! I didn't expect you to work in my company." This was the first sentence Xia Ziming said to her after he entered the ward. His smile was full of sarcasm, but it was also dazzlingly beautiful. Compared with two years ago, he has changed a lot. His temperament has changed. He is no longer the teenager he used to be. He gives people a sense of oppression in his suit and leather shoes.
"I heard that you have been promoted to editor-in-chief. Congratulations." Before Shen Qianxue could speak, Xia Ziming smiled again. Although he was smiling, this smile was not a blessing from the bottom of his heart.
Shen Qianxue felt that kind of smile was extremely disgusting, but she didn't want to back down now, and didn't want to give up anything that belonged to her because of this person.
"Qianxue, we were very worried when we learned that you had a car accident. Are you feeling better now?" Che Xiaoman sat down on the bed with some fruit in her hand. She was still the same as before, speaking nicely, making it hard to tell whether her words were true or false.
Shen Qianxue's hands were clenched tightly under the quilt, and her long nails almost dug into her flesh. She didn't want to say a word, and didn't want to use even a glance at them. But Xia Ziming reached out and hooked a strand of her long hair, with a chilling smile.
"You're still the same, still with such tacky long hair."
Shen Qianxue slowly loosened her tightly clenched fist, stretched her hand out from under the quilt, and slapped Xia Ziming's hand away: "You are still so confused and can't control your hands?"
Xia Ziming was stunned for a moment, his expression changed, and a thick fog condensed in his sinister eyes. He put his hands in his trouser pockets and turned away.
Che Xiaoman smiled awkwardly, with the embarrassment on her face clearly visible: "Qianxue, don't take it too seriously, Ziming is just like that. You should take good care of your injuries. I'm leaving first and will come to see you when I have time." After that, she also left the ward.
Zhang Meiwen walked in with a kettle just in time to see them leaving. Their eyes met and then separated. Zhang Meiwen didn't understand and asked what was wrong. Shen Qianxue didn't answer and started to discuss with Zhang Meiwen that she was going to resign.
"Qianxue, if you really think you will be happier if you leave your current company, Mom will support you. But Mom still hopes you can calm down and think carefully."
The message reminder from QQ brought Shen Qianxue back to her senses. The person looking for her was an author named "Yi".
A bunch of husky emoticons popped up in the chat window, and Shen Qianxue silently replied with a smiling emoticon.
This author named "Yi" is a die-hard author who always procrastinates on submitting manuscripts. Whenever he goes online, he does one thing: procrastinate on submitting manuscripts. His reasons are nothing more than that he has encountered a bottleneck and will submit it in a few days, or that he is not feeling well and will take a break before submitting the manuscript.
The reasons he gave for delaying the submission of his manuscripts were all kinds of strange, but his books were extremely popular, so Shen Qianxue was reluctant to block him.
“I’ve hit a bottleneck…”
"Oh, that's it. I will stop working for this company after a while. If you continue to write articles, I will transfer you to another editor."
"Why do you want to resign?" The husky emoticon in the chat window stopped, and the other party asked seriously, seeming to feel it was a bit sudden.
Shen Qianxue hesitated for a long time, but finally told "Yi" about her contradiction. "Yi"'s chat window was silent for a moment, and the words "typing" began to appear again.
"If you resign, I will follow you. You are the only editor I approve of. Anyway, I haven't signed a contract for the manuscripts in my hands. If you leave, I will not continue to sign a contract with your current company."
"Since I started writing, you have been the one who has been with me throughout my growth. You are the first editor in my life, and I think I am also your most proud writer. I believe that even if you leave your current company, you can find a better job and a better position. I will always follow you and be your best partner!"
"Anyway, I'm so well-known, and the editor I follow won't be too unknown either. Everything you have now is the result of your own hard work, and no one else can hinder your development. If you're not willing, don't be afraid to live with people you don't like. If you really don't want to, then take me and my manuscript with you and leave."
"The decision is yours, no one can influence your thinking. I'm going out to buy something, let's talk when I have time."
"Yi"'s avatar quickly turned gray, and Shen Qianxue's fingers, which had been placed on the keyboard, froze, and she fell into deep thought.
In the past two years, she thought she had become very strong, but when she encountered something she didn't want to face, she would still prioritize escape.
But now, what was she running away from? Was she going to ruin her future because of past unhappiness? She had worked so hard to become the editor-in-chief, but was she going to fail because of those two people? If she resigned like this, she would lose all the popularity and writer resources she had accumulated, and she would have to start from scratch.
But even if she gave up this time and started over, would she give up again if she encountered such a situation again in the future? Would her youth be enough to support her to start over again and again like this?
After sorting out these thoughts, Shen Qianxue deleted the resignation letter in the document.
The sun in late June and early July was like a raging fire, burning the earth wantonly, and a layer of heat floated in the city where buildings were densely packed.
When Shen Qianxue removed the plaster and walked out of the hospital, the sun was scorching.
Because she hadn't moved her right leg for a long time, Shen Qianxue almost slipped when she went down the stairs.
"Be careful." The aunt who happened to be walking by her reflexively supported her. Shen Qianxue hurriedly thanked her and then walked into the bright sunshine.
Yi told Shen Qianxue that if she wanted to change her mood, the best way was to get a haircut. Hair is the source of troubles, and if you cut it off, you won't be so troubled.
Shen Qianxue rarely cuts her hair short, she always keeps her hair long and flowing. When Yi made this suggestion, she was a little at a loss. But when she stopped in front of a barber shop called "Metamorphosis", she reconsidered Yi's suggestion.
Shen Qianxue took a deep breath, encouraged herself, and pushed the door open.
Yi said that people need courage when making any decision or choice. What is courage? Courage means that you really dare to take a step forward and dare to look back at your failure. Courage is not something invisible or intangible. Courage has always existed in everyone's heart. As long as we are willing, we can inject courage into everything we do.
"Hello, miss. Do you want a haircut or something else?" the female employee in the barber shop asked politely.
Shen Qianxue smiled back and said, "Cut your hair short."
"Okay, then wash your hair first, and I'll arrange a barber for you." The female employee made a "please" gesture, and Shen Qianxue followed her to the hair washing place.
After washing her hair, a kind-looking middle-aged barber blew Shen Qianxue's hair: "You want a short haircut? Cut it to this position. This kind of short hair is very popular recently." The hair dryer was waving on Shen Qianxue's hair, and the barber compared the length while speaking.
Shen Qianxue looked at the length and nodded solemnly.
This slightly plump barber seemed to be an old master. He was very skilled in blowing hair and cutting hair. Shen Qianxue felt better when she saw her long hair being cut.
Getting a haircut really seemed to help change one's mood, so when Shen Qianxue walked out of the barber shop, she was in a particularly good mood.
"Goodbye, miss. Welcome back next time." It was still the same polite female employee. She smiled and saw Shen Qianxue out of the door, bowing slightly politely.
Shen Qianxue walked on the road, the summer breeze brushed her cheeks, and birds flew over her head. Shen Qianxue looked at the tall buildings standing on the street, the endless flow of people on the road and the pedestrians dressed in different styles, and couldn't help but take a deep breath and stride forward with her head held high.
The day after Shen Qianxue returned to the company, Xia Ziming convened a general meeting of all staff, mainly to discuss the current situation of the company. Shen Qianxue listened to Xia Ziming's various analyses, some of which she agreed with and some of which she disagreed with. She raised her hand and expressed her own opinions on the parts she disagreed with.
Xia Ziming held his chin and looked at Shen Qianxue who was speaking clearly. Shen Qianxue who returned to the company gave people the feeling of a strong woman, and her neat short hair drove away all her former cowardice. Shen Qianxue now was a brand new person who made people want to get closer to her.
She is now very outstanding. Such an outstanding girl makes his heart beat fast.
"Qianxue, please stay. I have something to tell you." When the meeting ended, Xia Ziming called Shen Qianxue.
Shen Qianxue was packing up documents, and when she looked up and met his eyes, she paused.
After the other colleagues left, Xia Ziming walked up to her and said, "Qianxue, can we start over?"
Shen Qianxue was stunned. She didn't expect that when she saw Xia Ziming again, he would say this. Shen Qianxue sneered, thinking that the man in front of her was a complete scumbag: "What about Che Xiaoman?"
"I don't love her at all. As long as you agree to get back together with me, I can cancel my engagement with her immediately." Xia Ziming grabbed Shen Qianxue's hand, and the arrogance in his eyes disappeared, leaving only expectation and desire.
"You said the same thing to Lin Miao back then, right?" Shen Qianxue smiled coldly and pulled her hand back.
Shen Qianxue didn't know what Xia Ziming looked like when she left the meeting room. He must have been very disappointed, after all, he always thought there was nothing he couldn't get.
"Did you bump into me on purpose? Don't you have eyes?" When Shen Qianxue passed by the corridor, Che Xiaoman was scolding the new intern editor.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." The speaker was a tall boy with a crew cut, and he looked very helpless.
"Yang Xiaofan, I have some information for you to sort out in my office. Please come in with me." When Shen Qianxue passed by them, she called Yang Xiaofan who was being scolded.
Yang Xiaofan breathed a sigh of relief, bypassed Che Xiaoman who was still angry, and slipped into Shen Qianxue's office.
“What does the editor-in-chief want me to do?”
Shen Qianxue sat at her desk sorting out documents and data, while Yang Xiaofan stood there blankly, not knowing what to do. Shen Qianxue looked at him blankly, and couldn't help but think of Zheng Sheng, who she had no contact with anymore. She glanced at the sofa in the office and said, "I don't have anything for you to do here. Just sit there and play with your phone for a while, and when Che Xiaoman's scolding is over, you can go out and do something."
"Oh, OK." Yang Xiaofan felt that he had picked up a good benefit. He sat on the sofa nervously. He remembered that when he came to work on the first day, Shen Qianxue was still a girl with long flowing hair. She had a thin face and no makeup on her face, but she had a kind of otherworldly beauty. But when she was discharged from the hospital and returned to the company again, her long hair had become a capable short hair of a working woman, the kind of short hair that was not above the shoulders and just reached the chin.
When she lowered her head to type, the short hair on her cheek would always fall forward gently. At this time, she would habitually use her hands to push the falling hair behind her ears. Yang Xiaofan was a fresh graduate two years younger than Shen Qianxue. Although he was younger than Shen Qianxue, he felt that Shen Qianxue had a charm that attracted him. Every time he looked at her, his heartbeat quickened, but every time he saw her, he couldn't help but look at her a few more times.
"Why are you looking at me? Why don't you play with your phone even when you're given the chance?"
"I just feel that it's a bit strange to be allowed to play with my phone all of a sudden." Yang Xiaofan couldn't help but turn his eyes away, smiled awkwardly, and touched his short flat head. After a while, Yang Xiaofan suddenly felt that the atmosphere was very strange, so he found an excuse to leave: "Manager Che should leave, I'm going out to do something first, thank you."
After Yang Xiaofan left, Shen Qianxue's QQ rang with a notification sound. The author "Yi" sent another string of husky emoticons. Shen Qianxue took a deep breath and smiled as if she wanted to hit someone.
"When will the manuscript be submitted?" Shen Qianxue quickly typed these words on the keyboard. Before she could send it out, the other party's avatar had turned gray.
After a while, the other party came online again. Shen Qianxue started to urge him to hand in the manuscript again, and "Yi" seemed to just want to tease her.
"Yi" is the best author she has, but he is also the one who has no bottom line in delaying the submission of manuscripts. Shen Qianxue thought that he took the initiative to contact her this time to discuss the manuscript. In the end, he just came out to tease her, and then disappeared again!
Shen Qianxue was angry and wrote a sentence and sent it over: "Countdown to blacklisting: 10..."
The gray avatar suddenly lit up again, and then a string of funny husky expressions appeared. Shen Qianxue just typed a smiling emoticon and added a sentence: "When will you submit the full text?"
"I won't hand it over. If you have the guts, come to my house and get it from me." A sentence like this popped up in the chat window, followed by a funny emoticon of a husky sticking out its tongue.
Shen Qianxue took a deep breath, retrieved his personal information from the database, and decided to post a microblog to teach him a lesson. But when she opened the writer registration form of "Yi", she found that the address in the address bar seemed to have been changed. Not long ago, all the author information was updated, and Shen Qianxue did not check it afterwards.
When Shen Qianxue saw Yi's current home address, she narrowed her eyes slightly. She sent a few smiling emojis in the chat window and replied , "I'll go find you now."
Half an hour later, the doorbell of Song Yiming's house was rung frantically.
Song Yiming, who was making salad, spent a few minutes applying sunscreen and then opened the door.
Shen Qianxue stood at the door, looking at the boy in front of her who looked a little familiar.
Before Shen Qianxue could ask him if he was "Yi", Song Yiming called out her name in surprise: "Shen Qianxue?"
"Song Yiming?" Shen Qianxue called out the name she learned from the author's information sheet, and called out again after a moment, "No, you are... Painter Song?"
The college classmate who helped her get her wallet back and sent her to the hospital was the "Painter Song" who painted the oil painting on her skirt, and this "Painter Song" was also the author of the painting himself - "Yi"!
He always met her when she was in trouble and danger. This encounter seemed to be arranged by God, catching people off guard, surprising and delightful.
Shen Qianxue had wanted to find him before, but she hadn't found any news about him for a long time. Unexpectedly, this person had always been by her side and had never left.
"Song Painter" and "Yi" are actually the same person!
Shen Qianxue was still surprised. She looked at him. He was still the same as before. Even in the hot summer, he wore long pants and long sleeves. He also wore gloves, masks, hats and sunglasses, which were things he would wear when going out.
A mixture of surprise, excitement, and joy surged into Shen Qianxue's heart. She suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes, as well as the joy of a long-awaited reunion, and a feeling of emotion she had never experienced before.
At this moment, the words circling in her mind were: It's him, it's actually him.
Perhaps because she was too surprised and too excited, Shen Qianxue stood at the door and looked at him for a long time, but didn't know what to say.
The light from outside the door slipped into the room, casting two tall shadows at the door. There was no sunlight in the room, and only the light from the computer screen could be vaguely seen.
"Don't stand outside and talk, come in." Song Yiming invited Shen Qianxue, who was standing outside the door, into the house, and then turned on the lights in the room.
This is a simple apartment, with the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom almost integrated, probably to save space. Apart from the necessary living facilities, Shen Qianxue felt that the best way to describe Song Yiming's home was "barely furnished".
But the walls were covered with paintings of different styles, and those paintings brought back Shen Qianxue's memories of a few years ago. When she turned to face Song Yiming, he had already taken off his windbreaker, the mask and sunglasses that covered half of his face, and his gloves.
That familiar yet strange face reflected in Shen Qianxue's eyes. For a moment, the boy who sat on the reef and watched the stars returned to her world. The boy whose eyes were as bright and gentle as the Milky Way, the boy whose fluffy hair was blown by the sea breeze. At this moment, he turned into the light in her eyes.
"Painter Song", "Yi", "Ming", isn't that the name Song Yiming? It turns out that they are the same person!
Shen Qianxue was unable to suppress the excitement in her heart, but she could not utter a word and could only look at him with eyes full of surprise.
"I originally wanted to keep a little mystery, but seeing that we are so destined to meet, I will no longer hide anything from you." Song Yiming smiled faintly. That smile was very charming, but it shocked Shen Qianxue again.
She couldn't imagine that the masked man she had seen many times was the same person as the boy on the beach. Moreover, "Ming", who no longer contacted her, kept in touch with her as the author "Ge".
They obviously had a lot in common, but she never connected them together.
Why didn't she think that "Painter Song" was the boy with photophobia? Because he couldn't see the light, he wrapped himself up every day.
The masked man, the boy on the beach and the author, these should have been three people with three identities, but they are actually the same person!
In a trance, Shen Qianxue felt like she was in a dream. She didn't know if this was just a coincidence or if there was some arrangement in the dark.
If it was God's arrangement, then she would thank God for letting her meet him and for allowing her to get help and surprises time and time again.
"Yes, the full name is Song Yiming. Long time no see, how did you find my house?" Song Yiming seemed to be unaware that Shen Qianxue was here to urge him to submit his manuscript. After he put away his gloves, he turned around and looked at the chat window on his computer. Because of the network delay, he only received the message now: "I'll find you now."
A silent embarrassment spread across Song Yiming's face, and his gaze shifted to the top of the chat window. The words "Editor-in-Chief Qian Qian" were particularly eye-catching. Song Yiming slowly turned to Shen Qianxue and asked, "Are you 'Editor-in-Chief Qian Qian'?"
Song Yiming reminded Shen Qianxue of the purpose of this trip. Shen Qianxue showed an unfathomable smile, said "hmm", and nodded.
Song Yiming's expression changed from embarrassment to rogue. He deliberately turned his eyes to another direction and pursed his lips: "I just made the salad, how about we eat the salad first?"
Shen Qianxue was amused by this expression. Seeing her smile, Song Yiming hurriedly brought the salad from the cupboard to the coffee table. While eating the salad, the two chatted about some things that happened in the past few years.
Half a year ago, Song Yiming's WeChat was invaded by a virus, and he was hospitalized at that time, so he had to close WeChat. His mobile phone number was later cancelled for some reason. When he was discharged from the hospital and wanted to contact Shen Qianxue, Shen Qianxue seemed to have changed her number.
Song Yiming could not paint during his hospitalization, so he read a lot of books to kill time. Finally, he unknowingly embarked on the path of writing.
Submitting articles to Shen Qianxue was a coincidence, and becoming a famous writer was also a coincidence.
Song Yiming never thought that the editor he had been chatting with for two years was actually Shen Qianxue. He also never expected that Shen Qianxue would come to his house alone.
"Let's get back to the topic. When are you going to hand in your overdue manuscript?" As they were chatting, Shen Qianxue thought of the matter of urging for the manuscript.
"I've hit a bottleneck. Please give me a few days." Song Yiming put on a naughty expression and blinked his clear eyes, like a pet begging for its owner's caress.
"I've already given you a few months' grace, and I've already put you in the group of friends who are professional delayers."
"Pull me out quickly, I want to be in the personal group."
Shen Qianxue rolled her eyes at him and threatened to block him immediately. Song Yiming raised four fingers and swore to the sky that he would finish the overdue manuscript within a month.
Shen Qianxue couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at his serious yet funny expression.
It was getting dark outside. Song Yiming looked at his watch and said, "It's getting late. You should go home for dinner. I'll take you downstairs." When Song Yiming said this, he sounded like a nanny.
Shen Qianxue couldn't help but smile, then picked up her bag on the sofa and prepared to leave.
Song Yiming quickly put on his equipment and escorted Shen Qianxue downstairs.
When they reached the stairwell, Song Yiming intentionally or unintentionally reached out to support her, fearing that Shen Qianxue, who was wearing high heels, would slip. Shen Qianxue carried a handbag and raised her hand from time to time to hook her drooping short hair.
When she walked downstairs, a gust of wind blew up the flying sand. As soon as Shen Qianxue walked out of the door, the sand flew into her eyes.
"What's wrong with you?" Song Yiming stopped and looked at Shen Qianxue who stopped to rub her eyes.
"Sand blew into my eyes." Shen Qianxue said while rubbing her eyes.
"Let me see." Song Yiming gently took her hand away, then took off his mask and carefully used his fingers to slightly open her eyelids. "Don't move. I'll help you blow."
When Song Yiming was blowing Shen Qianxue's eyes, Xia Ziming's car happened to be parked at the gate of the community. Xia Ziming wanted to drive to Shen Qianxue's house to find her, but unexpectedly saw her in the community opposite her house. At this time, she was very close to a strange man, and their bodies were almost touching.
A nameless rage burned in Xia Ziming's chest, causing him to get out of the car, rush over, pull Song Yiming away, and punch him hard.
Song Yiming, who hadn't reacted yet, staggered backwards and fell to the ground. Shen Qianxue trembled all over and felt the blood in her body solidify.
She hurriedly stepped forward to pull Xia Ziming back, and stood in front of Song Yiming to protect him.
"Xia Ziming, what right do you have to hit someone?"
"Because I like you and because I used to be your boyfriend!" Xia Ziming said this with confidence, but Shen Qianxue sneered.
"We've been apart for a few years, and you've been engaged to Che Xiaoman. Don't you think it's ridiculous to say this now?" Shen Qianxue helped Song Yiming up from the ground. She held his arm like a lover, "You come here and beat up my boyfriend now, is that fun?"
The word "boyfriend" made Xia Ziming shudder all over.
"Xia Ziming, your current girlfriend, oh, no, it's your fiancée, is Che Xiaoman. As a man, I hope you can be consistent and live a good life with your woman. Also, don't interfere in my private life." After saying this, Shen Qianxue left, leaving the two men looking at each other in bewilderment.