After a day of rest, Wanyi returned to work at Yunshang as usual.
She had stayed up too late the night before finishing her assignments, so when she woke up, it was already 9 a.m.
After rushing through her morning routine, she had no choice but to take a taxi to the gallery.
Normally, she would spend an hour commuting by bus—it was the most economical option.
But today, she had to splurge a little. This job mattered more to her.
Recalling how to book a ride, she opened her phone and called a car.
Soon, a green electric vehicle pulled up in front of her.
When she got in, she noticed how fresh the air was—no unpleasant smells—and how clean and tidy the interior was.
The driver was a man in his fifties, looking gentle and well-mannered.
She even noticed a small sign on the back seat reminding passengers not to eat in the car.
This was nothing like the taxis she had imagined.
The driver remained quiet, carrying himself with a calm professionalism.
“Sir, why did you choose to drive?” Wanyi asked curiously, gazing out the window.
“My wife is ill,” he replied with a faint smile, though the bitterness beneath it was unmistakable. “I drive part-time whenever I have free time. She needs dialysis every week.”
“That must be really hard—for you, both physically and emotionally,” Wanyi said gently.
“At fifty, you learn to accept fate,” he said. “Maybe this is mine. My wife is my only anchor in this world—I have to keep going.”
There was a quiet defiance in his tone, as if he were both resigned to fate and determined to fight it.
Wanyi admired him. She, too, was someone struggling against life’s hardships—
But she didn’t have the same courage to stand up against the world like he did.
After getting out of the car, she saw the fare—it was ten times what she usually spent on the bus.
But thinking of the driver’s situation, she clenched her teeth and still chose to leave him a tip.
Even though she didn’t have much money herself, she hoped her small gesture could help him a little.
….
Wanyi managed to arrive at the gallery just before 10 a.m.
Everyone was already busy.
There would be a planning session at 10:30, and each person was preparing their proposals.
A new exhibition was scheduled to open in half a month, so multiple discussions and meetings were needed to finalize the theme and direction.
“Does anyone have any ideas about the theme and presentation for this exhibition? I’ve reviewed all your proposals—let’s discuss them,” Director Anna began.
Everyone had submitted their plans earlier, but it was clear she wasn’t fully satisfied.
“This time, we’re focusing on Montmartre at Night. The painting was created in 1901—over a hundred years ago. The perspective comes from a high window, giving the feeling of observing the street from a distance. Unlike many artists of his time who painted from a more personal viewpoint, here you don’t even feel the presence of the window frame,” Anna explained.
“He often painted multiple works at once and was skilled at capturing changes in light. But this piece is an exception—it was painted at night. Everything is immersed in color and light,” Mengmeng added.
“I think since the painting emphasizes light and color, we could use modern projection technology to enhance the exhibition experience,” Xiaoqi suggested. “It would help viewers better understand the artwork.”
“That’s one approach,” Anna replied thoughtfully, folding her hands. “But using the front hall for projections might feel too utilitarian, and it could weaken the impact of the exhibition itself.”
“Any other ideas?” Anna looked around the room. “Wanyi, what do you think? I found your proposal quite interesting.”
“Um… since the focus is on light, maybe we could create a three-dimensional reconstruction of certain elements,” Wanyi said carefully. “Visitors could interact with it physically—touching and experiencing how light converges—so they can better understand the composition.”
Her idea wasn’t fully refined yet—it was just an early thought.
“I think that’s a great idea. Let’s move forward with it,” Anna said decisively.
After the meeting, Xiaoyou and Wanyi stayed behind to revise their proposals.
“You’re amazing, Wanyi. You got the director’s approval so quickly,” Xiaoyou whispered.
“I just built on everyone else’s ideas,” Wanyi said modestly. She didn’t think her suggestion was anything extraordinary.
“I have no idea what to do with this proposal,” Xiaoyou sighed, closing her laptop. “Not only are you pretty, but your understanding of art is on another level. No wonder you’re from such a top school.”
“Don’t say that—we’re all the same,” Wanyi reassured her gently.
Xiaoyou attended a good university, but it wasn’t as prestigious as Wanyi’s.
“You know what? Xiaoqi was just in the restroom saying you only got recognized because you have connections,” Xiaoyou added angrily, recalling what she had heard.
“I’ll just focus on doing my job well,” Wanyi said calmly. She didn’t care much about what others said. Being given such a good opportunity already meant a lot to her.
At lunch, everyone received a small, beautifully packaged box of mooncakes as a holiday gift.
Only then did she realize—it was the Mid-Autumn Festival.
A holiday meant for reunion.
But she had no family. The thought made her feel a quiet sense of loss.
Still, she had long grown used to being alone.
She remembered the holidays she once spent with her uncle’s family—standing off to the side while they laughed together, a warm and complete picture she could never quite belong to.
Ding—
Her phone chimed.
She picked it up. It was a message from Shuqing.
“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, cutie! Any plans tonight?” followed by a playful emoji.
“I’m working at the gallery during the day. No plans for tonight,” Wanyi replied honestly.
“Then let’s go to the riverside plaza tonight and watch the moon together.”
“Okay.”
Wanyi thought she could bring her mooncakes to share with her.
After work, she headed to the riverside plaza, where they chose a simple Chinese restaurant.
“How have you been lately?” Shuqing asked with a smile.
“Just the usual—working life,” Wanyi replied lightly. “What about you?”
Shuqing’s expression turned shy.
“What is it?” Wanyi noticed immediately.
“Well… I recently met a guy. He’s been pursuing me,” Shuqing admitted, lowering her head as she sipped her drink, unable to hide her excitement.
“It’s nice to have someone who takes care of you,” Wanyi said sincerely.
Suddenly, she thought of Shen Yuxun.
He had given her an umbrella on a rainy day, driven her home, helped her when she couldn’t afford tuition… and even bought her a brand-new laptop when she couldn’t bring herself to ask.
It was as if he always knew exactly what she needed.
Like a savior appearing at just the right moment.
She looked out the window.
The moon tonight was especially bright and full, hanging high in the sky, glowing softly. She could even make out faint details on its surface.
When she was a child, she used to think reaching the moon would be easy.
Later, she realized it was impossibly far away.
Maybe it was the mood of the night—
Wanyi took out her phone and sent him a message anyway.
“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Mr. Shen.”
“Do you have something going on?” Shuqing leaned closer, her eyes full of curiosity.
“No,” Wanyi quickly denied.
“Is it that man you told me about—the one who helped you?”
“Mm… I’m just sending him a holiday greeting.”
“Song Wanyi, I’ve never even received a holiday greeting from you!”
“I’ll send you one right now.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Wanyi stuffed a taro pastry into Shuqing’s mouth to stop her teasing.
By the time Wanyi returned to her dorm, Shen Yuxun still hadn’t replied.
Was he busy?
And what exactly had happened that night when she got drunk…?