“Wanyi, please come to the gallery an hour early tomorrow. There’s an important setup we need to prepare,” Mengmeng texted her before bed.
“Got it.”
It looked like things were about to get busy.
Thinking about working at Yunshang Gallery filled Song Wanyi with both excitement and nervous anticipation as she fell asleep.
Maybe it was because she had been reminiscing on the bus earlier.
Or maybe it was just the rainy weather.
That night, her dreams were vivid and chaotic.
At one moment, she was back on her fifth birthday.
Her parents had bought her a princess-themed cake, and her kindergarten classmates were full of envy.
Wearing a sparkling tiara, she happily handed out slices of cake to everyone.
Then suddenly, she was fourteen again—
experiencing her first period.
Panicked and unsure, she didn’t dare tell her aunt.
A kind stranger noticed her and gently led her to a public restroom, helping her change into clean underwear and giving her sanitary pads.
Hiding in the stall, Wanyi couldn’t stop herself from crying.
So there really were kind people in this world—
she just hadn’t met them before.
But when she came out to thank the woman, she was already gone.
….
The next morning, Wanyi still hadn’t fully shaken off the lingering emotions from her dreams.
She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, forcing herself to wake up properly before getting out of bed.
Her roommates were still fast asleep—only her internal clock remained unwavering.
When she arrived at the gallery, she headed straight to the meeting room.
People were already trickling in, but since she had only been there a day, she didn’t know anyone well.
“Please take your seats. The meeting is starting,” the curator said from the head of the table.
“What we’re about to undertake is one of the most important projects of the year—the Andrew exhibition. Everyone must coordinate according to your assigned roles. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no leave will be approved during this period. Mengmeng will now distribute the task assignments.”
“I expect each of you to give 120% effort. This is Andrew’s debut exhibition in the country. Prominent figures from various industries, as well as key officials from the cultural and tourism departments, will be attending.”
Wanyi looked at her assignment sheet.
She was responsible for setting up a specific exhibition area, along with part of the event reception work.
Once she received her tasks, she immersed herself completely.
She had always been someone with intense focus—
whether in studying or anything else.
Sometimes, when she read, she would become so absorbed that she blocked out everything around her.
People could speak to her, and she might not even notice.
By the time she came back to herself, it was already the end of the workday.
She packed the artwork list and descriptions Mengmeng had given her into her bag, planning to review them back at the dorm.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
“Wanyi, are you free tonight? I’ll treat you to dinner.” It was a message from Shuqing.
It had already been half a month since her part-time job ended, and they hadn’t seen each other since.
“Sure! Where should we meet?”
“Let’s go to that Chongqing noodle place we used to visit.”
During the summer, the two of them often ate at a small noodle shop tucked away near the mall—cheap, filling, and perfect for people on a tight budget.
By the time Wanyi arrived, Shuqing was already seated in a corner.
“Over here!” Shuqing waved with a smile.
“Sorry I’m late—I just came from Taihe Street,” Wanyi said, fanning herself as she jogged over, already sweating.
“Taihe Street? Isn’t that where all the high-end galleries are?”
“Yeah. I’m working at one now—it also counts as my internship for senior year,” Wanyi said, sipping her iced orange juice through a straw.
“Wow, that’s amazing! Out of everyone I know, you’re the most hardworking and driven,” Shuqing said sincerely.
“I just met someone kind. He gave me such a valuable opportunity, and I’m really grateful,” Wanyi said, unconsciously thinking of Shen Yuxun.
Ever since she sent him that message, he hadn’t replied.
It seemed like their paths wouldn’t cross again.
“Oh? A guy or a girl?” Shuqing’s curiosity was instantly piqued. “Is someone chasing you?”
“What are you talking about? He… he’s just someone very capable. He just happened to help me,” Wanyi said, lowering her head as she stirred her noodles.
Whether it was the heat or something else, the food didn’t taste as good as it usually did.
“So, have you met any new guys lately?” Shuqing asked, looking like she already knew the answer.
“No. I’m ignoring you now.”
“Honestly, you’re so pretty. When are you going to seriously date someone and let me see?” Shuqing sighed dramatically.
“I’m too busy. I need to work and earn money—I don’t have time for that,” Wanyi brushed it off.
Seeing she couldn’t get anything more out of her, Shuqing lowered her head and took another bite of noodles.
Then suddenly, she remembered something and looked up.
“By the way, did you know? The manager from our ice cream shop got fired a few days ago,” she said with a hint of satisfaction.
Wanyi’s hand trembled slightly as she held her drink.
“Why?”
“I heard he offended someone important. Pressure came from above, and he was dismissed,” Shuqing said, still sounding indignant.
Wanyi lowered her gaze to her bowl, but she couldn’t bring herself to eat anymore.
Soon after, the two of them headed toward a nearby park for a walk.
It was early September. Autumn was supposed to be approaching, but the lingering heat still felt like midsummer.
The air carried a restless warmth, stirring the edges of their clothes.
Suddenly, a cry for help came from behind them—
“Help me—!”
Wanyi turned around to see a slightly chubby girl running toward them in panic.
She kept glancing back, as if something were chasing her.
Looking closer, Wanyi realized it was a stray dog.
Without hesitation, she picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it at the dog, putting on a fierce expression.
The stone struck its face, and it whimpered before slowing down.
Moments later, it fled in fear.
“Miss!”
Four well-built men in suits—clearly bodyguards—ran up behind her.
“Why couldn’t so many of you protect me?” the girl snapped angrily. “Good thing this kind stranger helped me!”
The men lowered their heads in silence.
The girl turned and walked toward Wanyi.
Only then did she notice—
Wanyi was strikingly beautiful in a unique way.
Dressed in a simple white shirt dress, her fair skin looked flawless, while her delicate features carried a subtle, captivating allure.
Standing in the warm summer evening breeze, Wanyi looked almost otherworldly—like a solitary fairy untouched by the mundane world.
“Thank you.”
Only then did Wanyi clearly see the girl’s face.
She froze for a moment—it was Shen Yuxun’s younger sister, the one she had met before at the ice cream shop.
“No need to thank me. It was nothing,” Wanyi replied calmly, assuming the girl didn’t recognize her.
“My name is Shen Li. Since you saved me, I have to repay you,” Shen Li said generously. Her slightly chubby cheeks made her look innocent despite her bold tone.
“That’s really not necessary, Miss Shen,” Wanyi said.
After all, Shen Yuxun had helped her so many times. Being able to help his sister—even by chance—felt like a small way of returning the favor.
At least, it made her feel a little less indebted.
“Don’t be so polite! How about I take you shopping? You can pick anything you like—I can even have the place cleared out for you,” Shen Li offered enthusiastically. There wasn’t a trace of arrogance in her—she was more like a lively, mischievous girl next door.
“Really, it’s fine. Maybe next time,” Wanyi said, already tugging Shuqing’s sleeve, ready to leave.
“Wait! Then at least add me on WeChat. If you won’t let me repay you, giving me your contact isn’t too much, right?” Shen Li quickly pulled out her phone and added Wanyi before she could refuse.
After some polite back-and-forth, Wanyi finally managed to leave.
“She looks like a rich girl—totally from a different world than us,” Shuqing remarked.
“Mm.” Wanyi didn’t bother explaining Shen Li’s background.
“I wonder when I’ll ever achieve financial freedom,” Shuqing sighed. Their family situations weren’t so different, which was why they often related to each other so well.
After saying goodbye to Shuqing, Wanyi headed back toward her campus.
Walking with her head lowered, lost in thought—
she suddenly felt someone tap her shoulder.
Turning around, she saw a clean-cut, handsome face.
It was Chen Yihao.
“Senior, I haven’t seen you at the library lately,” he said, falling into step beside her.
“Yeah, I’ve started an internship at an art gallery.”
“With you gone, I’ve lost all motivation to study,” he joked.
Wanyi said nothing.
She had no intention of encouraging him—she simply wasn’t interested.
“Haha… guess I’ll have to keep myself in check then,” Chen Yihao added, noticing her lack of response but not seeming discouraged.
“Mm. I’ve reached my dorm. I’ll head in now.”
“Good night, Senior,” he said, scratching his head as they parted ways.
Wangyuan Residence
A massive 100-inch LED screen was embedded in a gray marble wall, broadcasting the evening news.
Above, a crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, swaying gently.
A dark glass wine cabinet displayed rows of rare and expensive vintage wines.
Beneath the floating staircase stood a grand piano, spotless and clearly well-maintained.
Shen Li’s voice echoed through the room.
She lounged on a chaise, eating stewed pear with bird’s nest.
“Brother, I met a fairy today—a kind-hearted one,” she said to Shen Yuxun, who sat upright on a leather sofa.
It was rare for him to be home. Usually, after work, he stayed at his luxury apartment in the city center, returning here only about once a month.
“Mm,” Shen Yuxun replied, eyes still fixed on the television, seemingly uninterested.
“This fairy even has a beautiful name—Song Wanyi. When she saved me from that stray dog, I really felt like she was the fairy of my dreams,” Shen Li continued, sighing. Such a wonderful girl deserved the best things in the world—yet she had refused her offer. That regret lingered.
While Shen Li chattered on—
the moment Shen Yuxun heard that familiar name, his hand paused slightly.
He glanced at her, his gaze suddenly deep and unreadable.
“I even added her on WeChat. But she barely posts anything—just one photo from when she first entered university. I was going to show you how pretty she is,” Shen Li said, opening her phone.
“Give it to me,” Shen Yuxun said quietly, his voice low.
“Huh?” Shen Li blinked in confusion.
“Your phone.”
He extended his hand—long fingers, firm and impossible to refuse.
“Oh.”
So that’s what he meant.
Shen Yuxun took the phone.
It was her.
In the photo, she smiled with slightly curved eyes, revealing four neat white teeth, standing in front of her university’s gilded entrance sign, making a peace sign at the camera.
She looked youthful—almost too pure for the world.
Yet even the lens couldn’t hide something quietly captivating about her.
Her features hadn’t changed.
But now, she carried a calmness—and a faint sense of weariness beneath it.
Her university years clearly hadn’t been easy.
He tossed the phone back to Shen Li without a word.
“Well? What do you think?” she asked eagerly.
“Go to sleep,” he said flatly.
Then he picked up his own phone and left.
Moments later, the sound of a car engine echoed from outside.
Shen Li frowned in confusion.
“Even a fairy doesn’t impress you? You’re hopeless,” she muttered to herself in the empty living room.
Chaoming Residence
After showering, Shen Yuxun walked into the bedroom, towel-drying his hair.
Soft linear lighting cast a refined, luxurious atmosphere across the gray-and-white interior.
He sat down on a single sofa by the bed and unlocked his phone.
Scrolling down, he found the message from last week.
He had seen it the moment it arrived—
but never replied.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, as if weighing something.
Then he opened his photo album, selected an image, and sent it.
“Is this yours?”
The picture showed a small cylindrical object with a white plastic casing—
a lip balm.
….
Wanyi had just climbed into bed in her dorm, preparing to relax before sleep.
Her phone buzzed.
She picked it up casually—
but froze the moment she saw the message.
“Yes, it is. Mr. Shen.”
No wonder she hadn’t been able to find it—it must have fallen in his car on the way back from the basketball game. She had brought her own lip balm that day, preferring not to use shared makeup items.
“Uncle Chen found it. I figured it might be yours.”
It had been discovered during a routine car cleaning, tucked under a seat.
Since it clearly belonged to a woman, Uncle Chen didn’t dare dispose of it and handed it over to Shen Yuxun instead.
He had left it sitting on his coffee table ever since—
unsure what to do with it.
But today—
especially after seeing that photo of her—
He decided it was time to return it.
“When should I send it to you?”
He deliberately left the subject vague.
“It’s too much trouble, Mr. Shen. You can have someone drop it off at the school reception—I’ll pick it up there,” Wanyi replied, naturally assuming it would be delivered by his driver or assistant.
“Tomorrow night.”
“Alright.”
Before going to sleep, Wanyi checked her phone one last time.
There were no new messages.
At ease, she closed her eyes and drifted off.