GT - 8

Fengxun’s plants are evergreen all year round, with lush greenery sprawling along the corridors.

The teaching building was already quite old; its walls were dulled by time, and the windows were covered in brown rust, creaking when pushed open.

Cheng Mi’s figure slowly passed by rows of windows. Halfway down the stairs, her phone rang. Cheng Mi took out her phone; it was Zhang Lingyin, the GR photography editor she had met.

She answered: “Mhm, what’s up?”

“Do you have time, Cheng Mi? I see your classes should be over. I wanted to ask if you could come over to the studio to shoot some photos?”

At this hour, most of the students had already left the school; only a few scattered individuals brushed past Cheng Mi.

She asked: “Didn’t you go on a business trip?”

Zhang Lingyin said: “I did go on a business trip; I won’t be back in Fengxun until the day after tomorrow, that’s why I’m rushing. The magazine’s previous model was stalling and trying to terminate her contract with the studio, which has held up a lot of things for the magazine. We need to publish by mid-month, so the entire magazine staff is working overtime. It would be too rushed if I waited until I got back, so I’ve asked other photographers to shoot for you first.”

Cheng Mi had already reached the first floor, and looking ahead, she saw Si Tingyan’s figure.

His back was straight and tall, and he was walking towards the school gate, showing no sign of waiting for her.

Aside from Si Tingyan, Cheng Mi indeed had nothing else to do. If it weren’t for this impromptu call, she would have gone after him now.

But work was paramount. If others paid her, she had to do her job well.

She glanced at Si Tingyan, then withdrew her gaze: “Alright, I’ll be over in a bit.”

“Okay then, I’ll go tell my colleague to wait for you downstairs when you arrive. I’ll hang up now.”

The call ended, and Si Tingyan’s figure disappeared right at the school gate.

Cheng Mi put her phone away. Without pausing, she exited the school gate, then instead of turning left at the intersection like Si Tingyan, she crossed the street and walked in the opposite direction.

________________________________________

GR’s office was located in a bustling commercial area. Due to chaotic planning, restaurants, entertainment venues, and offices were all squeezed onto one street, making it seem somewhat incongruous.

Across the street, there were bars, mahjong parlors, and a roller skating rink.

Exhaustion and debauchery were separated by just one street.

When Cheng Mi arrived, Zhang Lingyin’s photographer colleague was already waiting downstairs.

People in the arts industry might all possess an artistic flair. This person was a man with shoulder-length hair, casually tied into a ponytail at the back of his head. He was a bit thin, making his jawline particularly prominent. His features were ordinary, but his expression was gentle, adding a few points of affability.

He saw her approaching, extinguished his cigarette on a nearby trash can, and walked towards her: “Cheng Mi?”

Cheng Mi smiled and nodded at him: “Zhang Lingyin must have already told you; I’m here for a photoshoot.”

“She told me, just a few minutes ago. Call me Deng Zi. Shall we start working?”

“Alright,” Cheng Mi glanced upstairs, “Shall we go up then?”

“Not so fast. We need to borrow a pair of roller skates from across the street first.”

Cheng Mi looked across the street upon hearing this. There was a roller skating rink over there, quite large. She asked: “What do you need roller skates for?”

“We need them for the photoshoot.”

“For me to wear?”

“Today, we’re only shooting you.”

As they spoke, they crossed the street and walked towards the rink. Inside, the daylight from outside was cut off, and the laser lights were dazzling.

The rink was crowded with students after school. After only an hour of school, most hadn’t had enough fun, and the sounds of playing and screaming frequently assaulted the eardrums.

Cheng Mi and Deng Zi went to the front desk. Deng Zi knew the owner and gave a shout, and the owner had someone get skates.

Cheng Mi took the roller skates and sat on a nearby bench to put them on.

Deng Zi asked her: “Can you skate?”

Cheng Mi tied her laces and smiled: “Maybe. I used to skate, but it’s been a long time. I don’t know if I’m rusty.”

The other person said: “Even if you can’t skate, you can just carry them. You can put them on when we go up for the shoot.”

As he spoke, Cheng Mi had already put them on, propping her hands on either side to stand up.

She hadn’t touched them for some time; the feeling under her feet was somewhat unfamiliar as she stood.

Deng Zi, seeing this, instinctively reached out to help her, but Cheng Mi was like a gust of wind; her feet were already steady.

After gliding a short distance, she stopped and turned to look at the photographer: “Shall we go?”

Deng Zi looked at her: “I’ve noticed something about you.”

Cheng Mi: “What?”

“Humble,” Deng Zi smiled, “Is this what you call rusty? Saying you skate better than me wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”

Cheng Mi smiled: “You’re exaggerating. It’s just a matter of moving my feet; it’s not humility.”

Deng Zi was just joking: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to the studio. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish. I’m eager to eat.”

Cheng Mi waited for Deng Zi to catch up, and they walked towards the entrance together. Halfway there, a girl on roller skates, coming from the opposite direction, stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Cheng Mi. She lost her balance for a moment, stumbled backward, and fell to the ground.

She was carrying a pile of chips and drinks, which scattered all over the floor with a clatter.

A can of cola rolled and bounced in front of Cheng Mi. She leisurely stopped in front of the can.

She had intended to help the girl up, but the girl had already picked herself up, crouching on the ground, picking up scattered items, revealing only half of her tanned profile.

Cheng Mi bent down, picked up the cola, and went to the girl. The girl had already gathered everything in her arms and stood up. Cheng Mi helped her tuck the cola into her arm.

The girl looked at her at this moment; her eyes were large, and she was a bit dark-skinned.

Cheng Mi had a good memory. Looking at this face, it took her less than a second to recall where she had seen her.

It was the girl from the cafeteria at noon who had given Qi Yunmiao advice on secretly kissing Si Tingyan. Just then, the girl’s phone in her hand rang.

“Hello, Fu Xinwei, why are you so quiet? Who did you say you saw?”

The other end was boisterous; every word was clear through the earpiece.

Cheng Mi’s eyes fell on the girl’s face.

Perhaps out of guilt, the girl named Fu Xinwei’s gaze drifted over Cheng Mi, then she feigned nonchalance and looked away.

She didn’t say thank you. With a slide of her roller skates, she bypassed Cheng Mi and walked further inside, her tone a bit impatient: “No one! Going back now.”

Deng Zi, who had watched the entire exchange, glanced at the girl’s retreating back and smiled: “Kids nowadays are so rude.”

Cheng Mi didn’t take it to heart: “Let’s go. Didn’t you say you’re eager to eat?”

After Cheng Mi had walked some distance, Fu Xinwei, who had initially ignored her, turned back to glance at her retreating figure. She complained to the person on the phone: “You scared me to death! So loud! Cheng Mi, that new transfer student from Senior Three, was right next to me. She must have heard everything.”

The other party replied: “Cheng Mi from our school?”

“Which other Cheng Mi could it be?” she looked back again. “Guess who else I saw?”

“Who?”

Fu Xinwei said: “Deng Zi, the Deng Zi who photographed Qi Yunmiao when we went to GR Magazine for a photoshoot.”

The other party was a bit surprised: “How are they together? What are they doing?”

Fu Xinwei was still looking back: “What else could they be doing? They must be shooting. Qi Yunmiao was negotiating terms with them, and they said they’d consider it, but now they’ve secretly found another cheap replacement. Qi Yunmiao hasn’t even left yet, and Cheng Mi is stealing her job. This woman is despicable.”

She saw Cheng Mi and Deng Zi walk towards the building across the street; GR Magazine was on the second floor of that building.

Fu Xinwei was somewhat gnashing her teeth: “I saw them go upstairs. They must be going to the magazine office. How can these people be so despicable?”

She was too indignant to notice the brief silence on the other end.

Suddenly, Qi Yunmiao’s voice came through: “What did you say?”

Fu Xinwei was so startled that her phone almost dropped: “Yunmiao, that—I was just talking nonsense.”

“Do you think I’m deaf?” Qi Yunmiao pressed on, “Who did you say stole my spot?”

Fu Xinwei stammered, afraid of being blamed, but finally said: “Cheng Mi, the one we saw in the cafeteria at noon.”

Qi Yunmiao asked: “Where did they go?”

“That building across the street.”

After Fu Xinwei said this timidly, Qi Yunmiao hung up the phone.

She breathed a sigh of relief, then another call came in. She answered it; it was the friend she had been talking to. She fumed: “How could you let Qi Yunmiao hear that! I didn’t tell her because I was afraid she’d get angry.”

“I had it on speakerphone, how was I supposed to know she’d come over? It’s annoying. Come back quickly, Qi Yunmiao left.”

________________________________________

This wasn’t Cheng Mi’s first time in front of a camera. With her past experience and natural photogenic qualities, the photoshoot went very smoothly.

As Deng Zi took photos of her with his camera, he silently marveled countless times.

Cheng Mi was even more beautiful than many of the actresses he had photographed before.

Her features were flawless; her face was stunning to an astonishing degree, and her气质 was so outstanding that it elevated her to another level.

Just like now, standing in front of the camera, wearing a black off-the-shoulder V-neck ruffled crop top with a tight skirt—a common outfit—yet she wore it with a different flair.

A thin black chain adorned her neck. Her collarbones were deep but not gaunt, with a subtle cleavage below.

Her eyes, accentuated with a thin white eyeliner, looked directly into the camera, devoid of excessive emotion, like a hunter confidently eyeing its prey.

GR’s style leaned towards sweet and subtly sexy. Strictly speaking, Cheng Mi didn’t perfectly meet this requirement, necessitating clothing, makeup, and atmosphere to soften her latter characteristic.

However, the stylist didn’t choose to avoid her weaknesses and highlight her strengths by piling cute elements onto Cheng Mi’s face. Instead, they preserved her unique characteristics, adding subtle touches with makeup details and small accessories.

At first, Deng Zi was worried that Cheng Mi wouldn’t be able to blend with this style, as Cheng Mi wasn’t associated with sweetness at all; she was clearly a fox who knew her charm while wearing heels but didn’t seek the limelight.

Unexpectedly, the photoshoot was, arguably, perfectly executed, further solidifying Deng Zi’s thought that Cheng Mi was born for the glitzy world of entertainment.

After the photoshoot, Cheng Mi left the studio and went outside by the window to get some fresh air.

Soon after, Deng Zi also came out, walked to the nearby beverage vending machine, and inserted a coin.

“What do you want to drink?” he asked Cheng Mi.

Cheng Mi said: “Anything.”

Deng Zi got her a fruit drink, walked over, and handed it to her.

Cheng Mi took it: “Thanks.”

Deng Zi knew Cheng Mi received many offers, so she would surely understand what he meant: “I know some people in the industry. Do you want me to introduce you?”

Cheng Mi joked: “What, you want to be my patron?”

No surprise, no shock, no flattery; her reaction was unlike that of ordinary people.

Deng Zi knew this was her subtle refusal. He then casually joked: “Of course not. You’d definitely be a hit in that industry. When you become a big star, I, your patron, can also bask in your glory and brag a bit.”

Cheng Mi smiled: “You think too highly of me.”

“That’s just telling the truth, but I don’t need to worry about it. Someone will introduce you eventually.”

That topic was put aside. Deng Zi unscrewed a soda and took a sip: “We’re going out for dinner after we clean up. Do you want to join us?”

“No,” Cheng Mi’s eyes lingered for a moment on Deng Zi’s loosely tied small ponytail, then shifted away, “You guys go. I have something else to do tonight.”

“Going back to do homework?”

Cheng Mi said: “Yes, you know I’m a high school student.”

Someone inside called Deng Zi. He replied he’d be right there, then looked back at Cheng Mi: “Alright, I’m going now.”

“Mhm.”

Deng Zi stood up to go back. As he reached the door, he looked back again: “Oh, right.”

Cheng Mi looked at him.

Deng Zi pointed to his hair: “You’ve been staring at my hair since we were downstairs. Who does my hairstyle remind you of?”

Cheng Mi paused for a microsecond, then quickly regained her composure and smiled: “Go on.”

Deng Zi smiled and left.

After he left, the outer corridor grew quiet. The window panes, caught by the wind, gently tapped against the dusty vending machine.

It was as if even the wind wanted to shake off the accumulated dust of forgotten past events.

Cheng Mi looked out the window, her expression neither grave nor joyful, like any other peaceful moment.

Deng Zi was right; his hairstyle reminded her of someone.

That person also liked to tie a finger-length ponytail at the back of her head, with loose, long bangs falling beside her cheeks, and cool blue highlights in her granny-gray hair.

Unlike Deng Zi, she was a girl.

Thinking of this, Cheng Mi took out her phone, tapped a few times, and opened the chat box for Li Chu.

Their message history stopped a month ago, a few back-and-forths, nothing significant.

Cheng Mi and Li Chu grew up together. Later, after Cheng’s mother passed away, she was taken in by Li Yehang to the Li family, and she met Li Chu daily. But by then, the two had already gradually drifted apart due to some grievances.

Li Chu was one year older than Cheng Mi, currently a sophomore in college. Due to her busy studies, she lived at school and only came home every few weeks.

The chat from a month ago was Cheng Mi asking Li Chu if she would come home for dinner that weekend. Li Chu replied with a simple “mhm.”

After that, they had no further contact, including when Cheng Mi transferred here.

Cheng Mi’s fingertips rested on the chat box. After hesitating for a few seconds, she still put her phone away.

Before her thoughts could fully retract, her eyes were already drawn by a figure downstairs.

The sky outside had not completely darkened, but the streetlights had already lit up one by one, standing amidst the dazzling and dim lights of the city.

A group of people emerged from a restaurant across the street. The one leading them was someone she had seen many times today.

Qi Yunmiao seemed to be in a bad mood; her usual arrogance and pampered air were replaced by irritation, and anger clouded her brow.

Cheng Mi wasn’t very interested and was about to look away and get up to leave.

The next second, she saw Qi Yunmiao grab a milk tea that a girl beside her had offered flatteringly, and then she threw it to the ground.

The face of the girl beside her was also familiar; it was the one from the roller skating rink this afternoon whose snacks had spilled all over the floor.

The few of them seemed afraid of Qi Yunmiao, including the boys; no one uttered a sound, exchanging glances.

Cheng Mi truly had little interest in watching the drama and was about to leave the window.

But her last glance caught Qi Yunmiao seemingly looking in this direction. Even though Cheng Mi’s gaze quickly swept past, it wasn’t hard to discern the sharp claws extending from her eyes.

When her gaze turned back again, Qi Yunmiao had already left without delay, turning and walking away.

Cheng Mi didn’t dwell on it much and went downstairs to leave the GR magazine office.

________________________________________

On the way back, Cheng Mi took the bus and received a call from Si Huiru, asking if she was almost home.

She didn’t ask if she was coming home, but directly asked if she was almost home.

Since arriving in Fengxun, Si Huiru had always treated Cheng Mi carefully, seemingly always afraid of doing something wrong to neglect her or make her unhappy.

Although clumsy, Cheng Mi knew she had no ill intentions.

Instead, she was diligently treating her as her own, afraid that she might feel excluded by the new family.

Cheng Mi again thought of Li Yehang, looking out the window. Si Huiru, seeing no reply from her, tentatively asked her again.

The bus window was half-open, and wind slipped in, tangling Cheng Mi’s hair.

A brief moment of sadness flickered in the silent interlude, quickly replaced by a faint smile: “I’m on my way back now.”

She then asked: “Do you need me to buy anything on my way back?”

Si Huiru quickly stopped her: “No, no, there’s already plenty of food at home. Your uncle said you like hairy crabs. Auntie just bought some; they’re a local specialty here and quite delicious. You should like them.”

Cheng Mi didn’t express whether she liked them or not, simply saying: “Okay.”

The call quickly ended. After that, Cheng Mi didn’t look at her phone again, watching the night outside the window the whole way.

It was half an hour later when she got off the bus. Motorcycles and cars crisscrossed chaotic on the road, and food stalls under the streetlights were noisy and bustling.

Across the street, residential buildings were scattered at various heights, and the crowded lights of thousands of homes created a sense of lively warmth.

Cheng Mi crossed the road and walked towards them.

After climbing to the third floor and returning, she entered to find the dinner on the table untouched. Si Huiru was knitting a scarf on the living room sofa. Hearing the door open, she looked up, her smile faltering when she saw the heavy makeup on Cheng Mi’s face, but she didn’t say anything: “You’re back?”

“Mhm.” Cheng Mi bent down to change her shoes.

Si Huiru put down the knitting needles: “Then I’ll go to the kitchen to warm up the food. Xiao Yan should be back soon too.”

Cheng Mi remembered that Si Tingyan had already returned home and asked: “He’s not here?”

Si Huiru had already risen from the sofa: “He’s not back yet. He said he had some schoolwork to finish at school before coming home.”

But she had seen him leave after school.

Cheng Mi didn’t expose him, merely nodding in understanding.

Just as she was secretly grumbling, a sound came from the entryway behind her.

She turned around; Si Tingyan was just opening the door and coming in.

Cheng Mi hadn’t entered the house yet, still standing in the entryway. Si Tingyan’s eyes naturally fell on her face the moment he entered.

As night fell, the temperature dropped, and Si Tingyan carried a cold aura, as if even his eyes were permeated with frost. His complexion was already somewhat pale, now appearing even more sickly and aloof.

Cheng Mi didn’t shy away, meeting his gaze. Their eyes locked.

Behind them, Si Huiru called for them to go to the kitchen to wash their hands and prepare for dinner.

It was Si Tingyan who first coldly shifted his gaze. He didn’t speak to Cheng Mi. He entered the house and changed his shoes.

From Cheng Mi’s angle, she could only see a small part of his profile. Beneath his fine black hair, the lines of his nose bridge were tall and smooth, curving beautifully at the tip of his nose, finally meeting what appeared to be somewhat cold lips.

Yet, one glance at that face was enough to bewitch someone.

Si Tingyan closed the shoe cabinet. Without looking at her again, he passed her, carrying his school bag.

Cheng Mi didn’t turn to look at him.

She hung her umbrella on the hook on the wall, then turned and entered the living room.

After Si Tingyan put down his school bag, he walked towards the kitchen. Cheng Mi’s eyes lingered on him the entire time. After putting her own things down, she followed him into the kitchen.

Si Huiru wasn’t inside; she had gone to answer a call in the living room.

Cheng Mi stepped into the kitchen, greeted by a misty warmth. Bone broth simmered on the hot stove, bubbling, mixed with the trickling water from the sink.

Si Tingyan flexed and extended his fingers, his long, pale knuckles rinsing under the running water.

Cheng Mi guessed he might be a germaphobe.

She watched him for a while, then walked over and leaned against the counter.

Cheng Mi knew he could see her in his peripheral vision: “I didn’t intentionally stand you up; something came up unexpectedly, so I didn’t come back with you.”

But Si Tingyan remained unmoved, ignoring her.

“Are you mad?”

Si Tingyan continued washing his hands as if no one else was there, not answering her.

This surprised Cheng Mi. She had indeed spoken with the intention of teasing him, but there was no reason for Si Tingyan to take the bait.

His current reaction made it seem like he was genuinely angry, which was a bit unexpected.

His long eyelashes were slightly lowered, showing no emotion.

Cheng Mi tilted her head slightly, as if in thought, or perhaps just simply asking: “Are you really mad?”

This time, Si Tingyan didn’t remain silent.

He turned off the water and faced her.

Cheng Mi finally saw him head-on. Si Tingyan’s eyes, dark and deep, looked at her.

“Why would I be angry about that?”

Cheng Mi also looked into his eyes.

A bead of water hanging from the faucet dripped into the sink, creating tiny ripples.

After a moment, she smiled: “Is that so?”

No rebuttal, just an understatement.

Yet, though it sounded insignificant, it played with one’s heart, as if she held all the cards.

She would get him in the end, sooner or later; there was no rush.

The surroundings fell into silence for a moment; something was flowing.

Cheng Mi didn’t hide her thoughts, intending to reveal them.

A few seconds later, Si Tingyan’s cold gaze left Cheng Mi’s face, and he passed her by.