In another private room in the same Huoshuang hotel,Shen Mucheng and some friends sat around a table,drinking wine. They had called him earlier in the day to meet up with them as a way of celebrating his return to the country after two years.
He couldn't decline their invitation since the gathering was held in honor of him. Even though he knew, that among the group of people seated around the table,only one could be counted as his friend and the rest where just flocking after him,for the benefits they could get.
An Shenglan one of Shen Mucheng's close friends,was one of the people in the room.After watching his friend since his entry into the room till the present time and seeing how detached he was from the bunch of people in the room, he drew closer to him with the intention of drawing out information from him.
"Hey man what's up with you tonight you seem like you would rather be somewhere else than in this room.What's going on?"An Shenglan asked .
"I'm cool, I'm just not in the mood to be seated in a room full of hypocrites."
" Come on am I an hypocrite as well?With the way you just said that,anyone listening would think that every single person in the room has wronged you."
"They don't need to harm me for them to be hypocrites. But as for you and Shaoheng being hypocrites,I'll leave that question for you both to answer."
" Shaoheng isn't even here and you're saying such things about him. Sigh! He would definitely feel sad if he hears this. "
" I didn't only mention Shaoheng, I also mentioned you. Well...especially you. So why don't you fight for yourself instead?" Shen Mucheng asked with a slight raise of his brow.
The manner in which Shen Mucheng replied him, left An Shenglan tongue tied.
He didn't bother to refute him because he knew that his friend's words were as a result of his past experiences and he also knew that he didn't mean them.
Even if he meant them, he wouldn't hold it against him.
He was very glad that despite all that happened that year, that Mucheng didn't alienate Shaoheng and him.
That was why himself and Shaoheng would go to any length as long as the person asking for a favour from them was Mucheng.
Because he wouldn't ask for help on something if he could have it done efficiently by himself. As his thoughts were going places, he suddenly heard Shen Mucheng's voice.
"By the way, I will soon be leaving. We both know I came here in the first place to give you face. " Shen Mucheng said twirling the wine glass in his hands.
Since he entered the room, that was the first glass of wine he had taken, but it still had wine in it.
His mind seemed to be occupied with something else.
And it was the lady he met at the elevator.
He still couldn't get her blushing face out of his mind.
People usually said out of sight out of mind, but his own case was clearly different. He had since left the elevator but here his mind was drifting back to that singular encounter when there were other things he could think of.
He suddenly stood up to go use the restroom maybe a little sprinkle of cold water would help wake him up.
The moment he stepped out of the room...