The next day.
Ai was about to step into the library when her phone rang. The incoming call displayed Cai Guiying's name.
She stared at the number with an unreadable expression. Her thumb touched the red button to cut the call. But she moved and slid the green button instead.
"Aiiiiiiii!!! Where have you been for so long?" Cai Guiying's ecstatic voice came from the other end.
"Nothing. Just busy."
"You! Are you so busy that you have forgotten your friend now too? Have I become a stranger to you?"
"...Of course not."
"Good! Otherwise, I would have beaten you up. I know you are in a slump for your new story, but don't just disappear like that."
"Hm."
She sighed. "Anyway. By the way, I called to tell you that I had a big fight with the Dream High committee! I am so disappointed in them. I don't want to do this stupid book signing event without you. But they didn't listen to me!"
"Oh…" Ai quietly hummed, "You don't have to worry about it."
"How can I not? You won the Best Newcomer Writer award. You deserved to get a spot for the book signing event. But I don't know why I was chosen?"
Her lips moved in a faint smile. "Did you forget you won the Best Fiction Award? Naturally, you would get the chance. Also, I am not disappointed about the event. I need to focus on my story. I have lots of things to learn. Maybe next time."
Guiying felt exasperated. "You…you are always like this. Talking as if you don't care at all. But I do. That's why I want you to come to the event. It's in five days."
Ai softly closed her palm. "I am sorry Guiying, but I cannot-"
"No buts. Otherwise, I will cancel the event. Then you keep explaining to the committee. Bye!"
—
Dream High Publishing.
"Cai Guiying! Why did you invite Zhou Ai to the event?" Her editor, Zhan Yahui, furiously tapped her foot on the floor.
Guiying frowned. "What? She is my best friend."
"No, you are not! You are rivals. She is MissImperfectlyFine. You are CherryBlossom. Even though you are writers of the same company, you cannot forget she is your biggest competitor. And why were you even fighting with the committee over this? You should be happy that you were chosen and not her."
"I am happy that I am chosen. But I am also angry that she wasn't. You know she is a capable writer."
Zhan Yahui pressed her forehead.
"Listen Guiying. You have to understand that this isn't your high school anymore. You have been friends since then, but you are not students anymore. You are adults living in the real world. You are competitors now. You are rivals more than friends. If you don't pay attention, then Zhou Ai will sweep away everything from you. You have won the Best Fiction Award, and you have to keep the momentum going."
Guiying was exasperated. "Enough. Coming to a book signing event is not a big deal."
"Guiying! You don't understand. Do you think you are responsible as a friend to make her walk at the same level as you are?"
She said nothing.
"Do you think she is being left behind because your books are doing so well? Or that you will lose her? That's why I am making you understand the difference. You two cannot stand at the same place forever. Definitely not as writers. Either you or her would always be ahead of the other, and I want it to be you. You don't have to take care of her. Her editor, Xing Bi, is there. You just focus on your career, okay?" She stepped on her heels and stomped out.
Guiying was left alone. She rested her head back on the couch.
She whispered. "So what if I want things to remain the same?"
—
Central Library.
"Return the book in two weeks," Jun helped one patron borrow a book when he saw Ai entering from the corner of his eye.
There wasn't any change in her expression from the regular days she came before. But he still felt something was off with the way she looked.
Ai kept her bag at her usual seat and walked over to the novels section. She tried to reach a book on the shelf but couldn't.
She slightly craned her neck and saw Jun busy with other people. Her nervous gaze fell on the ladder, and she hesitated. Ai pulled the ladder to her side but as soon as she took a step up, she gasped in fear and put her foot down quickly.
I really cannot do this.
She glanced at Jun again. He was extremely occupied. She waited for a while, but it didn't seem he would be free anytime soon.
She bit her lip and tremblingly put her foot on the first step. She shut her eyes and without thinking anything, she put the other foot too holding onto the ladder.
She gasped and sweated. She just kept looking upwards and with great difficulty climbed the second step too.
Her heart was pounding rapidly. She accidentally glanced down and paled.
Her feet remained frozen and even if she wanted to get down, she couldn't. She had no more courage left to go any further up.
A group of college students who passed by her, saw her stuck on the ladder.
A boy whistled. "Hey, you are pretty. Which college do you go to?"
Ai mouthed desperately.
Help…Help…
Another boy burst into laughter. "Help for what? Are you scared of the ladder or what?"
Her frightened face expressed that it was true.
"What, seriously? You are just two steps up the ladder."
"Hey forget the ladder," he giggled. "We could totally see her panties if we lifted her dress up, right? Not like she can come down anyway."
"Such a pervert."
"Dude, your mind is so stinky."
Ai listened to them in disbelief. She moved to quickly get away from them but almost lost her balance.
"Hahaha. You are worse than a kid."
The boy who teased her stepped forward. "Hehe. I will just peek and leave."
"D-Don't…" she couldn't scream for some reason.
He grabbed her dress and started lifting it up when Jun suddenly held his wrist and shook it off.
"Hey-"
A punch landed straight on his cheek, and he fell hard on his back.