As Lin Qing sifted through her mail, her eyes landed on an invitation to a gallery opening, an event she hadn't attended in what felt like a lifetime. Nearby, Anna watched her with an intensity that was hard to ignore.
"What's with the stare? You look like a cat that's just spotted the last can of tuna," Lin Qing teased, her lips curling into a playful smirk. " You want me to take you so badly?"
Anna shot back, "So what?
Celebrities shouldn't hide from the spotlight, and I've heard this event will be crawling with reporters."
"Fine, you can join, but don't..." Lin Qing's voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.
"Don't what?" Anna pressed.
Lin Qing gestured vaguely towards Anna with her index finger and circled her before saying, "Just don't... You know what I mean."
As they got ready for the gallery opening, their fashion choices clearly showcased their different personalities and looks: Lin Qing, tall and more on the feminine side, she opted for something dark and seductive, while Anna, short,skinny and delicate, preferred her usual princess like style.
Casting a glance at Anna's ensemble, Lin Qing couldn't help but comment, "I thought you'd grow out of this phase once we graduated middle school, but here you are."
Anna bristled, "You... You just don't understand."
Lin Qing burst out laughing. "Clearly, I don't. Care to enlighten me?"
"It's about self expression...
Also I am not the the one who dresses up like some expensive high-end escort," Anna retorted sharply.
"Oh, so you think I'd be on the premium end if I were one?" Lin Qing quipped, unfazed.
Anna felt like she punched soft cotton since Lin Qing seemed completely unbothered by her insult.
'How does she manage to turn an insult into a compliment?'
Lately, during their bickerings, she felt like she was the only one getting angry, it wasn't like this before!
She found herself not despising this girl as much as she used to do and for some reason she felt like Lin Qing was treating her like a child.
"After I secure the money, I won't have to feel like this anymore," Qian An assured herself internally. Indeed, she was beginning to harbor positive feelings towards Lin Qing, realizing these emotions stemmed cause Lin Qing helped her once or twice.
'I can't possibly see her as a friend!
She is Lin Qing!'
Feeling at a disadvantage, she couldn't stand the thought of being outdone by Lin Qing. She resolved to repay this perceived debt tenfold, ensuring it would be Lin Qing who would endure these feelings.
Lin Qing observed the shifting expressions on Anna's face with a gentle smile, shaking her head slightly.
"Are you prepared?" she inquired.
Her question snapped Qian An out of her thoughts. "Hmm, let's go!"
****
When Lin Qing and Anna swaggered into the gallery, the atmosphere was laden with the aroma of high-end fragrances and a barely-there vibe of artistic snobbery. Lin Qing walked around and nodded towards the people she knew with poise and chic, meandered through the elite, casting a bemused glance at the high society crowd as if she were observing a particularly interesting exhibit herself.
"This feels like a safari, except it's the elite playing dress-up in their natural habitat of 'understanding' art," Lin Qing mused.
They soon encountered an art piece that looked more like a casualty of a color war than anything else. Anna couldn't help but muse aloud, "What's the appeal here? What's with this mess? I thonk a kid with finger paints do this thing better, or is it just me?"
She nudged Lin Qing, trying to provoke a little, knowing well about Lin Qing's affinity for art. However, Lin Qing's response was a chuckle, "Maybe, or it could be an artistic declaration of understanding the mind of toddler or being high with hallucinogens"
Their shared laughter became a light-hearted interlude in the gallery's dignified silence. Their amusement was short-lived, however, as they were soon approached by a young man whose outfit screamed fashion faux pas.
"May I enlighten you on the profound anguish captured in this artwork? It delves into the existential gloom that permeates post-modern existence," he offered, hoping to impress.
Lin Qing, maintaining a straight face, countered, "I was under the impression it depicted the existential crisis of a post-modern artist overwhelmed by paint yet starved for skill."
The young man was left wondering if he'd received a compliment or a clever dig, while Lin Qing and Anna continued on their way, their chuckles blending seamlessly with the background murmur of the gallery.
Anna, between giggles, chided Lin Qing, "You're wicked, Lin Qing. That guy's going to be wrestling with your comment all night."
"Let him ponder. It's probably the most thought he's put into anything all year," Lin Qing quipped back.
As the night progressed, Lin Qing and Anna retreated to the gallery's balcony, enchanted by the urban panorama spread before them, reminiscent of a vast, living artwork.
"Ah, there's a peculiar charm to all this afterall, amidst the so-called modern art, looking down to the city from here " Anna half-spoke her thoughts, halting before expressing more, she almost said "with you".
A moment passed, and then Anna spotted reporters. "I need to grab some headshots over there," she informed Lin Qing before drifting away.
Left alone, Lin Qing's gaze lingered on the city's lights. It was indeed a splendid evening, offering her a brief escape from her current unusual responsibilities. For a fleeting moment, she could pretend to be just another carefree young woman.
"All this responsibility... Who would've thought? Never saw myself in such a role,"
She thought to herself then started to ponder what she'll do next.