"I suppose I've had a bit of a romance," Leh Ying sipped on her lemon honey water. "In high school, I got a love letter from a sports student, but before I had a chance to reply, my dad found out. That night, I almost went without dinner."
As the only daughter of Old Leh's Family, she was strictly controlled. To get to this city for her exams, any flutter of the heart was promptly nipped in the bud by Principal Leh.
She wasn't exceptionally talented in painting, just passionately devoted, and it was through ceaseless effort that she made her way.
"What about you?" she asked Ah Yao in return.
Ah Yao spoke leisurely, "I'm going with him to the neighboring province to watch the fireworks later, you enjoy yourself."
Leh Ying moved to a different spot, further away from her.
Took a taxi, went back to the studio to paint alone.
That's how she spent New Year's Eve, thinking about the reward Sister Zhang had given her, feeling somewhat content and unwilling to spend the meager salary from Principal Leh.
-
Inside the Xu family's courtyard.
Xu Jingxi stood beside the light, his silhouette noble and upright.
A tiny kitten lay in the path, being toyed with under the gleam of his polished shoes. Too timid to run away and frozen in fear, the kitten mewed pitifully, 'mewling' desperately without daring to bite his shoes.
He hooked the corner of his mouth in a smile that wasn't quite a smile and withdrew his foot.
"No backbone."
With one hand in his trouser pocket, he stepped through the gateway with a leisurely and lax demeanor.
"Xiao Li, drive the car."
Xiao Li glanced at the frightened kitten scampering away, hiding amidst the flowery bushes, peeping at the man's tall figure from the shadows.
Hearing the command, Xiao Li came to his senses and nodded.
He took the car keys from the guard station at the gate and went to open the car door.
This young scion of wealth didn't favor flaunting, usually driving modest Audis or Mercedes.
Nothing like those Lamborghinis or luxury cars that members of the Liang or Song families would drive daily.
A black Mercedes pulled away from the curb.
Street lights quietly shone on a street that was usually thin on both cars and people, not to mention on New Year's Eve.
Xiao Li thought, although it was New Year's Day tomorrow, it's hard to say how many cars would come to visit or talk business on this road.
After driving a while.
Xiao Li glanced through the rearview mirror and tentatively broached, "Are we going to Bay Hillside?"
It was a good day after all; he should ask where he wanted to go to relax.
He closed his eyes, feigning sleep, "Anywhere is fine."
Xiao Li reminded him, "The young master from the Liang family invited you for the cross-year celebration at the Northern Suburbs Resort."
After a moment, Xu Jingxi opened his eyes amidst the call. On the other end was a delicate beauty, cooing cautiously and tending to the 'Crown Prince', "Can you please come over and keep me company, just this once?"
"Where should I pass by?" The Crown Prince feigned interest playfully.
From the other side: "Can you keep me company, please, for New Year's Eve?"
Xu Jingxi laughed quietly without a word, ended the call, and casually instructed, "Xiao Li, get out of the car."
Xiao Li turned off the engine, stepped out of the car, and stood by the roadside, watching as the influential Crown Prince slid into the driver's seat and drove off.
After dining at the Xu family's New Year's feast, nobody knew where he would go to amuse himself this evening or which sweetheart he would meet to celebrate the New Year.
Private matters like these couldn't involve the likes of him; the Crown Prince disliked his stories known too widely, even the closest drivers were not allowed.
Watching the direction of the car, it seemed the Crown Prince would stay over at Bay Hillside tonight, probably with He Mansha.
Xiao Li's phone received a text: "Please convey my best wishes for Mr. Xu to have a Happy New Year."
It was from Leh Ying.
With such status at her fingertips, when would Xu Jingxi ever not be doing well, when would he ever not be happy.
-
Leh Ying put down her phone and bowed her head to mix her paints.
The bright lights shone down as she engaged in what she loved most.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Liu Huaiying, but before she could open it, it was quickly retracted by Liu Huaiying.
She couldn't be bothered to look.
Far away at a resort in the suburbs, Liu Huaiying was embracing Chen Ruoqi, showering her with kisses, yet still found the time to text repeatedly, squinting at his phone, ignoring the girl lost in his embrace, hitting send and then hastily retracting the message.
The kiss paused.
Chen Ruoqi playfully pinched his ear, "You weren't focused just now, what were you thinking about?" She paused and pointed to the sky, "I want to watch the fireworks, it's New Year's Eve tonight."
He was somewhat irritable, pushing away the coquettishly behaving woman, "Enough, I said no fireworks. Do you really think you are so influential in the Forty-Nine City?"
Chen Ruoqi stepped aside, lit a cigarette with a lighter; it was Liu's.
"Missing Leh Ying, aren't you?"
Chen Ruoqi turned to look at him, "Pathetic, don't you understand what Mr. Xu meant by giving her the car keys? He's warning you not to bully the university girls, get it?"
Liu Huaiying remained silent, walking into the room.
"Liu Huaiying, it's New Year's, don't ruin the mood," she protested.
As if he hadn't heard, he mused to himself, "With other women around Mr. Xu, do you really think he'd let Leh Ying be with him?"
Chen Ruoqi eyed his retreating figure, each word striking his spine, "Then you go for it. This time, why don't you dare disturb Leh Ying? Are you scared of Mr. Xu turning against you?"
"Bullying girls naive to the world; can't you act like a decent human being?"
He turned around and pulled the aggrieved Chen Ruoqi back into his arms, "Stop it, Qiqi, I'm just not in a good mood today."
Late into the night, Chen Ruoqi buried her face in his chest and cried, "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow to start filming as the female lead. When I'm gone, are you going to misbehave again?"
Liu Huaiying looked up at the night sky, "Fool, what's so great about being the female lead? Want me to get you an award tomorrow?"
Chen Ruoqi laughed and cried at the same time, "Get lost, I must win the award with my acting skills."
Only a glass door separated them from the private room.
Inside was the merrymaking of young nobles, outside the smooth talk of worldly men and women.
A friend leaned by the door, watching the ambiguous couple's push-and-pull, unable to pass judgment.
"Is Brother Jingxi coming or not? It's no fun just playing like this."
Liu Huaiying looked over, "Who knows, he didn't answer his phone. I heard he's gone to Bay Hillside to see his woman."