"Can you give us a minute?" Su Mei asked, offering an apologetic smile to Ji Mian's assistant.
The assistant quickly nodded and left the room.
"Yes, Ms. Ji, it's me..." Su Mei said quietly, her gaze fixed on the confused face before her.
"Sera... what the fu*k!!! Are you really Sera?" Ji Mian exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes, Great-Grandma, but please, don't say my English name so many times... I can't afford being exposed. Call me Su Mei," she replied.
Ji Mian gasped, her mind racing back eight years...
Flashback.
"Premier League doesn't accept people, even if they're geniuses... One should be practically godlike to get in," Ji Mian's professor had said.
"How genius do you have to be? I've been first in all my academics and everything else, but I still wasn't selected," Ji Mian had pouted.
"Mian-ah, the people there are not just geniuses, they're on another level entirely... Their dual studies are something else. They have a major and a minor, so by the time they're 19, they're proficient in two disciplines—medicine, technology, or business—along with a major in something like music or marksmanship, and a minor in computer science or law. That's four job proficiencies, plus they have both physical and mental strength. They're basically superhuman," the professor had explained, leaving Ji Mian and her classmates dumbfounded.
This had been a major blow to Ji Mian. She had always been known as a genius, and was enrolled in one of the best institutes in Y Country, which offered two job proficiencies. She had chosen fashion design and business, and felt great about it—until she heard about the Premier League students. Suddenly, she had a whole new respect for them.
"Okay, it's time... Please hop on the bus. We'll be leaving in 10 minutes," the professor had called out.
Ji Mian could still remember the campus—how mind-blowing each block was. It was a whole new world.
There were 15 people in total, including the professor. While exploring, Ji Mian had heard a voice that stopped her in her tracks. Unable to calm herself, she had slipped away from the group and followed the sound. It led her to a stadium, where a stunning beauty was singing without pause, playing music that was out of this world. The woman was breathtaking, her voice captivating.
Ji Mian had stood there, starstruck, staring at the beauty. Suddenly, she heard a small voice behind her. She turned involuntarily and found herself looking up at a man who was too tall for her to see his face clearly. As she tried to get a better look, she bent backward and nearly fell—until the handsome young man, who seemed to be around 18, caught her hand and saved her from falling.
She blushed as she took in his handsome face, [one of the reasons she had lost control], and thanked him. Just then, she heard a voice from behind.
"Gege... what happened?" The voice spoke in Chinese. It was the same girl who had just bowed gracefully to the audience, leaving everyone starstruck.
Ji Mian was startled once again, realizing they were Chinese and likely related. She took two steps back to observe them together.
'Indeed, they do have similarities,' she thought.
Su Mei and Su Chen stared at her with confused expressions. Realizing she probably looked like a lost nomad, Ji Mian quickly extended her hand and explained how she had ended up there.
Su Mei giggled heartily at her explanation, while Su Chen commented, "One more added," as he picked up his sister's bag and walked in another direction.
"Sorry, Ms. Ji. It was nice meeting you... but I have to go," Su Mei apologized before leaving. Ji Mian continued staring at their retreating figures until another guy approached her.
"She's amazing, isn't she? But too bad... she has a brother who acts as her ultimate barrier," he sighed, speaking in fluent English.
Ji Mian's curiosity about their academics was piqued. "Hey, do you know about their academic selections?" she asked, matching his English fluency.
"Of course. Alex: Two disciplines—Business and Technology; Major—Marksmanship, and Minor—Law. Sera: Two disciplines—Medicine and Chinese Medicine; Major—Music, and Minor—Computer Science," he explained, leaving Ji Mian speechless.
"Hey, beauty, how about—?" The guy started, but before he could continue, Ji Mian's phone rang.
"I'm sorry, I have to take this," she quickly said, using the opportunity to escape and rush back to her team.
"Where did you go? You almost got caught by the professor before I saved your a**," her friend scolded her.
"Coffee on me, thanks," Ji Mian patted her friend's shoulder, smiling to herself as she rejoined the group.
End of Flashback.
"I was barely hoping on my luck... and I can't believe I was right... Are you a Y Country native too?" Ji Mian's face lit up like she had just found a long-lost favorite doll.
"I'm a Y Country native, yes," Su Mei replied.
"Oh my god! And where's your brother? Alex, if I'm not wrong?" Ji Mian asked, but her words were met with a sudden silence.
Ji Mian suddenly had a realization... Wait a minute... Did she just say Su Mei? The Su Mei from Xi Corporation? Then... A visible look of fear appeared on Ji Mian's face. Seeing her reaction, Su Mei could tell that Ji Mian had figured out who she really was.
"Yes and no, I am that Su Mei, but the truth behind that incident is something else," Su Mei finally spoke after five whole minutes.
"Of course, of course... I believe you! What kind of stupid rumors are those? They called you dumb, lifeless, and what not?" Ji Mian roared, her voice echoing in the room.
"Ms. Ji, I appreciate your concern, but please keep it down. Your grandpa might get startled," Su Mei gently reminded her.
Afterwards, Ji Mian inquired further and finally understood what had really happened. She felt her blood boiling with anger.
"Are they even human? How could they do this to you?" Ji Mian lost her cool again.
"But aren't you scared to reveal this to me? A stranger?" Ji Mian asked, her tone filled with concern.
Su Mei also wondered why she had shared so much. Maybe it was because Ji Mian had shown that she genuinely trusted her.
"Not stranger than leaving her only family in a stranger's hands," Su Mei replied with a small smile. Ji Mian nodded and then returned to the previous topic.
"Su Mei, you are a benefactor to my old man and me... You shall be my good friend from now on. Please don't worry, I will be there for you...ask me anything you want...as long as i can give it to you I shall give it.," Ji Mian declared, almost as if she was pledging her loyalty.
"Haha... Thank you for the thought, but I'll only consider the friend part," Su Mei replied warmly. "Please pass me your mobile number. Once I get my phone back, I'll give you a call." Then after a quick exchange, Ji Mian asked her assistant to drop Su Mei as Ji Mian insisted on it.