The afternoon sun poured through the windows of the university lecture hall, casting a warm glow over Liang Wei as he jotted down notes from the professor's lecture on ancient artifacts. He was distracted, however, by thoughts of Mei Lan and the growing bond they shared over their mission to protect the Midnight Pawnshop.
Lian sat a few rows behind him, her eyes narrowed as she watched Wei. They had been friends since high school, but lately, she couldn't shake the feeling of irritation whenever she saw him and Mei together, their laughter echoing in the halls. It was a strange emotion, one that twisted in her chest.
After class, Lian approached Wei, her voice bright but tinged with an edge of frustration. "Hey, Wei! Have you seen Mei around? You two seem to be inseparable these days."
Wei looked up, slightly taken aback by the sharpness in her tone. "Um, yeah, we've been working on a project . It's important, Lian."
"Right, important," she echoed, her smile faltering. "But it seems like you're always with her now. What about our plans? We used to hang out all the time."
"I know, but Mei needs my help," Wei replied, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice. "She's dealing with a lot right now, and I want to make sure she's okay."
Lian's expression darkened. "You really think you can trust her? You don't know what she's capable of. She's been acting suspiciously ."
"What are you talking about?" Wei asked, furrowing his brow. "Mei's been nothing but honest with me."
"Maybe so," Lian replied, crossing her arms. "But I can't shake the feeling that she's playing you. You're too trusting, Wei."
Wei sighed, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Lian, I appreciate your concern, but I know what I'm doing. Mei is my friend."
Lian's jaw tightened, a plan forming in her mind. If she couldn't get Wei's attention by simply warning him, perhaps she could make him see Mei for what she believed her to be. "Fine, do what you want. Just don't come crying to me when she betrays you."
As Lian walked away, a storm of emotions raged within her. She couldn't let this girl come between them. Wei had always been there for her, and she wasn't about to lose him to someone she viewed as a threat.
Later that evening, Wei met Mei at the Midnight Pawnshop. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as they discussed their next steps against the Shadow Sect.
"We should gather more information on the people who've interacted with them," Mei suggested, her brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe we can find someone who knows what they're after."
Wei nodded, relieved to be working alongside her. "I'll ask Mr. Shen if he has any contacts we can reach out to."
As they worked, Wei felt a warmth grow between them, but the nagging thought of Lian's words lingered in the back of his mind.
A few days later, Lian put her plan into action. She forged a note and had it delivered to Wei , pretending to be Mei. It read: "I need to talk to you about Wei. I think he's hiding something. Mei lan" making it look as if the message had been delivered to him by mistake.
Later that night, when Wei received the note, he felt a rush of confusion . Why would Mei say something like that? He decided to confront her about it.
When he found Mei in the back of the shop, she looked up in surprise. "Hey, Wei! What's up?"
"Did you think I wouldn't see that note?, who were you sending it to?" he demanded, holding up the piece of paper. "Why would you think I was hiding something?"
Mei's eyes widened, her expression shifting from confusion to concern. "I didn't send you anything, Wei. I swear!"
"Then who did?" Wei pressed, his heart racing as doubt crept in.
"I don't know!" Mei exclaimed, her voice rising. "But it sounds like someone is trying to drive a wedge between us."
In that moment, the truth hit Wei like a punch to the gut. Lian's jealousy had spiraled out of control, and he had unknowingly become a pawn in her game.
"Lian…" Wei said as he ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
"Do you think it could be Lian?" Mei asked, her eyes narrowing in realization. "She's always been protective of you."
"She was jealous of our friendship," Wei admitted, feeling a mix of betrayal and disappointment. "I should have seen it."
The weight of the situation crashed down on him. "I can't believe she would do something like this."
Mei stepped closer, concern etched on her face. "Wei, I think you should talk to her first and not just jump into conclusions ."
With a heavy heart, Wei sighed,he knew what she was capable of and he knew he had to end his friendship with Lian. He couldn't allow her manipulative behavior to affect the bond he had with Mei.
The next day, he found Lian sitting alone on a campus bench. As he approached, the air felt thick with tension.
"Lian," he said, his voice steady. "We need to talk."
Her expression shifted from casual to defensive. "What's this about?"
"You know what this is about," he replied, anger bubbling to the surface. "You sent me that message pretending to be Mei. Why would you do that?"
Lian's eyes narrowed, her demeanor shifting as she realized he wasn't going to back down. "I was just trying to protect you, Wei! You can't see that she's playing you!"
"I don't need your protection," he shot back, his voice rising. "You've crossed a line. I can't be friends with someone who would do this."
"You're making a mistake!" Lian yelled, her voice cracking. "I'm the only one who really cares about you!"
"Then you should have trusted me," Wei replied, disappointment heavy in his heart. "But this friendship can't continue if you're going to treat me like a fool."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Lian fuming behind him. As he left, he felt a mix of sadness and relief. He had cut ties with the toxicity that had begun to poison his life.
As he stepped into the daylight, Wei felt a sense of clarity wash over him. He was ready to embrace the challenges ahead with Mei by his side, and nothing—especially not jealousy—would come between them.