The Northern Wei art exhibition was scheduled to open at nine o'clock, at which time the museum director and the organizers would hold a brief opening ceremony. The staff were required to be in position by eight, but Qiuyun didn't arrive until eight-fifteen. Her supervisor gave her a brief reprimand, to which she offered a distracted "I'm sorry" before heading off to organize the guest list. She dropped the papers several times along the way. When the exhibition officially opened at nine, she stood in the crowd, her mind a chaotic mess, only snapping back to reality when someone pinched her arm twice.
"I've called you several times. What is it? Do you plan on never speaking to me again for the rest of your life?" Wu Liu asked.
"Wu Liu," Sima Qiuyun said, surprised. "What are you doing here today?"
"I had to come, of course. Look, who's on stage?"
Qiuyun focused her gaze. A man was speaking eloquently on the platform—who else could it be but Liang He?
Wu Liu pinched her again. "You little minx. You knew Professor Liang was coming today and didn't tell me. You did it on purpose, didn't you?"
"I didn't know," Qiuyun explained. "I'm not in charge of the guests; I mainly handle the warehouse inventory."
"Fine, I'll take it as a misunderstanding then." Wu Liu turned back, her eyes shining as she stared at Liang He. "I think Professor Liang is getting more handsome by the day. Look at that outfit, that poise, that aura..."
Liang He did look exceptionally handsome today. He was already naturally gifted with good looks and a fine build; today, he wore a formal deep-blue three-piece suit with his hair swept back, revealing a broad forehead that made him look every bit the refined gentleman. He was on stage as a special guest to deliver a speech, primarily introducing the contents and significance of the exhibition.
But Qiuyun didn't hear a word of it; her mind was elsewhere. The massive shock—no, the horror—from an hour ago made it impossible for her to think about anything else. She couldn't accept what Chen Liping had told her that morning. Her reality was still rooted in the hope of their family waiting for Sima Feng’s release from prison. Although she had noticed the changes in Chen Liping over the past year or two, she had simply assumed Chen Liping was lonely and looking for ways to pass the time. As long as Sima Feng came home, everything would return to how it was. Subconsciously, she even felt their family had been benefactors to Chen Liping. Who could have imagined she would do such a thing?
By then, Liang He had finished his speech and returned to the guest seating. Qiuyun received a text message. Chen Liping had written: *I am leaving with nothing. I left a letter on the table; please pass it to him.*
After reading the message, Qiuyun hurried out to the corridor outside the assembly hall and called Chen Liping directly, but the other woman hung up immediately.
She tried again; it was rejected.
Again; rejected.
One more time; the phone was turned off.
She stared at the phone in her hand, thinking of Sima Feng still in prison. She felt angry, anxious, and utterly helpless.
*Pass it to him?*
How was Qiuyun supposed to give this to him?
Thinking of her father, Qiuyun suddenly felt like crying.
"Are you alright?"
Qiuyun turned around. Liang He had appeared behind her somehow.
"Professor Liang," Qiuyun forced a faint smile. "You're finished?"
"Yes, the speech is over. I came out to find the restroom." Liang He studied her expression. "Did something happen?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Qiuyun forced another smile and made a gesture of invitation. "Professor Liang, the restrooms are this way. Please follow me."
The museum's restrooms were at the end of the corridor. Sima Qiuyun led Liang He down the empty hallway. The morning sun of late autumn spilled in, illuminating the ginkgo trees outside as they turned yellow. If Qiuyun had only lifted her head, she would have seen that the view outside the long corridor windows was like a watercolor painting. But she noticed nothing, keeping her head down as if the surrounding world had nothing to do with her.
Liang He watched the young girl in front of him in silence. She walked with her head buried, saying nothing. Her stiff gray uniform and the cloud of sorrow on her face combined to project a misery that shouldn't belong to someone her age. *She must have encountered some difficult problem,* Liang He thought. The "thud-thud-thud" of her high heels on the corridor tiles betrayed the agitation and unease in her heart.
"Sima Qiuyun," Liang He called. "Qiuyun."
When Qiuyun turned, she realized Liang He was holding her sleeve.
"This is the men's room," Liang He said. "I can go in by myself."
Qiuyun looked up and saw the three large red characters for "Men's Restroom" staring back at her.
And Liang He was looking at her with a smile.
Seeing Liang He's face and the sunlight reflecting off it, Sima Qiuyun finally realized it was a beautiful, sunny day.
Her face flushed, and she quickly backed away. "I'm sorry."
Just as Liang He stepped inside, the rapid clicking of high heels approached.
"Qiuyun, you're here?" Wu Liu ran over.
"Wu Liu?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I ran into Professor Liang in the corridor and showed him the way to the restroom."
At the mention of "Professor Liang," Wu Liu immediately became sensitive. "No wonder I couldn't find him in the hall." She looked Qiuyun up and down, saying suspiciously, "Does pointing the way to the restroom require walking him all the way to the door?"
"The corridor is long. I'm a museum employee leading him here; is there a problem?" Qiuyun suppressed her temper.
Wu Liu glanced at the long stretch of corridor behind them, still refusing to let it go. "How is it that you two always manage to end up alone together?"
Qiuyun was already in a foul mood, and her anger began to flare. "Wu Liu, as your good friend, I very sincerely suggest you go see a psychiatrist."
To her surprise, Wu Liu didn't get angry but instead laughed, asking in a snide tone, "What were you doing just now? Were you holding his hand?"
Qiuyun couldn't take it anymore. Just as she was about to snap, Liang He stepped out. Qiuyun glanced at him and threw a line to Wu Liu: "Why don't you just ask him yourself?"
Qiuyun turned and left. She pulled out her phone to call Chen Liping, but it was still off. Behind her, she heard the voices of Wu Liu and Liang He talking, but she had no heart to listen to the specifics. Qiuyun asked the director for leave to go home, but she waited by the roadside for a long time without catching a taxi. As she was worrying, a black Mercedes pulled up to the curb.
"Sima Qiuyun?" This was the second time that morning Liang He had stopped for her. He thought the girl might need help. "Waiting for a car?"
"Yes."
"Where are you going?"
"Home."
"Which road?"
"Huansha Road."
"It's on my way. Get in, I'll give you a lift."
"Are you finished for the day?"
"Yes, get in."
Qiuyun was anxious to get home and didn't refuse. Just as she pulled the car door open to get in, a great force suddenly yanked her away from behind.
"You're not allowed to go! You're not allowed to sit in Professor Liang's car!" Wu Liu rushed out, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Qiuyun was startled.
"Qiuyun, if you still consider me your friend, tell me the honest truth," Wu Liu shouted, looking as though she had been triggered by something. "Do you like Professor Liang too? Have you been saying things to him behind my back? Are you two together?"
"Wu Liu, what are you talking about?" Sima Qiuyun's eyes widened. "Have you gone mad?"
"Yes, I've gone mad!" Wu Liu cried, tears on the verge of falling. "I treated you as my best friend, I told you all my secrets, and yet you went behind my back to steal my man... You... you're shameless! You're the 'other woman'!"
"What are you saying?!" Qiuyun was furious and shouted to stop her.
"Tell me, why is Professor Liang on your WeChat Moments? Why do you like every one of his posts, and why does he always like yours? Why does he reply to all your comments? Why did you 'coincidentally' run into him on the bullet train? And why were you holding his hand at the restroom door just now?" Wu Liu's "whys" fired off like a machine gun. "Why... why was it him who helped you find this job? Why do you discourage me on one hand while taking him for yourself on the other? Why did he just reject me again? It's because of you, isn't it? It's because of you!"
*Mad,* the only thought in Qiuyun's mind was that she was mad.
This morning, one person, then two—Chen Liping, Wu Liu—they had all gone mad.
Qiuyun turned to leave; she had urgent matters to attend to. But a second later, Wu Liu pulled her back again.
"Don't you leave! You're not going anywhere until you explain this to me!"
"Enough!"
Qiuyun reached her limit. She raised her hand and gave Wu Liu a resounding slap.
The world went silent for two seconds.
"Murder!" Wu Liu shrieked.
Liang He was quite shocked. He hurried to park the car and stepped out from the driver's seat, catching Wu Liu's hand just as she was about to strike back.
He barked sternly, "Wu Liu, what are you doing?"
"Professor Liang..." Wu Liu immediately became tearful and pathetic. "Professor Liang, I truly love you... That bitch... is it because of that bitch that you rejected me just now?"
"Wu Liu, calm down. This has nothing to do with Qiuyun." Liang He tried to get her to settle.
"Professor Liang, do you love me?" Wu Liu asked tremulously.
"..." Liang He was speechless.
"Do you love me?"
"..."
"Do you?"
"I've already answered you."
Desperate tears streamed from Wu Liu's eyes. She looked at Sima Qiuyun, then at Liang He.
"Professor Liang," Wu Liu said in a low voice, "Can I make one last request? Sima Qiuyun was going to sit in your car; can I sit in it for a moment too?"
"Wu Liu..." Liang He frowned, repulsed by such an irrational request.
"Professor Liang..." Wu Liu pleaded in a voice so low it was barely audible, "Then let me just touch your steering wheel, okay? Please... I beg of you..."
Wu Liu's expression was so pathetic that even Qiuyun couldn't bear to watch. She looked at Liang He, and her eyes met his. After two seconds, Liang He gave a silent nod of consent.
This moment did not escape Wu Liu's notice.
a faint, imperceptible cold smile touched the corners of her mouth. She walked silently to the car, reached out, and stroked the steering wheel inch by inch, as if savoring the warmth Liang He had left behind. Suddenly, without warning, she pulled the door open, sat down, shifted gears, and slammed the accelerator. In one fluid motion, she drove the car straight toward Qiuyun.
"Watch out!"
Qiuyun only heard Liang He's shout, and then... there was no then.
