A Secret in My Heart

In the art studio at the Zhuangtang Campus of Linchuan No. 7 High School, when Shen Yan first reached up to get that tube of ultramarine for Xia Ye, no one could have imagined that one little gesture would bind them for ten years.

Shen Yan, 185 cm, a cool and aloof beauty, and founder of a top architectural design firm. Decisive and ruthless in public, awkward and obsessive in private. She can leave clients speechless in a design meeting, yet can't manage to say, "Stay."

Xia Ye, 176 cm, a charming flirt and rising curator. Warm on the outside, cool within, seemingly easygoing and sweet, but with astonishing backbone. She dares to smile and clink glasses with everyone at an opening, but not to ask Shen Yan, "Why didn't you come back then?"

From sharing a dorm room in art class to graduating with their master's degrees, they wore the same navy school uniforms, and the height difference between them shrank from 11 cm to 9 cm. Xia Ye kept chasing after her, but was always just a little short. Until she decided to stop.

Three years later, they reunite, both having become the sharpest figures in the art world.

One builds high walls with reason, while the other weaves traps with her charm.

One thinks she can control the whole game, while the other quietly turns the tables.

The art world is so small that they find themselves clinking glasses at the same exhibition opening, while telling everyone, "We're just business partners."

They are more intimate than sisters, and more in sync than rivals.

There is possessiveness, exclusivity, and the sense that each is the other's one and only soul mate.

But neither of them speaks first.

Because once they do, there will be no going back.

Until one day, Xia Ye answers a phone call and hears someone say, "Something happened to Shen Yan."

Bonus scene

In the studio, Xia Ye rises onto her toes three times, but still can't reach the paint on the top shelf.

Shen Yan walks up behind her, reaches out, and takes it down without looking at her.

"I can do it myself."

"Mm."

Shen Yan sets the paint in front of her and turns to leave.

She stops at the door.

"Next time you can't reach something, don't stand on your toes. Call me."

After that, Xia Ye never stood on her toes again.

But she never called for Shen Yan again, either.

Older, stern architect x younger, flirtatious curator

Theme: No one should have to live as someone else's appendage.