The Afterglow of a Secret Crush

Age 18.

Xie Jiayu is a genius boy from a prominent family, full of youthful ambition, with a childhood sweetheart from an equally well-off family.

Shen Yi, on the other hand, is just an unremarkable student with decent grades.

Age 25.

Xie Jiayu is a celebrated rising star in tech, a guest of honor at countless industry summits.

Shen Yi, meanwhile, is still a poor overworked employee who has to set up event venues even when suffering from period cramps.

After all those years and twists and turns, the gap between them is still as vast as heaven and earth.

1.

Back in high school,

Shen Yi sat beside Xie Jiayu for a year.

That year, all she heard was people singing Xie Jiayu's praises.

Shen Yi pretended not to care, working through one test paper after another like a study machine.

Only occasionally would she steal a glimpse of the boy's profile from the corner of her eye.

Later, they went to college.

At last, Xie Jiayu's basketball landed beside her.

2.

When Shen Yi and Xie Jiayu were together,

she didn't care that the thing she heard most often was, "Shen Yi isn't good enough for Xie Jiayu."

Until she saw with her own eyes

Xie Jiayu's childhood sweetheart hanging off his arm and announcing to someone else, "He's my boyfriend, Xie Jiayu."

Yet Xie Jiayu didn't deny it.

At last, she gave up and left without looking back.

She ended things with nothing more than a text message.

3.

Shen Yi met Xie Jiayu again at an industry summit.

She was directing the event staff.

Xie Jiayu walked straight toward her, but their eyes passed over each other as if they were strangers.

Just when Shen Yi thought they would always remain strangers,

an arm wrapped around her slender waist in the darkness.

A familiar scent drifted from behind her to the side of her neck, carrying the faint aroma of alcohol.

Xie Jiayu's low, slightly hoarse voice sounded beside her ear. "Shen Yi, please, don't go."

Theme: Never forget your original aspirations