13. Confession

Midnight.

Su Yun opened her eyes in the darkness, unable to sleep—simply unable to. She was not used to strange beds, and the unfamiliar environment made her tense. Of course, there was also the fact that she hadn’t taken off her underwear, which left her feeling uncomfortably constricted.

The aftermath of insomnia soon followed: hunger, thirst.

The room was warm, so Su Yun, clad in pajamas, opened the door to get herself some water.

She turned on her phone’s flashlight, and as she neared the kitchen, she noticed someone sitting at the bar—He Mian, silently drinking.

Why silently? The darkness is always the easiest time for emotions to spill over. He Mian sat there, cloaked in loneliness, spinning a glass with one hand and holding a photograph with the other—clearly reminiscing about someone.

It was all very sentimental.

Yet, Su Yun felt a disconnect; the word “sentimental” did not seem to suit He Mian.

“Still awake?” He Mian looked over.

Only then did Su Yun realize she’d been standing there for quite a while. “I came out for some water.”

“Want a drink?” He Mian invited.

Su Yun meant to refuse—drinking late at night with a man could easily lead to trouble.

But before she knew it, she was already seated beside He Mian, a wine glass in her hand.

Had He Mian bewitched her?

—

City lights spilled in through the window, and Su Yun could vaguely make out He Mian’s silhouette—his features even more striking in the darkness.

Up close, she could sense his discontent even more clearly.

She couldn’t quite understand what troubled him. He was admired by many, had reached heights in his youth that others might never attain in a lifetime.

Su Yun considered herself an ordinary person—she wished for nothing more than to eat and drink well, to find someone who loved her, and to live a simple, happy life. Her parents had never set high expectations; they encouraged her studies but wished only for her peace and joy.

She had always lived by that, which her parents found gratifying.

Of course, Su Yun thought it would be even better if she could earn more and improve her standard of living.

Thinking of this made her secretly pleased. In three months, she would be a rich woman—she’d boldly asked for a hundred thousand euros a month in salary, without the slightest shame.

But back to He Mian—she really couldn’t fathom what worries someone with so much wealth and influence could possibly have. At most, it would be idle melancholy, or matters of the heart.

“Are you unhappy?” Su Yun blurted, then immediately regretted it—she’d crossed a line.

She and He Mian were neither friends nor confidants; at best, they were familiar strangers. She had no right to ask, nor to listen, to such personal questions.

She quickly waved her hand, “I take that back—you don’t have to answer.” Flustered, she took a hurried gulp of wine, only to choke, her face flushing red.

He Mian, meanwhile, looked at her as if she were a fool.

It took a while for Su Yun to recover; the white wine tasted quite good.

“Are you from Nanqing?” He Mian asked.

“Yes,” Su Yun guessed he’d learned this from her WeChat. “Are you from Nanqing too?”

“Mmm.”

“Did you graduate from Nanqing High School?”

Now Su Yun was truly puzzled. “Did you investigate me?”

He Mian looked disdainful. “Do I look like I have that much time to waste?”

Su Yun wanted to nod, but held back.

“Then how do you know where I live? Or my phone number?”

“You told me yourself when you were drunk,” He Mian said, taking a sip of wine, making it up as he went along.

Su Yun was half convinced, half doubtful. Was her sense of self-preservation really so weak when drunk?

“How did you know I graduated from Nanqing High?” she pressed. It couldn’t be something she let slip while intoxicated—she wasn’t that far gone.

A scene from years ago flashed through He Mian’s mind. He replied lightly, “Just a guess—you're not much of a bookworm.”

“…”

A faint smile played at He Mian’s lips. “Maybe we’ve met before.”

“Impossible,” Su Yun replied in English, unconvinced. He Mian was clearly not from her social class, and besides, she had a good memory; she would have remembered someone as attractive as him.

“True. Someone as handsome as me—you must be meeting for the first time.” He Mian was never above praising himself.

It was as if he could read her mind.

“You’re not,” Su Yun retorted, rolling her eyes. “I’ve seen someone more handsome than you.”

“Who?” He Mian’s tone rose—did she have vision problems?

“My father,” Su Yun said smugly.

“…”

At last, she’d managed to win a round.

“Su Yun.” Suddenly, He Mian called her name directly. “Today’s my birthday.”

Su Yun met his gaze—what was with this sudden seriousness? Was he expecting a gift?

“Happy—”

“So, be my girlfriend.”