บท 53: Past “Best Friend”

The reunion continued with singing and games, but Feng Mian was not in the mood to sing. She had a tone deaf voice, so she didn't wish to sing in front of her friends. The last time, they asked her to stop in the middle because her singing was so bad.

Well, that was the reason why she nearly flunked her music's class back then.

"You're going back, Feng Mian?"

"Yes. I still have work tomorrow."

"Good luck!"

"Thank you for coming!"

"Thanks for inviting me too," Feng Mian replied. She bid her farewell to her former classmates before she walked out. After thinking for a bit, Feng Mian headed to the toilet first because she drank a bit too much in the room just now. Even though it was just water, she needed a toilet break!

Feng Mian relieved herself in the toilet before heading to the lift. There was basement parking in this hotel and her driver, Mr. Yu, parked in the basement too.

Ding!

As Feng Mian walked out of the lift, she saw a familiar face in front of her. There was a woman around the same age as her, walking towards the lift with another woman behind her. She was taller than Feng Mian, which increased more because of her high heels. Her bright pink dress made her stand out because of the glittering design at the edges.

"Oh? Feng Mian?" The woman at the front stopped in her tracks. Her brown eyes looked straight to Feng Mian while her right hand was placed on her hips.

"Hi, Han Mei."

Feng Mian couldn't remember the name of the woman behind Han Mei, but she knew that it was one of the girls who often followed after Han Mei. She put on a smile on her face, trying to put on a neutral face in front of Han Mei.

Han Mei arched her eyebrows. She sneered. "I thought that you're not going to show up because of your poor career, Feng Mian."

Hearing that, Feng Mian merely smiled. She knew that her career in art has been very bad because she didn't manage to enter the proper design company. Her position in Zhang Liang's Company was not any better because she was merely one of the lowest staff's members.

"Why shouldn't I come to meet my friends?"

"Your friends? Who among us keep in contact with you after you graduated?" Han Mei sneered.

It was known that Feng Mian was busy balancing her work and study, so she didn't have many friends. Even now, there was barely anyone who kept in contact with her. Only a few people still have her number and bother to contact her at times. The others were merely passersby who would not have any relation to her life anymore.

"Why should I tell you?" Feng Mian asked back. She waved her hand. "I'm going to go, please excuse me."

"Wait!"

"What do you want?"

Han Mei walked closer and leaned in. She spat out, "Don't think that you'll be able to live well after you destroyed my reputation back then."

Feng Mian sneered. "You're the one who creates trouble for yourselves."

Back in her university days, Han Mei was one of the few girls whom she got close to. At first, she always wanted to be in the same class as Han Mei all the time, but their friendship didn't last long. Because she often placed first in some classes while still busy in her part time job, Han Mei couldn't keep her hand.

On the sixth semester (Third year second semester)* she had just started her internship and felt quite bad because it took her a long time before she managed to get accepted. She was careless to leave her painting at the studio unlocked and Han Mei claimed that it was hers. Unfortunately, Feng Mian already wrote her name at the back of the canvas using paint, so the case closed with Han Mei was the one who stole the painting.

Thanks to that incident, Feng Mian grew distant from her friends in her university and never contacted Han Mei anymore.

This was not the first time she came face to face with Han Mei. It seemed that Han Mei's life after trying to steal her painting was not that good too. Feng Mian tried to get into the same company with Han Mei after she had graduated, but she didn't get accepted while Han Mei got in.

As for how, she could guess.

"You should just stay quiet." Han Mei snorted and stepped back. Her eyes looked at Feng Mian with clear annoyance. "Don't think that you can become an artist again. By the time you have enough money and time, your skill would have turned rusty."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Really? A poor woman like you can't possibly keep on painting while swamped by work. Just look at your black mark under your eyes."

Feng Mian smiled mirthlessly. Thanks to her sleeping habit, the area under her eyes turned black. She didn't know whether it could disappear with time or not, but she had been putting some makeup on to cover it. Though, it should be apparent that there were some marks left.

"At the very least, Heaven rewards those who work hard. Now, please excuse me."

"You!"

Han Mei tried to grab Feng Mian's arm, but Feng Mian already strode faster. She could see Han Mei's movement from the shadow on the ground, so she moved her body even faster. Even though physical skill was not her forte, she should be able to walk slightly faster.

"Just forget her, Mei'er. You're already more successful than her by becoming the team's leader in just a few months' time."

"Right." Han Mei sneered. "She's just a woman without good EQ after all. Even if her skill is good, without any connection, she's destined to be buried under the rock forever."

"Yes. Yes."

"Let's go." Han Mei turned around and walked to the lift. She was late to the reunion, but she didn't care. There were not many people who were still her friends there too.

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(A/N): Sora's Corner: University semester

*I'm not entirely sure about your country's education system, but the one I used here is the one in my country. Most courses have four years, which consists of eight semesters, two semesters per year. Internship usually started at either fifth, sixth, or seventh semester, depending on the courses. It can also be in the eight semester too, tho I believe it's pretty rare.