Mixed Chapter 1
byLong Time No See
People often say that if you constantly dream of the person you love but cannot have, you are using up your chances of meeting them in reality. Chi Nuan had lost count of how many times she had dreamt of Song Shixue over the past three years.
She thought she would never see Song Shixue again in this lifetime.
.
It was a rare weekend off. Chi Nuan’s usual habit was to first turn off WeChat notifications, then curl up on the sofa to watch variety shows and scroll through Douyin videos, being a Slacker for the entire day.
However, an ill-timed phone call rang, shattering her slacker moment.
This was one of the things Chi Nuan hated most, especially since the caller ID displayed “Chen Zhou.”
Ah, the General Manager. Ah, a work call. The buffs were stacked.
Was it too late to block Chen Zhou now?
The remote control Chi Nuan had just picked up was forced back onto the coffee table. Her tone carried obvious impatience: “General Manager Chen, do you absolutely have to call me today?”
Chi Nuan showed no mercy when speaking to the General Manager, but then again, it was his fault for calling on a weekend and coincidentally lighting a fire under this Photography Mogul.
“My apologies, Nuan Nuan. It’s mainly because the person we need to shoot today is very important, and she has high demands regarding aesthetics. You’re the only one who meets the requirements,” Chen Zhou said cautiously.
Chi Nuan was already unhappy about her holiday being taken, and the vague description on the other end of the line made her temper flare up instantly: “Chen Zhou, why don’t you just tell me who this person is? Have I lost the right to even know the model’s information now?”
Chen Zhou on the other end seemed to move the phone away. He was silent for a moment before stammering, “Uh… I really can’t say.”
To compensate Chi Nuan, Chen Zhou added, “I’ll give you three days off!” and then hung up the phone.
A Samoyed walked over and sat in front of Chi Nuan, rubbing its head against her calf as if to soothe its owner’s mood.
Chi Nuan reached out and vigorously kneaded the huge, soft “cotton ball.” Her mood instantly brightened: “Shanshan, I have to go out and work today, so I can’t play with you.”
Although Chi Nuan was very annoyed that her holiday was occupied, she still walked toward the bedroom.
“This person actually managed to buy off Chen Zhou,” Chi Nuan thought. If she saw her later, she wouldn’t give her any pleasantries.
She put on a denim jacket over her clothes, paired with casual shorts, and slung the gear she usually “ate with” over her shoulder. She squatted down at the entrance and touched foreheads with Shanshan. “Be a good boy and wait for me to come home, okay?”
It was July, and accompanied by the unique muggy heat of summer and the chirping of cicadas, Chi Nuan drove a black BMW M5 and appeared below the company building.
Chi Nuan parked the car and went straight up to the Photography Studio on the top floor via the elevator. When the assistant and other staff saw Chi Nuan walk in, they immediately greeted her respectfully in unison: “Hello, Director Chi!”
Chi Nuan placed her backpack on the sofa and smiled in acknowledgment.
Although Chi Nuan was only 25 years old, she was already one of the most sought-after photographers in Hua Guo over the past two years, and she also served as the Photography Director at Hua Shang Company.
The assistant, Xiao Li, walked up to her with a stack of documents, explaining the day’s schedule. “Director Chi, this is the main subject we are shooting today—Song Shixue.”
The three words Song Shixue pierced Chi Nuan’s eardrums like an ice pick.
Her brow furrowed, and her body instantly stiffened. A single, disbelieving word trembled from her throat: “Who?”
Xiao Li didn’t notice Chi Nuan’s abnormality. After all, given Chi Nuan’s internet speed, it was normal for her not to know these people.
Xiao Li explained to her: “She is a female painter whose status and skill are among the best in the Art Circle right now. Although she only recently announced her comeback, she has already topped all the major trending topic lists.”
It was her…
Chi Nuan’s mind was in utter chaos, messier than a pile of scattered yarn balls. “So, the reason Chen Zhou wasn’t allowed to tell me was because he was afraid I would refuse the shoot?”
“Heh, well, I’m not shooting then!” The backpack, which hadn’t even warmed up the sofa, was slung back onto Chi Nuan’s shoulder.
Seeing Director Chi about to leave, Xiao Li quickly stepped forward and blocked her with one hand. “Director Chi, what are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Please put your hand down, Xiao Li!” Chi Nuan was like a powder keg now, ready to explode at the slightest spark.
Xiao Li was so startled that the hand she had raised trembled non-stop, and she retreated a few steps.
The surrounding staff members collectively gasped for Xiao Li, knowing that when Director Chi called them by their full name, the consequences were usually severe.
Those who frequently worked alongside Chi Nuan knew, more or less, about her serious and responsible attitude toward shooting.
But today was truly abnormal, and many people whispered amongst themselves. They all guessed that Director Chi and Song Shixue had a feud, and a rather significant one at that.
Chi Nuan urgently pushed open the glass door, only to bump right into Song Shixue and her assistant, who were walking toward her.
A familiar woody scent instantly wafted into Chi Nuan’s nostrils.
She looked at the woman in the long, dark green fitted dress before her. Lifting her gaze, she met those cold, aloof eyes, and her heart tightened involuntarily.
The owner of those eyes was the source of the contradictory pain and longing she had felt during countless days and nights over the past three years—Song Shixue.
Chi Nuan’s jawline was taut, and her eyebrows knitted tighter and tighter until she was staring at Song Shixue with a look of distress.
She didn’t understand why Song Shixue had left without a word back then, and why she was reappearing without a word now.
Chi Nuan even wanted to find clues to these answers in the depths of her eyes.
Just like three years ago, just like communicating with the “mute” Song Shixue using only their eyes three years ago.
She thought she could still read Song Shixue.
But at this moment, Song Shixue’s eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly unwilling to let the lover she had once shared a bed with know the answers.
Chi Nuan felt a momentary sense of disorientation and unfamiliarity toward this version of Song Shixue.
It seemed everything between them had changed.
“Where are you going?” A clear, cool voice struck her eardrum, pulling her back.
Song Shixue’s voice was still crisp and clear, and Chi Nuan’s tightly furrowed brow still relaxed upon hearing it.
Perhaps nothing had changed after all.
She pursed her lips, gripping her backpack strap tightly, and offered no reply.
Xiao Li watched the three of them standing motionless in the doorway, forming a triangle.
She couldn’t help but let her unique thought process take over: “As expected of a triangle, it has stability. They can stay in the same spot for so long!”
Wait, she had important business to attend to!
Xiao Li quickly rushed to Chi Nuan’s side, ready to make introductions.
But facing a great beauty like Song Shixue at such close range, her voice stuttered.
“Ms. Song, this is our Photography Director—Chi Nuan, Director Chi. She will be primarily responsible for your shoot today.”
Chi Nuan glanced at her assistant’s disappointing behavior in front of Song Shixue, and a surge of nameless anger instantly ignited within her. She said coldly, “Xiao Li, can you stop causing trouble?”
Xiao Li didn’t even dare to breathe heavily now, genuinely afraid that another mistake would cost her the “assistant” job.
“Oh, so fierce!” The person beside Song Shixue spoke, making Chi Nuan feel completely uncomfortable, her scalp tingling.
“Are these the kind of people who follow Song Shixue now?” Chi Nuan wondered internally.
“So, where are you going, Director Chi?” Song Shixue’s voice sounded again, making Chi Nuan’s heart rate quicken slightly.
“Home.”
“Do you really not want to see me that much?”
“Yes, I don’t.” Chi Nuan’s answer was sharp and decisive, giving Song Shixue no opening.
Xiao Li listened, utterly confused. “Why does this sound so much like a reunion scene from a TV drama?”
“Oh my goodness! Were these two a couple before?” As expected of the CP-minded Xiao Li. While others’ first reaction was that they had a feud, her first reaction was that they had dated.
Thinking this, she almost couldn’t stop herself from screaming out loud.
Xiao Li calmed herself down and interjected into the silent battle: “Ahem, well, Director Chi and Ms. Song, why don’t you go inside and talk?”
Xiao Li, oh Xiao Li, you really might lose your job today!
Chi Nuan said nothing and started walking again.
Song Shixue chose not to stop her, letting her go.
Xiao Li was genuinely panicking. How was she going to explain this to General Manager Chen? She suspected that today was not a good day for her to work.
“Xiao Xue, are you just going to let her leave? I don’t know why you chose this company back then. Do you really have to personally contact someone like her?”
When Song Shixue’s comeback news was released, major magazine companies were scrambling to shoot her feature. Hua Shang was, of course, among them.
She was all too familiar with this company. Song Shixue didn’t hesitate and directly dialed the number Hua Shang had left in a private message.
“Hello, General Manager Chen, this is Song Shixue.”
As soon as Chen Zhou heard Song Shixue contacting him proactively, he immediately stood up from his office chair, stomped his leather shoes, and his voice was filled with excitement: “Ah, Ms. Song.”
Song Shixue leaned her palm on the edge of the desk, flicking cigarette ash into the ashtray, and said lazily, “I agree to your company’s shoot, but I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
“I want your company’s Director Chi to personally handle the shoot for me, but you cannot tell her any information about me.”
…
“Stop talking!” Song Shixue left this angry remark and walked toward the elevator.
Her assistant was also confused. Why was Song Shixue’s temperament so different today?
“Where are you going, Xiao Xue?”
“Don’t follow me.”
Song Shixue quickened her pace, wanting to catch up with Chi Nuan as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, Chi Nuan hadn’t gone too far.
Chi Nuan was about to open her car door when Song Shixue called out to her.
“Chi Nuan!”
Song Shixue approached Chi Nuan, bringing the woody scent with her. This scent had been constantly stirring the deep longing within Chi Nuan since the beginning.
Chi Nuan’s heart rate involuntarily sped up. She urgently opened the car door, but in the next second, her wrist was grabbed by Song Shixue.
She looked down and saw that Song Shixue was wearing the delicate, glittering Star Bracelet that Chi Nuan had given her three years ago.
Why was she still wearing it?