She Said: A Passionate Kiss [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 46
Qiang Huai stared at the message in the chatbox, momentarily frozen.
“Knee-jerk reflex?” she murmured.
In that moment, she was transported back to that afternoon in high school—beads of sweat hanging at her temples after sports, the sounds of insects and birds under lush green trees, a girl holding a secret in her heart. The two of them locked eyes, carefully treading through the youthful stirrings of their emotions.
Qiang Huai had imagined countless explanations from Gu Pingwan over the years. She had never gotten over what happened. That threshold they never crossed had always seemed like a barrier of time, locked behind a key made of ridiculous reasons.
Who would’ve thought that the misunderstanding all these years was just a “knee-jerk reflex”?
If she had known earlier, maybe she and Gu Pingwan could have been together long ago.
Then again, maybe not. Mutual affection in youth didn’t guarantee a relationship that could last today. Qiang Huai simply felt that she’d been foolish—and Gu Pingwan too.
She hadn’t expected Gu Pingwan to message her on QQ. Without replying, Qiang Huai called her directly.
“Wanwan,” she said once the call connected, but suddenly didn’t know what to say.
Hearing the long-lost voice, Gu Pingwan asked, “Where are you?”
“I’m in Biancheng,” Qiang Huai replied. In the background, Xiao Yu was urging her to get in the car—they were about to head back to downtown Jin City.
“I’m in Jin City,” Gu Pingwan said. “It’s been a while since we had a meal together.”
Qiang Huai understood her meaning. “Want to have dinner later?”
“Sure. What time? Where?”
“6:00 PM. At the gate of our old high school.”
“Don’t be late.”
Gu Pingwan sprang up from bed, opened her closet, and realized all her clothes were plain. She usually didn’t pay much attention to what she wore.
She immediately went out and bought a dress. Since starting work, she hadn’t worn skirts often. The floral dress she chose, paired with a pair of white canvas shoes, made her feel like she was back in high school.
Her mother sat on the sofa, watching her dress up. “Got a date?”
“Mm-hmm,” Gu Pingwan answered as she did her makeup in the bathroom. Her technique was a bit rusty, but thankfully, her features were pretty enough to pull off a light touch.
“With who?” her mother asked, a little worried—afraid it wasn’t Qiang Huai.
Gu Pingwan’s hand paused while applying lipstick. “A high school classmate.”
“That ‘just a friend’ classmate?” her mother asked deliberately. Back when they were at the hospital, the TV had shown Qiang Huai onscreen. Her mother had asked then if that was her classmate, and Gu Pingwan had replied that they were just ordinary friends.
Gu Pingwan didn’t expect her mother to remember that. She smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
The weather in Jin City changed on a dime. Earlier, when she’d gone out to buy clothes, the sun had been shining. Now, it was pouring.
She checked the time—half an hour until six. She pulled out the old umbrella Qiang Huai had given her in high school. Though a bit worn, it still worked well enough.
“Mom, I’m heading out,” she called while putting on her shoes at the door.
Her mother responded with a sound of acknowledgment.
…
Qiang Huai drove to the school gate. With the holidays, the streets were empty—no food stalls, no students.
The rain was heavy. Qiang Huai had brought two umbrellas. She opened one and stood in the rain waiting for Gu Pingwan.
She checked her makeup on her phone screen—everything was fine. A taxi pulled up in front of her.
Gu Pingwan got out, immediately opened the old umbrella, and it just happened to block their line of sight. Misty rain blurred the scene, but their smiles found each other through it.
“Long time no see, classmate,” Gu Pingwan greeted her.
Qiang Huai stepped forward. “Long time no see.”
Just like the first time they’d greeted each other years ago—but their hearts had changed. Back then, Qiang Huai had been dealing with a stomachache, yet all she could think about was whether Gu Pingwan still remembered her. Now, her thoughts were all about how to confess.