Best Actress

Chapter 1

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Xiao Wei asked me to go out for a while, around noon.

I put down my laptop, drew back the curtains, and the sunlight, which I hadn't seen in a long time, was blinding.

"Reject it! I'm not taking it." Ah Sen's voice came from the inner room. "What rubbish! It lowers my standards."

I turned around, and sure enough, he came out of the room with a furious expression, casually tossing his things behind him, which poor Xiao Yi quickly caught.

"You haven't accepted anything for three months." Xiao Yi's expression wasn't much better. Suddenly, he said to me, "Sister Yan, what do you say too?"

"Me?" I was apprehensive. How could it be my place to manage Young Master Yang? Xiao Yi glanced at me again, so I had no choice but to speak, "Ah Sen, I know you value artistic quality, but..."

"Shut up!" Ah Sen yelled at me. I cowardly closed my eyes. "Is he supporting you, or am I?"

"It's precisely because you support both of us that we think of you so much," I murmured softly. "Sigh, Xiao Wei is going to be late again." I lowered my head and silently counted one, two, three in my mind.

"Xiao Wei?" Sure enough, Ah Sen slowed his voice. "Who were you talking to on the phone just now?"

"Xiao Wei," I said with a smile, "she asked me to get together, probably to catch up. Actually, Ah Sen and Xiao Yi have great taste. Take a close look at that document. I'm off."

"I'll give you a ride," Asen said, turning to get his car keys.

"No need, I want to take a walk." As I spoke, Xiao Yi handed over the contract: "Ah Sen, this contract..."

"Annoying." I picked up the pen, waved my hand, and gestured to Xiao Yi below, signaling that the alarm was off.

"Really, it's not necessary, Ah Sen. Xiao Wei asked me to come over alone." I stated the facts calmly. Ah Sen stared at me for a while, then suddenly went into the inner room, and all I heard was a "bang."

I sighed, remembering that Xiao Wei was still waiting for me, so I asked Xiao Yi to take good care of Asen. Just as I was about to leave, Asen called me back.

"Xiao Shu," he said, reaching out from the room to hand over a box, "give this to Xiao Wei for me." Then he slammed the door shut.

Sigh, Wei is Ah Sen's eternal nemesis. Someone once told me that some people are destined to owe each other something. I believe it. Because of many things.

I tied my shoelaces and slowly walked towards the station. The weather in this city in June was a bit abnormal. The plum rain season was late in arriving, but the temperature was rising day by day. A few days ago, Ah Sen and I stayed indoors and didn't feel it, but today, as soon as I stepped outside, the heat wave made me feel a bit overwhelmed.

People were rushing to buy tickets and catch their trains in the subway station. I, on the other hand, strolled around leisurely, watching the people coming and going.

Perhaps one advantage of working under Asen is that I can still take my time. Come to think of it, Asen has always been taking care of me. And I, shamefully, still hide under the protective umbrella of my friend. I have to say, Asen is a good person. Having known him for so long, I've known that for a long time.

Xiao Wei invited me to meet at that "Casual" restaurant again, a place we've frequented since our student days. Over the years, the waiters have changed several times, the owner has changed twice, we've become familiar with each other, then left, then came, and became familiar again. The number of people at the gatherings has varied, and we've long since gone from students to working adults, but we still meet here as always. Just as we need boxes to preserve certain things—things that haven't changed, things we don't want to change.

As soon as I pushed open the door of the small shop, a cool breeze hit me, and the air conditioning inside saved me from the sweltering heat.

"Xiao Shu, you're here." The owner greeted me with a smile from behind the counter. I smiled back. I glanced around the store: Xiao Wei hadn't arrived yet.

I sat down in my usual spot, and the boss smiled and asked, "The same as always?"

I said yes, and a cup of herbal tea was placed in front of me.

"It's lavender today," he said with a smile. I took a sip, letting the lavender aroma fill my mouth. It lifted my spirits considerably. Looking around, I saw only young faces. Considering that most of the people here were students, I realized how old I seemed compared to them.

So I secretly asked the owner, "Do I look like a very different customer from yours?"

The boss looked me up and down: messy hair, an oversized white shirt, faded jeans, and worn-out Converse shoes. His gaze finally settled on my slightly haggard face. He burst out laughing. "You look so tired. How about coming work for me?"

I shook my head and continued drinking my beverage. Xiao Wei and Asen described my appearance as self-destructive; Asen once pointed at me and said, "It clearly says 'Men Keep Out' here." So, every time I was his assistant, he would have someone make sure I looked impeccably dressed, saying he couldn't let me embarrass him. But I felt so tired; that wasn't me. The real me is the one who blends into the crowd and goes unnoticed.

I continued drinking my herbal tea, patiently waiting for Xiao Wei.

Why isn't Xiao Wei here yet?

Suddenly, a pair of beige trousers appeared in front of me. I instinctively looked up, but froze. He gave me his usual smile and said, "Have you been waiting long?"

1. Yan Shu has believed since childhood that some people are born to be the protagonists, while others are born to be supporting characters.

Mu Yang, Xiao Wei, and Asen are the main characters, while she is just one of the many supporting characters. Everything is ordinary and conforms to the norm.

On a summer day when she was 15, she was leaning on the balcony railing, enjoying a moment of relaxation after frantically doing her homework. The lights of the countless homes in the buildings ahead seemed clearly visible, with the background music of a flowing, elegant piano and a perfectly synchronized violin playing from upstairs. Just like their owners, they were practicing for a school performance, Mu Yang and Xiao Wei. Yan Shu stretched out her hand, looking at her fingers. Actually, someone had complimented her fingers before, saying they were perfect for playing the piano. She smiled foolishly at the thought. That person was Mu Yang. After he finished speaking, he taught her to play the piano.

On the black and white piano keys, Mu Yang's long, flexible, and powerful fingers produced a series of beautiful notes.

Mu Yang said, "Come on, like this." Yan Shu carefully placed her hands on the piano, and awkwardly, the numbers "1, 2, 3, 4" floated out one by one. The two children smiled at each other. Mu Yang said, "Let's play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'." He then began to play. Yan Shu looked up at him, and in that instant, she knew she would never forget that scene. The boy in the clean white shirt sat at the black piano, sunlight streaming in from the window beside him, illuminating his long, nimble fingers. At that moment, Yan Shu knew that Mu Yang was not like her. She thought, he was born to be the protagonist.

What are you thinking?

"Huh?" Mu Yang opened his eyes and looked down at her from the balcony with a serious expression.

Yan Shucai noticed that his piano playing had stopped at some point.

"No, no," she said, lowering her head. "I'm memorizing vocabulary!"

But Mu Yang's next sentence made Yan Shu bite off her tongue.

"But you're holding a math book."

"Muyang," she took a breath, looked up at him, "you have really good eyesight."

His face was obscured in the darkness, but his laughing voice could be heard: "I'm wearing glasses."

"Your nearsightedness isn't very severe," she murmured softly. Mu Yang didn't hear her clearly, so he asked, "What did you say?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Xiao Wei left?"

"Yeah, just got home—how was your math?"

"Ugh," she looked down at the math book in her hands, "this math is damn hard." There was nothing she could do; she was just naturally bad at math.

"I'll come down and teach you," Mu Yang said with a smile, as always.

Yan Shu looked up at him; in the darkness, she saw the boy's kind smile.

"You just need to set it as a constant and substitute it in." After writing out a few steps, Mu Yang handed the paper to Yan Shu. "Try it yourself."

Yan Shu nodded, took the pen, bit the end of the pen, and continued working.

"How confident are you about next year's exam?" Mu Yang's sudden question made Yan Shu look up.

"I don't know." Yan Shu shook her head. "I should be fine with regular high school." After saying that, she buried herself in her work again.

"You're going to a top-tier school." Mu Yang paused, nodded, and continued, "Because you're going to the same school as me."

"The same school?" She wondered if she had misheard.

Mu Yang simply nodded. "Yes, you can do it."

"Really? That's way too difficult." Yan Shu thought, lowering her head. "I'm different from you. I'm just an ordinary junior high school student." She was aware of that much.

"Xiao Shu?"

"Huh?" Yan Shu looked up and forced a smile. "I'll try."

"Yan Shu—" Mu Yang's smiling face made Yan Shu feel uneasy, so she avoided his gaze, "Then, then, definitely. I will try my best."

Mu Yang smiled and patted Yan Shu's head. "Very good."

It was very hot; the sun hung high in the sky, relentlessly unleashing its heat. The sounds of boys laughing and playing on the basketball court, and the thud of basketballs bouncing as they hit the ground, drifted through the waves of heat.

Yan Shu followed Xiao Wei towards the basketball court, the faint sounds telling her how lively it was there. Xiao Wei had dragged her out to play with Mu Yang, leaving behind the homework Mu Yang had given her. She watched Xiao Wei's retreating figure as she strode forward. Xiao Wei always appeared before her with this kind of demeanor, her unwavering, forward-moving steps as dazzling as her own; she was born to be the protagonist.

"Hey, Mu Yang." Xiao Wei's cheerful greeting made Yan Shu look up and look in Mu Yang's direction. Mu Yang was standing with his back to the light, and the glaring sunlight behind him made Yan Shu squint.

"Your mom said you came here." Xiao Wei walked up with a smile, and Mu Yang and the others stopped and looked at the two of them.

Mu Yang smiled and looked at Yan Shu, who was hiding under the shade of a tree in the distance. Yan Shu subconsciously shrank further into the shade.

"What are you doing hiding there?" Mu Yang asked.

"I...I'm afraid of getting a tan." As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Shu regretted it: Look at herself, what stupid thing to say again: As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the boys laughing loudly without any politeness.

Mu Yang just smiled and said, "You guys sit down first, I'll treat you to Cokes later." He gestured, and everyone returned to the basketball court.

Mu Yang has always been regarded as a leader among his peers.

Watching the athletes on the field, Yan Shu thought: Mu Yang is truly an outstanding boy, intelligent and athletic. His classmates have repeatedly said Mu Yang is handsome, and her parents often say, "Mu Yang is so polite." A boy like that only exists in comics, and the kind where he's the protagonist. So, someone as ordinary as herself is only there because she's "Mu Yang's neighbor," right?

Unlike Xiao Wei.

She turned to look at Xiao Wei, who was sitting beside her, head tilted back, watching the game with great interest. "Go for it!" she shouted, jumping up and down occasionally, her ponytail tracing a beautiful arc. "Xiao Wei is a real beauty," the neighbors often said. Xiao Wei, however, remained unconvinced: "Pretty? Can pretty fill an empty stomach?" As she spoke, her brows furrowed slightly, revealing a unique kind of beauty. At school, she was the only one who could rival Mu Yang academically, sharing a natural understanding with him. So, what was the purpose of this seemingly ordinary girl's presence?

"Muyang plays really well," Xiaowei said admiringly, watching the game on the court.

"Good my foot!" a sudden voice rang out. Xiao Wei turned her head, and Yan Shu quickly waved her hand, "I didn't say that."

"Of course not." Following Xiao Wei's gaze, she looked back and saw a pair of Nike shoes, followed by a haughty face. This boy was unlike any she had ever seen. He was chewing gum, holding a basketball, scratching his short hair, glancing at Yan Shu and Xiao Wei, then suddenly flashing a bright smile and saying, "This young master will show you what it means to play basketball."

Xiao Wei glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then turned back to continue watching the game. Yan Shu, however, was a little stunned, staring dumbfounded as the boy walked towards Mu Yang with the basketball.

Mu Yang and the others also stopped and turned to look at the figure that had suddenly appeared. He stopped a short distance away from them, tilting his head and looking at Mu Yang.

In fact, Mu Yang and this boy were similar types, both naturally possessing a somewhat arrogant and self-important air. However, compared to Mu Yang's reserved nature, this boy was undeniably flamboyant. Yan Shu only realized this several years later.

Mu Yang simply looked at him; he wasn't one of the neighborhood kids. He'd never seen him before. There was no hostility in his eyes, only the provocation between boys. Mu Yang quickly assessed the situation. He smiled slightly.

"Hey, let's play three against three." The boy looked at Mu Yang and got straight to the point.

Mu Yang nodded: "Okay."

"I want to play too."

Upon hearing this, Yan Shu looked up at Xiao Wei, who had already stood up and was walking towards the court: "I'll team up with Mu Yang."

"Xiao...Xiao Wei..." Yan Shu opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. Mu Yang simply smiled and nodded: "Okay."

The boy glanced at them, then suddenly turned to Yan Shu: "You, come too."

"Ah, me?" Yan Shu's eyes widened. She forced a smile. "No, no need. I'm not very good at playing ball."

"You come here. I don't want people to say I won unfairly." The boy glanced at Mu Yang, seemingly unintentionally.

"Hey, don't look down on girls," Xiao Wei said coldly.

"Yes, yes." Yan Shu nodded vigorously, "Xiao Wei is amazing, she's not like a girl at all."

"Xiao Shu--" Oh, sorry, I misspoke again. "I'm so sorry."

The boy seemed completely oblivious to what she was saying, and simply shouted at Yan Shu, "Come here!"