Best Actress

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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 d

……