1 The Calm Before The Heartbreak

October 21, 20XX (Sunday) - October 22,20XX (Monday)

Beijing International Airport- Charles de Gaulle Airport

Mei Li gaped at the luxurious interior design. She could not believe she was standing inside a private jet that was bigger than her painting studio in the capital! And to think that the family of her younger best friend, Zhao Yue, owned this.

Mei Li was once again reminded of the gap that existed between Zhao Yue and her. They had known each other for ten years and in that span of time, the orphan, Wu Mei Li, and the only daughter of the biggest Zhao Conglomerate, Zhao Yue, made their friendship stronger even against all the connotations and slander.

Wu Mei Li was grateful for Zhao Yue's friendship. They had shed tears together whether it was because of their love life or the pressure life pushed into their hands, they had matured together with every laughter after all the tears, they had sipped the same coffee while watching boys pass by at the campus cafe, and they had grown to become closer like sisters rather than friends. There was no secret hidden between them.

"Captain! Let's go immediately to Paris! Big Brother has already called the airport for landing permission. All areas are clear!" Yue's frantic voice snapped Mei Li from her thoughts.

Yue put her red Hermes Birkin bag at the table with a loud audible thud, not caring if the bag would have scratches before sitting at the couch-like seat and then starting to text on her phone. Mei Li was horrified with eyes wide open and mouth gaped. The orphan mentally counted the depreciation rate of the bag and subtracted the cost of the scratches it now had.

"Miss Wu, please sit down so we can take off." One of the bodyguards told Mei Li while beckoning her towards the seat opposite Yue's.

Mei Li smiled at the guards as she sat and eyed the nervous Yue with suspicion. Questions began to pop into her mind like a horrifying grocery list for the homeless, and she knew only Yue could answer them, "Why are we going to Paris abruptly? Who are you texting? Why are you nervous?"

Mei Li saw how Yue tensed up after her questions.

There was a tense silence with Yue fiddling with her phone and not looking up from her phone. It was rare to see Yue behaving like this. Yue was the bright and cheery Sun to Mei Li's calm and collected Moon.

Mei Li was about to ask her questions again when Yue decided to reply, "It's about Chen Zhong…"

That name made Mei Li tense up more than Yue.

Chen Zhong was Mei Li's boyfriend for more than three years now. Although they shared the same passion for art, Zhong and Mei Li were somewhat like water and oil. They could not agree on what color to paint the room, or what food to eat, or what movie to watch, or who the other should be friends with. Dating Zhong was a whirlwind of passion, raw and undiluted passion. Be it their passion in their love for art and their passion to defend themselves in a fight. Sometimes passion was not a good thing and Mei Li had learned that the hard way.

"I see…" Mei Li merely turned her head towards the window.

The lack of reaction from Mei Li made Yue look up from her phone in shock, "You're not going to ask any more questions?"

The small smirk plastered on Mei Li's beautiful face took Yue aback. If you don't know her you would think that it was a pretty smile but Yue prided herself on being the person that was constant in Mei Li's life, and she knew that it was fake.

"I have an idea what…" Mei Li's clear voice made Yue's heart break. Mei Li's voice was usually soft and lazy, almost like she was too lethargic to open her mouth to speak. It always amazed Yue how gentle and charming Mei Li was in comparison to her voice. This time, the words were pronounced more clearly. Mei Li was forcing herself to speak.

Yue compelled her eyes to her phone to read the reply from her brother, 「And to think your best friend's boyfriend is the one my supposed 'girlfriend' is cheating with… such a small world. Did you bring her with you?」

She immediately typed her reply before glancing at Mei Li, who was closing her eyes, for a second, 「She's with me. Give me time to show her. I have a feeling she already knows. And how did that gold digger manage to get your black card anyway?!」

The reply came after they had landed on Paris, 「Our crazy aunt is plotting again. I look forward to watching the drama that will follow.」

Yue snorted. Her brother was the cruelest human she had ever known. Yue's eyes looked at Mei Li's calm face with her light brown eyes that had storms brewing and full pouty lips that were thin with a forced smile. In all the ten years Yue learned in Mei Li's company was that you could never expect anything from Mei Li especially her reactions. When you thought you knew her, she showed you differently.

Yue replied quickly as she and Mei Li entered the bulletproof Rolls-Royce, 「You're in for a surprise.」

Her brother and Mei Li would finally have a chance to meet. They had always been like parallel lines, two persons on the same plane but never intersecting. Maybe this wasn't all bad news. Yue would like it if Mei Li would be her sister and not just her best friend.