Until Aunt Zhang returned, Mo Xuan waited for his grandmother to fall asleep before leaving the hospital. Checking the time, it was already four in the afternoon.
Mo Xuan was pondering what to bring for the child when a pleasant voice, tinged with hesitation and surprise, called out from behind: "Mo Xuan?"
Instinctively, Mo Xuan turned around and saw a beautiful girl wearing glasses and a bun hairstyle. She wasn't very tall, exuding the charm of a Jiangnan woman.
"Shangguan Meng?"
Mo Xuan couldn't help but marvel at the coincidence of running into a high school classmate here.
"It really is you! I thought it was you when I passed a ward just now!" Shangguan Meng's voice was slightly excited. "Do you have a relative here?"
"Yes, my grandmother," Mo Xuan nodded. "What about you? I remember you went to an Ivy League school in the U.S. after graduation, right?"
Shangguan Meng was Mo Xuan's high school classmate. In their year, Mo Xuan always topped the rankings, with Shangguan Meng and Su Yanran competing for second place. Their homeroom teacher was overjoyed, as the top three students in the grade were all from their class. Mo Xuan was directly admitted to university, while Su Yanran was accepted into Capital University.
As for Shangguan Meng, she was arranged by her family to study psychology at an Ivy League school in the U.S.
"I just arrived at this nursing home to provide psychological counseling," Shangguan Meng said with a smile, her face showing two shallow dimples. Her slightly chubby cheeks still carried a touch of childishness and cuteness. "I'm now working as a psychologist in a hospital. I even asked about you from our classmates. It's impressive that you're already a PhD candidate at such a young age. Congratulations!"
"Not at all. But you've fulfilled your dream," Mo Xuan chuckled. "I thought you'd apply to Capital University back then. I didn't expect you to go abroad."
Shangguan Meng had always wanted to become a psychologist, and now she had achieved her goal. Mo Xuan admired her for that. Many dreams from student days might be abandoned due to various factors, but her persistence was commendable.
Seeing Mo Xuan, Shangguan Meng's heart couldn't help but race. He was the boy she had secretly loved since high school, but Mo Xuan's side was always occupied by Su Yanran. Shangguan Meng had no choice but to hide her feelings for him deep within her heart.
So, the happiest thing for Shangguan Meng was when Mo Xuan and Su Yanran broke up. While studying abroad, she worked extremely hard to complete her degree and even took an extra year to earn her bachelor's degree. She never expected such a coincidence that she would run into Mo Xuan here.
During her years abroad, she occasionally kept in touch with Mo Xuan. After returning to the country, she wanted to invite him out several times, but her shyness always held her back.
"Mo Xuan, it's been a long time. Can I invite you to dinner?"
Shangguan Meng mustered up her courage, thinking that since they had met, it was her chance. Mo Xuan hesitated for a moment, glanced at his phone, and then nodded, saying, "Sure, did you drive here?"
"No, the hospital sent me here." Shangguan Meng quickly replied. "By the way, I managed to snag a voucher for a popular restaurant. Shall we go together?"
Mo Xuan was aware of this popular restaurant. Although the prices were high, the reputation was excellent. They sold limited monthly exclusive meal sets, which was a marketing strategy, but the meal sets not only offered discounts but also delicious dishes, especially the seafood platter and secret-recipe braised pork that were only available with the meal set vouchers.
He knew about it because Luo Muqi had dragged him to try it. While others had to compete for the vouchers, she could get the meal with just a phone call.
As for Shangguan Meng, she had been holding onto this voucher, hoping to invite Mo Xuan to dinner, but she had always lacked the courage to do so.
As they got into the car together, Shangguan Meng sensed something was off. There was a faint scent of women's perfume in the car, and there were two Pocky dolls in the backseat, left behind by Luo Wei'er and Luo Xue'er during a previous trip to a hot spring hotel.
She wasn't surprised that Mo Xuan was driving a limited-edition Maybach. Instead, she felt an inexplicable sense of panic. Then, she tentatively asked, "By the way, what about you and Su Yanran...?"
"We broke up," Mo Xuan said nonchalantly. "She's about to get engaged, isn't she?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Shangguan Meng gradually relaxed, as she just wanted to confirm whether Mo Xuan and Su Yanran had gotten back together. "So, are you... single now?"
"No, I have a girlfriend," Mo Xuan admitted. "What about you? Don't you have a boyfriend?"
Hearing Mo Xuan's words, Shangguan Meng felt a sharp pain in her heart, but she still forced a smile and said, "No, I'm still single."
She suddenly regretted going abroad. The psychology program at the Ivy League school she attended was extremely renowned, and her introverted personality made her believe she had no chance with Mo Xuan, leading her to leave the country almost in a self-destructive manner.
She never expected that she would still miss out. If she had chosen Capital University or another domestic institution, and Mo Xuan and Su Yanran had broken up, could she have been with the man she had secretly loved all along?
"Are you okay?"
Mo Xuan, of course, had no idea about all this. Seeing Shangguan Meng suddenly lower her head and turn pale, he asked with concern.
"I'm... I'm fine... By the way, Mo Xuan, can I invite you out another day?" Shangguan Meng struggled to hold back her tears. "I... I'm not feeling well..."
"Where are you feeling unwell? Should I take you to the hospital or back to the nursing home?"
Hearing Mo Xuan's voice filled with concern and anxiety, Shangguan Meng suddenly looked up and smiled lightly. "It's nothing. I've just been busy with reports lately and haven't had much rest. Just drop me off at the next stop..."
At her insistence, Mo Xuan had no choice but to pull over. After she got out, he repeatedly asked if she was okay, but Shangguan Meng just smiled and said she was fine.
"Can I make another appointment with you in a few days?" Shangguan Meng's voice was calm, but her right hand behind her back trembled incessantly. "If it's inconvenient, you can bring your girlfriend along..."
"No problem. Let's talk when you're free."
After confirming she was okay, Mo Xuan said goodbye and left. Watching the car disappear into the distance, Shangguan Meng's tears finally couldn't be held back.
Mo Xuan was still the same as before, gentle and polite, treating her like a friend.
Shangguan Meng didn't burst into loud sobs. Instead, she stood on the roadside, silently crying and sending a message to her best friend. Then, she just stood there, lost in thought.
About twenty minutes later, a BMW stopped in front of her. Her best friend, also a high school classmate of Mo Xuan's, Huang Ya, hurriedly got out of the car. Before she could say anything, Shangguan Meng threw herself into her arms and cried loudly.
This unrequited love, buried deep within her heart and spanning an entire youth, seemed destined to have no outcome. In the past, Mo Xuan had Su Yanran, and now, he had someone else.
"You, oh..." Huang Ya gently patted her back, feeling both pity and frustration. "If you don't speak up or give any hints, how would he know?"
Shangguan Meng knew that if she had been braver, the outcome might have been different.
"It's okay, Xiao Ya..." Shangguan Meng wiped away her tears and looked in the direction where Mo Xuan had disappeared. "I'll still like him. As long as he's not married, I still have a chance..."
"This time, I just hope I can be braver..."