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赵芸原本是想装着可怜博取同情，被他这样一问，反而不好意思继续装下去了。
“你才要哭了！”
赵芸还没能适应这座城市的环境，正好遇到一个熟人。ZhaoGehadbeenlivinginthecityforafewdays,tryingtogetusedtoitsfast-pacedrhythm.Hewasstillgettingaccustomedtoeverything,fromthefoodtothepeople.Butdespitethechallenges,hewasdeterminedtomakethemostofhistimehere.
Ashewalkeddownthestreet,heheardsomeonecallingouttohim.“ZhaoGe!Overhere!“Itwasafamiliarface-ChenMing,afellowclassmatefrombackhome.ZhaoGe‘sheartskippedabeatashequickenedhispace,eagertocatchupwithhisfriend.
ButwhenhefinallyreachedChenMing‘sside,hewastakenabackbywhathesaw.ChenMinglooked...different.Hisusualconfidentdemeanorhadgivenwaytoamoresubduedexpression,andhiseyesseemedtiredandwornout.
“Hey,man,“ChenMingsaid,asifreadingZhaoGe‘smind.“I‘mexhausted.Idon‘tknowhowmuchlongerIcankeepthisup.“
ZhaoGe‘sinitialinstinctwastoaskrong,butsomethingaboutChenMing‘stoneputhimoff.Hedecidedtoplayitcoolinstead.
“So,whatbringsyouhere?“heasked,tryingtosoundnonchalant.
ChenMingsighed.“I‘mworkingonanewproject.It‘sbeenall-consuminglately.“
ZhaoGenoddedsympathetically.“Iknowhowthatfeels.SometimesIfeellikeI‘mdrowninginthecity‘snoise.“
Tohissurprise,ChenMinglaughed.“Youhavenoideawhatyou‘retalkingabout,ZhaoGe.Youthinkthiscityisnoisy?Tryworking12-hourdaysforaweekstraightandseehowyoulikeit.“
ZhaoGefeltapangofguilt.HeknewthatChenMingwasstruggling,buthehadn‘trealizedjusthowhardhisfriendwaspushinghimself.
“Hey,I‘msorry,“ZhaoGesaidfinally.“Ihadnoideayouweresooverwhelmed.“
ChenMingwavedhishanddismissively.“It‘snothing.JustanotherdayinthelifeofaCEO,right?“
ZhaoGefeltasurgeofjealousy.HehadalwaysknownthatChenMingwasambitious,buthehadnoideajusthowfarhehadrisen.
Astheystoodthere,chattingidly,ZhaoGecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasenseofawetowardshisfriend.HehadalwayslookeduptoChenMing,andnowhewasbeginningtorealizejusthowmuchheadmiredhim.
Butastheconversationwenton,ZhaoGestartedtonoticesomethingstrangeaboutChenMing‘sbehavior.Heseemed...off.Liketherewassomethinghidingbeneaththesurface,waitingtopounce.
Andthenithithim-therealizationthatshookhimtohiscore.ChenMingwasn‘twhoheclaimedtobe.
“What‘sgoingon,ChenMing?“ZhaoGeasked,hisvoicelowandcautious.“You‘renottellingmethewholetruth,areyou?“
ChenMing‘sexpressionfalteredforamoment,beforeheregainedhiscomposure.
“OfcourseI‘mtellingyouthetruth,“hesaid,histonedrippingwithannoyance.“Ijust...needtotakecareofsomepersonalbusinessfirst.“
ZhaoGenarrowedhiseyes.Hewasn‘tbuyingit.
Astheycontinueddownthestreet,ZhaoGecouldn‘tshakeoffthefeelingthatsomethingwasverywrong.AndwhenChenMingfinallysuggestedtheygrabadrinktogether,ZhaoGeagreed-notbecausehewantedtospendtimewithhisfriend,butbecauseheneededanswers.
Overdrinks,ZhaoGepressedChenMingformoreinformationaboutwhatwasreallygoingon.Atfirst,hisfriendevadedthequestions,buteventually,hecrackedunderthepressure.
“It‘sjust...I‘mnotwhoyouthinkIam,“ChenMingsaid,hisvoicebarelyaboveawhisper.“Mynameisn‘tevenmyrealname.“
ZhaoGefeltlikehe‘dbeenpunchedinthegut.HehadknownthattherewassomethingoffaboutChenMing,buthehadneversuspectedanythingthisserious.
“Whydidyoulietome?“ZhaoGeasked,tryingtokeephisvoicesteady.
ChenMingshrugged.“Ididn‘tmeanto.Ijust...neededsomeonetotalkto.Someonewhowouldn‘tjudgeme.“
ZhaoGelookedathim,reallylookedathim,forthefirsttimeinhours.Andwhathesawshockedhimtohiscore.
“You‘renotChenMing,“ZhaoGesaid,hisvoiceshakingwithrealization.
ChenMingnodded,asmallsmileplayingonhislips.
“Mynameis...JiMeng,“hesaid,hisvoicedrippingwithsarcasm.“AndI‘mthekingofthiscity.“
ZhaoGe‘smindreeledashetriedtoprocesswhathewashearing.Anewchapterhadopenedinhislife,onethatwouldtakehimdownapathhenevercouldhaveimagined.
AsJiMengfinishedspeaking,ZhaoGecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasenseoftrepidation.Hehadalwaysthoughtofhimselfasanormalperson,someonewholivedintherealworld.Butnow,itseemedlikeeverythingwasabouttochange.