第455章 过来陪我睡觉

    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,beforeheregainedhiposure.

    “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.