She became a heartthrob among internet celebrities.

"Ah Jiang! Someone is calling you on WeChat!" Tang Li's voice came from the bathroom.

Jiang Lai was washing up. She was applying face wash to her face when she said, "Can you answer this for me and tell them I'll call back in a bit?"

"Okay!" Tang Li replied.

After Jiang Lai washed her face and came out of the bathroom, Tang Li said, "It's Senior Wen Zhi. She seems to have something to ask you."

"Senior Wen?" Jiang Lai repeated, a little curious. She hadn't contacted her since the photography incident, so why was she calling so suddenly today? Jiang Lai hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to call back or send a message.

"Never mind, I'll just make a phone call." Jiang Lai immediately sent a WeChat voice message.

"Hello?" The other end answered quickly.

"Senior! It's me! I just went to brush my teeth and wash my face. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Wen Zhi's tone was cheerful, and it was the first time Jiang Lai had been able to discern her feelings from her voice.

"Junior, the results were just announced, and my photo was shortlisted and won an award."

"Really??? Congratulations, senior!!! That's amazing!" Jiang Lai was genuinely happy for her.

"Are you free now, junior? I'd like to thank you in person," Wen Zhi asked.

Jiang Lai replied without hesitation, "Sure! Although I don't think this is my doing. Let's meet at the flower shop at 9 a.m., okay?"

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone call, Jiang Lai put on a jacket. It was already quite chilly at night, and she was afraid of getting cold if she wore too little.

"I'm going out to meet up with my senior. If anyone wants some late-night snacks, message me in the group!"

“OK!” the roommates replied in unison.

-

When Jiang Lai arrived at the flower shop, Wen Zhi was already waiting there.

"Sorry, senior! I'm late."

Wen Zhi shook her head. "It's okay. Come walk with me for a bit. I have something to tell you."

Jiang Lai readily agreed, and then said, "Then I'll buy two cups of milk tea! Consider it an apology for being late. It'll also warm my hands."

After saying that, she didn't give Wen Zhi a chance to refuse and went straight to the milk tea shop not far away and bought two hot cocoa tarts.

"Here you go, senior!" Jiang Lai handed her one of the cups. "Even though I've already brushed my teeth, I still want to drink milk tea. It's just that I'm making you gain weight along with me."

Wen Zhi smiled and took a sip as well.

The two walked towards the playground.

There are several sports fields at Imperial University, and they went to the small sports field near the student dormitory, where many people go for a night run.

Jiang Lai and Wen Zhi walked slowly along the outermost track and then walked to the stands.

"Sit down, junior." Wen Zhi sat down first.

Jiang Lai sat down next to Wen Zhi and asked, "Is there anything you want to say to me, senior?"

Wen Zhi took out her phone, opened the photo album, and a photo appeared on the screen. She handed the phone to Jiang Lai.

"These are the photos I submitted this time."

This is an extremely artistic photograph; from its structure to its lighting, everything is just right.

"Is this the playground?" Jiang Lai recognized it at a glance; the scene in the photo was exactly the playground in front of her.

“Yes.” Wen Zhi smiled.

Jiang Lai didn't say anything and continued looking at the photo.

The background is black, but the warm yellow light from the streetlights makes the whole photo look much more affectionate.

This photo was taken from a parallel viewpoint.

"Did the senior use a tripod? Was it placed over the horizontal bar?"

“Not bad.” Wen Zhi smiled again.

"Alright, is your senior testing me?" Jiang Lai laughed. "Then I'll just say a few words."

This photo also includes the student apartments in the distance. Lights are on in a few rooms of the student apartments, but they don't overshadow the main subject. At first glance, the focus of this photo is still on the foreground.

A streetlamp casts a dappled shadow on the grass, revealing a soccer goal. In the distance, groups of students sit together, seemingly chatting and laughing. Couples embrace under the streetlamp. But most notably, a boy is running into the scene, his shadow captured by the camera.

It's hard to describe who the main character is in this scene with just a picture, but everyone is so perfectly placed, showing the most authentic side of college students.

After listening to Jiang Lai's explanation, Wen Zhi clapped softly, "Junior, you're great! Are you also into photography?"

"Oh, just occasionally filming some videos or something. And, senior, there's no need to praise me like that, is there?" Jiang Lai shuddered a couple of times. "It's not like you at all, senior."

"Not like me? Then what do you think of me?" Wen Zhi asked seriously.

"Senior? In my eyes, although you seem aloof and unapproachable, you're actually a very gentle person. You just pretend because you're afraid of getting hurt. Although I said some things last time that you wouldn't like to hear, you didn't blame me..."

"I had no idea I looked like this in your eyes." Wen Zhi was about to laugh again. "Isn't your filter for me a little too strong?"

“No, you are indeed a very outstanding senior,” Jiang Lai said earnestly. “If you could try to open up more, maybe you would be much happier? Although I don’t know what troubles you, I can sense the repression you’re under. Sometimes you don’t need to push yourself so hard…”

After showering everyone with compliments late at night and acting as a life coach, Jiang Lai felt she was a really good person.

Wen Zhi stood up. "Shall we walk two more laps?"

"Ok."

"After you said there was a problem with my photo that day, I actually thought about it a lot myself." Wen Zhi's voice was more relaxed. "You don't know how much I crave winning an award..."

Jiang Lai and Wen Zhi walked very slowly. Wen Zhi told Jiang Lai about her own affairs in an extremely calm tone, as if she were telling a completely unrelated story.

Jiang Lai didn't comfort her, but listened quietly.

“That’s it.” Wen Zhi said finally, “Your words woke me up. I rethought a lot and then took this photo. Before the results came out, I also communicated with that professor. I expressed my desire to study under her and pursue further studies. She told me that if I wanted to pursue her graduate studies later, as long as my grades were okay, she would give me a chance.”

“I also talked a lot with my mother. She said she would change. I didn’t know she had put so much pressure on me. If she wants to change, I think it will be very difficult. But I don’t blame her too much. After all, she has worked very hard. Maybe she will really change one day.”

“My father—” Wen Zhi paused for a moment, “My mother said she would divorce him, but I don’t know when. Maybe the two of them will continue to be entangled. I don’t know.”

"This long-standing conflict can't be resolved with just a few words from me. But overall, it's a good start."

"I can't say I've completely shaken off the influence of the past, but I feel I'm moving in a positive direction, and I hope so—"

"Junior, only now do I feel like I truly have a life, and I don't need to think about anything else..."

After listening, Jiang Lai said, "I know everything you said, senior! I forget what I hear, and I'll forget what you said too! Let go of unhappy things. You've already made a good start, haven't you?"

“Yes.” Wen Zhi nodded. “Thank you, junior.”

"Huh? Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything, it was mostly thanks to you, senior! Besides, this is so cheesy, it doesn't fit your aloof persona at all."

Wen Zhi laughed again, a loud, hearty laugh, then slowly her voice choked with emotion.

Jiang Lai patted her back gently, "It's okay!"

Wen Zhi: "Hmm, it's okay. Let's walk a little longer!"

The two then strolled along the track and chatted about other topics.

"Senior, is that all for today?" Jiang Lai had finished her milk tea. She checked the time and realized it was about time to go home.

"Okay, let's go back." Their dormitories are in different directions, so they have to walk separately on the playground.

Jiang Lai waved to Wen Zhi, then turned and left.

Wen Zhi watched Jiang Lai walk back, passing the street lamp that appeared in her photo.

Wen Zhi took out her phone, snapped a picture of Jiang Lai's back, and then looked down at the photo.

This photo is far better than the one she took carefully. Perhaps this is a case of serendipity leading to unexpected success? Wen Zhi thought for a moment and then sent the photo to Jiang Lai.

Wen Zhi: How are the photos?

Jiang Lai hadn't even reached her dorm room when she noticed a new message on her phone. Looking down, she saw it was from Wen Zhi.

When I clicked on the larger image, it turned out to be my own photo.

In the photo, she walks under a streetlamp, her long hair appearing a warm brown under the light, reaching roughly to her back. Her right hand is in her pocket, while her left hand swings casually, her camel-colored trench coat swaying in the breeze, all captured in this photograph.

Jiang Lai: It looks great!!! I'll use it as my profile picture!

Wen Zhi: (Smiling face)

Wen Zhi: Thank you, junior.

Jiang Lai: Okay, okay! Stop talking about it!! Let this go!!

After reading the message, Wen Zhi put away her phone. She didn't want to go back yet, so she walked around the playground for a while longer.

Actually, what she said today was indeed unexpected for her. She is not the kind of person who opens up easily, but Jiang Lai always has a quality that makes people let their guard down around her.

Or perhaps it's because autumn nights are so easy to make people sentimental; everyone has their moments of being melodramatic, and she allowed herself to show her vulnerability.

Jiang Lai went back to her dorm room, brushed her teeth and washed her face again, then opened Douyin (TikTok), changed her profile picture, and admired it for a long time.

"Professional photographers really make a difference! This photo is beautiful! The photographer's skills are great, and the model is beautiful, so the photo is beautiful too~ right? 001?"

001: "Ah, yes, yes, yes."