Of course he had— I’d heard similar words more than once.

If I could just bow my head a little more, curry favor with Zeng Xishou more often, my life would be much easier.

But my self-respect wasn’t that low.

Zeng Xishou’s mood was ruined. He waved his hand, telling me to change back and leave.

I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

I just wanted to hurry back to my rental apartment to memorize the script and get some rest.

In the middle of the night, half-asleep, I dreamed of Han Linwan again.

High school campus.

Han Linwan and I lay on the playground lawn, watching planes leave beautiful contrails in the clear blue sky.

"You like planes so much—do you want to be a pilot when you grow up?" I asked.

The sunlight gilded the boy beside me.

He watched the plane fly farther away, then turned his head, his pupils reflecting my shadow.

My heart raced in my chest.

At that moment, I understood what it meant to fall in love for the first time.

"Being a pilot is nice, but I’d rather be an aircraft designer," Han Linwan said seriously.

Aircraft designer—a niche and unfamiliar profession to most people.

But Han Linwan was someone with a rare, once-in-a-million talent.

He chose to study abroad for university.

On the day I saw him off at the airport, he gave me a big hug.

"Weiwei, if we get the chance someday, I’ll definitely let you fly on a plane I designed."

I hated goodbyes, but I held back my tears in the arms of the boy I secretly loved, who smelled so fresh and clean.

"I’ll wait for you to come back."

Han Linwan held out his finger to hook mine. "We’ll meet again."

The airliner carried him across the ocean, and the clear blue sky was the last bright color of my youth.

Not long after, my family’s company went bankrupt.