Chapter 2: Encounter

To be honest.

The moment the chubby uncle spoke, Jiang Ning almost turned around and left.

But then she thought about her bird’s nest-like hair.

She held back, strode into the barbershop, and sat in the chair in front of the chubby uncle.

“Maintenance?”

“Straighten it…” Jiang Ning didn’t hesitate at all and spat out two words.

As soon as she finished speaking, the chubby uncle looked a little surprised.

“What’s this? Didn’t you say yesterday that you wanted to keep this ‘Love Like the Tide’ style permanently?”

“What happened today…?”

Heh.

What the hell is “Love Like the Tide”?

The corner of Jiang Ning’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Straighten it!”

Hearing the same two words again, the chubby uncle seemed to understand and chuckled.

“Looks like… you still lost to your mom.”

……

Two hours later.

Jiang Ning stood in front of the mirror, staring blankly at her reflection.

Her long hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, her skin was fair and radiant, with willow-leaf eyebrows, starry eyes, a delicate nose bridge, and slightly parted lips—her entire face exuded an indescribable youthful beauty.

Combined with her budding, youthful figure, in her past life’s perspective, a girl like this was something one would only see online—meeting one in real life was nearly impossible.

“Xiao Ning…”

At this moment, the chubby uncle finished putting away his tools and walked up behind her, sighing with admiration.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, I told you…”

“You’re still the most beautiful like this…”

Heh…

Being complimented, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but smile.

And at this moment, the girl in the mirror had crescent-moon eyes and a sweet, radiant expression.

After a moment.

Jiang Ning walked out of the barbershop.

Adjusting the collar of her school uniform, she got on her bike and headed to the next destination.

Fixing her hair was just the first step.

The most important thing was getting new clothes.

After all, if there had been even one decent piece of clothing in her wardrobe, she wouldn’t have had to wear her old middle school uniform outside.

But compared to getting her hair done, buying clothes was much easier.

She casually entered a sportswear store, ignored the sales clerk’s recommendations, picked out two sets of loose-fitting tracksuits in different colors, and then rode home.

As for underwear.

Honestly.

Jiang Ning didn’t even know her own size.

And she was too embarrassed to buy it herself, so she would have to ask her mom to get some for her later.

However, just as she stepped out of the sports store, two girls walked toward her.

One had short, energetic hair, wore a plaid shirt and denim jeans, and walked with a brisk, no-nonsense attitude.

The other wore a short-sleeved T-shirt with a blue cartoon mouse on it, paired with light blue skinny jeans, a bright smile, and a swaying ponytail.

She radiated youthful energy.

At this moment, Jiang Ning froze.

Until the two girls brushed past her.

In the next instant.

Jiang Ning turned around.

“Qi Wen?”

Hearing the voice.

The ponytailed girl paused for a moment, then turned her head, looking over with a puzzled expression.

“You are…?”

Uh…

At this moment, Jiang Ning suddenly realized that at this point in time, Qi Wen wouldn’t recognize her.

Because they were high school classmates.

And high school hadn’t even started yet.

So…

Realizing this, Jiang Ning smiled and said:

“Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Jiang Ning.”

Hearing this, Qi Wen exchanged glances with the girl beside her, both of them showing a questioning look.

After not finding the answer she was looking for in her companion’s eyes, Qi Wen hesitated for a moment before politely replying:

“Hello, do we… know each other?”

“I’ll be attending First High School for my first year this fall.”

Hearing this, Qi Wen seemed to understand and smiled warmly.

“Oh, so we’re classmates? Nice to meet you, nice to meet you…”

Seeing Qi Wen’s polite attitude, Jiang Ning smiled slightly and didn’t say much. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they parted ways.

Then.

Watching Qi Wen walk into a clothing store, Jiang Ning stood still for a long time.

After a while.

She let out a gentle sigh.

Qi Wen…

Back in high school, she was the class beauty of Class 3—pretty, cute, lively, and cheerful, with excellent grades. She was well-liked in class and even had a bit of fame in their grade.

But precisely because of these good qualities, she caught the eye of a rich playboy from another class.

From the second year of high school, after enduring a year of relentless pursuit, various schemes, and sweet-talking, she finally gave in right before graduation.

Then, just before the college entrance exams, Qi Wen dropped out.

Yet, only six months later.

When Jiang Ning had just started college, she heard from her best friend that Qi Wen had committed suicide by jumping off a building.

For Jiang Ning at the time, this news was like a bolt from the blue.

After all, a girl like Qi Wen was practically the “white moonlight” in the hearts of many ordinary high school boys.

And yet, this white moonlight left the world just because she fell for the wrong person.

The result was heartbreaking for many of their classmates, including Jiang Ning.

So.

In this lifetime, as Jiang Ning watched that familiar figure disappear from view.

She silently made a decision.

………

By the time Jiang Ning got home, it was already past five in the afternoon.

Back home.

After putting away her new clothes, she started cleaning out her wardrobe.

Non-mainstream fashion, Shamate, Buried Love Clan…

Anything related to those things—gone.

Before long, several black trash bags piled up at the doorway.

Then.

Just as Jiang Ning finished tidying up, the house phone suddenly rang.

Hearing it, Jiang Ning immediately put down what she was doing and walked over to the sofa to pick up the phone.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“Ning Ning… it’s me, Mom…”

Uh…

Since when was Mom this gentle?

Jiang Ning thought back to how her mom used to talk to her in her past life.

She smacked her lips.

Yep, there’s definitely a difference in attitude between having a son and having a daughter.

“What’s up?”

“… Aunt Chen invited me out, so I won’t be home for dinner tonight.”

“There’s money in the drawer if you want to eat out. If not, there’s half a roast duck in the fridge…”

“Oh, got it.” Jiang Ning responded, indicating that she understood.

But just when she thought her mom had finished talking and was about to hang up.

Suddenly, her mom’s tone changed.

“Ning Ning, did you get your hair done?”

Of course…

“…Yeah.”

“How did you style it?”

“I straightened it…”

“Really?” On the other end, her mom sounded skeptical.

“Really. If you don’t believe me, call Uncle Fat’s barbershop yourself…”

Hearing this, her mom finally believed her.

A moment later, Jiang Ning put down the phone, but before she could step away, the ringing started again.

Did Mom have more to nag about?

Jiang Ning impatiently picked up the receiver.

“Mom! What else do you want to say?”

However.

A soft voice came from the other end.

“Mom? Hehe, it’s me, Shan Shan…”

Shan Shan?

Luo Shan Shan?

Jiang Ning’s mind instantly conjured up an image of a petite girl wearing glasses, smiling with a tiny tiger tooth showing.

She was momentarily dazed.

“Oh… Shan Shan, what’s up?”

A moment later…

Jiang Ning slowly put down the phone, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

A class reunion?

Did this happen in her past life…?

(End of Chapter)

Notes:

—”Love Like the Tide” (爱如潮水) is a famous Chinese song originally sung by Zhang Xin Zhe (Jeff Chang). The phrase metaphorically describes deep, overwhelming, and passionate love, similar to how tides surge and flow endlessly.

—”White Moonlight” (白月光) refers to an idealized, unattainable love—someone deeply cherished but out of reach, often remembered with longing.