Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I was organizing the design drafts for the next season in my studio when my phone suddenly rang. The name displayed on the screen made me pause—Liu Rumeng. It had been over a month since we last spoke, following our unpleasant encounter at the restaurant. I took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Rumeng?"
"Xiaoxue, where are you? Can I come see you?" Liu Rumeng's voice on the other end sounded a bit weary.
I glanced at my watch; it was already past eight in the evening. "I'm in the studio. Do you want to come over?"
"Yes, I'm on my way. Just give me the address."
Half an hour later, the doorbell rang at the studio. I opened the door to find Liu Rumeng standing there, dressed simply in a white T-shirt and jeans, without her usual polished makeup, and her eyes were slightly red.
"Come in," I said, stepping aside to let her enter.
Liu Rumeng walked into the studio, glancing around before her gaze lingered on my design drafts for a moment. "Your studio has your style—simple yet warm," she said softly.
I poured her a glass of warm water. "What made you think of coming to see me all of a sudden?"
Holding the cup, Liu Rumeng fell silent for a moment before looking up at me, tears glistening in her eyes. "Xiaoxue, I don’t know who else to talk to about this."
Her voice trembled as she continued, "Gu Han has been acting increasingly strange lately. He checks my phone, restricts me from seeing friends, and even criticizes what I wear."
I didn’t interrupt; I just listened quietly.
"Last week, when I attended a class reunion, he even sent someone to follow me. After I got home, he exploded in anger, saying I disrespected him." Liu Rumeng's fingers tightened around the cup. "I feel like I'm suffocating, trapped in an invisible cage."
I handed her a tissue. "Have you talked to him about these issues?"
She shook her head with a bitter smile. "I tried, but he always says it's because he loves me that he acts this way and that I don’t understand his good intentions."
"What do you think about it?" I asked.
"I don’t know, Xiaoxue. I thought this was love, but now I'm starting to doubt it." Her eyes were filled with confusion. "Sometimes I even remember what you said before and wonder if you might be right."
Hearing those words, I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me.
“Rumeng, love shouldn’t be a constraint; it should be a force for mutual growth,” I said softly. “Do you remember our dreams from college? You wanted to be a fashion designer, not just someone’s accessory.”
Liu Rumeng’s eyes flickered for a moment. “I haven’t designed clothes in a long time. Gu Han thinks it’s just a waste of time.”
I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick album, flipping to a page in the middle. “Look, this is the gown you designed in your junior year. Do you remember? The teacher said it was one of the most creative works he had ever seen.”
In the photo, the young Liu Rumeng wore her own creation, her smile radiant and her eyes sparkling with confidence. She took the album from me, her fingers gently brushing over the picture as silent tears fell.
“I’ve almost forgotten what I used to be like,” she murmured.
“You know, during the time right after I left Gu Group, I questioned my decision every single day,” I shared my experience with her. “I was afraid of failure, afraid of having no connections, afraid of having nothing at all. But it was those toughest days that helped me rediscover myself.”
Liu Rumeng looked up at me, surprise evident in her gaze. “You seem more vibrant now, more like the sister I used to know,” she said softly.
“Because I finally understand that true happiness doesn’t depend on others; it comes from pursuing what you love and feeling that deep sense of fulfillment,” I continued. “Rumeng, you don’t have to give up yourself for love. The person who truly loves you will support your dreams instead of stifling them.”
Liu Rumeng remained silent for a long while before suddenly asking, “Xiaoxue, do you hate me? For what I said to you before.”
I shook my head. “I don’t hate you. I just hope you can find your true self, just like I did.”
“I misunderstood you,” Liu Rumeng’s voice trembled slightly. “I thought you left Gu Group out of resentment or jealousy towards me. But now I understand—you did it to pursue freedom and your own life.”
I smiled gently. “Everyone has the right to choose their own path, including you, Rumeng.”
“But I don’t know how to start,” her voice was filled with confusion.
“Start with small things, like picking up your paintbrush again and designing a collection that belongs solely to you,” I encouraged her. “Do you remember our childhood promise? To open our own clothing store together?”
Liu Rumeng’s eyes lit up. “You remember that promise?”
“Of course! It was our shared dream.”
We talked all night long, reminiscing about childhood memories, discussing our current lives, exchanging design ideas and philosophies on life.
The years of estrangement seemed to dissolve in that one night, and we returned to the time when we shared everything as sisters.
As dawn approached, Liu Rumeng made a decision. "I want to restart my design career, no longer just a subordinate to Gu Han." Her gaze was resolute. "I want to learn to live independently and develop my own career."
I held her hand. "I will always support you."
A week later, the annual gala hosted by the Fashion Association arrived as scheduled. Liu Rumeng and I attended together. She wore a new work of her own design—a modern gown infused with Eastern elements, elegant yet full of personality.
In the venue, many industry professionals praised Liu Rumeng's design, with some even extending collaboration invitations. Seeing the confident smile blooming on my sister's face again filled me with deep satisfaction.
"Thank you, Xiaoxue." During a break in the event, Liu Rumeng quietly said to me, "Thank you for helping me find myself again."
I smiled and shook my head. "This is your own choice; I just gave you a little push."
"Regardless, I'm glad we can be sisters who share everything again," she said sincerely.
As the event was nearing its end, Gu Han appeared at the venue. He immediately spotted the transformed Liu Rumeng, and a flicker of surprise and unease crossed his face. As he approached us, Liu Rumeng gently held my hand, no longer the timid person she once was.
"Xiaoxue, I think I need to have a serious talk with Gu Han," she said with a calm and determined voice.
I nodded. "Go ahead, remember who you are and what you want."
Watching Liu Rumeng stand tall as she faced Gu Han, I knew she had regained her courage and strength.
In that moment, I felt grateful for our sisterly bond and genuinely happy for Liu Rumeng's transformation. Some paths must be walked alone, some growth takes time, but as long as one finds their true self, everything is worth it.
Comment 0 Comment Count