Maggie Sun regretted asking the question almost as soon as the words left her mouth.
No sooner had she spoken than Lynn Chen paused slightly in the middle of eating.
Meanwhile, Evan Lin's movements stayed perfectly calm as always.
He simply looked up and glanced at Lynn Chen.
Lynn Chen didn't dare meet his eyes; she shrank back a little and hid her face behind her bowl.
"My mom and Lynn's mom were really good classmates."
Evan Lin answered simply.
He left it at that, no more.
Maggie Sun didn't dare ask anything else.
Evan Lin gave her a strange feeling.
He didn’t even show much edge, but somehow people still felt pressured by him.
It was probably because of what just happened.
She used to think Evan Lin was just a nobody, but turns out he’s the real deal—a true king.
Compared to that, Liu Zhaobo and Manager Li over there aren’t even worth mentioning—not even a speck of dust.
Dinner finished.
Evan Lin originally planned to hail a cab after leaving.
But Nine-Pools Moon Pavilion had already arranged a car for them.
When the black Rolls-Royce appeared, Maggie Sun was stunned all over again.
Meanwhile, Evan Lin looked as ordinary as ever, like all this was just business as usual for him.
Totally unremarkable.
Not even worth a hint of surprise.
They got in the car.
Evan Lin asked Maggie where she wanted to go.
Maggie gave him an address, then fell silent.
The car rolled through the bustling streets of Beijing.
Watching everything pass by outside the window, Maggie suddenly felt an overwhelming exhaustion.
She’d been in Beijing for years, dreaming of becoming a star so she could quickly make a lot of money.
To chase that dream, Maggie had eaten more than her share of bitterness.
But—
In this world, just because you’re willing to suffer doesn’t mean you’ll get a happy ending.
After all her years of hustling, Maggie Sun was still just struggling to get by.
A few years ago, she thought being an extra was just the start.
But she never imagined she’d stay stuck as an extra, running farther and farther down that road.
Today was supposed to be her breakthrough—signing a drama contract with Manager Li, finally getting a lead role. If not the female lead, at least the second lead.
But now...
She really got to vent her anger, that’s for sure.
But the reality that followed made Maggie feel the world’s malice all over again.
She forced a bitter smile and glanced at Lynn Chen sitting beside her. Lynn’s gaze was fixed on Evan Lin in the front passenger seat.
Her eyes were like clear water.
But tinged with a hint of melancholy.
Or maybe it was an unspoken sorrow she couldn’t put into words.
This kind of look shouldn’t belong to a girl like Lynn Chen.
Ever since she was little—
Lynn Chen had always been the girl all the boys chased after.
She never needed to pine for any guy, let alone hold on so tightly.
But...
Maggie glanced at Evan Lin again.
This guy made Justin Ruan kneel and kowtow with just one phone call, crushed Liu Zhaobo and Manager Li completely—he’s got to be terrifying, right?
Honestly, she still couldn’t figure it out.
The boy in front of her was obviously the same down-on-his-luck kid she’d met back at Brightsea Garden Court.
How could everything change so dramatically in such a short time?
Could it be...
He’s actually some rich heir from an influential family?
Maybe he was forced to live outside for some reason before.
Now that he’s an adult, his family brought him back into the fold?
Maggie, who’d read plenty of scripts and webnovels, let her mind run wild with possibilities.
Linkin Park played in the car.
No one knew how much time passed before the car finally stopped in front of an old, rundown apartment complex.
"We’re here."
The driver spoke up.
Maggie snapped back to reality.
"Thanks. I’ll... head back now."
Maggie forced a smile and hugged Lynn Chen, who was sitting in the back seat.
It was a pretty tight hug.
Lynn Chen had always been easygoing and never materialistic.
Maybe it was because Charles Chen’s family was well-off, so Lynn never cared much about money.
But it’s exactly this kind of girl, who doesn’t care about money, that ends up winning at life.
At least—
That’s how Maggie saw it now.
Even though Evan Lin never admitted what was going on between him and Lynn Chen just now...
But he didn’t really reject her, either.
Actually, before Evan Lin showed up, Lynn Chen’s attitude was pretty obvious—she’d basically defaulted to accepting him.
When a guy chases a girl, it’s like climbing a mountain.
But when a girl chases a guy, it’s like a thin veil—easy to cross.
Maggie figured, in the end, these two would probably end up together.
No matter what happens—
That mysterious kid, whoever he really is, definitely has some terrifying force behind him that she could never reach.
"Are you okay?"
Lynn Chen hugged Maggie Sun, sensing some emotion she couldn’t name and feeling a bit worried.
"I’m fine, really. What could possibly happen to me?"
Maggie quickly shook her head and smiled at Lynn Chen. "I’ll get out now."
"Next time, let’s get Fang You and Sisi together, and the four of us can hang out again."
Maggie waved, thanked Evan Lin, and finally got out of the car.
She walked toward the apartment complex, not daring to look back.
Not until the black Rolls-Royce merged into traffic did Maggie finally stop and stare after it, lost in thought.
The luxury and elegance of Nine-Pools Moon Pavilion—
The wealth and status that black Rolls-Royce represented—
Those were things Maggie Sun could only dream of.
And that calm, mysterious boy was even more impossible to figure out.
"Forget it, Maggie Sun."
Maggie let out a bitter laugh and muttered to herself, "Maybe this is just fate."
If it’s not yours, forcing it won’t help.
You? Still dreaming of being a star?
Maggie smiled wryly and walked into the old apartment complex.
Everything around her was rundown, a world apart from what she’d just seen.
Maggie’s family wasn’t bad off before.
But after moving to Beijing, things went downhill fast.
She wrapped her coat tighter—it was cold.
If she couldn’t land that drama contract, her life would stay shaky and uncertain for a long time.
Maybe one day she’d just accept her fate.
Maybe she’d give up on her star dreams and find a normal job.
Or maybe she’d end up being kept by someone.
Who knows?
Maggie went back to her room—messy as ever, and she was even more exhausted inside.
On the floor were notices from her landlord demanding rent, plus overdue utility bills.
She lay on her bed for ages, zoning out.
Her phone rang suddenly.
It was a strange number.
The area code was from Oceanport City.
Oceanport City?
Maggie was confused—she couldn’t remember knowing anyone there.
She hesitated, then answered the call.
After the caller introduced themselves and said a few simple sentences, Maggie jumped to her feet in shock.