Year two, chapter five:

Mei Ling sits by the window at a corner table, a soft smile on her lips as she watches people pass by on the street outside. Her braided bun rests neatly against the nape of her neck, and she wears her usual simple white blouse and black trousers. A medical textbook lies open before her, though her gaze is far away, as if lost in thought. You, on the other hand, cradled a warm latte in your hands, simply living in this mundane moment.

The two of you have been friends since before her relationship with Wang Jun, and though the air between you is easy and familiar, there's a faint tension—something that still troubles you in the midst of shared laughter and quiet moments.