Perfect Girlfriends

Shen Man’s Request

I loosened my grip, and the car pulled away with a growl of its engine. The fiery red scarf snapped into a straight line behind her, stretched out by the rush of air like a plume of blooming flame. I stood there, rooted to the spot. Same face, same silhouette—yet she wasn’t Mo Han. My heart shattered with a clean, echoing c***k. The disappointment hit like being submerged in cold water; I could barely breathe. A gust swept past, and only then did I realize how cold I felt.

Then came the next headache: Shen Man.

How on earth was I supposed to explain all this to her? If I told her I’d chased after a woman I’d only met once, she’d take me for an absolute i***t. What a mess.

I decided to find something to eat—food could always soothe a turbulent mood. Besides, I needed a moment to think through what had just happened. Something about all this didn’t sit right. The world couldn’t possibly produce two people who looked that alike.

I ordered a plate of pan-fried dumplings, two steamed buns stuffed with meat, and a bowl of warm soy milk. I had already eaten breakfast, but when my mood dipped, I always ended up eating again. Shen Man called it heartless gluttony; I called it composure—like Guan Yu chatting casually as he scraped poison from his own bones.

While I ate, my mind circled the same question over and over:

Was that woman really Mo Han?

If she was, why pretend not to know me?

Intermittent amnesia?

A twin sister?

But the further my imagination stretched, the more absurd my theories became. Only the person involved could untangle this knot; guesses would get me nowhere.

……

By the time I finished eating, Shen Man still hadn’t called. She must have been disappointed in me—to the point of silence. I regretted my impulsiveness. With a sigh, I muttered to myself, “Whatever. Thick skin, no worries.”

When I returned to the event site, the challenge competition had already begun. The whole place buzzed with tension and excitement. It didn’t take long for me to spot Shen Man. Compared to the electrified crowd, she looked far too calm—quietly seated, watching the ongoing match with an unnervingly composed expression.

“Senior, you’re so elegant today.”

I walked over with a smile, fully aware that my real purpose was to remind her to stay elegant—and not explode the moment she saw me.

Shen Man remained indeed elegant. She glanced at me once and said nothing. My heart sank instantly. After years of working with her, I knew exactly what that silence meant.

The working area was set up under a massive tent. Without sunlight, the temperature inside was low, and Shen Man, dressed only in a thin blazer, looked chilled. My chance to redeem myself had arrived. I took off my coat and draped it over her shoulders.

“Careful not to catch a cold,” I said gently.

“Hypocrite.”

She stood up, removed my coat, and handed it back.

“I’m hypocritical? Did you even consider my feelings?”

I put the coat back around her resolutely, fastening one button after another despite her resistance. Luckily, everyone’s attention was on the competition; no one noticed our little struggle.

After one futile attempt to shake me off, Shen Man gave up. Professional grace kept her from making a scene—something she’d never allow herself in public, unlike me.

She frowned, sighed, then reached into her bag and handed me a folder.

“This is the event proposal. Read through it first. If you have questions, talk to Wang Jing during the lunch break—he’ll explain it to you.”

I accepted the proposal quickly, grabbed a chair, and sat beside her to read. At that moment, I was like an uninflated balloon—only Shen Man could give me enough air to float, even if only briefly. I had never imagined a day when I could fly by my own strength.

Not long after, she took off my coat again and draped it around me this time. Without a word, she walked out of the tent. Maybe being around me really was suffocating for her.

……

By noon, I had finally finished reading the entire plan. It was complicated, but with a marketing degree, I didn’t find much to puzzle over. I stood, proposal in hand, ready to find Shen Man—she had disappeared the moment she stepped out earlier.

As expected, I found her in the parking lot, sitting inside her car. A cigarette burned between her fingers, and she held her phone in the other hand, typing a message.

I opened the passenger door and slipped in beside her.

“Senior, I really did read it carefully.”

She sent her message, set the phone aside, and looked at me. Her expression shifted—too serious, too sudden. I quickly added,

“I swear I paid attention.”

“Yi Xi,” she said softly, “I need to tell you something.”

Her sudden gentleness stunned me.

“Huh? Ah—okay. I’m listening.”

“A headhunter contacted me. A dealership in Wuxi wants me to be their CEO. I might be leaving Nantong soon.”

I didn’t know whether it was good news or bad. My emotions tangled in my chest.

“Oh. Well… congratulations.”

“I’m worried,” she said, voice trembling slightly. “Worried about you. Yi Xi, do you understand how I feel?”

“I get it. Don’t worry, I can handle it.”

I forced a light tone.

And finally, I understood why she had been so intent on handing next month’s event over to me. She was preparing to leave. She wanted to push me up before she walked away—to make sure I could stand on my own.

Shen Man finally smiled.

“We’ve worked together for five years. I really can’t bear to go. But this is an opportunity for me… And when I leave, I want you to become independent. That’s my request.”

I smiled back, pausing for a moment before replying,

“I won’t let you down.”

Shen Man shook her head, placed a hand on my shoulder, and said,

“No—you misunderstand. Becoming independent isn’t about not disappointing me. It’s about your own future. You need to change the way you think. Promise me.”

In the past, I would’ve talked back, perhaps even mock her urgency. But not this time. Her impatience wasn’t without reason—her time here was limited. She might be gone in a month.

I pushed aside every distraction. I would devote myself to the upcoming event. Without Shen Man’s shield, I didn’t know what the company would become for me. Maybe I didn’t care. What I cared about was her expectations.

And still—illogically, uncontrollably—Mo Han surfaced in my mind again.

Even now. Even at this moment.