My wishful thoughts

chapter one In wenzhou, nothing ever really felt like it was meant to change. days moved quietly, morning markets opening under the gray Skies, Scooters weaving through narrow streets,shop signs flickering to life as evening settled in. It wasn't a bad city. Just ordinary. And for he Simu, ordinary was the problem.... She lived a small apartment near wuma street, above a row of Shops that never seemed to close (she lives with her mum &aunt)during the day, the Street was crowded-people bargaining, Laughing, Calling out prices. at night, it Softened Into Something quieter, but never completely still. For Simu wenzhou city is a city bustling with life and alive , but to her, Silent befalls her world.there was always noise,Always movement,Always life goes on.....Just not hers. The first hime she realized her life didn't match the one In her head, She was sitting on the edge of her narrow bed, staring at her cracked phone. It was late, the kind of late where even the City seemed tired, outside her windows, the glow of Shop Lights blurred into soft gold, and the distant sound of Scooter faded Into silience. her fan turned Slowly above her,her heart refused to be quiet.on her Screen was a photo Perfect lighting, Perfect Smile,that melts her world and make her to wish to stayed gazed forever, Perfect Life. at least that's what it looked like. Simu traced the image lightly with her thumb,with a smile that never left her lips ,as if touching it would make it real . as If, some how, she could step out of this room ,out of her imaginery dreams, out of wuma Street, out of wenzhou and into something brighter,Something romance,Something comforting.... "I could have that "She whispered not in a hopeful way... In a convinced way and that has always been her problems;She didn't just wish She believed . She hadn't always meant to stay here.... when she was younger, everything felt possible, she used to tell her mother she would leave wenzhou one day,go somewhere bigger , brighter, Somewhere people didn't Just love the same life over and over again. Simu is a girl that never had it easy, she lost her dad at the age of 5 and she has been helping her mum in making of clothes and doing someother odd jobs and partime works so as to pay her fees and tution upkeeps too. She believed that Surely, she is going to make it big in life. whenever she say those words to her mum, her mum would only Smile faintly and say"Life is not a movie, Simu."At that time, Simu didn't understand. now...she was starting to understand more. She worked at a Small clothing shop downstairs, owned by her mom younger sister, who came to live with them five years after her father's died , She always liked to remind her - almost-daily- how lucky she was to have something stable. "girls your age should be thinking about their future," her anut would say, folding clothes with sharp, practiced movements , "not staring in their phones all day" Simu would nod --------- Smile. Say nothing..... because explaining would sound more ridiculous. how could she tell them that everytime she looked at her phone, it didn't feel like distraction - it felt like escape? Like somewhere out there, a different life was waiting. A better one .....one where she wasn't just another girl behind a counter in wuma street, One where she was seen..... Chosen..... wanted... though Simu was a free Spirit girl. She is one of her kind. her friend will always say " Simu is a girl endowed with grace and a kind heart, She might not be rich, but she will give her penny to people close to her when their don't have,caring less of her own situation"xiaoyu hissed with a smirk " Simu is beautiful and Special but her world always feels quite desolate when it comes to love. She will say we are all humans but nature treats some special, too Special that we, that we that are not much Special can't reach..... my desolate world. while She was remincing, her phone buzzed softly In her hand, Pulling her back from her thoughts. She looked down again....at the Photo. at him....So far away from everything she knew , so far away from this Small room, this unpredictable life, this version of her she couldn't escape. Simu let out a slow breath, "This isnt how it's supposed to be", She murmured. The ceiling above her didn't answer. The city outside didn't change, nothing shifted and yet ....She closed her eyes, letting the familiar feeling return,the one that blurred reality into something softer and something kinder. in her mind, the world was different.... In her mind ,she wasn't here. she was somewhere. where in reality she can't gasped, somewhere reality couldn't offer, Some where brighter, Somewhere impossible.when she opened her eyes again, nothing had changed But the thought was still there..... Quiet..... persistent... dangerous... maybe tomorrow.... that was her favorite lie ..... waking up with the voice of her mother. simu have to keep her thoughts aside and claim reality as she shrugged her head in disappointment. ___________________________________________________________ Morning came gently, but He Simu still woke with a heaviness she couldn't explain. Outside, Wuma Street was already alive—voices rising, footsteps passing, the familiar rhythm of a city that never really paused. "Simu, come and eat before it gets cold!" Her mother's voice floated in from the kitchen. He Lifen. Warm, patient… but firm in a quiet way. Simu stretched slightly before getting up. "I'm coming, Mama." --- The small dining table was already set. A simple breakfast. Steaming rice porridge, soft and warm. A plate of pickled vegetables. Two boiled eggs. And freshly made scallion pancakes, slightly crispy at the edges. Simu sat down, pulling the bowl closer. "It smells good," she said, her voice softer now. Her mother smiled faintly as she poured tea. "You say that every morning." "And it's true every morning." She picked up a piece of pancake, taking a bite. It was warm, comforting—the kind of taste that didn't try to impress, but always felt like home. For a moment, she just ate quietly. Not excited. Not unhappy. Just… calm. "You slept late again," her mother said, watching her. Simu shrugged lightly. "Couldn't sleep." "Phone?" Simu gave a small smile. "Maybe." Her mother sighed, but there was no anger in it. "You should rest more. Your eyes look tired." "I'm fine," Simu replied quickly, then added, "Really." There was a pause. Then her mother spoke again, more gently this time. "Your friends said they might come by today. Xiaoyu and Yuna." Simu looked up, slightly surprised. "They did?" "They messaged me this morning," her mother said. "Said they haven't seen you properly in days." Simu felt something shift in her chest. A small warmth. "Oh… okay," she said, trying to sound casual. Her mother watched her for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "Don't stay locked in your thoughts too much, hmm?" Simu didn't respond. Because she knew exactly what that meant. --- After breakfast, she helped clear the table before heading downstairs. The shop was already open. And so was Zhang Meilu Her aunt stood behind the counter, her posture straight, her movements precise as she arranged clothes in perfect lines. "You're on time today," Zhang Meilu said without looking up. Simu sighed lightly. "Good morning to you too." Her aunt finally glanced at her. "Morning doesn't pay bills. Work does." Simu moved behind the counter, folding a stack of shirts. "You say that like I don't work." "You work," her aunt replied, "but your mind doesn't stay here." Simu paused slightly. That hit closer than she expected. Zhang Meili continued, her tone not harsh—but sharp in a truthful way. "You're always somewhere else. Thinking about something else. That kind of thinking won't help you in real life." Simu lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening slightly around the fabric. "I know," she said quietly. But she didn't stop thinking. She couldn't. Because that "somewhere else" felt more real to her than this place ever did. Still… she respected her aunt. Even if they didn't understand each other. Zhang Meilu had raised her in her own way—strict, practical, never soft but sometimes sweet and cold caring I guess.The kind of person who believed survival mattered more than dreams. And Simu… Simu was the opposite. --- By midday, the shop grew quieter. Simu finally leaned against the counter, pulling out her phone. Just one look. That's all she told herself. She opened his page. Li xun. A new post. This one felt different—less polished. He sat by a window, sunlight brushing softly across his face, his expression calm but distant. Simu's chest tightened. Why did he always look like that? Like he had everything… And yet, nothing at the same time? Without thinking too much, she typed: "You look tired… I hope you're resting well." She stared at the words. Then sent it. Her heart beat just a little faster. --- "Simu!" Her aunt's voice snapped her back. "Are you working or dreaming again?" "I'm working," Simu said quickly, locking her phone. But her mind stayed there. --- Evening came. The sky dimmed. And the moment she had forgotten— Came back. Stronger. Louder. Simu rushed upstairs the second she could, her fingers already reaching for her phone. Her heart was beating too fast. "Calm down," she whispered to herself. But she couldn't. She opened the app. Notifications flooded in. Then— She froze. "Li xun replied to your comment." Everything inside her went still. "No…" she whispered. Her hands trembled as she tapped it open. And there it was. Clear. Simple. Real. "Thank you. I will." Her heart slammed against her chest. Too fast. Too loud. Too real. --- "Simu!" Her mother's voice came from downstairs. Simu didn't answer. She couldn't. "Simu, your friends are here!" Her heart skipped. What? Before she could react, footsteps came rushing up. The door opened— "Simu!" Lin Xiaoyu burst in first—bright, energetic, impossible to ignore. Behind her, calmer, quieter, was Chen Yuna, her eyes already scanning Simu's expression carefully. "You disappeared again," Xiaoyu said, dropping onto the bed. "What are you doing all day?" Simu couldn't even respond. She just held up her phone. Silently. Yuna stepped closer first, her gaze focused. Xiaoyu leaned in. And then— Silence. --- "Wait…" Xiaoyu whispered. "Is this… real?" Simu nodded slowly. "I think so." Yuna didn't speak immediately. Her eyes stayed on the message, thoughtful, cautious. "…That's unusual," she said quietly. Xiaoyu turned to her. "Can you not start?" "I'm just saying," Yuna replied calmly, "celebrities don't usually reply like that." Simu's chest tightened slightly. "But it's his account," she said. Yuna looked at her. Then nodded slowly. "…Maybe." --- The three of them fell into a quiet tension. Because this moment— Felt too big. Too sudden. Too close to something impossible. --- They hadn't always been like this. They met years ago—back in school. Xiaoyu had been the loud one, the first to talk to Simu when no one else did. Yuna had joined later—quiet, observant, but steady in a way that made people feel safe. Somehow, the three of them stayed together. Different personalities. Different ways of thinking. But the same small world. The same quiet city. The same dreams… in different forms. --- Now, all of them stared at the same screen. At the same message. At the same impossible moment. And only one of them believed it completely. --- Simu looked at the words again. Thank you. I will. Her chest filled with something soft. Hope. Excitement. Danger. Because for the first time… Her wish didn't feel so far away. --- And she didn't know it yet— But this was the beginning of something that wasn't what it seemed